“What in the world----” Valerie began.
“The rock--it’s falling!” Gale panted.
Thereafter she did not need to urge Val to exert speed to get away from the spot toward which the rock was rushing. The two of them flung themselves forward while certain destruction hurtled down almost on them. The boulder crashed into the earth with such force that it half buried itself. On top of it poured earth that had been loosened in its descent.
“What if we had been under it?” gasped Val when the girls, at a safe distance, viewed the wreckage behind them.
“We would look like pancakes now,” Gale said humorously. “With that landslide, can you tell me how we are going to get out of here for our supper?”
Valerie looked around. What they had thought was a trail leading through the mountains was just a trail that led to the basin here, a valley on all sides of which rose steep hills. Their only means of entrance and exit had been through the pass, and now that was effectively stopped.
“I wish we would have waited for supper,” Gale said, attempting to keep lighthearted.
“You can join us,” said a suave voice behind the girls.
They whirled and were grasped in rough hands.
“Well, two are better ’n none, eh, boss?” a rumbling voice laughed. “Maybe we couldn’t get ’em all, but these two will do us.”