Rick never found out what Scotty was going to say, for at that moment the four whirled as something grated behind them. They were in time to see metal rods slam home across the entrance through which they had come!
Rick and Scotty reached the entrance first. Each of the boys grabbed one of the rods and tugged. They were rigid.
"We're locked in!" Rick's voice was harsh.
"Let me look," Zircon said quietly.
The boys stood back while he made a careful inspection. From floor to top of the passage entrance the metal bars blocked the way. They were about an inch thick, spaced only six inches apart. They had shot out of holes in one side of the passage and lodged in corresponding holes on the opposite side.
None of them had noticed the holes. They had been too curious about what lay beyond the passage.
Zircon put his massive strength against one of the bars. It didn't move. He tried to slide it either way. There wasn't even a fraction of an inch of slack.
He turned, and at the expression on his face a shiver slid down Rick's spine. Long Shadow had caught them neatly.
They were trapped in the Caves of Fear!