The boys left the scientists to their work and wandered out into the parking lot. "I want to take a closer look at that crack," Rick said.
"Same here. Suppose it goes to China?"
Rick grinned at his pal. "That's a myth. If you drilled a hole straight down through the center of the earth from here you wouldn't come out anywhere near China. You'd be in the Southern Hemisphere."
"Don't get technical on me, boy."
The crack, however, went down only about three feet, gradually narrowing until it was closed. Even so, it was impressive. Rick knew that the actual break must continue down into the earth for some distance, perhaps for hundreds of feet. The force it took to shake the earth like that was awesome. Again he was reminded sharply of the kind of forces against which the Spindrift group was trying to contend, and he felt for the first time that the job was completely hopeless. What could mere men do?
A horn honking wildly brought him to quick attention. He turned and saw a jeep coming along the western road into the parking lot. Brad Connel! But where was Ruiz? Then, as the jeep neared, Rick saw. The San Luzian was lashed to an improvised stretcher lying across the back of the jeep!
The geologist drew to a stop, his face chalky.
"Get a doctor!" he shouted. "Quickly! Ruiz got caught in the last explosion. I think he's dead!"