Then suddenly the thing that the boys had feared happened. The air lock of the Dog Star opened and a ladder was thrust out until it reached the ground. Kalmus and two of his companions began descending. They all carried blasters.
“Now we’re done—” Shep blurted, only to be shushed abruptly by his friend. Shep had forgotten that all the suit radios were on the same wave length.
“I think we’re barking up the wrong tree!” the boys heard Ben Spooner say when they were on the ground. “That wasn’t anything but some loose rock that fell off that hill up there.”
“Rocks don’t just fall on Luna!” Kalmus retorted. “Something has to move them! I still believe those guys have traced us here! Leo must have been able to contact them by radio before I could break up the set!”
“I don’t see anybody around,” Mumbly Pegg remarked.
“’Course you don’t see ’em!” Kalmus growled. “You dead brain! You don’t think they’re standing around waiting to be caught, do you? Start climbing up that hill, both of you!”
Rock eased down as flat as he could get and motioned Shep to do the same. Through his helmet, Rock could see the grimace of pain on Shep’s face as his movement put pressure on the trapped foot. Rock cautioned him not to groan or speak a word.
Over his radio Rock heard Spooner and Pegg breathing hard as they began scrambling up the formation, followed by Kalmus. Rock kept perfectly still, hoping with all his might that the men would not discover them.
“I still think we’re barking up the wrong tree!” stocky Ben Spooner repeated as his breathing grew harder at every upward step.
“Shut up and keep climbing!” came Kalmus’ voice. “They’re bound to be up there!”