“A real pleasure,” Mike echoed.
They were halfway up when, abruptly, the rock slide gave an ominous lurch. Both boys froze as they felt the tremor and heard a grinding rumble beneath their feet.
“I don’t think I like this!” Mike’s voice sounded shaky.
“Me either,” Sandy said. “Let’s go back—quick!”
“Right!”
Sandy could hear Mike backtracking down the slide. There was a clatter of loose rolling stones, a second, more violent tremor, and then a sharp cry.
“Sandy!” Mike shouted. “It’s giving way! I’m falling!”
Forgetting his own balance, Sandy whirled around and grabbed for Mike’s arm. Below him the entire slide was slowly caving in. Sandy’s fingers tightened around Mike’s wrist but he could offer no support.
Suddenly, the sliding surface gave way with a rush, and he was plunged with sickening force through a roaring avalanche of grinding rock.