The rock rumbled shut, and the boys sighed their relief. But it was short-lived.
They heard the muffled, angry roar of the dragon. Then they felt the rock tremble as something heavy clawed and pounded at it from the other side.
“It’s coming after us!” Pete cried.
The roaring noise from the other passage grew louder. The rock that linked the two caves trembled under the pounding. Sand and small rocks started to fall from the roof of the small cave they were huddled in. The air became clouded with dry, gritty dust.
“Landslide!” Pete said, coughing.
“We’re trapped!” Bob cried. “We’ll suffocate!”
Jupiter remembered what they had been told about the cave—the danger of landslides, of being buried alive.
It appeared Arthur Shelby had not been joking.
More rocks fell. The pounding and roaring seemed to grow in intensity. Jupe shook his head, trying to get rid of his helpless creeping terror.
Dazed and frightened, he found his eyes fixed on the planks at the other end of their cave. Of course! It was incredible how fear fogged one’s mind. “The planks!” he yelled. “We go out the same way we got in!”
The three frightened investigators leaped for the boards. Jupe and Bob scooped desperately at the loose sand at the bottom, while Pete stood pounding at the thick board, trying to move it. In another moment that seemed like a lifetime, it was free. They squirmed through.
They swung the big board back and hastily kicked sand underneath it, wedging it in place. Then they looked at each other, panting.
Jupe’s head bobbed.
“Now we run for it!” he said.
Jupiter didn’t intend to lead the way. His feet did it for him. They took him straight out of the mouth of the cave. Then he was on the sand, running.
Right beside him was Pete. Pete was the best athlete of the trio, and the fastest runner. Bob was next. Ordinarily neither of them would have had any trouble passing Jupiter.
Their torches made erratic bobbing paths of light as they ran. They passed the broken staircase. Finally, they were at the steps of the second staircase that ran to the top of the ridge. Worthington was up there, they knew, and the powerful Rolls-Royce that could whisk them to safety. Behind them was the roaring creature that had come out of the sea, and was angrily looking for them.
They were halfway up and still there was nothing behind to snatch at them with cruel jaws and hot steaming breath. Then they were on the top, panting and gasping for breath.
Ahead of them, far in the distance, were the twinkling lights of Los Angeles. And parked down the street, was the waiting car with Worthington at the wheel.
They raced to the big, sleek Rolls-Royce, its metal parts and golden door handles gleaming in the moonlight. The door was flung open, and they piled into the rear seat.
“Worthington!” Jupiter panted. “Take us home.”
“Very good, Master Jones,” the tall, dignified chauffeur replied, and the big car came purring to life. It picked up speed and began its long sweeping turn down to the Pacific Coast Highway, going faster and faster.
“I didn’t know you could run so fast, Jupe,” gasped Pete.
“Neither did I,” Jupe replied through puffed cheeks. “Maybe — it’s because — I never saw — a dragon before.”
“Whiskers!” Bob exclaimed, as he leaned back against the leather-cushioned seat. “Am I glad we’ve got the use of this car!”
“That goes double for me,” Pete said. “But how do you figure that dragon showing up, after we had decided there couldn’t be any such thing?”
“I don’t know,” Jupiter said, puffing as he tried to regain his breath.
“Well, if you ever find out, don’t tell me,” Pete said. “I’ll have enough trouble forgetting that I saw it tonight!”
“How could it happen?” Bob asked. “According to all the books I’ve read, dragons are supposed to be extinct. There just aren’t such things around today.”
Jupiter shook his head.
“I don’t know,” He frowned and pinched at his lower lip. “The obvious answer would be that we didn’t see one. If there aren’t any, then we couldn’t possibly have seen one.”
“Are you kidding?” Pete demanded. “If we didn’t see one, then what was that thing that came into the cave breathing hot steam at us?”
“It sure looked like a dragon,” Bob said.
Worthington turned his head. “I beg your pardon, young gentlemen, but I couldn’t help overhearing. Do I understand you correctly, that you saw a dragon this evening? A real live one?”
“We sure did, Worthington,” Pete said. “It came out of the sea and headed straight for a cave we were investigating. Did you ever see one?”
The chauffeur shook his head. “No, I can’t say that I’ve been that fortunate. But in Scotland, they had something equally terrifying that a few people were privileged to see. A long undulating sea serpent. It was called the Loch Ness monster and it still appears, I’m told, from time to time.”
“Did you ever see it, Worthington?” Jupe asked. “No, Master Jones,” the chauffeur replied. “But when I was a lad, I travelled near the loch — as their lakes are called — and word would spread rapidly when it was sighted. I consider it one of the major disappointments of my life that I have never seen the Loch Ness monster. It was reputed to be at least a hundred feet long.”
“Mmmm.” Jupiter thought about it. “And you’ve never seen a dragon, either, you said.”
“Not a real one,” Worthington said, smiling. “Only the kind they use before the football game.”
“Football game?” Bob asked.
The dignified chauffeur nodded. “That annual New Year’s pageant you people have near here in Pasadena. The big floats of flowers. The Rose Bowl parade, I believe it’s called.”
“Well, the one we saw a little while ago wasn’t made out of flowers,” Pete said quickly. “I can tell you that. Right, Jupe?”
“Mmm,” Jupe replied. “Definitely not made out of flowers. It was a real dragon, all right,” He hesitated. “At least we’re all agreed it looked like one.”
“I’m glad you agree for once,” Pete said.
Jupiter scowled. He was pinching his lower lip, between his thumb and forefinger, always a sign he was in deep thought. He looked out of the window of the speeding car and continued to pinch his lip without replying.
When the Rolls-Royce reached the Jones Salvage Yard, Jupiter thanked Worthington and said he would call again the next time they needed transportation.
“Very good, Master Jones,” Worthington said. “I must say I enjoyed the assignment this evening. It’s a welcome change from driving wealthy old ladies and well-to-do businessmen. Before parting, however, I hope you don’t mind answering one question that comes to mind. About your dragon, if I may.”
“Sure, Worthington. What about it?”
“Well, sir,” the chauffeur said, “one might say you were privileged this evening to see a real live dragon, in the flesh, so to speak. At close quarters, might I ask?”
“Too close,” Pete answered abruptly. “It was practically right on top of us.”
“Good,” the chauffeur said, his usual reserved manner dissolved. “Then perhaps you gentlemen took notice. Is it true, as the legend would have it, that the monster breathes out smoke and fire?”
Jupiter thought and shook his head slowly. “No, Worthington. This one didn’t. At least, all we saw was the
