RUNAWAY TWINS and RUNAWAY TWINS IN ALASKA: BOXED SET by Pete Palamountain
Book: RUNAWAY TWINS and RUNAWAY TWINS IN ALASKA: BOXED SET by Pete Palamountain
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Authors: Pete Palamountain
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looked up at the sun and said, "Let's go, I want those kids."
**
Justin felt no sense of urgency about climbing down the butte, for he was certain they were far ahead of any possible pursuers. For that reason he wasn't concerned when the girls wanted to rest a bit longer in the warmth of the cozy shelter. In fact he welcomed the chance to grab his throwing stick and police the butte for signs of snow rabbits. He wasn't ready to admit that the spooky little critters had gotten the best of him. And if Rachel and Janie had liked the taste of ground squirrel, imagine how they'd appreciate a sweet juicy bunny. When he returned to the shelter an hour and a half later, he had a smug smile on his face and two cottontail rabbits stuffed into his coat. The girls were out and about now, and when they saw that his hands were empty, they mocked him and made snide comments about Justin the great hunter. "Going out for rabbit, eh?" said Rachel. "Looks like we'll have squirrel again for dinner—that is, if you can get lucky and trip over another squirrel."
He grinned and reached into his coat, lifting two white, floppy rabbit heads above the zipper. "Roast hare tonight, dears."
They all laughed, and then Justin said, "Let's get busy and break camp. We've wasted enough time. We've still got to get down off this butte."
It wouldn't be long before the three twelve year olds would wish they had left at first light, for danger was fast approaching in the valley beyond the lower ridge.
**
"We need to take a break," said one of the Bitterroot guards.
The Prophet scowled. "We'll rest when that boy has gone to his reward and when the girls are locked in their room at the lodge."
They hadn't yet reached the lower ridge, but Chuky was already eyeing the massive build up of snow between the high and the low ridge. He had experienced many landslides in his native Siberia, and he had no desire to experience one in Montana. "That snowfield up there," he said uneasily, "I don't like. Maybe we find another way—"
The Prophet cut him off. "You said this is the way they came—so this is the way we go!"
Chuky remained silent, and the two guards exchanged apprehensive glances. "Wait a minute," one said, "if the snowfield—" But he stopped in mid-sentence when he saw the Prophet's cold stare. The possible risk of a landslide was not to be compared with the certain risk of bucking J.J. Flack. The two guards did, however, begin to mutter nonstop, a continuous inarticulate whine, to let it be known they were unhappy about where they were being led.
**
Justin and the twins were on the trail that led down from the butte, well to the side of the snowfield. "Hold up!" said Rachel, "I hear something. Listen, it sounds like another river." They halted and listened to see if they could identify Rachel's sound.
"Oh, no!" said Justin. "I shouldn't have been so careless. We should've been long gone by now."
"What?" said Janie.
"Voices! Men's voices from down in the valley, close to the entrance to the lower ridge."
"Who?" asked Rachel.
Justin shrugged. "I don't know, but who else could it be? They're close on our heels and we're cornered. If we go down, we'll run right into their arms. If we go up, we'll be trapped on the butte."
"Maybe we can hide," said Rachel.
Justin shook his head. "They can see us here from any angle."
"Can we hide up on the butte?" said Janie.
"They'd find us eventually, and they'd put a guard on the trail so we couldn't sneak down."
"Then we really are cornered," said Rachel. "Are we caught?"
"Not yet," said Justin, "I've got an idea. First, you two go back up, stay hidden, but near the upper ridge. I'll join you as soon as I can see who's coming up the trail. What I have in mind is pretty drastic, and I want to make sure there aren't any innocent fishermen down there."
The girls hurried away, and Justin scrambled down to the edge of the snowfield and then walked slowly and carefully across the lower ridge with the mountain
**
Justin felt no sense of urgency about climbing down the butte, for he was certain they were far ahead of any possible pursuers. For that reason he wasn't concerned when the girls wanted to rest a bit longer in the warmth of the cozy shelter. In fact he welcomed the chance to grab his throwing stick and police the butte for signs of snow rabbits. He wasn't ready to admit that the spooky little critters had gotten the best of him. And if Rachel and Janie had liked the taste of ground squirrel, imagine how they'd appreciate a sweet juicy bunny. When he returned to the shelter an hour and a half later, he had a smug smile on his face and two cottontail rabbits stuffed into his coat. The girls were out and about now, and when they saw that his hands were empty, they mocked him and made snide comments about Justin the great hunter. "Going out for rabbit, eh?" said Rachel. "Looks like we'll have squirrel again for dinner—that is, if you can get lucky and trip over another squirrel."
He grinned and reached into his coat, lifting two white, floppy rabbit heads above the zipper. "Roast hare tonight, dears."
They all laughed, and then Justin said, "Let's get busy and break camp. We've wasted enough time. We've still got to get down off this butte."
It wouldn't be long before the three twelve year olds would wish they had left at first light, for danger was fast approaching in the valley beyond the lower ridge.
**
"We need to take a break," said one of the Bitterroot guards.
The Prophet scowled. "We'll rest when that boy has gone to his reward and when the girls are locked in their room at the lodge."
They hadn't yet reached the lower ridge, but Chuky was already eyeing the massive build up of snow between the high and the low ridge. He had experienced many landslides in his native Siberia, and he had no desire to experience one in Montana. "That snowfield up there," he said uneasily, "I don't like. Maybe we find another way—"
The Prophet cut him off. "You said this is the way they came—so this is the way we go!"
Chuky remained silent, and the two guards exchanged apprehensive glances. "Wait a minute," one said, "if the snowfield—" But he stopped in mid-sentence when he saw the Prophet's cold stare. The possible risk of a landslide was not to be compared with the certain risk of bucking J.J. Flack. The two guards did, however, begin to mutter nonstop, a continuous inarticulate whine, to let it be known they were unhappy about where they were being led.
**
Justin and the twins were on the trail that led down from the butte, well to the side of the snowfield. "Hold up!" said Rachel, "I hear something. Listen, it sounds like another river." They halted and listened to see if they could identify Rachel's sound.
"Oh, no!" said Justin. "I shouldn't have been so careless. We should've been long gone by now."
"What?" said Janie.
"Voices! Men's voices from down in the valley, close to the entrance to the lower ridge."
"Who?" asked Rachel.
Justin shrugged. "I don't know, but who else could it be? They're close on our heels and we're cornered. If we go down, we'll run right into their arms. If we go up, we'll be trapped on the butte."
"Maybe we can hide," said Rachel.
Justin shook his head. "They can see us here from any angle."
"Can we hide up on the butte?" said Janie.
"They'd find us eventually, and they'd put a guard on the trail so we couldn't sneak down."
"Then we really are cornered," said Rachel. "Are we caught?"
"Not yet," said Justin, "I've got an idea. First, you two go back up, stay hidden, but near the upper ridge. I'll join you as soon as I can see who's coming up the trail. What I have in mind is pretty drastic, and I want to make sure there aren't any innocent fishermen down there."
The girls hurried away, and Justin scrambled down to the edge of the snowfield and then walked slowly and carefully across the lower ridge with the mountain
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