but gradually opened into another larger room. Crystal-covered stalactites hung from the ceiling. Large brown stalagmites grew from the floor.
Will’s teeth were chattering. “I didn’t know it would be so cold in here.”
Sarah pointed her light around the new room. There were passageways taking off in every direction. “This is so neat. It’ll take us forever to explore all of these.”
Will pointed the light at his watch. “We don’t have a lot of time. I told Grandfather we’d be back in time for supper.”
Sarah flipped her French braid behind her back. “We’ll just try a couple. My mom toldme the same thing. She heard some news report about an armored truck shipment being held up a few days ago, and she’s convinced we’ll all be killed in our sleep.”
Will headed into the left passage. The walls glistened like shiny marble. “This is so incredible, Sarah. We’re probably the first people ever to see the inside of this place.”
The passage narrowed. The air was musty, and they had to duck to avoid the stalactites.
Will flashed his light around the tiny room. “Wouldn’t it be great if the legend of the rain god were true and we found the golden statue down here?”
Sarah made a face. “The statue part would be all right. I’m not too sure about finding Red Horse’s head though.”
Sarah pointed her light at the far end of the cavern wall. “What was that?” Something gold reflected the light.
They both spoke at once. “The statue!”
Will jumped over a small boulder and ran for the shiny object. He tripped and fell to the rocks on one knee. A jagged stalagmite ripped his flesh. Pain tore through his body.
“Are you all right?” Sarah held the light on his leg. His pants were torn, and blood was trickling out of an open gash.
“It looks bad, Will. We’d better get you out of here.”
Will shook his head. “Reach in my pack. I wrapped some apples with a bandanna. Get it for me.”
She quickly pulled out the bandanna and handed it to him.
“Point your light over here.” He folded the cloth and tied it around his leg the way his grandfather had taught him. “There. That ought to hold it for a while.”
Sarah was still rummaging in his backpack. “Look at all this stuff. You’ve got everything from ropes to flares in here.”
Will jerked it away from her. “I like to be prepared.” He eased himself into a standing position. “Come on. Let’s see what’s over there.”
“I don’t know, Will. You’re hurt pretty bad, and this place is spooky. Maybe we should come back another day.”
“It’ll only take a minute.” Will made hisway to the edge of the wall. “Well, how about that? I guess we’re not the first people to explore down here after all.”
Sitting on a ledge in front of them, shimmering in the flashlight’s soft glow, was an old-fashioned metal trunk.
C HAPTER 2
“It’s locked.” Will sat down on the ledge beside the trunk. “What I wouldn’t give for a hacksaw right about now.”
Sarah sat down beside him. “You know what this means, don’t you?”
“Yeah. If we can get this thing open, we’ll be filthy rich.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about. Think about it. How did that chest get in here?”
Will shrugged. “Somebody hid it here.”
“Don’t you get it? There weren’t any tracks the way we came. There has to be another entrance.”
He hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. “Duh. Of course. I was so busy thinking about treasure I didn’t stop to think about how the trunk got here. But now that you mention it, there is a lot of fresh air in here. It has to be coming from somewhere.”
“Maybe tomorrow we can find the other entrance.”
Will stood up on his good leg. “Why not now?”
“It was nearly dark when we came in here. Your grandfather will be worried if you don’t show up pretty soon.”
“I guess you’re right.” Will patted the chest. “This thing’s not going anywhere. We’ll come back
Will’s teeth were chattering. “I didn’t know it would be so cold in here.”
Sarah pointed her light around the new room. There were passageways taking off in every direction. “This is so neat. It’ll take us forever to explore all of these.”
Will pointed the light at his watch. “We don’t have a lot of time. I told Grandfather we’d be back in time for supper.”
Sarah flipped her French braid behind her back. “We’ll just try a couple. My mom toldme the same thing. She heard some news report about an armored truck shipment being held up a few days ago, and she’s convinced we’ll all be killed in our sleep.”
Will headed into the left passage. The walls glistened like shiny marble. “This is so incredible, Sarah. We’re probably the first people ever to see the inside of this place.”
The passage narrowed. The air was musty, and they had to duck to avoid the stalactites.
Will flashed his light around the tiny room. “Wouldn’t it be great if the legend of the rain god were true and we found the golden statue down here?”
Sarah made a face. “The statue part would be all right. I’m not too sure about finding Red Horse’s head though.”
Sarah pointed her light at the far end of the cavern wall. “What was that?” Something gold reflected the light.
They both spoke at once. “The statue!”
Will jumped over a small boulder and ran for the shiny object. He tripped and fell to the rocks on one knee. A jagged stalagmite ripped his flesh. Pain tore through his body.
“Are you all right?” Sarah held the light on his leg. His pants were torn, and blood was trickling out of an open gash.
“It looks bad, Will. We’d better get you out of here.”
Will shook his head. “Reach in my pack. I wrapped some apples with a bandanna. Get it for me.”
She quickly pulled out the bandanna and handed it to him.
“Point your light over here.” He folded the cloth and tied it around his leg the way his grandfather had taught him. “There. That ought to hold it for a while.”
Sarah was still rummaging in his backpack. “Look at all this stuff. You’ve got everything from ropes to flares in here.”
Will jerked it away from her. “I like to be prepared.” He eased himself into a standing position. “Come on. Let’s see what’s over there.”
“I don’t know, Will. You’re hurt pretty bad, and this place is spooky. Maybe we should come back another day.”
“It’ll only take a minute.” Will made hisway to the edge of the wall. “Well, how about that? I guess we’re not the first people to explore down here after all.”
Sitting on a ledge in front of them, shimmering in the flashlight’s soft glow, was an old-fashioned metal trunk.
C HAPTER 2
“It’s locked.” Will sat down on the ledge beside the trunk. “What I wouldn’t give for a hacksaw right about now.”
Sarah sat down beside him. “You know what this means, don’t you?”
“Yeah. If we can get this thing open, we’ll be filthy rich.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about. Think about it. How did that chest get in here?”
Will shrugged. “Somebody hid it here.”
“Don’t you get it? There weren’t any tracks the way we came. There has to be another entrance.”
He hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. “Duh. Of course. I was so busy thinking about treasure I didn’t stop to think about how the trunk got here. But now that you mention it, there is a lot of fresh air in here. It has to be coming from somewhere.”
“Maybe tomorrow we can find the other entrance.”
Will stood up on his good leg. “Why not now?”
“It was nearly dark when we came in here. Your grandfather will be worried if you don’t show up pretty soon.”
“I guess you’re right.” Will patted the chest. “This thing’s not going anywhere. We’ll come back
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