elax and get
cooled off. When the dust has settled a little, we can go back and see
just how bad the block is."

Rick remembered the tons of rock above the timbers. The block had to be
bad, he thought. There was plenty of rock there. Then, as he thought
about it, he wasn't so sure. A pretty large area had shown cracks, but
perhaps only a layer had fallen. They might be able to dig out. Nothing
to do about it but wait and see.

Scotty switched off his light and the blackness closed in. Rick shifted
uncomfortably. Once before he had been lost in complete blackness like
this, in the Caves of Fear. But that had been different; he hadn't been
exactly trapped in the same way then, and the caves had covered miles
under a Tibetan mountain. At least he knew exactly where he was this
time.

He said, "We should have brought a picnic lunch."

Scotty chuckled, but didn't reply.

Rick said, "Suppose we can't get out?"

"We will. Dr. Miller will be hunting for us sooner or later. He couldn't
miss the mine, especially with the boards off the entrance."

"Then all we need is patience and a tight belt."

"That's it."

The boys fell silent. Rick was cheered by Scotty's estimate of the
situation. He closed his eyes, and for perhaps the hundredth time
started mulling over the chain of events, searching for a clue to the
two things they needed to know: how and why the ghost was produced.

But as he thought about it he wondered if perhaps they didn't know why.
The ghost was a means of keeping people out of the area. It had
succeeded to a considerable degree. There were no more night family
picnics and swimming parties. There were only occasional long-scheduled
events.

He explored the idea. The mine area was private property. To keep people
out one would need only to post "No Trespassing" signs. But in all
probability that wouldn't be suitable, because it would raise too many
questions, and Dr. Miller would have to be let in on the secret of the
ghosts that walked the fields.

But why keep people out of the area? To be sure, privacy for the conduct
of secret operations was an obvious reason, only what were the secret
operations, and why did they have to be kept secret?

He gave up finally. There simply weren't enough data on which to hang a
conclusion.

"Think the dust has settled?" he asked.

"Could be. Suppose we go take a look. I'll use my light. Save yours."

They followed the yellow beam of Scotty's flashlight throug