Read Online Flight of the Eagles by Gilbert L. Morris - Free Book Online

capsule, full of the dense gas.
    As they stood before it, Crusoe looked at Josh. He asked curiously, “Do you expect to find a great captain in this one?”
    Josh did not smile. “It will be whoever it should be.” He pushed the button marked AWAKE, and the chamber cleared slowly. The top swung open.
    They watched as an undersized, red-haired teenager opened his eyes and sat up.
    When the Sleeper saw the travelers, he jumped off the bed and put his back to the wall. “Who are you?” he asked defiantly.
    â€œFriends,” Sarah said. “I’m Sarah, this is Josh, and that is Crusoe.”
    The small redhead had a pug nose, and there was a fighting light in his bright eyes.
    â€œHow do I know you’re not enemies?” he demanded.
    â€œWell,” Josh said, “why don’t you test us—ask us questions?”
    â€œOK, I will. What’s a Big Mac?”
    â€œA hamburger!” Josh and Sarah answered.
    â€œWho was Humphrey Bogart?”
    â€œA great film star.”
    â€œWhat’s General Motors?”
    â€œA car company.”
    Slowly a grin broke across the face of the redhead. He admitted, “Well, I guess only real Americans would know that stuff. You can call me Jake. Jake Garfield.”
    â€œA ‘son of Isaac,’” Crusoe murmured.
    â€œThat’s right,” Jake said. “My old man’s name was Isaac, but how’d you figure that?”
    â€œWe’ll tell you when we get out of here, Jake. Let’s go.”
    They found their way out without incident, though Jake’s eyes bulged at the massive bees. He seemed even more amazed at the sight of a giant and a pair of dwarfs.
    â€œAre you sure they’re all friendly?” he whispered to Josh as he gazed at Volka. “I’d hate to have to mess with that guy!”
    Later that night the company ate the last of the honeyfruit. As they ate, Crusoe told Jake the history of the Sleepers. He also told him of the Quest.
    Then Jake looked around the campfire and grinned broadly. “Well, we got one tough, if a bit small, lady; one beanpole on his way to manhood; one hunchback; one hairless King Kong; two midgets; and a skinny redhead. I don’t see why we can’t save the world with such a pack.”
    He looked so satisfied that they all had to laugh at his cocky attitude.
    â€œWhere do we go from here?” Jake asked.
    â€œWell, here’s the song,” Josh said.
    â€œâ€˜ All caves of earth are dark and drear,
    except the one that glows like diamonds clear.
    â€œâ€˜ He who would this Sleeper wake,
    must pass the deadly jaws of fate.’
    â€œThere’s 18 syllables in the first group—and 15 in the second. Let’s see,” Josh murmured.
    They gathered around the worn map, and Crusoe whistled as Josh put his finger on the spot.
    â€œThis won’t be easy,” Crusoe remarked. “Look, if we go this way down the Temple Road, we’re almost sure to be recognized. But the other way is right back through the Forbidden Land.”
    â€œNot that way!” they all said at once.
    â€œNo, it’s too dangerous,” Crusoe agreed. “There’s only one other way that I can see. Look, we can get a boat right here and sail south through the Dark Sea.”
    â€œNot there,” Mat said. “That’s the Ghost Marshes. Nobody goes through there.”
    â€œWhy not?” Josh asked.
    â€œFor one thing—merely a small detail, you understand—people go in on one side and never come out on the other. Sorry to be so picky.” Mat sniffed disdainfully. “Of course, in this group of mystics, someone will probably dream us across the Marsh!”
    After much argument, the travelers finally agreed that there was no other way. They would have to find a boat and pass through the Ghost Marshes.

7
    The Ghost Marshes
    A lthough getting from their camp to the sea was no problem, finding a boat was