Read Online Ghost Cave by Barbara Steiner - Free Book Online Page B

Eddie a leg up, he watched him grab hold of an outcropping of rock, pull himself level, then disappear. His legs dangled for a couple of seconds, sneakers scraping the hole, sending pebbles down the wall. The rocks bounced and echoed through the underground passageway.
    â€œThat’s a creepy sound.” Hermie sat down to dig in his pack. He pulled out half a bologna sandwich to give him strength. “I don’t like this.”
    â€œYou already said that.” Marc laughed and sat beside him. “Three times.”
    â€œI’ll probably say it again—in fact, right now. I still don’t like this.” Hermie bit into the sandwich. It was so quiet Marc could hear Hermie chewing.
    â€œThis is more like it.” Eddie’s head appeared above them. “There’s a big room over here, and tunnels go off in all directions. One heads downhill.”
    â€œYou guys go on,” Hermie decided, giving Bluedog the rest of his sandwich. “I’ll wait here with Bluedog. She can’t get up there.”
    â€œI’ve been thinking about that,” Marc said. “I figure I can lift her up. One of you can pull her through the hole. She may not like it, but she can do it. Stretched out, she’s skinnier than any of us. You go on up, Hermie. Then lean down and take Blue’s forefeet. I’ll boost her up.”
    Hermie grumbled. “If I get stuck, you guys will be sorry.”
    â€œYes we will, so don’t. I’ll never get out of here.” Eddie reached for Hermie’s hand to help him onto the ledge.
    Marc almost fell trying to boost Hermie up. Then, when Marc pushed on his rear, Hermie lost his balance and fell back, nearly squashing Marc. “Come on, Hermie. I can’t lift you. You have to help. Grab a knob of rock or something.”
    Groaning, Eddie pulled and Marc pushed. “Holy Cow, Hermie,” Eddie complained. “You’ve got to lose some weight if we’re going to do this all summer.”
    â€œI’m not going to do this all summer.” Hermie bellied over the ledge and into the hole.
    It couldn’t be any harder to get Bluedog through. Except that she didn’t want to go. She whimpered and licked Marc’s face as if to say, “ Do I have to? ”
    â€œCome on, Bluedog. You can do it.” Marc lifted her, leaning against the wall. Bluedog’s hind legs pushed on his chest and kicked him in the chin, but Eddie managed to lean over far enough to get a good hold. He pulled her through the hole.
    â€œI can’t believe I’m spelunking with a dog,” Eddie said, as he leaned back through the hole and reached for Marc. “Hold my legs,” he called back to Hermie, who had wiggled through the short crawl. “Hey, I’m glad you went on through. If you’d have gotten stuck, we’d be on this side. We could go home.”
    â€œAnd leave me here, stuck, I guess. That’s not funny, Eddie.”
    Eddie laughed anyway. Being taller than Hermie, Marc managed to jump and grab Eddie’s outstretched hands. Hermie held onto Eddie so Marc wouldn’t pull him off the ledge. Eddie wiggled backwards, into the hole, and Marc braced his feet on the wall until he could grab a rock in the opening. Then he pulled himself up onto the ledge and slid through the hole. There was a pile of dirt on the other side, so it was easy to slide down. Getting back through would be a cinch.
    Bluedog danced and barked when Marc slid down beside her. Her voice echoed, sounding strange in the hollow underground tunnels. Marc laughed. “I’ve never heard a dog barking in a cave. Good dog, Blue, good girl.”
    â€œGee.” Hermie looked around as far as he could see with his headlamp. “This room is as big as the school cafeteria.”
    â€œAlmost. I’m going to check for tunnels off to the right.” Eddie went on, not waiting for Hermie and Marc.
    â€œWe’ll go the other way