The Flaming Mountain: A Rick Brant Science-Adventure Story

by Harold L. Goodwin

  CHAPTER XVI

  The Brant Approach

  The magma drove upward, melting its way through the fractured rock ofthe channels under the western side of the island. Now and then itstruck rock with a higher water content, and the island shuddered undera new explosion as the steam expanded.

  Rick felt the bed shake under him and sat upright. A new day had dawned,and there was much to do. He and Scotty had volunteered to help CaptainRicardo Montoya plan the evacuation of the island, and the youthfulofficer had accepted with pleasure. He had agreed to meet them forbreakfast.

  The scientists had worked late, trying to extrapolate their data intosome kind of prediction. Rick and Scotty, tired after an exhausting day,had gone to bed while the light still burned in Hartson Brant's room.

  Scotty awoke as Rick's feet hit the floor. "I'm getting used to theselittle earthquakes," he said. "Don't know if I'll be able to sleep onsteady ground after this."

  "The ground is going to get unsteadier," Rick reminded. "Until--boom!"

  "I'm not forgetting," Scotty said grimly. "Let's get dressed and eat.I'm famished."

  "It's ham and eggs for me," Rick told him. "If I had to watch milk slosharound in a cereal bowl I'd get seasick."

  The boys dressed rapidly and hurried down to the hotel coffee shop. Theywere just in time. Ricardo Montoya walked in just as they were seated.

  The officer joined them. Rick noted that his face was drawn and tired,and thought Montoya had probably been up a good part of the night."How's the evacuation going?" Rick asked.

  Montoya shook his head. "Poorly. My uncle's radio broadcast continuedall night and through the morning hours. A few families have come to theharbor, and the stevedores are organized now to get them aboard ship. Afew fishing boats have come, with fishermen's families, but there is nobig exodus."

  "Don't they realize the danger?" Scotty exclaimed.

  "Perhaps. You must understand my people. They have lived withearthquakes all their lives. Not so often, perhaps, but these temblorsare not unusual. What is there to be excited about? Who believes ElViejo will explode? It never has, so it never will."

  Rick thought it over. "Maybe not enough are hearing the broadcasts."

  "That is possible. I have put volunteers to work going from house tohouse, asking people to turn on their radios to hear the governor, andalso to explain the urgency. But it will take a long time, even inCalor."

  "If we only had the troops," Rick said thoughtfully. "Trained manpoweris what's needed for a job like this."

  "True. And I think if my uncle could only talk to the troops they wouldbelieve him. But he cannot reach them. Guevara's peons would never lethim by."

  The hotel loud-speaker system drowned out his last words as a softfeminine voice paged someone in Spanish.

  "If only the troops could listen to the radio," Rick commented. "Perhapsthey'd believe him and turn on Guevara."

  "Perhaps. But soldiers cannot afford radios, and they are away fromtheir barracks now. There is no way for my uncle's voice to reach them."

  There had to be, Rick thought. There had to be some way. Theloud-speaker sounded again, paging a Senor Alvarez. Rick sat boltupright. Why not use a loud-speaker?

  "Listen," he said excitedly. "If the government radio station has aloud-speaker system, or can make one, we can put it in my plane. I canfly the governor over the troops and he can talk to them direct. Myplane can go slowly enough, and low enough for that!"

  "How about power supply?" Scotty asked.

  "There must be an inverter on the island somewhere. We can useautomobile batteries, and the inverter will give us 110 AC for a while,until the batteries run down. Just twenty minutes of power would beenough and we can get that with enough batteries!"

  Scotty chuckled. "The Brant approach," he said. "There always is one.How about it, Captain?"

  "We will try," Montoya said decisively. "You have not eaten?... Then doso, while I make a phone call to the radio station. I have had coffeeand rolls, and perhaps there will be time to join you for more breakfastwhile the radio engineers get the equipment together."

  The boys were just finishing ham and eggs when Montoya returned. Therewas a broad smile on his tired face.

  "The engineers say it can be done. They have a portable loud-speakersystem, and there is an inverter, as you call it, at the transmitter.What is this inverter?"

  "It's an electric generator," Rick explained. "Battery current turns it,and it produces 110-volt alternating current. But inverters aren't veryefficient, and they take a lot of battery current. That's why we'll needas many batteries as we can carry."

  "The chief radio engineer said he understood exactly what was needed. Hewill gather the materials and meet us at the airport. Now, I think wehave time for coffee, and perhaps I can follow your example with ham andeggs. It will take an hour for the equipment to be ready. Also, I calledmy uncle. He will be waiting for our call."

  "Did you get any sleep last night?" Scotty asked.

  Montoya smiled. "Sleep? I have forgotten what it is. But perhaps if thisplan of yours works, I will remember, eh? Then I can sleep tonight."

  A check with the hotel desk told Rick that the scientists had left wordthat they were not to be disturbed until later in the morning except foran emergency. They had worked a good part of the night, apparently withno satisfactory results.

  The boys waited until Ricardo Montoya had breakfasted, then rode withhim to the airport. There was another wait while the radio engineersarrived, bringing the loud-speaker equipment.

  Rick supervised the placement of the amplifier in the rear seat. Theinverter was placed on the floor, and wedged into place with scraplumber. The automobile batteries were put into the luggage compartmentbehind the rear seat and were also wedged in place.

  Wires were run from the amplifier through the rear-seat windows, whichwere opened just enough to take the thin cables. The leads were thenbrought out to the plane's struts. Two large loud-speakers were attachedto the struts. At first there was some difficulty in figuring out asecure attachment, but the chief engineer, a resourceful type, managedto find a pair of U bolts somewhere in the hangars. They did the jobnicely.

  The chief engineer connected up, then hung the microphone between thetwo front seats. He threw a switch and the inverter started up with awhine. At the throw of a second switch, the loud-speakers broke into ahum. The engineer tapped on the microphone, and the tap, greatlyamplified, reverberated across the airstrip.

  "It works!" Rick exclaimed, delighted.

  "_Como no?_" the engineer said with a smile. He spoke to Montoya inSpanish. The officer translated. "There is one more thing. He has riggeda cable with a switch box so you can operate the controls from the frontseat. When the cable is attached, you will be ready. I will go call myuncle."

  Rick and Scotty watched as the engineer got busy, hooking theremote-switch cable into the amplifier.

  "Room for only two," Rick pointed out. "Want to toss for it?"

  Scotty shook his head. "It was your idea. I'll stay on the ground. Takethe governor and talk those troops into submission."

  "Maybe," Rick said. "We'll see. I think it depends on whether or notthey know the real story. If they have any idea there are diamondsaround, they won't be interested in anything else."

  "Guevara wouldn't dare to let them in on it," was Scotty's opinion."I'll bet they're just following orders, with no idea what's behind allthis. Most of them probably think there really is a national securityconference going on."

  Rick thought Scotty was probably right. Time would tell. He waited untilthe engineer signaled that the job was done, then climbed into thepilot's seat. He checked the plane over. Plenty of gas. Everythingseemed okay. He tried the loud-speaker switches, then spoke into themicrophone. He could hear his voice boom out with thunderousamplification and saw Scotty clap his hands to his ears.

  Finally, he started the motor and let the plane warm, keeping an eye onhis gauges. When the manifold temperature got high enough he
cut theswitch. He tested the control surfaces and he was satisfied. Now all heneeded was the governor.

  Governor Montoya arrived within ten minutes. He inspected the plane andits equipment and nodded his approval. "Very ingenious. Shall we tryit?"

  "Yes, sir." Rick helped the governor in, buckled his safety belt, thenran around and got into the pilot's seat. He started the motor, waved toScotty and the others, then taxied out to the runway. The tower gave himclearance and he took off.

  "We'll make a swing over the area and locate the troops," he explained,"then I'll slow down as much as I can, and you can talk."

  Rick climbed to a thousand feet and set a course directly for the HotSprings Hotel. He asked, "Sir, how many troops are there?"

  "Our army numbers three companies, of about two hundred and fifty meneach. Then we have a few special units, including the transportationplatoons. Perhaps nine hundred in all. We do not need a large army. Butwe need some kind of force. These are troubled times, and there isalways some danger that a revolutionary force might consider us anexcellent staging or training base for an invasion of a nearby country.So, we keep prepared."

  The Sky Wagon was over the hotel within minutes. Rick spotted a largegroup of soldiers--he estimated about two hundred--dispersed around thehotel. They probably thought they were guarding the conference.

  He banked left and followed the contour of the mountain, and foundanother group of soldiers camped near the pumice works.

  "That is two companies accounted for, more or less," the governorstated. "Now, can we find the third?"

  It wasn't difficult. Rick followed the dirt road to San Souci, and foundthe third large group marching in the direction of the mountain,apparently about to join forces with the group at the pumice works.

  "Let's take a look at the diamond pipe," he suggested, and pulled theSky Wagon around in a tight circle. He had his bearings, and the thirdshot station was not difficult to locate. There was considerableactivity. Earth-moving machinery had been moved into place and wasoperating. The yellow ground was already gone, and the equipment wascutting into the blue kimberlite below.

  Military trucks were lined up, apparently waiting to be loaded with theblue earth.

  "Where are they taking it?" the governor wondered.

  Rick had talked with David Riddle about the process. "They need water.The blue earth is run down long wooden tables with cleats on them, likewashing out gold. The table is coated with grease. The diamonds stick inthe grease and the blue earth washes away. They've probably set thingsup at the pumice works if there's water there. Otherwise, it may be thehotel."

  "It has to be the hotel, then," the governor explained. "There would notbe enough water at the pumice plant. Well, I think we have found all ourtroops. Those who are not with the three companies are below us, diggingdiamonds. I wonder if they know what they are digging?"

  Rick told the governor what Scotty had said.

  "That is probably right," the governor agreed. "Guevara would not dareto let too many in on the secret. Well, shall we get to work?"

  "Yes, sir," Rick said. He handed the governor the microphone and swunginto position for a run over the troops on the road. He throttled down,and then gave the plane a few degrees of flaps. He kept an eye on hisair-speed indicator. If he got too slow, the plane would stall and he'dbe too low to recover. "I'll make as tight a circle as I can," he said."Be ready."

  The troops came into sight. Rick lost altitude and began a slow circleonly a few hundred feet over the marching soldiers. He turned on theswitches and nodded.

  The governor began to talk in slow, clear Spanish. Rick understood thathe identified himself to the men below, but then he lost the trend ofthe talk. He concentrated on flying. The loud-speakers were operatingperfectly, and he knew the troops could hear.

  He could see them looking up and pointing, but they kept marching.Apparently the governor wasn't making much of an impact. The governorpaused, and Rick cut the switches.

  "Maybe they don't believe it's you," he suggested.

  "Perhaps not. But my voice is well known. I speak over the radio atleast once a week. More likely the whole idea is just too much for them.Who can believe that mountain over there is about to blow up?"

  "Let's try the troops at the pumice works. Maybe you can tell them thatall who care about their homeland should march at once to Calor."

  "I'll try it," the governor agreed.

  Rick circled low over the pumice works while the loud-speakers blastedat the troops below. They watched the plane, they pointed, some ran outfor a better look. But when the governor pleaded with them to hurry toCalor to help save the people of the island, nothing happened.

  "If El Viejo started smoking, they'd move fast enough," Rick saidbitterly. "But then it would be too late. They just don't believe thereis any danger, and maybe they're not sure it's you. I guess no one hasever given them orders from the air before."

  "They are simple people," the governor agreed. "I think most of themhave never heard of a volcano. They don't even know what an eruption is.How can they be excited? If I ever succeed in getting good schools here,this may change. But it won't help us now."

  Rick considered. It would do little good to repeat the announcement tothe soldiers at the hotel. He wondered if Guevara and Connel weresomewhere below, and with that thought he turned toward the diamondpipe.

  "Let's see if we can do any good with the truckmen," he suggested. "Tellthem the trucks are essential to the safety of their families."

  The governor tried, while Rick held the plane in in a tight circle overthe blue ground. Again, there was interest in the flying loud-speakerplane itself, but the message made no impact. Then Rick noticed tinyspurts of fire from one edge of the diamond field and cold sweat startedon his forehead as he suddenly realized what they were.

  "They're shooting at us!" he exclaimed, and gave the plane the gun,taking evasive action as the distance widened.

  _"They're shooting at us!" Rick exclaimed, and gave theplane the gun_]

  "I saw," the governor said wearily. "It was not the troops. It was thepeons. Our friend Guevara is down there, I think. But he need not beafraid of our effect. We have had none."

  Rick had seldom felt so frustrated. He was tempted to call the SanLuzians a stupid bunch of cattle, but he realized the governor hadstated the case accurately. They just didn't understand the danger. Whatwould they understand?

  His lips formed the word. "Diamonds!" At least they would understandtreasure.

  "Sir," he said excitedly, "we can break this up, at least enough so wecan start collecting data again. If we tell them the whole story,they'll at least understand that Guevara is after great treasure.They'll flock to the diamond field and disrupt the operation, and we canmove back in to some of the shot stations. The people won't be any worseoff than they are now, and it will give us a chance to do something!"

  The governor considered. "Perhaps that is the only solution. It will notget my people to safety, but it will at least give us a chance to findout the exact situation. When I talked with your father this morning hesaid they needed more data or they could tell nothing about the timingof the eruption. If we get that data, then I will ask the Americans fortroops. If we must, we will take the people off by armed force and savetheir lives in spite of themselves!"

  Rick circled and lost altitude again. He got into position over themarching troops and turned on the switches, then gave the governor thesignal.

  Later, the governor told him what he had said:

  "Soldiers of San Luz! Do you know why you are protecting this area? Itis not because of a great conference. It is because Lieutenant GovernorGuevara has found a great treasure! He is using you to help him tobecome the wealthiest man in the world! But what will you get out ofthis? Nothing! He will give you nothing! Go for yourself and see theblue earth. It is found only near mountains like El Viejo. Do you knowwhat it contains? Diamonds! The most valuable gems in the whole world!Will you let Guevara use you to make himself rich
while you get nothing?Do not be fools! Help yourselves to this wealth. Look for the crystalpebbles, the ones like cloudy glass, among the blue stones. Go! You aresoldiers! Take your share!"

  "They're running!" Rick pounded on the control wheel with excitement."Look! They're breaking ranks and running!"

  "Excellent," the governor said calmly. "Now the other groups. Then, inspite of the rifle fire, let us go and tell those at the diamond pipewhat they are doing. They will not hit us with those rifles."

  Rick knew that was true. A lucky shot might hit them, but it tookpractice to hit a fast-flying plane, even with automatic weapons. "Let'sgo," he said.