<h2 id="c16"><span class="small">CHAPTER XVI</span> <br/>Strange Discovery</h2>
<p>In the distance, perhaps a hundred miles away, the
towering peak of Mt. Minya Konka, reaching 25,000
feet skyward, could be seen. The day was clear,
crystal-blue clear. The air was chill and would remain
so until the sun’s rays bore down more strongly.</p>
<p>“You better take the lead, Chuba,” Muscles said.
“Off we go, searching for Ja-ra-mink-a.” He sang
his last sentence to the tune of the Air Force song,
“Into the Wild Blue Yonder.”</p>
<p>“Hold it a minute,” Biff said. “You know, if we
head straight for Jaraminka, we might be walking
right into the hands of the enemy. Wouldn’t they expect
us to take the most direct route?”</p>
<p>“You got something there, Biff, m’boy. What’re
you cooking?” Muscles asked.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_129">129</div>
<p>“I think we should head west, west northwest,
rather than due north. Head for Minya Konka. Then,
when we’ve gone further inland, cut back north
and make our approach to Jaraminka from the west.”</p>
<p>“Good idea, Biff. Let’s move out.”</p>
<p>The three trudged westward, climbing, climbing.
Big, craggy rocks dotted the sides of the slopes they
scrambled up. Often they had to make wide detours
to get around a cliff that rose straight up.</p>
<p>After two hours of scrambling, slipping, struggling
against the rugged terrain, Muscles called a halt.</p>
<p>“We’d better take a break.” The rarefied air of the
altitude had all three panting for breath. At Muscles’
words, Biff and Chuba sank to the ground without a
word. Muscles flung himself to the ground beside
them. Slowly their breathing became more even,
strength flowed back into their bodies.</p>
<p>Muscles sat up, pulled out a cigarette. He lit it, took
three deep puffs and tossed it away.</p>
<p>“Burns my lungs at this altitude. How far you figure
we’ve gone, kids?”</p>
<p>“Like you said last night. If we measure the ups and
downs, then we’ve covered quite a distance. But I
doubt if we’ve covered more than five miles straight
away,” Biff answered, and Chuba nodded in agreement.</p>
<p>“That plateau where Jack landed me must be just a
short distance south of here. I’m making landmarks so
we can spot the place when we come back,” Muscles
explained.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_130">130</div>
<p>Biff looked the area over carefully, too. Two peaks
rose straight up, miles apart. A smaller peak was centered
exactly between the two taller ones.</p>
<p>“Just like the letter ‘W,’” Biff said to himself. He
would remember that.</p>
<p>“Think we better turn north now, Biff?” Muscles
said. “Be lot easier traveling. Faster, too. We’ll be
moving along the valley. Not so much of this up and
down stuff. Particularly the up. I’ve had enough of
that. I’ll take my climbing in a plane.”</p>
<p>“I guess so, Muscles. We’ll head up the valley, now,
Chuba,” Biff directed.</p>
<p>They set off again. Traveling was easier. They
moved along briskly. The air was becoming warmer,
and soon the floor of the valley sent up shimmering
heat waves in front of them.</p>
<p>Except for brief pauses, no one called for a break
until Muscles looked at his watch.</p>
<p>“It’s noon. How about a breather and something to
eat?”</p>
<p>Chuba broke out his supply of food—his “goodies,”
Biff had named them.</p>
<p>“This is food?” Muscles asked skeptically, looking
at the portion Chuba handed him. He ate it, but his
face twisted comically as he tasted and then quickly
gulped the food.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_131">131</div>
<p>After a half-hour rest, during which Muscles complained
bitterly about the menu, they were ready to
continue. Their progress up the valley continued
smoothly for the first hour. Rounding a sharp bend,
the valley came to an abrupt end.</p>
<p>“Now what’s this little obstacle placed in our
path?” Muscles asked.</p>
<p>“Wish it were just a <i>little</i> obstacle,” Biff replied.
Directly ahead of them, the ground angled sharply upward.
Above, it leveled off like the outside rim of a
giant football stadium.</p>
<p>“We go right or we go left, Chuba?” Muscles asked.</p>
<p>“We’ll go straight up,” Biff replied. “Let’s see what’s
on top. Surely can’t tell from here. After we take a
look-see, we’ll probably bear to the right. Jaraminka
must be off that way.” Biff pointed slightly to the
northeast. “Think so, Chuba?”</p>
<p>Chuba nodded his head.</p>
<p>They mounted toward the rim at the top of the
sharp incline. In places, the ground rose so sharply
they had to pull themselves up, grabbing the stunted
trees for handholds.</p>
<p>Nearing the top, they ran into a barrier that stopped
them cold. This was a man-made obstacle, the last
thing to expect in this wild, remote country. It was a
heavy, metal-barred fence. It stood higher than Muscles’
head, and three strands of ugly barbed wire were
stretched along the top.</p>
<p>“What the—” Muscles’ eyes bugged out in astonishment.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_132">132</div>
<p>The fence stretched out to the right and left in a
long curve. The ground was cleared on both sides of
the fence, forming a path easy to walk along.</p>
<p>“This we have to find out about,” Biff said. “Why
fence in a mountain top unless there’s something inside
that’s top secret?”</p>
<p>“That fence could be electrified. Stay clear of it,”
Muscles warned.</p>
<p>“Could be,” Biff said, “but I doubt it. It would take
a lot of power to do it. Besides, where would the
power come from? Let’s follow it, to the right. But
be alert. Good fences don’t mean good neighbors
here. I’ve a hunch these good fences mean good
guards every few feet.”</p>
<p>They followed the curving fence cautiously and on
the alert. Biff took the lead. They continued until Biff
figured they had covered ninety degrees of a gigantic
circle. The fence remained an equal distance from the
rim at the top as they followed the path.</p>
<p>“Hold it!” Biff held up his hand. Then he motioned
Muscles and Chuba forward.</p>
<p>“Look,” Biff pointed to a gap, wide enough and
deep enough for a man’s body to slip beneath the
fence.</p>
<p>“Some animal must have been as curious as we are,”
Biff said. “Something burrowed under the fence.”</p>
<p>“Well, what are we waiting for?” Muscles grinned.
He dropped to his hands and knees and wiggled
through the opening. Chuba followed, and Biff
brought up the rear.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_133">133</div>
<p>Crouching low, the three approached the top of the
rise. They crawled the last few feet, reached the rim,
and raised their heads slowly. What they saw made
them all gasp.</p>
<p>They were looking into an immense bowl, covering
an area so great it was impossible to take it in with one
look. They pivoted their heads, following the rim of
the bowl.</p>
<p>The activity on the floor of the bowl made them
squint their eyes in disbelief. Everywhere they looked
they saw bulldozers, huge cranes, steam shovels, and
thousands of men working furiously. The bottom of
the bowl was so far away that the working men
seemed like small moving specks. The noises of the
steam shovels digging into the earth and the whines
of the huge crane arms turning on their metal discs
rose only dimly to the ears of the astonished spectators.</p>
<p>Toward the opposite side of the huge bowl, two cement
runways in the shape of a plus sign were dotted
with planes.</p>
<p>In still another section of the bowl, great steel trylons,
resembling oversized high-tension wire supporters,
reared skyward.</p>
<p>“What do you make of it?” Biff asked Muscles.</p>
<p>The burly mechanic scratched his head. “You got
me. Could be a lot of things. It’s got to be something
mighty important, something really top secret to build
this gigantic complex in this remote spot. And how did
they get all this stuff in here?” Muscles asked himself.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_134">134</div>
<p>“I think,” Biff said, “we’d better get <i>away</i> from
here—but fast.”</p>
<p>Muscles nodded in agreement. The three backed
down, reached the fence, scrambled beneath it, and
headed for Jaraminka.</p>
<p>Making as much speed as they could, they put distance
between themselves and their startling discovery.
Biff’s mind was filled with questions. Foremost among
them was one which kept coming back like an exam
question he couldn’t answer.</p>
<p>Did this tremendous, secret construction job have
anything to do with Uncle Charlie’s flight into China?</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_135">135</div>
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