Pete glanced at his watch. “Like I said, it can’t be more than twenty minutes.”
Chuck got to his feet. “Let’s go,” he said. “They can’t have gone very far in twenty minutes, not with this fog.”
Gardel smiled thinly. “I’m staying here,” he said.
Chuck turned and there was a cold fury on his face. “Look, Gardel, I’ve had about enough of you and your rotten boss. If you don’t start moving in about three seconds, we’ll stake you out and leave you for Allosaurus.”
“You’re bluffing,” Gardel said. “You’re plain bluffing. I ain’t moving from this spot, and you can’t force me to.”
“No,” Chuck said simply. “As a matter of fact, we’ll help you stay here. Take him, Arthur.”
Arthur moved amazingly fast for a big man. He pinned Gardel’s arms behind him, and Chuck said, “Get some stakes, Pete. We’ll strip Gardel and use his clothes to tie him to the stakes. Allosaurus will appreciate a change of diet, especially when he’ll be getting it so easily.”
“You’re bluffing,” Gardel said again, but his voice lacked conviction this time.
“Sure, I’m bluffing.”
“We ain’t even seen no Allosaurus yet,” Gardel said. “Maybe there ain’t no such animal. Maybe the scientists invented him.”
“He’s real,” Dr. Perry said grimly. “I’ve seen him many times in the past six months.” He shook his head. “He is not a very pleasant beast, Gardel. I don’t think you’ll get along.”
“Maybe they will, Doc,” Chuck said. “Gardel isn’t a very pleasant beast, either.”
Gardel seemed to grow a shade paler. “You... you wouldn’t really leave me’s-s-staked out.”
“Of course not,” Chuck said. “Ah, here’s Pete with some nice chunks of wood now.”
Pete dropped a half-dozen sturdy branches at Chuck’s feet. “These okay?” he asked.
“Fine. Strip him, Arthur. We’ve wasted enough time already.”
“No,” Gardel shouted. “I’ll come along. I’ll... I’ll come along.”
Chuck shoved him ahead of the group. “Remember this, Gardel, and remember it well. I wasn’t kidding. I’d be a fool to waste time arguing with you. I was going to leave you staked here as sure as you’re living. Just remember that.”
Gardel didn’t answer.
Chuck felt Arthur’s hand on his shoulder.
“Easy,” Arthur said. “Don’t lose your grip.”
“I’m all right,” Chuck said. “Let’s get moving.”
They found tracks. Three sets of footprints. The smallest set belonged to Denise, the next largest to Dr. Dumar. The heavy footprints that dug down deep into the earth were Masterson’s.
They followed the tracks diligently like big-game hunters close to their quarry. At one point they found a spot where the group must have paused to rest. Chuck examined the spot closely. Masterson’s cigar had sprinkled ash all over the ground, and his footprints were deeper, as if he’d stood in one spot for a long time.
“Let’s go,” Chuck said.
The tracks were clear, disappearing only when the fugitives crossed a large expanse of rock, but picking up again whenever they hit soft earth. The fog was beginning to lift a little, and the going was easier and faster. Chuck was thankful for that. Masterson had had to contend with the fog and with two prisoners who had gone along with him unwillingly. Now that the fog was lifting, Chuck had every hope of catching up. And then...?
He didn’t know. He didn’t know what would happen because he couldn’t figure what possible motive had provoked Masterson. He could only conclude that the man was completely insane. Why else would he pull a fool stunt like this? What could he possibly hope to gain?
And why had he taken only Denise and Dr. Dumar with him? Why leave Pete behind? Chuck felt certain there was meaning to that. It would have been more difficult to have taken Pete along, of course. He would have presented a constant menace to Masterson. Whatever his reasons for escape had been, he would not want them menaced. On the other hand, had he taken Pete with him, the returning hill hunters might have concluded that they were simply lost, had somehow missed Masterson, Pete, Denise and Dr. Dumar in the deep fog.
That would have seemed to be the best plan. And yet Masterson had left Pete behind.
He had done that for a good reason, Chuck surmised. It was obvious why he wanted his niece with him. Apparently he was a human being, after all, and was concerned over her welfare.
But why Dr. Dumar?
Chuck felt this was the key. If he knew why Masterson had taken the geologist with him, he’d also know why Masterson had pulled his escape at all.
“Gardel,” he called, “wait up.”
Gardel stopped in his tracks and waited for Chuck to join him. He pulled his lips back over his teeth and said, “What is it, Superboy?”
“Don’t get smart, Gardel,” Chuck warned.
“Tough guy,” Gardel snarled. “A real tough guy.”
“Sure,” Chuck said sarcastically. “I chew spikes and spit out carpet tacks.”
“A comedian, too.”
“Why did your boss leave the party?” Chuck asked suddenly.
“Because he...” Gardel snapped his jaws shut and allowed a smile to trickle across his thin mouth. “How do I know why he left?” he amended. “You think I’m a mind reader?”
“He must want to hunt dinosaurs pretty badly,” Chuck said.
“Yeah, that’s it. He wants to hunt a little.”
“Then why does he need Dr. Dumar with him?” Chuck snapped.
“Maybe the little man is a good hunter, too. Or maybe Dirk wanted a guide. Maybe he...”
“A guide,” Chuck said slowly.
Gardel turned and glanced at him, pivoting his head back quickly. “Or maybe he took the doc along as protection. Who knows?” He smiled his thin smile and added, “He’s got him, though, and that’s tough.
“It’s tough, all right,” Chuck agreed. “The authorities will think it’s very tough. And Masterson may find prison a little different from what he imagined.”
Gardel laughed out loud, his thin nose jutting up into the air, his lips pulling back over large teeth. “You got to get him first,” he said.
“We’ll do that, Gardel. We’ll do that.”
They lost the trail shortly after that.
The footprints ended when a large bed of slate claimed the land. The slate stretched for as far as the eye could see, covering the ground with gray monotony. It was spread about in a crude semicircle, and Masterson could have turned anywhere on the bed to plunge into the undergrowth. It would take them at least a half-hour to walk the perimeter of the semicircle. By that time Masterson could be a good distance away.
“This isn’t so good,” Dr. Perry said.
Pete nodded his red head. “That’s putting it mildly, Doc.”
Gardel said nothing. He simply smiled.
“Let’s split up,” Chuck said. “Pete, Dr. Perry, cut clear across the bed to the other side. Then start back, walking the perimeter and looking for sign on the edges. Arthur and I will start on this end and we’ll work toward the middle, too. Whoever spots tracks first will call the others.” He paused and looked intently at Gardel. “You can come with Arthur and me, Gardel.”
“Sure,” Gardel said. “Why not?”
Chuck watched Pete and Dr. Perry start across the slate, heading for the other end of the semicircle.
“This isn’t going to be easy,” Chuck said to Arthur.
“It may be easier than you think.”
“How so?”
“I’ve been on a lot of hunting expeditions in the ten years I worked for Masterson. I can track like an Indian scout.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Chuck said, as they started around the semicircle, shoving aside the plants on the perimeter so that they could study the ground for tracks.