The Rock Jockeys Read Online Free Page B

just burned the only other evidence.”

C HAPTER 11
    “Here, let me carry that.” J.D. reached for Spud’s gear.
    Spud moved it out of J.D.’s reach. “I can manage. Besides, I’ll be packing it off the mountain tomorrow so I better get used to it.”
    Rick hadn’t said a word since burning the diary. He stopped and turned. “You don’t have to come down with us tomorrow.”
    “What are you talking about? Sure I do.”
    Rick chose his words carefully. “If J.D. and I leave you our rations, you could stay up here until we get down. As soon as we hit bottom we’ll go for help and—”
    “Forget it. I’m a Rock Jockey. There’s no way I’m going back in a helicopter.” Spud stiffened and headed down the hill in front of them.
    “I didn’t mean to make him mad. I was just trying to make it easier on him.” Rick sighed. “If anything happened to Spud on the way down, I’d never forgive myself.”
    J.D. cocked his head. “Tell me the truth. If you were in his shoes, would you go back in a chopper?”
    Rick looked sheepish. “I see what you mean.”
    J.D. laughed. “We better catch up with him before he gets to the north face and starts down without us.”
    They half ran through the brush until they found Spud. He glared back at them and kept walking.
    J.D. winked at Rick. “You know, I was just thinking. Tomorrow would be a good time for us to try that new impaired-climber move I was reading about.”
    “You mean the one where we wrap the injuredman in a sleeping bag and drop him in a free fall to the bottom?”
    “That’s the one.”
    Spud turned. “If you airheads think I’m gonna let you—”
    Rick and J.D. started laughing. “Got ya!”

C HAPTER 12
    The sun was just coming up. Rick took a sip of his tea and threw a stick on the fire. “Before we start off the mountain, I guess I owe you guys an explanation about the lieutenant’s diary.”
    “Diary?” Spud looked at J.D. “What diary? I don’t know anything about any diary. Do you?”
    J.D. shook his head. “Never saw one.”
    Rick half smiled. Then his look grew serious again. “I was thinking of the lieutenant’s family. I figure the government’s already made its report and after all these years hisfamily doesn’t need this kind of shock. The lieutenant did what he had to in order to survive. Any of us might have done the same in his position.”
    “Nobody here is arguing with you, Rick.” J.D. was equally serious. “Spud and I talked it over last night. Your dad taught us not to judge someone unless you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. And I sure wouldn’t have wanted to be in Lieutenant Dowling’s shoes when the bomber crashed.”
    “So we’re all agreed,” Spud said. “The only thing we found up here was an empty, wrecked bomber.” He had taken the bandage off his arm and was trying to rewrap it.
    Rick watched his progress. One of the sticks fell on the ground. The other one was turned sideways. Rick folded his arms. “I know you’re a Rock Jockey and everything, but do you want some help?”
    “Shut up and get over here.” Spud held the elastic bandage out to him.
    J.D. looked on as Rick wrapped the arm. “You guys realize that we’re gonna be famous when we get back?”
    Rick glanced up. “I’ve been giving that some thought.” He tied off the bandage and started collecting his gear. “Maybe we could use our skills to help out around here.”
    J.D. put out the fire. “What are you talking about?”
    “Well, there are a lot of dangerous mountain ranges nearby.” Rick uncoiled his rope. “And people like Lieutenant Dowling are always getting lost or stuck on them somewhere. Then the authorities have to go out and locate rescue teams.…”
    “And you think they should call us?” Spud heaved his pack onto his back and checked his rope.
    “Why not?” Rick moved to the edge of the cliff and grinned. “We’re the best, aren’t we?” He reached down and hooked his rope to the first carabiner.