Flight of the Eagles by Gilbert L. Morris Read Free Book Online

a clear spring. They dismounted and drank deeply. After that, Josh saw Crusoe pull a rope out of his pack, walk to a tree, and sit down with his back to it. “Tie me to this tree,” he said.
    Josh watched in amazement as Mat and Tam lashed Crusoe so tightly that the ropes cut into his thin arms.
    When he was firmly secured, Crusoe said, “Joshua, I think you should go away for a while.”
    â€œWhy?” Josh asked.
    â€œBecause what is about to happen will be unpleasant. The Chief Interrogator commanded me to appear at the Tower. I will be forced to go there— if I can !” He noddedat his bonds. “These ropes will hold me until the spell passes.”
    Then Crusoe turned to the others. “Remember, no matter what I say or do—don’t let me loose,” he sternly instructed. “If you do, we’ll all die.”
    Even as he spoke, a strange mad look came over his wrinkled face. He began speaking in a voice Josh had never heard before. “You can let me go. I’m all right now,” Crusoe assured them.
    He waited, then began to froth at the mouth and scream, fighting against the ropes. “Release me, you idiots! I must go to my masters! Release me at once!”
    Josh watched transfixed, completely forgetting Crusoe’s instructions to leave. He never forgot the nightmare he viewed. The old man was transformed into a beast that cried and begged, then cursed and blasphemed horribly. The seizure went on and on until he feared that Crusoe would die of convulsions.
    Finally the old man slumped and expelled a huge sigh. When he lifted his head, his eyes were clear, and he said, “I am myself. You can release me when you think it wise.”
    Josh rushed forward. He drew his knife and cut Crusoe loose.
    Tam offered their leader a drink of cool spring water.
    Holding Crusoe in the circle of his arms while he drank and slowly recovered, Josh felt a strange sense of kinship with the twisted figure. Tears began to burn in his eyes.
    Crusoe smiled through his wrinkles. He feebly patted Josh with a claw. “We are on our way, my boy.”
    â€œBut where are we?” Mat murmured gloomily. “Is this the place?”
    Crusoe slowly hobbled to his feet with Volka’s help. “This is the location indicated by the song, but—sing it again, Josh. Maybe we’ll get a better idea of the exact spot.”
    Josh sang the well-remembered words:
    â€œ ‘Far from ocean tidesyet the Sleeper lies
    â€œ ‘Where even sunlight seems to failin the belly of the whale.’”
    There was a long silence.
    Josh said, “I guess we’d better look for a whale.”
    â€œGreat!” cried Tam happily. Then he added in a puzzled voice, “What’s a whale?”
    Josh started to explain, but Crusoe said, “Just spread out and look for anything unusual . If you find anything, sing out.”
    They separated and searched for several hours, finding nothing. Then Josh heard a whistle. When he finally located the source of the whistle, he also found the others. They were standing by a steel structure that was nearly covered with lichens.
    â€œThis must be it.” Volka grinned. “But what is it? A water tank maybe?” He struck it with his huge fist, and an echo rang out. “Empty,” the giant commented.
    The structure was an oval steel tower rising about ten or twelve feet out of the sand. Try as they might, they could find no door or secret entrance.
    â€œSure doesn’t look like a whale,” Josh muttered. He glanced up and said, “Look at that.”
    He ran across the sand to a small mound rising out of the ground about fifty feet away. He cried out, “Hooray! Come and help me!” He began digging at the mound with his sword, sending the sand flying.
    â€œWhat is it?” they all cried.
    â€œLook!” Josh had uncovered a steel surface, and on it was a faded nameplate. He read aloud the words.