Carolyn Keene. White Water Terror

Nancy walked within hearing distance of Max and Paula, keeping a careful eye on them.

Suddenly she was aware of the noise of tumbling water. “What’s that?” she asked, catching up to Max and Paula. “Is it Lost River? Are we going in circles?”

“I don’t think so,” Paula said. She had tied the sleeves of her jacket around her waist, but now she pulled the jacket on. “If I’m right,” she continued, “that’s Little Horn Creek. The trail isn’t too far away.”

Little Horn Creek was in a deep ravine, full of rocks and tangled trees. The group, which was nearly exhausted, stopped to rest on a rocky ledge, partway up the cliff over the ravine.

“Thank goodness,” Sammy said with a sigh, sinking down against the rock. “I can’t walk another step.”

“You’ve got to,” Tod told her. “It’s either that or stay here and starve to death—or die of exposure.”

Sammy burst into tears. “Stop saying that! You’re just trying to scare me!”

“No,” Mike said quietly, “it’s the truth.”

Max seemed to have made up his mind about something. He looked up at the cliff and then at Paula. “The cliff top looks clear,” he said. “The climb is a little rough, Paula, but I think you and I can make it. Let’s climb up there and see if we can tell where we are.”

Paula considered his suggestion. “Good idea,” she said, after a moment. She raised her voice. “The rest of you stay here and rest. Max and I are going to climb to the top. We’ll be back in a few minutes.” The two of them began to scale the cliff, which rose up vertically behind the ledge.

“I wish we could climb up there and hear what they say,” Nancy said fretfully, watching them climb the sheer wall.

“No way, Drew,” Ned said, coming up behind her. “Climbing that rock is a job for experts. I have the feeling that Max picked the top of the cliff to talk to Paula because he knew we couldn’t follow up there, and he didn’t want any uninvited listeners.” He pulled Nancy down beside him. “Come on, relax. There’s nothing we can do but wait.”

They waited. In about fifteen minutes, Nancy began to stir worriedly. At that moment, she heard Paula’s voice, although the words were indistinguishable. A few small rocks showered down the cliff ten yards to their right. Then there was the sound of a violent scuffle and a loud, dull thump. “No, Max!” Paula cried clearly. Nancy could hear terror in her voice. “Don’t!”

“Max! Paula!” Ned shouted, looking up.

For a minute or two there was silence. Then, in a flash of red and black, a limp body hurtled spread-eagled through the air and down into the depths of the creek!

Chapter Twelve

“That was Paula!” Linda screamed.

Mercedes moaned and turned away, covering her eyes. Ashen-faced, Sammy put her arms comfortingly around her.

“Do you think she’s dead?” Tod asked, peering over the edge. “Can you see her? Where is she?”

“There,” Mike said excitedly, pointing down the ravine. “In the creek.” They all watched in incredulous horror as Paula’s plaid jacket ballooned up in the deep water of the creek far below, buoying the body along almost like a life jacket. It drifted lazily in the water for a minute or two, then it was sucked into the swift current and swept down over a jumble of rocks and out of sight.

“We’ve got to get down there!” Mercedes said, struggling hysterically against Sammy’s restraining arms.

Ned shook his head. “It’s a fifty-foot cliff,” he said. “None of us has the experience to climb it, especially without any rock-climbing gear. Anyway, the chances of survival from a fall like that are next to nothing.” He gave Mercedes a sympathetic look. “We’ll have to send a team back to recover her body—after we get out.”

“Max!” Bess suddenly exclaimed. She looked up the cliff. “Where is he?”

Tod laughed harshly. “If you were Max, would you hang around to shake hands with your audience after you’d murdered somebody?”

“Murdered?” Linda whispered, her mouth dropping open. “You mean Max pushed her?”

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