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.They caught a second glimpse of it as theyPage 46 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlparked their car at the Tuxtla Gutierrez airport.The station wagon came to astop at the far end of the parking area, waited until the boys were carryingtheir bags toward the administration building, and then wheeled around andheaded back toward San Cristobal de las Casas."Well, that's that," Sandy said with satisfaction."We can start heading backourselves now." He looked at Ken."You still think we have to struggle backalong that unpaved mountain road all the way to San Crist6bal?""It's the only safe thing to do," Ken said."Suppose they have a flat tire, orstop at a roadside cafe-and see us driving past?""You're right," Sandy agreed reluctantly."O.K.Let's go into town and buy ourcamping supplies."122 THE MYSTERY OF THE PLUMED SERPENTBy five o'clock they were heading out of Tuxtla Gutierrez, the little carloaded down with sleeping bags, a small camp stove, and an assortment of foodthat was ready to eat or could be easily prepared.Ken had to shift into low gear at the bottom of the first long climb."If theroad is as bad as this all the way, it'll take us three times as long to getto San Cristobal as it took us to get here."They completed roughly half their journey that night, pulled off the road neara stream, ate a simple meal, and went to sleep early in the cozy warmth oftheir sleeping bags.They were moving again by five the next morning, pushingthe little car to its limit to make time.Finally they were bumping their way over the single, cobblestoned street of avillage near the hacienda.Ken had been holding the road map while Sandydrove."We take the first road on our right once we're through this village,"he warned."And from then on," he continued, "we'll have to be very careful.Once we make that turn, we'll be pretty close to those two hills we're goingto use as observation posts."Ken spotted both the hills half a mile after they found the road beyond thevillage.He pointed them out to the others and added, "I'd say we're closeenough-anywhere along in here.Let's leave the car in the first likely placewe find."A thousand feet farther on, Sandy found an opening in the pine trees thicklybordering the road.He eased the car through it, and drove over a bough-shadedcarpet of brown needles until he came to a small clearing."How about this?"he asked.INTERRUPTED PICNIC 123"Made to our order," Ken said."And now let's get up to those hilltops.""But not until we've packed some food to take along," Sandy insisted."We maybe up there until dark."They were ready to leave half an hour afterward.In one of the woven stringbags they had purchased at a village market, Ricardo had a pair of binoculars,his transceiver, a compass, several hard-boiled eggs, two rolls, and a canteenof water.Sandy and Ken had similar rations and identical equipment in theirown string bag, except that they intended to share a pair of binoculars.Ricardo was wearing his Chamula costume, in case it proved necessary for himto leave his observation post to reconnoiter."O.K.," Ken said."Don't forget to keep in touch, Ricardo.""I will," Ricardo promised, and set off cross-country toward the more northernof the two observation posts they had chosen the day before.The boys waved tohim, and moved in a slightly different direction toward the second hill thatstood to the south of the hacienda enclosure.They made better time than they had hoped.The pines through which they walkedstood tall and straight, and the ground beneath them was free of underbrush.Ricardo made even faster progress.Ken and Sandy were barely at the foot ofthe slope they had to climb when Ricardo's voice reported that he had reachedthe summit he had been aiming for."I will let you know as soon as I can see down into the enclosure," he added."Where I am now, there are too many trees."124 THE MYSTERY OF THE PLUMED SERPENTPage 47 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlFifteen minutes later they were eagerly reporting back and forth.Ricardo hadfound the vantage point he was seeking.The boys had found one equally good.The three observers agreed that they would be certain to see two men walkingaround inside the walls."But I don't see a soul," Ken concluded."Maybe they-" He caught his breathand said swiftly into his transmitter, "There's a cloud of dust moving alongthe road toward the place where we parked yesterday and the day before-theplace at the foot of the hill!""I see it!" Ricardo told them excitedly.A moment later the green station wagon was clearly visible as it drew off theroad.Then the car's front doors opened, on either side, and two figuresemerged.They both moved to the rear of the car, where they took out twoshovels, a crowbar, and a wicker basket.Then, moving slowly under theirburdens, the two men climbed the steep grade that led to the west gateway ofthe enclosure.When the men moved through the wide open gateway, Sandy spoke into histransmitter.There was a laugh in his voice."Watch closely, gentlemen," hesaid."We are about to learn exactly where the tunnels are not."The two men were not always visible, as they moved rapidly back and forthamong the trees and the vine-tangled brush.The expressions on their faceswere completely indistinguishable at the distance of a third of a mile, eventhrough high-powered glasses.But the purpose and plan of what they were doingwas perfectly clear.Starting at the church, they surveyed a line across therubble-INTEBKUPTED PICNIC 125strewn enclosure to a point roughly opposite the gateway, and there they drovea stake into the ground."Did you see that?" Ricardo's breathless voice sounded in the boys' ears."We saw," Ken assured him."And now we know," Sandy said."Exactly one hundred feet southeast of thatstake is where the tunnel entrance really is!""It is so exciting-no?" Ricardo said."It's exciting all right," Ken told Ricardo, across the space that separatedthem."But we'd better try to take it easy.Now they'll start digging-and wemay be here for hours before they give up."The men cleared sprawling vines away from the spot where their stake stood,and then began to dig down into the hard earth.The mounting sun grew hotter.Ken and Sandy moved their position severaltimes, in an effort to keep in the shade.Ricardo reported that he had pulledoff his woolen scrape.The men were still digging.They kept steadily at theirback-breaking job until they had made a hole some six feet square and so deepthat when they stood inside it they were concealed from the hips down.Then atlast they stopped, climbed out of the hole, and disappeared from sight for atime beneath a shady tree."Now what?" Ken wondered aloud.His question was answered ten minutes later.The men came into sight again andcleared a new patch of ground, a few feet to the west of where they hadoriginally dug.There, once more, they attacked the earth with crowbar andshovels.When the sun was high overhead, the boys pulled126 THE MYSTERY OF THE PLUMED SERPENTtheir food and canteens from their bags and ate, taking turns at maintainingtheir vigil.The men had apparently brought no food with them.But they pausedmore and more often, as time went by, to drink from straw-covered bottles theybrought forth from their wicker basket.The second hole, roughly similar in size to the first, was abandoned as theboys finished their frugal meal.Once more, then, the men disappeared into the shade of a tree
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