"Andre Norton - Here Abide Monsters" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

now-only Nick had a queer feeling about it.
There was one thing-he could take that way, too. It was really shorter to
his own cabin when you came to think about it. And it had been almost his
whole lifetime since Ted and Ben had disappeared. This was broad daylight
and these Ridgeways must have been up and down there maybe a hundred times
since they moved in. So, why look for monsters that did not exist?
"Look here," Nick suggested as Ham reappeared with sacks and newspapers an
d proceeded to wedge in the cargo. "I'm heading that way. It's rough and w
e'll have to take it slow, but if you'll match your speed to mine"-he moti
oned at the waiting bike-"I'll guide you in. I'm Nick -Nicholas Shaw-Mr. H
odges here knows me. My people have had a cabin on the lake for a long tun
e."
Linda gave him a long, intent survey. Then she nodded and smiled.
"That's fine! From what Jane said the road's pretty rough and I could miss i
t. I'm very glad of your company."
Ham packed the last of the papers in, and Nick gathered up his own purchas
es and bagged them in a bundle he could tie over the saddlebags. Several i
ndignant yowls from the storeroom brought an instant sharp response from t
he Peke.
Linda adjusted her sunglasses and got behind the wheel. But Ham spoke to N
ick in a low voice.
"Take it easy now. I have a funny feeling-"
"Not much else we can do if she's going to get to the Wilson place," Nick po
inted out.
As he gunned the bike to life he wondered what looming danger one could w
atch for along the Cut-Off. No one who had ever met whatever peril lurked
there had ever returned to explain what he or she had faced. No, Nick wa
s not going to let his imagination take over. He'd end up seeing a UFO or
something lurking behind every tree. He waved to Linda and swung out. Sh
e nodded and followed.
They turned off the highway about a half-mile farther on and Nick cut spee
d, concentrating on the rough surface ahead. He had come this road enough
times to memorize every rut and bump, but the heavy rains last week would
have done damage, and he had no intention of being spilled through careles
sness.
A mile and a half to the Cut-Off. In all the years he had been coming up her
e he had always looked for the overgrown entrance to what had become a sinis
ter road to nowhere. Could she get the jeep in there at all? But they had be
en using it, so they must have cleared a passage through. July 24, 1955-he'd
been too little then to realize what had gone on. But he'd heard plenty abo
ut it ever since. All that searching-the neighbors, the sheriff and his depu
ties. And not so much as a track to tell them why two young men in the best
of health had vanished from a half-mile strip of road one sunny morning.
They had been seen entering, had stopped and talked to Jim Anderson about t
he best place to fish. Jim had been going to the store. He had watched them
turn into the Cut-Off. But they never came out at the lake where a couple
of guys were waiting to join them.
Mouth of the Cut-Off-like a snake with jaws wide open to swallow them do
wn.
Nick took firm control of his imagination. If he did not see Linda to the l