Free Bolts by Alexander Key Page A

bats.”
    â€œBats! You ain’t got time to fool with those critters! You better come out—and come out fast!”
    â€œDon’t be silly. I don’t have to come out for anybody. I’ll have you know I’m my own boss. I’m looking for bats, and I intend to find bats. So there!”
    â€œO.K.,” Bolts snapped. “If it’s bats you want, it’s bats you’ll get.” There was no time to waste, so he opened his mouth and loosened his Number Two growl.
    The result was not as bad as it had been in the main cavern, but it was bad enough. The walls of the cave shook with sound. Bats poured squeaking from a hundred crevices, and down shot Claws like a black streak, every hair on end as he raced from the cave to seek Bingo’s protection.
    Bolts ran outside, and stopped abruptly. Just ahead of him Bingo was standing frozen, staring at a wild figure with bristling black whiskers staggering toward them around the curve of the canyon.
    It was Major Mangler.

8
    He Has a Date in Space
    In escaping from the Air Patrol, Major Mangler had lost nearly everything, including his horse, his pistols, and most of his steam, but he still clung to a very wicked machete, which he instantly raised at the sight of Bingo. Realizing his secret hideout had been discovered, his temper began to boil again.
    â€œWho are you?” he demanded hoarsely. “Speak up!” Then he caught sight of Bolts, and the machete almost fell from his hand. “ You !” he screamed. “ You! The cause of all my troubles! By the seven plagues …”
    Suddenly he started forward with his machete swinging, this time bellowing in such a rage that the canyon began to echo with the fury of it.
    There was only one thing to do, and Bolts did it. “Quick,” he told Bingo, “put your fingers in your ears—and keep ’em plugged tight!”
    In a flash he snapped forth his hackles and his teeth, put all his power into his unspeakable Number Three, and charged.

    The result, to say the least, was quite ghastly. The narrow canyon, already full of echoes, shook and trembled with such a horror of multiplying sound that it was almost more than rock walls could bear. Major Mangler dropped his machete. In the next second he was knocked sprawling by the fierceness of Bolts’s charge. He fell in a quivering heap, and for a while, now that his steam was all gone, even ceased to quiver. Poor Claws turned a double somersault in fright and lay so limp it seemed he had lost all his lives. Bingo, even with his fingers in his ears, was nearly petrified.
    Bolts, though jangled to the ends of his circuits, managed to scramble into the cave, find a coil of line in the equipment, and return with it in his mouth.
    â€œHelp me, Bingo! We gotta tie up this varmint.”
    By the time they had Major Mangler securely bound, the Space Jumper had returned, and Big Butch was clumping toward them over the sand. Behind him came Pirate and the commander.
    â€œGreat gobbling guns!” Commander Brown exclaimed. “What have you here?”
    â€œThe spy of spies!” cackled Pirate. “Ha! I said it would be a rewarding experience.”
    Bingo said, “Bolts captured him single-handed with his growl.” He shuddered. “Whew! I hope I never hear such a sound again.” He stooped and picked up Claws, who was just beginning to twitch.
    â€œGood work, Bolts,” the commander said approvingly. “You’re starting off fairly well in spite of your shortcomings. I hope you’re capable of the job ahead of you. It’s going to be a tough one, and I’m afraid your growl won’t be of much help.”
    â€œW-what kind of a job is it?” Bolts asked uneasily.
    â€œWe’ll explain it later. We’ve lost so much time finding you that we have to hurry. Every minute counts. Butch, put the prisoner aboard. Bingo, you pilot us home, and I’ll radio the Navy and