Free Flight of the Eagles by Gilbert L. Morris Page A

find the tall man beside him pointing at something.
    â€œThat is where you are to go, Joshua,” he said. He would have passed on then, into the woods, but Joshua called after him.
    â€œWho are you?” he cried. “What’s your name?”
    The man was almost invisible in the darkness of the trees, but he turned and spoke clearly.
    â€œYes, you have earned the right to know my name.”
    He turned, and as he disappeared in the morning mists he called back in a clear voice, “ I am Goél!”
    Then he was gone.
    Josh stood and listened to the echo of that name.

8
    The Fourth Sleeper
    J osh peered into the darkness of the woods so long that he was startled when Sarah came up behind him.
    â€œWhat is it, Josh?”
    â€œOh! I was just wondering …” Josh began. Then for some reason he felt powerless to mention the stranger. He said instead, “Look, there’s the place. At least I think so.”
    He pointed to a large steel door set in a hillside about a hundred yards away from where they stood.
    Sarah pulled her necklace free. As they walked toward the cave, she said, “You must be right. Look how the heart is glowing.”
    Without hesitation they walked up to the massive door. Josh immediately recited the song.
    â€œâ€˜ All caves of earth are dark and drear,
    except that one that glows like diamonds clear.
    â€œâ€˜ He who would this Sleeper wake,
    must pass the deadly jaws of fate.’”
    Suddenly the door separated like a set of huge fangs. The top half slid up, and the bottom half lowered, revealing diamond-shaped teeth that met.
    â€œThey’re jaws! Just like a shark,” Sarah said.
    â€œCome on, Sarah,” Josh said. “Volka, you rest here and take care of the others.” Josh indicated the still unconsciousCrusoe and Mat, and the giant wearily nodded. Then Josh and Sarah slipped through the dangerous opening.
    Josh had expected the cave to be as dark as the hive had been. Therefore, he was amazed to see that a brilliant light illuminated the cavern, making it even brighter than daylight.
    â€œWhat is it?” Sarah asked breathlessly. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful! It’s like a million Christmas trees all at once!”
    â€œSure is,” Josh whispered. He blinked. The walls and roof glittered as if they were studded with precious stones —green emeralds, glowing red rubies, flashing diamonds.
    Josh touched the walls carefully. “I think it’s some kind of quartz formation,” he said. He did not know really, but the words sounded impressive.
    â€œLet’s hurry. We’ve got to get back to the others,” Sarah said.
    Finding the Sleeper was not difficult. The familiar capsule lay open to view in a small chamber. As they had done before, they paused to activate the system that would awake the person who lay resting inside.
    Sarah said, “Josh, I have a feeling that this Sleeper is really something. I mean,” she tried to explain, “it’s just got to be, hasn’t it?”
    Josh knew what she meant. “Yeah, we’re in such a mess now it’ll take a real somebody to do us any good. Well, push the button, Sarah. Keep your fingers crossed, and hope it’ll be a super person!”
    After Sarah had pushed the button, they waited for the vapor to clear. When it did, they both gasped as the plastic hood swung free.
    â€œOh!” Sarah breathed. “I think we really did find a super person!”
    The Sleeper who opened his eyes and slowly sat up was one of the handsomest boys that Josh had ever seen.
    He was perhaps a year older than Josh. Everything about him seemed perfect, from his clear skin and perfectly formed head to his trim athletic figure. He looked like one of those young men that Josh had always envied in Oldworld because they could always win at any game or find a ready audience.
    Perhaps this bitter memory set Josh to wondering what good