Free Speed Times Five by Franklin W. Dixon

brother’s arms. Frank’s feet bounced among the sliding rocks for a moment, then Joe pulled him atop the tree trunk.
    Even aboard the tree, the Hardys’ position was dangerous. The trunk swayed and reeled, threatening to flip over. Frank and Joe used all their balance and agility to stay with the trunk as the slide rushed downhill.
    The forest in the valley loomed large before them even as the landslide slowed its descent. They hit the woods with a mighty crash and tumbled off their boatlike tree trunk just as the slide rumbled to a halt.
    The Hardys rose to their feet, battered and bruised, but glad to be alive. A cloud of gray dust washed over them as the remains of the landslide settled to the ground.
    â€œPhew!” Joe said, brushing the grit off his clothes. “I’ve heard of people surfing avalanches before, but not landslides.”
    â€œI’m glad it was more dust than rock,” Frank said. “It was still a close call, though. We’re lucky to escape with just a few scrapes and bruises.” He coughed some of the dust from his lungs.
    As the haze cleared from the forest, the sounds of shouting drifted through the trees. “Help! Help!”
    Instantly forgetting their aches and pains, Frank and Joe ran through the rubble toward the sound. Ahead of them, they saw the three people they’d previously spotted near the bottom of the slope. Kelly Hawk and a cameraman were struggling to pull the other member of the TV camera crew out from under a fallen tree. The woman’s legs were pinned by both the tree and a pile of small rubble from the landslide.
    The brothers raced to the woman’s side and began digging with their hands. Kelly Hawk regarded the Hardys with a look of wonder.
    â€œI can’t believe you two are alive,” she said. “You must be the luckiest guys on earth.”
    â€œYou’re pretty lucky, too,” Frank replied. “Any closer and this slide might have buried all three of you.”
    â€œWe were getting a shot of the clear-cut,” said the cameraman. “Kelly was telling us about the dangers of erosion. Then you topped the hill and . . .”
    The woman under the rubble groaned.
    â€œHang on,” Joe said. “We’ll have you out in a minute. One of you should use the emergency phone. Warn them about the slide area, too.”
    The cameraman stopped tugging on the tree and phoned for assistance. As Frank, Joe, and Kelly Hawk lifted the tree off the woman, the sound of a chopper echoed over the hills. The cameraman pulled his coworker free and the Hardys did some quick first aid.
    â€œI’m all right, really,” the woman said groggily. “Just a little banged up.”
    â€œIt’s better if you don’t move,” Joe said. “The medics will be here in a moment.”
    The chopper set down a short way from the forest, at the edge of the slide. A few minutes later, the blue-suited LMP paramedics had the woman stabilized and packed into the chopper. The cameraman went with them as the helicopter lifted off once more.
    As Kelly Hawk and the brothers watched the airlift leave, their emergency radios crackled to life.
    â€œThis is a warning to all racers,” Bennett’s voice said. “Conditions in grid 87-849 are hazardous and may lead to rock slides. Racers should proceed with extreme caution, travel in groups, and consider alternate routes.” He repeated the message twice and then signed off.
    â€œThe race goes on,” Frank said.
    â€œThere’s no business like show business,” Joe noted. As he spoke, he saw figures skidding down through the settling dust behind them. “Some people won’t stop for anything.”
    Turning back, the brothers saw that Kelly Hawk was already hiking up the trail ahead of them.
    â€œThe pack is catching up,” Frank said. “We’d better get moving.”
    He and Joe trudged out of the forest and jogged up the trail