Double Dragon Trouble Read Free

Angus stopped and said, “Let’s go back.”
    â€œWe went into the Cave of Doom,” Wiglaf said. “And lived to tell about it.”
    â€œMaybe we shouldn’t push our luck,” said Angus.
    â€œWe shall be heroes, remember?” said Wiglaf. “Think of that.”
    Angus groaned. But on they went.
    By afternoon they reached the foot of Keep Away Mountain. Wiglaf checked the path in front of them. It spiraled around the mountain up to a gaping black hole: Keep Away Cave.
    â€œDo you want to rest before we start the climb?” asked Wiglaf.
    â€œNo,” said Angus. “If I stop, I’ll never go on.”
    They started up the rocky path. The mountain rose up on one side of them. On the other side was a steep drop-off. They had not gone far, when they came to a sign: Bats are brown.
    They walked up and came to another sign: Snakes are black.
    The next sign said: If I were you
    On they walked until they came to: I’d turn back.
    Angus froze in his tracks. “I’m scared.”
    â€œMe too,” Wiglaf admitted, but they kept on walking. Before long, they came to another series of signs. These said:
    Snakes are black,
    Bats are brown,
    If I were you,
    I’d turn around.
    They didn’t turn around. But they did drop to their hands and knees to crawl up a difficult stretch. Neither lad dared look down.
    At last they rounded the final curve—and found themselves facing a wall of rock.
    Angus groaned. “We’ll never make it!”
    â€œLook, there are toe holes. And cracks in the rocks to grab,” Wiglaf said. “We can climb it.”
    With Wiglaf in the lead, the lads stuck the toes of their boots into holes. They stuck their fingers into the cracks, and they climbed the rock wall. At last they reached the top and rolled onto a level grassy patch.
    Wiglaf lay there for a moment, panting for breath.

    â€œI can’t believe I did that,” said Angus. “This calls for some stash.” He pulled his bag from his pocket. He gave Wiglaf one Jolly Jelly Worm. Then he ate almost all the rest.
    The lads hiked the short distance to the yawning hole in the mountain, Keep Away Cave. There were signs stuck on wooden posts all around the cave entrance. One read:
    Whether your name is Ruthie or Rory,
    Enter this cave and you’ll be sorry!
    Another said:
    Whether your name is Helga or Howie,
    Go away! And we mean nowie!
    â€œWho do you suppose wrote these signs?” said Angus, his voice trembling.
    â€œWe must go in!” said Wiglaf. He sounded far braver than he felt. He lit Erica’s mini-torch. He held it in one hand. In the other, he held his sword, Surekill. He stepped into Keep Away Cave.
    â€œOh, wait for me,” wailed Angus. “I don’t want to stay out here alone!”
    Wiglaf felt Angus grab the back of his tunic. The two edged slowly past a huge boulder just inside the mouth of the cave and stepped into a dark narrow tunnel. They inched along. Wiglaf saw several narrower passages that led off the main tunnel to who knows where. The cave smelled of smoke and something rotten. They had to watch their step so as not to trip over the stalagmites sticking up from the cave floor. They had to crouch down to keep from scraping their heads on the pointy stalactites hanging down from the cave ceiling. It wasn’t easy.
    CLANG! Wiglaf kicked something. He aimed the torch at the floor of the cave.
    â€œâ€™Tis the armored boot of a knight!” cried Wiglaf.
    â€œLook over there!” cried Angus. “A knight’s glove! But where is the knight?”
    Wiglaf had no answer. The boot was rusted. So was the glove. Whatever happened to this knight had happened many long years ago.
    As they pressed on, they found the cave floor littered with pieces of armor. Dented helmets. Rusty chest plates. Random bits of chain mail. A sword handle, with only the stump of a blade. Wiglaf thought it looked as if a terrible