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these people?”
    Stephen made a face. “It is a long story.”
    He was clearly unwilling to add more but Gwen pressed him: “Does it have something to do with that gang you were involved in when we were in Year Eight?”
    Peter looked at both with interest. He had not realized that people like Gwen had even heard about that. Nor did he know the details himself as Stephen had always been very shy of talking about it.
    Stephen shrugged. “Tell you later,” he replied. “Come on, it is getting late. The sun is starting to set.”
    With a shock Peter realized that he was right. The light had a rosy glow to it and the air had suddenly taken on a distinct chill. A glance showed him that the crimson ball of the sun was almost down to the mountain tops of the Lamb Range. He looked at his watch. 5:15.
    Graham led the way on up another very steep pinch through a thick belt of stunted trees and waist high bushes and ferns. The cadets climbed up past another huge boulder and stopped.
    At last! The top! Or almost. The track went down across a low saddle thickly covered on small trees and ferns to a slightly higher point a hundred metres away.
    Where are these Devil Worshippers? Peter wondered. Graham went into a crouch but Peter could see nothing. When the others had joined them and they had recovered their breath they began slowly moving forward.
    Graham halted again and held up his hand, then pointed.
    From the bushes ahead came the murmur of voices, then an eerie howl which set Peter’s hair on end.
    Devil Worshippers!

Chapter 3
    ON TOP OF THE PYRAMID
    D evil Worshippers!
    Peter’s blood ran cold. His head felt as though it was being gripped by an icy hand from behind. He crouched behind a bush and peered ahead. There was no sign of anyone amongst the trees.
    Then a voice pierced the stillness. Its message chilled them all again.
    â€œSatan! Satan! Your disciples call you. See our sacrifice!”
    Graham turned with anxiety. “Sacrifice! We might be too late. Quick!”
    Before Peter could stop him Graham moved forward at a crouching run. Without thinking Peter followed, aware that the others were behind him. The path led down a slight dip through a thicket of small trees and up to where a large, smooth, rounded rock marked the highest point.
    Here Graham paused, his head questing from side to side as he peered through the trees. Peter joined him. Stephen and the girls closed up as well. Peter noted Joy’s anxious face and gave her a re-assuring nod.
    There was still no sign of anyone, but the murmur of voices came from not far ahead. Graham began creeping around the large rock on its left hand side. Peter and the others followed. By then Peter was feeling scared and knew his heart was hammering from fear, not exertion. He swallowed and hoped his nervousness didn’t show.
    Suddenly a piercing scream rent the still air. The cadets stopped and crouched down in shocked silence. A voice called: “Talk, or it will be ten times as bad. We haven’t even started yet!”
    Peter swallowed, then whispered: “They must be torturing a prisoner. Perhaps we are in time after all.”
    Graham nodded. “Not sunset yet.”
    Peter glanced over his shoulder. The sun was now like a huge red disc and its lower edge was just dipping below the top of the distant Lamb Range. The mountains looked like black cardboard cut-outs and all the valleys in between were hazy in shadows.
    Graham continued his cautious advance and came to a small, flat, open area ringed by small boulders and stunted trees. Scattered around it were packs and clothing. The voices came from just beyond and below this.
    Once again Graham led, crossing the open space in ten paces, to crouch among rocks and bushes on the far side. From there he beckoned the others forward, even as another terrible scream rang out. Peter wanted the girls to stay back and motioned to them not to follow him but they ignored him.
    The