e the presence of
trees before crashing into them. The blue light vanished periodically
behind trees, only to reappear again as though urging them on.

Then, as they broke into a denser thicket, the light vanished
completely. Scotty muttered under his breath. Rick peered through the
blackness eagerly, taking deep breaths. He had thought they were
actually gaining for a moment.

He stood still, his chest heaving. Scotty stopped beside him. There was
no sound. Even the night noises of the forest had ceased. There was a
weird feeling of hollowness in the air, as though they stood in some
great cavern. Rick whispered, "Where did it go?"

"Don't know," came Scotty's breathless reply. "Keep an eye out while I
tie my shoe."

Rick sucked in his breath. The blue light! It was closer, tantalizingly
close. He suddenly realized he stood on the edge of a clearing, and the
blue light hovered on the opposite edge. It danced mockingly.

"Come on!" Rick bounded away from Scotty, and crashed through a dozen
feet of underbrush, intent on the light. It wasn't moving! It hovered,
as though waiting. For an instant his determination faltered. One thing
to chase an object, another to have it wait for you!

He charged on, and his foot slid on soft dirt. He lost balance and his
arms flailed to regain his footing, too late! He slid, his back striking
painfully as he flew into blackness!

Rick fell, turning slowly through the air. He had time for one brief
yell of fear and warning before the wind was smashed out of him. He
plunged deep into icy water and struggled frantically as he plummeted
into the depths.

It seemed to Rick as though he plunged downward for an eternity. He had
no breath; it had been slammed out of him from impact with the water.
But he resisted the terrible temptation to breathe and drove his arms
downward to check his plunge. In a few seconds he was shooting to the
surface again, his chest an agony from lack of air. His arms and legs
worked as he literally clawed his way to the air once more, and he shot
high into the blessed atmosphere as he broke the surface.

Rick floated, lying on his back, breathing deeply and grateful just to
be alive. He heard Scotty calling his name, but had to wait for several
breaths before he could manage a weak yell.

He didn't know what had happened, except for one clear thing: they had
been mousetrapped. The ghost had lured them on, waiting until the pit
was reached before pausing in