"Hold her steady, boys." "Okay, Race." "How's the equipment functioning, Dr. Quest?" "Seems okay, Race." "I think we can send her up now." "Cast off, boys." "Here we go." "Wow!" "Look at that balloon climb." "It's going up awfully fast." "Will that cable hold it?" "I hope so." "We're getting some readings now." "Slow her down a little." "Right, doctor." "She's caught in an updraft!" "Let her continue up, Race." "I can't, doctor!" "The lever's jammed." "Look out!" "There she goes." "Grab it!" "l can't." "No, no, Bandit!" "Leave it alone." "Hey, look!" "He's got it." "Hang on, Bandit!" "Hang on!" "Too bad, Bandit." "Goodbye, balloon." "l'm sorry, doctor." "Couldn't be helped, Race." "I should have specified a stronger cable." "Well, there she goes." "Headed right for the top of the Devil's Escarpment." "Devil's Escarpment?" "Yes." "They call it that because there's no known way to climb it." "You mean the balloon is lost for good?" "No." "We have to get it." "It would take months to replace that instrument package." "Race." "Can you take the truck into Kooba-Bahn and rent a plane?" "Can do." "We'll go and have a look at that plateau." "Who knows?" "Perhaps we can land there." "Sit tight while we scout that escarpment." "Right, Dad." "Are you sure you can fly it, Race?" "These old prop jobs fly like a dream." "Here we go." "Boy, did you ever see such an old airplane?" "Gosh, no." "Flying in that looks like fun." "We'll get a chance..." "...when they find the balloon." "l sure hope so." "Hey, look at Bandit." "What's the matter with him?" "Well, what's wrong, boy?" "What are you so mad about?" "You better stay closer to camp." "Keep out of trouble." "There they go." "Heading for the Devil's Escarpment." "What's our altitude, Race?" "Eight thousand." "We're still not level with that escarpment." "It must be at least 2 miles high." "No wonder no one's ever climbed it." "There's the plateau." "And there's our balloon, caught in those rocks." "Take her down." "Down we go." "Nice flying, Race." "Thanks." "The only good thing you can say about this landing field is that it's level." "There's the balloon." "I'll stay here while you get the boys." "l'll need help getting the balloon packed." "Want anything else?" "The case for the instrument package." "We'll need that." "Sure you'll be okay?" "Quite sure." "If the only way up is by plane, not much could be living here." "Leave my rifle, though." "Just in case." "l'll be back in about half an hour." "Good." "I'll be right here, waiting for you." "Hey, I like these open planes." "You really feel like you're flying." "There's the balloon." "l see it." "Look at those rocks." "How do you land in that stuff?" "With my fingers crossed." "Here we go again." "I hope none of those rocks have moved." "Where's Dad?" "Should be right up ahead, by the balloon." "Dr. Quest?" "Dr." "Quest!" "He isn't here." "We'd better look around." "Dr. Quest!" "Where is he, Race?" "Maybe he's exploring." "Maybe, but he said he'd wait for us here." "He must have heard the plane coming in." "Well, he's got to be here somewhere." "Now, don't worry." "We'll find him." "If we split up and went looking for him...." "No, Hadji." "I think we'd better stay together." "What's the matter with Bandit?" "Maybe he's found something." "You mean something found us." "Stand still." "Don't move." "Bandit!" "Come here!" "Bandit!" "Get back, Bandit!" "Jonny, come here!" "And don't jump the gun again." "But he was going to hit Bandit." "I know, but that was a dangerous thing to do." "Now, stay here." "Sorry, Race. I lost my head." "You came close to doing just that." "They haven't attacked us yet." "Now, let's see what they want." "What do you want?" "Well?" "What's on your mind?" "Did you hear what he said?" "Sounds like he's speaking German." "You're right, Hadji." "Sounds like he said "come" in German." "Where would a character like him learn German, especially in this part of Africa?" "It probably just sounds like German." "We'd better do as he says anyhow." "Come on, let's follow them." "This is as far as we can go." "What now?" "What do they want us to do?" "l don't know." "Look." "He has a rope." "I think we're in for a climb." "I guess you're right." "I better go first." "Come on, Bandit." "Be careful, Race." "l will be." "Come on, boys. I'll steady the line." "l wonder what he's going to do with us." "Search me." "All he says is "kommen Sie. "" "I guess our friends aren't coming down." "I hope not. I've seen enough of them." "I guess they've seen enough of us too." "Hello!" "Hello!" "Race?" "lt's Dad!" "Dr. Quest. lt's me, Race." "Where are you?" "l'm over here." "There he is." "Stay there, I'm coming." "Dad, am I glad to see you!" "Well, I'm glad to see you too." "All of you." "How'd you get here?" "Probably the same way you did." "Those amazing throwbacks, those cavemen." "Maybe somebody's shooting a B picture." "Where were you?" "Trying to see where we are and if there's a way out." "Did you find one?" "No." "But there must be one." "There's too much fresh air for a dead-end hole in the ground." "Then let's find it and get out of here." "Not so fast, meine Herren." "Who's that?" "l am Heinrich Von Dueffel..." "...and you are my prisoners." "Prisoners?" "Where are you?" "Step out and let us see." "If there are weapons among you, throw them to the ground." "We have no weapons." "Very good." "l am Dr. Benton Quest and this is" "Silence!" "I have no interest in your names." "You will speak when asked and will do as you are told. ls that understood?" "ls that clear?" "Perfectly." "Very good." "You are wise." "Unlike you, I am armed and will shoot instantly anyone who does not follow my orders." "What is it you want?" "You will see, my friend." "But for now, up against the wall, all of you." "Americans, eh?" "You are a German officer?" "Until your countrymen overran our Third Reich, I was a German officer." "But no more questions." "Nachto!" "Nachto!" "And now, you will remain here with Nachto and his friends till I return." "What do you want with us?" "Your airplane." "For 1 9 years, I have been on this escarpment, living with these animals." "Now, thanks to your plane I shall return to civilization and live on the great wealth I have found here." "Wealth?" "Diamonds." "Diamonds beyond your wildest dreams." "Dug out by these misshapen creatures, who have no idea..." "...they are living in a diamond mine." "Don't be a fool, Von Dueffel." "We can all leave here." "We can help you." "Silence!" "You will stay here as I ordered." "If you attempt to escape, you will be killed." "Do you think Von Dueffel is some kind of a nut, Dad?" "No, I don't. I think he's far worse." "What do you mean, "far worse"?" "What would a German officer be doing in a place like this?" "Why strand us here when we could all get out?" "l'm beginning to follow you." "l don't think he is a German officer." "What do you think he is?" "I think he's an escaped Nazi war criminal, and I think I know who he is." "Who, Dad?" "When I was working with the War Crimes Commission, there was a man named Klaus who had been commandant of a concentration camp." "We never found him." "Keep the talk going. lf he falls asleep, we can make a break for it." "Okay." "And you think Von Dueffel is Klaus?" "I'm sure." "We had only one picture of him, but I remember it well." "Von Dueffel is Klaus." "But how did he get here?" "I don't know, but it's a perfect hiding place." "He's ready to leave now." "Right. ln the plane we've furnished him." "It's just what he needed to carry out a sack full of diamonds." "Sounds like a nightmare." "Von Dueffel would give anyone nightmares." "You think there's a way down from here?" "l'm positive of it." "If there is, Klaus is not going to leave us alive..." "...to walk out and tell the world about him." "Right." "Come on." "Let's try getting out of here." "I think I'll borrow a weapon." "Sorry, pal." "You need your beauty sleep." "Come on." "Let's go this way." "This is the passage I told you about." "It slopes steeply downward and you can feel air coming." "This may be the way out." "What's up there?" "That's where the cavemen dropped us." "Wouldn't it be better to go that way and get to the plane?" "They'll be guarding the plane." "It's the first place Klaus would look for us." "We'd better chance it this way." "We've been missed." "Come on!" "Down this way." "Watch your footing." "Hurry up!" "Those apemen are gaining on us." "Hold it!" "What's the matter?" "Have a look." "Wow!" "No one could make it down." "What do you think?" "lt looks impossible." "I feel fresh air coming up." "There must be an opening down there." "If only we had a...." "Hey." "Let's do a little log-surfing." "All set, Race." "Hang on, Bandit." "They're bombing us." "No time for goodbyes." "All aboard, Hadji." "Tallyho!" "Hey, I didn't expect to go sleigh-riding in Africa." "That boulder's gaining on us." "I see daylight." "The end of the tunnel." "Cliff ahead." "Jump!" "Jump, Hadji." "That was close." "l'll say." "Just lucky we're not all on our way down." "Wow." "Makes me dizzy just looking down." "Me too. I can't see the bottom." "Well, what now?" "l guess we walk." "We'll follow that path and cross the bridge." "Once across, we should be able to make camp." "Come on, Bandit." "Let's go." "Boy, this sure is narrow." "I'll bet Bandit wishes he were a mountain goat." "Or a bird." "Guess I'll have to carry him." "Pass him down to me, Jonny. I'll take him." "Easy, Bandit. lt's okay, boy." "Jonny!" "Hadji!" "Look out!" "What happened?" "That was close!" "That madman!" "He'll stop at nothing." "Missed." "From there, you stupid animal." "Let's hurry, but keep a sharp eye out for more boulders." "Hold it!" "That was a little too close." "Race, that overhang." "If we can make it there, we'll be safe." "These grenades will take care of the swine." "Good." "Good." "My diamonds." "There's the bridge, up ahead." "Thank goodness." "Do you hear a plane, Hadji?" "Yes, I do." "Look!" "It's Klaus." "He's looking for us." "Hold still." "He may not see us." "There is my target." "He spotted us." "Hit the dirt." "The bridge!" "Let's go!" "On the double!" "You will not be so lucky again." "This time I shall not miss." "He's turning for another pass." "Quick, boys." "Over that bridge and behind those rocks." "Here goes." "There's time for you too, Hadji." "Don't stop." "Don't worry, I won't." "Good boy, Hadji." "They're both across." "Here he comes." "Are they okay?" "l don't know. I can't see." "I see them!" "They're coming!" "Hurry up!" "Here comes that Klaus again." "Dad!" "Race!" "Boys!" "Hurry!" "See if you can pull me up." "He's coming around again." "We're sitting ducks here." "Forget about me and take cover." "Hang on, doctor!" "This time I cannot miss." "No!" "No!" "No!" "Not an end I'd wish on anyone, but he deserved it." "Come on, boys." "Let's start back for camp." "All set, boys?" "Yep." "Okay." "All set." "What's the matter, Bandit?" "Bandit, come here!" "Come back, Bandit!" "Bandit, come here!" "Come on, Bandit!" "Hurry up!" "Attaboy!" "Wow!" "He's really moving." "Boy, look at him come!" "Boy, look at him go." "Bandit!" "Bandit!" "l didn't know Bandit could run so fast." "He didn't either till he saw that big gorilla."