But Chuba didn’t come back quickly. The minutes seemed to drag along. Biff was becoming worried. He had just about made up his mind to seek Chuba out when he saw his friend running toward him.
Chuba was breathless, more from excitement than from his short run.
“Chuba has news. Big news. Man takes me back to another fellow. This other fellow much wise. Say he hear big American plane make force landing. Near mountains. Maybe fifty miles from here.”
“Did he tell you how long ago, Chuba?”
Chuba nodded his head up and down rapidly. “He say maybe three, maybe four weeks ago.”
“Hey. That is good news. That could be Uncle Charlie. Did he know what happened to the pilot? Was he hurt?”
“I ask that. But fellow say he don’t know.”
Biff was thoughtful for a few moments. “It’s a good lead, Chuba. You know which way to go?”
“Sure. Fellow tell Chuba.”
“Seems to me this fellow told you a lot. I wonder why. Particularly since no one else seemed to know what you were talking about.”