Sackett looked all around. “We ain’t sure, yet. We want you, for one thing. Keep your gun on him, Abel. Where’s Manuel?”
“Watching the front door,” growled the former mate.
The two men stepped into the house and the professor saw that he was trapped. He had no idea what the men wanted with him, although his heart sank a little he resolved to face them unflinchingly. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the cook glide out of the back door.
“You two men get out of this house!” the professor snapped.
Sackett laughed and walked boldly through the rooms, while Abel kept his rifle pointed in the professor’s direction. After he had looked through every room the leader came back.
“Nobody else in the place, just like Manuel said,” he reported. He faced the old savant. “Where did those boys go to?”
“Off on a camping trip,” answered the professor, calmly.
“Sure they didn’t go looking for that treasure?” inquired the outlaw, thrusting his face close to Mr. Scott’s.
“Do you mean to say that you believe that story?” sniffed the professor, scornfully.
“I believe it, and so do you,” replied the chief.