“It’s worthless.”
“Anyway, may we see it?” Jack insisted.
“It’s in the safe, and I haven’t time to get it out now,” Mr. Rhodes said, looking at his wrist watch. “I must get back to the pit.”
Making certain that the safe door was locked, the engineer abruptly quitted the office.
“That talk about the map certainly made him pull out in a hurry,” Ken remarked when they were alone. “What do you think, Hap?”
“That he was lying again,” Mr. Livingston answered. “I can’t believe he has the slightest concern about Appleby Corning’s welfare.”
“And how was it that he just happened to arrive here at the opportune time to take over the mine for the owners?” Jack added. “Fishy!”
Ken had moved to the desk, an old fashioned roll top affair. It was locked. On top of a bookcase devoted to mining journals and books on mineralogy were numerous specimens of rock, an Indian bow and arrow and other trinkets.
Noticing several sheets of paper thrust into one of the books, he examined them. All were blank, evidently having been used as a page marker.
Inspired by Ken’s activity, Jack also searched the room for possible clues, even peering behind the safe.