“Say, Jack,” War greeted him. “Did you take that gun—the one we snatched from Carlos?”
“Haven’t touched it,” Jack rejoined. “You’ll find it under my sleeping bag.”
“Someone’s swiped it,” War informed him. “Rhodes probably! We saw him poking his nose into the tent before supper. I’ll bet he took it to make sure we don’t start anything!”
“Let’s demand it back!” Willie urged.
“No use,” Mr. Livingston advised. “He’d only deny he took it. Besides, maybe we’re better off without that weapon. Loaded guns do cause accidents.”
Dismissing the matter of the lost revolver, Jack told the group of his talk with Phillipe.
“Corning was kidnapped, all right,” he declared. “But why did Rhodes lie about the emeralds? Apparently, Carlos didn’t steal them, because Corning wouldn’t open the safe.”
“That needn’t have stopped him,” Mr. Livingston pointed out. “He could have blown it quite easily.”
“Seemingly, emeralds weren’t Carlos’ main objective. He must have swooped down here with the deliberate intention of taking Corning captive. For ransom?”
“He’s made no demand as yet,” Mr. Livingston commented. “Furthermore, those emeralds in the safe would be worth far more than he could expect to get in a cash demand.”