“I’d rather starve than go begging to him!” Ken asserted. “Wonder what’s happened to Willie and War?”
“It’s a long, hard trip to Bogota,” Mr. Livingston reminded him.
“Sure, I know,” Ken nodded. “They’ll do the best they can. But it’s hard waiting—especially with nothing to do.”
The day wore on with the Scouts becoming increasingly restless. They yearned for action. Anything, it seemed to Ken and Jack, would be better than to remain inactive, merely waiting.
“If we just had some idea where to search for Corning,” Jack fretted. “As it is—”
Hearing heavy footsteps, he did not finish what he had intended to say. Rhodes strode into camp. He had fully recovered now from his accident, save that his arm remained in a sling.
The engineer directed himself to Mr. Livingston, who was occupied writing in a daily journal which he kept. Expectantly, the Scouts gathered close, wondering what had brought Rhodes. He did not waste words in informing them.
“I’ve just received a message from the company,” the engineer asserted. “My wife reached Bogota and had the sample assayed.”
“You’ve heard so soon?” Mr. Livingston asked in astonishment. “We saw no one arrive here at the camp.”
“The messenger came and departed a few minutes ago. My orders are to close the mine.”