A portion of the way could be traveled by means of the narrow trail which gave access to the outside world. But to reach the hide-out, if such it was, would require a hard trek over a bisecting path in a densely overgrown area.
“Willie and War have done their part well,” Mr. Livingston asserted. “Now the rest is up to us.”
“Maybe we can get in there,” Jack urged. “It’s a cinch we’ve learned all we can here. No use hanging on even another day.”
“When do we start?” Ken demanded, eager to be off. “Right away?”
“We may as well,” the Scout leader nodded. “We can let Rhodes assume we’re starting for Bogota.”
“How about taking Phillipe along?” Jack suggested.
“Good idea, if you can persuade him,” Mr. Livingston nodded. “With the camp here closing down, he should be willing to come with us, and he’ll be useful. See what you can do, while Ken and I round up the mules.”
Jack found Phillipe in his shack, sharing a meal with his family. However, nothing he could say would induce the miner to become a member of the exploring party. Firmly, the man rejected an offer of money.
“Senor, I am not a coward,” he said, “but I would not face Carlos in his own lair! No, Senor. You are very brave to attempt it.”
Discouraged by his failure to interest Phillipe in the expedition, Jack started back to the tent camp.