“We can’t do that,” Corning answered after a moment’s thought. “No, we’ll take him on to Bogota and let company officials decide what’s to be done. As for myself, I’m willing to forget the foul trick he played on me.”
“What about the lost emeralds? Carlos robbed Rhodes of a small fortune.”
“We may get them back,” Corning said, undisturbed. “With the path blocked, Carlos isn’t going anywhere. If the authorities will back me up, I’ll return here with a posse and force the bandits to give up the gems.”
“What of the mine?”
“It can’t be left many days without someone in charge. I’ll see the party safely to Bogota, and get back to my post.”
So it was decided. That very night, the Scouts pushed on, accompanied by Rhodes, who surprisingly offered no resistance. With the loss of the emeralds, all the spirit and fight seemed to have left him. He and Corning talked together almost as friends.
“I resented it because the company put you in charge,” Rhodes told the other. “I figured you were a greenhorn and I could get rid of you without much trouble. So I hooked up with Carlos, paying him to stage a fake raid and haul you off.”
“That’s where your plan backfired.”
“Yes. Carlos double-crossed me as I might have expected. He kept demanding more money, threatening to release you and tell all.”
“We saw you flashing signals down the mountain,” Ken commented, entering the conversation. “You were communicating with Carlos?”