Their curiosity whetted by sight of the green stone, the Scouts eagerly waited as Mr. Livingston skimmed through the letter.
“Just as I thought,” he remarked when he had finished reading. “This is from Appleby Corning, an old college classmate, now an engineer in Colombia. The emerald is a sample from the Last Chance mine.”
“Quite a sample!” Jack commented. “Is the mine in Colombia?”
“Yes, not too far from Bogota. Appleby believes that the Last Chance can be made to produce handsomely for her American lessees. But he seems to have run into difficulties. He writes that a former manager, McClellan Rhodes, has caused him trouble. He needs help.”
“What sort of help?” inquired Willie.
“The letter is vague. Appleby just says he wants me to fly down there to look over the situation.”
“He wants you to join him in Colombia?” Willie repeated, his voice fading. “When?”
“At once, if I can. He offers to pay all expenses.”
A deep silence had fallen upon the little Explorer band. Only too well, the Scouts knew that if Mr. Livingston accepted the offer, their canoe trip to Minnesota might again be postponed.
Yet no one could deny that a plane journey to Colombia offered a thrilling prospect. Fresh in the memory of all the Explorers except Bob, was the recollection of a wonderful adventure shared with their leader in Peru.