“So I assume. I’d heard repeated reports that the mine was being badly managed. I came here to see if I could help. Lucky I did too. I found everything in chaos. Bandits, led by Carlos, had dropped down on the camp twelve hours earlier. They’d robbed the safe of emeralds and taken Corning captive.”
“How long ago was that?” Mr. Livingston asked.
“Ten days ago.”
“What attempt have you made to trace Appleby?”
“None.”
“None?” The Scout leader repeated sharply.
“It’s useless,” the engineer informed him. “You don’t know this country. Carlos is a devil. It would take a small army to blast him out of his hide-out.”
“He didn’t seem such a bold demon when we brushed into him,” Jack drawled, entering the conversation. “In fact, he turned tail and ran like a coward.”
Rhodes turned to stare intently at the youth. “You encountered Carlos?” he demanded. “Where?”
“On the trail. He was alone.”