“Something has happened to him, that’s evident,” the Scout leader replied. “I was afraid of it when he didn’t meet us or send word.”
“All the same, there’s something fishy about Rhodes’ story,” Jack insisted. “Why would he show up here at exactly the right moment to check on the mine? Wasn’t he discharged?”
“That was my understanding, Jack. Corning didn’t write very much, you know.”
“The natural thing after being discharged would be to clear out,” Jack went on. “Rhodes apparently didn’t do that. He hung around, waiting for a chance to move in.”
“And maybe he created that chance!” suggested Willie. “Maybe he did away with Corning himself! I’ll bet the tale about Carlos swooping down here is a phony!”
“It might be,” Mr. Livingston conceded. “That part should be easy to check, if we can talk with the natives. Some of them must speak a little English.”
“Rhodes has moved in here to further his own interests, and he doesn’t give a hoot what became of Appleby Corning,” Willie expanded his theory. “It’s to his advantage not to have him found.”
“That’s so,” agreed Jack. “Getting rid of Corning may have been part of a well-planned scheme. If it’s true that Rhodes came here only ten days ago, it’s unlikely he’d have had time to get word to his wife.”
“Yet she knew he was in charge here days ago!” Ken exclaimed. “Otherwise, she wouldn’t have made the trip.”
“I’m terribly afraid Appleby has been the victim of treachery,” Mr. Livingston nodded. “We’ve got to learn what became of him, and not depend on Rhodes’ word either.”