For a minute, the other Scouts were mystified by his remark. Then, following his gaze, they saw that a car was coming up the winding dirt road toward the ranch. It was a rented taxi.
A lone male passenger sat beside the driver. By this time, the car was close enough for the Scouts to make out the general outline of the man’s face.
The visitor was Jarrett Walz.
Chapter 13
THIEF IN THE NIGHT
The rented car rolled up the lane and halted near the fence where Craig Warner and the Scouts waited.
Paying off the driver, Jarrett Walz strode over to the group. He showed no surprise at seeing Mr. Livingston and the Explorers, nor did he make any apology for having followed them to the Cloud Crest Ranch. In fact, he deliberately ignored the Scouts, addressing Craig Warner.
“You don’t know me,” he said, offering his hand, “but I’m Jarrett Walz from Rocking Horse. An old friend of Stony’s.”
“Howdy,” the rancher responded. His manner was neither friendly nor unfriendly.
The motel owner then launched into a glorified account of the manner in which he had befriended Old Stony. Mr. Livingston and the Scouts let him run on without interruption.
Finally, Walz wound up his long-winded monologue by asking Warner if the Explorers had turned over the Headless Hollow map to him.