“Of course you didn’t know—you or Alonzo—”
“Of course. You killed the two of them—the trapper and the big gun. That may require some explanation—”
“None of your funny business. What are you doing here? Why did you come?” the man snapped.
“Probably for the same reason you did, but I don’t know how we all happened to land in this place,” Gordon answered. “Alonzo came to me with the hunter and said they wanted me to fly them to a place where platinum had been found. The trapper had a map, it’s here on the ground somewhere, but I don’t know how you got wind of the same thing.”
“It’s none of your business. You’d better get into your machine and report to the chief. He’s got a job for you—”
“You need not be so anxious to get rid of me—”
“Aw, come on, let’s give him the works; he’s always balling things up,” one of the other men proposed.
“There’s nothing here to ball up, old timer. We’re a lot of goats, somebody’s—”
“Goats, what do you mean?”
“There’s no platinum here, that’s what I mean. Have a look for yourself. There never was any here,” Gordon told them. Instantly the men began to look about the section, and those who had flash-lights turned them on, for it was beginning to get dark.