Just then Dr. Blackwell stepped out in the corridor and called to them to come to the office. “Mr. Eldridge wants to talk to you girls,” he said.
“I hope we won’t see that mean boss again,” Jo Ann remarked as she and Florence started to the office.
On entering they glanced hurriedly about to see if he were there.
Dr. Blackwell spoke up quickly. “The men have gone with their prisoner. They’re taking him on to the city to turn him over to the authorities there.”
“Did you find out anything about what happened to Carlitos’ father before he left?” Jo Ann asked the doctor.
“Yes, the peon told us that he knew that the boss had made away with him by pushing him down into a deep unused shaft.”
“That’s awful!” Jo Ann exclaimed, a look of horror in her eyes. “And that’s what he was going to do with us, too.”
“That’s where we might be right now if you hadn’t come to our rescue, Dad,” Florence added. “But let’s don’t talk about it any more. I can’t bear to think of it.”
Jo Ann caught her by the hand and led her over to Carlitos’ side. “Tell him how happy we are that his uncle has found him at last.”
As soon as Florence had translated these words to Carlitos, Mr. Eldridge moved over closer to the three. “If it had not been for you girls, I never would have found my boy,” he said patting Carlitos’ shoulder affectionately. “You risked your lives for him, and I’ll never cease to be grateful to you. Since, with your help, we’ve got the mine back for Carlitos, we want you to have a share in it. As soon as I get back to the city I’m going to send each of you several shares of the stock.”