The man whirled, frowning, hesitated and then spoke very emphatically.
“Look here, boys,” he said earnestly, “don’t say a word to her about me! I won’t be here when she lands—and I don’t want it known I’m in the East. There’s a good reason——”
“I’ll bet there is!” Sandy said to himself.
CHAPTER IX
JEFF ENCOUNTERS A “JINX”
Turning with a confidential air and addressing Dick, for whom he seemed to have the greater liking, Mr. “Everdail” spoke.
“I’ve just thought of a good scheme. Has Jeff—er—taken you into his confidence any?”
Sandy, helpless to interfere, heard Dick give the substance of what they had learned from the superstitious pilot. The man continued:
“That lets me snap right down to my plan. Now we don’t know where those emeralds are. We don’t know which people used the seaplane, or whether the man who jumped has them and has gotten away or not. But if I should fade out of sight, and no one but my dependable Sky Patrol knows I’m around——”
“Your dependable Sky Patrol!” Sandy thought. “Going to try to use us now. Well——”
“If no one else knows I’m around—I can watch and see a lot that others might miss. I’m going to have that seaplane brought here—and then I’ll be around, watching to see who comes snooping—if anybody does. As I live and breathe, I think that’s a great idea, don’t you?”