<h2 id="c20"><span class="small">CHAPTER XX</span> <br/>The Tables Turn</h2>
<p>Gripped by utter astonishment, Biff could only stare
from Serbot to Stannart. When he found his voice, he
blurted out accusingly:</p>
<p>“You two must have been working together from
the very start!”</p>
<p>“Not quite,” declared Mr. Stannart dryly, “although
I must say that Mr. Serbot and I have continually operated
along similar lines. However, it wasn’t until after
your father told the Ajax Corporation about Lew
Kirby and his wonderful mine that I even heard of
Nicholas Serbot.”</p>
<p>“And I,” rejoined Serbot, with his same fixed smile,
“had never heard of the Ajax Mining Corporation.”</p>
<p>“Despite the fact that your father was impressed
by Kirby’s story,” Stannart told Biff, “Ajax still had to
investigate it. Kirby had samples of gold that might
have come from many places, and his map could have
meant nothing. It was necessary to obtain some reports
from the upper region of the Rio Negro. I learned
that certain European interests were checking on the
same story.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_174">174</div>
<p>“And I,” added Serbot, “happened to represent
some of those interests.”</p>
<p>“So while the directors of the Ajax Corporation
dawdled,” continued Stannart, “I contacted the competition.
I had much to offer that they needed, as Mr.
Serbot will agree.”</p>
<p>“And I,” said Serbot, “advised them to meet the
price, which included—this.”</p>
<p>By “this” Serbot referred to the stolen portion of
Kirby’s map, which he spread on the desk in front of
him. Biff started to say something, then caught himself.
Gregg Stannart recognized what was in Biff’s mind
and promptly expressed it.</p>
<p>“I needed a go-between,” Stannart asserted. “Some
way to enable Serbot to use the information I could
give him without bringing suspicion on myself.”</p>
<p>“So you gave me that letter!” exclaimed Biff. He
turned accusingly toward Serbot. “And you tried to
steal it from me on the plane! It was all arranged beforehand!”</p>
<p>“All very nicely arranged,” agreed Stannart, “because
I wanted to keep my job with Ajax if the El
Dorado story proved to be a hoax.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_175">175</div>
<p>“Since I might have seen the address on the envelope
you carried,” Serbot told Biff, “you and your father
guessed that I sent Pepito to steal your precious map,
which was exactly what I wanted. What you didn’t
guess was that Stannart was in on the game. The funniest
part”—for once, Serbot’s smile seemed real—“was
that I had a carbon copy of Stannart’s letter to
your father, here in my pocket all the time!”</p>
<p>Biff swelled with indignation until he happened to
glance toward Kamuka. All this talk had left Kamuka
totally unimpressed. In Kamuka’s eyes, Biff saw
only the same appeal that had been present that day
when Biff had pulled the other boy from the quicksand.
Biff suddenly realized that now they both were
in something equally deep and probably just as deadly.
Since he couldn’t say anything that would help, Biff
said nothing.</p>
<p>Stannart turned to Serbot and put the question:</p>
<p>“What should we do with these boys?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” returned Serbot harshly. “Maybe
they should have upset their boat and drowned, coming
down through those rapids. If something like that
had happened—”</p>
<p>“No, no,” Stannart interrupted. “Your men will
have taken care of Brewster and his party by now.
But we still need the boys to help us. Suppose we take
them up the river, as far as the torn portion of your
map—”</p>
<p>Stannart was leaning forward, pointing to the map
with one hand, but he had his other hand in his pocket,
as though gripping a gun.</p>
<p>“Of course!” exclaimed Serbot, who had one hand
in a pocket, too. “Then they could take us back to
where they came from, to this El Dorado that Nara
talked about.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_176">176</div>
<p>Both Stannart and Serbot were glaring hard at Biff
as though now it was his turn to speak. Biff’s throat
was dry, for he realized that these two men, in their
desire for gold, would think nothing about snuffing
out his life and Kamuka’s. Somebody had to speak for
Biff right then—and somebody did, from the door of
the cabin.</p>
<p>“Nobody talks about El Dorado,” a crackly voice
announced, “except Joe Nara, the man who owns it.”</p>
<p>There in the doorway stood old Joe, both his guns
drawn from their holsters, one fixed on Stannart, the
other on Serbot. At Nara’s nod, the two men brought
their hands from their pockets empty. They knew
the old man meant business.</p>
<p>“Pretty smart, both of you,” Nara said. “I never
even guessed your game, Stannart, probably because
I never met you before. But having seen you now, I
think I would have known you for a rat from away
back.</p>
<p>“But I figured you out, Serbot. I knew what you
were after—that cargo of mine. So I stayed with
them.” Nara gave his head a quick tilt, to smile at Biff
and Kamuka. “Yes, boys, I sent my Wai Wais down to
the rapids, while I stayed in the cabin of my <i>monteria</i>.</p>
<p>“Next thing I knew”—Nara gave a chuckle—“you
were bringing me downriver, and a right good job you
were making of it, too. Finally, you hauled up beside
this yacht and went on board. When you didn’t come
back, I reckoned you might be needing old Joe, so
I moseyed on board, and here I am.”</p>
<p>Still keeping Stannart and Serbot covered with his
guns, Nara shifted his elbow toward his hip pocket to
indicate a coil of rope that projected there.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_177">177</div>
<p>“Take that rope,” Nara told the boys, “and tie them
up tight. Gag them, too, with their handkerchiefs. If
they don’t have any, use your own. Make a good job
of it. I want them to be here when I send around
for them.”</p>
<p>Biff and Kamuka followed Nara’s instructions
eagerly. They did a good job with the gags, too, while
Nara, brandishing his guns, kept talking to Stannart
and Serbot in an accusing tone.</p>
<p>“I figured you out before I ever met you,” declared
Nara, “because I knew I’d be meeting up
with rats some time, and you just happened to be it.
You figured you’d get rid of me if you could, and
even if you couldn’t you’d jump my claim. After all,
who was Joe Nara? Just some crazy guy who thought
he’d found El Dorado.</p>
<p>“Crazy, yes, but like a fox. I came down the Orinoco
more than once to make sure my claim was registered
after each political shakeup in Venezuela. I
didn’t even take any chances on this last trip.”</p>
<p>Nara paused, then chuckled as he turned to the boys
who had finished tying Stannart and Serbot in their
chairs.</p>
<p>“Remember how I dropped from sight in Puerto
Ayacucho?” asked Nara. “Do you know where I
was most of the day? Having lunch with His Excellency,
the governor of the Amazonas Territory,
that’s where. I told him some people were trying
to steal my claim. He said he wouldn’t let them get
away with it.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_178">178</div>
<p>“After I left his office, I snooped around and happened
to be handy when you ran into trouble with
Urubu. I’d finished my business with the governor. He
said if he didn’t hear from me, he’d send some soldiers
downriver to look me up.”</p>
<p>Nara examined the knots that the boys had tied and
gave an approving nod. He beckoned them out
through the cabin door, which he closed behind him.
The yacht’s crew suspected nothing, for they helped
Nara and the boys over the rail and down into their
waiting <i>monteria</i>.</p>
<p>As they started up the broad Orinoco, Nara
pointed to some boats that were coming toward them.</p>
<p>“Government boats,” he chuckled, “bringing those
soldiers I spoke about.”</p>
<p>When they met the boats, they found the other
<i>monterias</i> with them, manned by Biffs father, Mr.
Whitman, and Jacome. The Venezuelan troops had
arrived at the blockhouse during the battle and had
helped rout Serbot’s followers, who were commanded
by Pepito.</p>
<p>In the rapids, they had contacted Nara’s Wai Wais,
who had overpowered and captured Urubu and his
crew. Igo and Ubi would be along later, Mr. Brewster
stated, bringing their prisoners with them.</p>
<p>“But we saw no sign of Serbot,” declared Mr.
Brewster. “I think we should offer a reward for his
capture. I’ll talk to Mr. Stannart about it, when I see
him on the yacht.”</p>
<p>“You better wait, Dad, till we tell you what happened,”
Biff advised soberly.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_179">179</div>
<p>Mr. Brewster was shocked when he heard Biff’s
story. “I can hardly believe it!” he exclaimed. “Gregg
Stannart, of all men! But now that I think of it,” he
added thoughtfully, “there’s been a piece missing from
the puzzle right along—and Stannart was it!” He
shook his head. “I still can’t believe it.”</p>
<p>Now Mr. Brewster was more eager than anyone
to take Stannart and Serbot into custody. As they
approached the <i>Coronet</i>, they noticed excitement on
the deck. Mr. Brewster studied the yacht through his
binoculars and announced:</p>
<p>“I see Stannart and Serbot, both of them. The crew
must have found them in the cabin and released them.”</p>
<p>A fast boat containing a squad of Venezuelan soldiers
sped ahead to board the yacht. Sight of the
military uniforms must have quenched any desire for
fight in Stannart and Serbot, for suddenly a little
motor launch scooted from the far side of the yacht
and bounded through the choppy waves toward the
left bank of the river.</p>
<p>Only Stannart and Serbot were in the tiny tender.
The boat with the Venezuelan soldiers turned to pursue
it, opening rifle fire, but the fugitives kept on.
Then, just as it seemed sure they would be overtaken,
the chase ended. The soldiers, about to fire at
close range, suddenly lowered their rifles.</p>
<p>“It’s too late,” declared Mr. Brewster glumly. “They
can’t be captured now. They have passed the middle
of the river and are across the international line, in
Colombian jurisdiction.”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_180">180</div>
<p>The captain of the yacht was astonished when told
the reason for Stannart’s flight. He and his crew had
known nothing about Stannart’s double-dealing. They
had supposed that Serbot was simply a friend who had
come on board to meet the owner. They had been
puzzled to find the pair bound and gagged after Nara
and the boys had left.</p>
<p>Stannart had claimed that Nara and the boys had
tried to rob him. The yacht captain had accepted that
explanation until Stannart and Serbot saw the Venezuelan
soldiers and suddenly took flight. Then it was
plain that something was wrong.</p>
<p>Contact was made with Caracas, the capital of Venezuela,
and from there, radiograms were relayed to
and from New York. Word finally came from the directors
of the Ajax Mining Corporation, stating that
they had checked their accounts and found that Stannart
had taken most of the available funds before
starting on his Caribbean yacht trip.</p>
<p>The Ajax Corporation obtained an order enabling
them to take over the <i>Coronet</i>, and the yacht was
placed in Mr. Brewster’s charge. They also authorized
Mr. Brewster to complete the transaction with Joe
Nara on whatever terms might be mutually satisfactory.</p>
<p>That was done on board the <i>Coronet</i>, which was
still anchored near the junction of the Meta and the
Orinoco. Mr. Brewster set the date when the Ajax
Corporation would take over the mine with a down
payment of a quarter of a million dollars to Joe Nara
and a block of El Dorado stock that would guarantee
him a share of all future profits.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_181">181</div>
<p>That same day, Joe Nara prepared to start back up
the Orinoco with Igo, Ubi, and the other Wai Wais,
who were eager to rejoin their fellow tribesmen as the
guardians of El Dorado. Hal Whitman arranged to go
along to represent the Ajax Company, taking Jacome
with him. Kamuka packed his few belongings, expecting
to accompany them. The Indian boy was saying
a reluctant good-by to Biff on the deck of the
yacht, when Mr. Brewster quietly commented:</p>
<p>“You don’t have to go, Kamuka, if you’d rather
come with us.”</p>
<p>Kamuka’s eyes popped wide with eager surprise.
Biff showed the same feeling, when he exclaimed,
“You really mean it, Dad?”</p>
<p>“I do,” rejoined Mr. Brewster. “Hal Whitman told
me he has made plans to send Kamuka to a new school
that is opening in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. But
Hal can’t possibly get down there for the next few
weeks, or more. So there’s no reason why Kamuka
can’t come home with us. Then he can fly to Brasilia
after Mr. Whitman arrives there.”</p>
<p>Biff turned and clapped Kamuka on the shoulder.</p>
<p>“Will we have fun, Kamuka! First, the yacht will
take us out into the Atlantic Ocean—”</p>
<p>“I have heard of it,” put in Kamuka. “They say it
is bigger than a thousand Amazons.”</p>
<p>“And you’ll see New York, which is more wonderful
than any El Dorado!”</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_182">182</div>
<p>It was hard to tell which boy felt the greater thrill.
Each was glad to continue a companionship in which
they had shared so many adventures, forming the
bonds of a friendship that would last always.</p>
<p>Mr. Brewster was the most pleased of all. He stood
at the stem of the yacht with Biff and Kamuka, while
they were churning their way down the broad Orinoco
toward Ciudad Bolivar, the largest port on the
river. It was then that Biff turned to his father and
said, very seriously:</p>
<p>“Dad, I can’t see how Stannart and Serbot missed
out. When they used me as a go-between, they had
everything so easy.”</p>
<p>“So easy, Biff?”</p>
<p>“Yes. I must have been a big handicap to the safari.
I’d never even seen a jungle, let alone run into the sort
of dangers we found there.”</p>
<p>“But you learned to meet those dangers, and more.”</p>
<p>“Well, yes. I certainly did learn some things.”</p>
<p>“And so did the rest of us,” declared Mr. Brewster.
“Our enemies put us in spots where we had to pull one
another out. That was their big mistake. The situations
that we overcame early sharpened us for the problems
we met later. That’s why we won out.”</p>
<p>As Biff nodded slowly, his father added with a
smile:</p>
<p>“Think back, Biff, and you’ll see how it adds up.”</p>
<p>Biff gazed back at the wide Orinoco, tapering to
the dim, distant scenes of those final adventures, and he
knew that his dad was right.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_183">183</div>
<h3 id="c21"><i>A Biff Brewster Mystery Adventure</i> <br/>BRAZILIAN GOLD MINE MYSTERY</h3>
<p class="center">By ANDY ADAMS</p>
<p>“Guard this letter as you would your life!”</p>
<p>With these words ringing in his ears, Biff
Brewster boards the Brazil-bound plane to
join his father on a safari to the headwaters
of the Amazon River—a safari that, to
Biff’s amazement, becomes a deadly contest
for fabulous riches.</p>
<p>From the beginning, Biff, his father,
Biffs friend Kamuka, and the rest of the
party find their path menaced by an enemy
who never reveals himself. Is it Nicholas
Serbot, the suave stranger whom Biff first
meets on the plane? Or is it Joe Nara, the
eccentric old prospector, the only white
man alive who knows the route to the
almost legendary El Dorado gold mine?</p>
<p>Biff and Kamuka find their days crowded
with the hazards and thrills of jungle
travel as they trek through a wilderness
echoing with the threat of “Macu”—the
dreaded head-hunters. And waiting for
them at the end of the trail are a shock
and a surprise beyond their wildest dreams.</p>
<p>Young readers will love this lively, adventure-filled
story with its combination of
realism and fantastic mystery. Here is the
first exciting book in a brand-new series for
boys. Other <span class="sc">Biff Brewster</span> stories are also
available at your booksellers.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_185">185</div>
<h3 id="c22"><i><span class="large">NEW!</span></i> BIFF BREWSTER <br/>Mystery Adventures</h3>
<p class="center">By ANDY ADAMS</p>
<div class="fig"> <ANTIMG src="images/bflap.jpg" alt="Biff Brewster" width-obs="258" height-obs="799" /></div>
<p>Biff Brewster, sixteen, is a tall, strongly built
blond youth who lives In Indianapolis, Indiana,
with his parents and the eleven-year-old
twins, Ted and Monica. Because his
mother and father believe that travel is as
important to education as formal schooling,
Biff is encouraged to travel to various countries
during the vacation months. His experiences
in these lands, and the young people
he meets there, form the basis of a new series
for adventure-loving readers. In every journey
there is a strong element of mystery, usually a
direct result of conditions peculiar to the region
in which he is traveling. Thus, in addition
to adventure, these books impart carefully researched
information about foreign countries.</p>
<p><span class="ss"><i>Start reading one today</i>—</span></p>
<dl class="int"><br/>(1) BRAZILIAN GOLD MINE MYSTERY
<br/>(2) MYSTERY OF THE CHINESE RING
<br/>(3) HAWAIIAN SEA HUNT MYSTERY
<br/>(4) MYSTERY OF THE MEXICAN TREASURE
<br/>(5) AFRICAN IVORY MYSTERY
<br/>(6) ALASKA GHOST GLACIER MYSTERY
<p class="tbcenter"><span class="ss">GROSSET & DUNLAP, Inc. Publisher
<br/>New York 10, N. Y.</span></p>
<div class="fig"> <ANTIMG src="images/endpaper.jpg" alt="Endpapers" width-obs="654" height-obs="500" /></div>
<h2 id="tn">Transcriber’s Notes</h2><ul><li>Copyright notice provided as in the original—this e-text is public domain in the country of publication.</li>
<li>Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and dialect unchanged.</li>
<li>In the text versions, delimited italics text in _underscores_ (the HTML version reproduces the font form of the printed book.)</li></ul>
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