Biggles nodded. 'That saves us a lot of trouble,' he observed. `Let's go and meet him. I want to get that map. It should be in his pocket.'
Ìf you're thinking about the treasure you won't need it,' said Ginger with relish.
`Why not?'
It was Ginger's turn to smile. 'Because we've found it.'
Biggles started. 'So that's what you've been up to, is it? I might have guessed it. Well, let'
s go and have a look at it.'
`You can have a look at it—provided I can get to it again—when I've had a look at a square meal and a cake of soap,' promised Algy.
Biggles smiled. 'That's a fair proposition,' he agreed. 'Come on, I think we can fix you up.'
He led the way back to the machine, leaving Carruthers to attend to the business of sorting out the people on the plateau.
The rest of the story is soon told.
After a meal and a general clean-up, during which time Biggles ran over his adventures and the others gave him an account of what had happened during his absence, they all returned to the underground chamber. They wasted no time searching for the secret spring that actuated the idol, but with crowbars brought from the tool-store forced the panel open. The treasure was then carried into the open, where it could more easily be examined, and where Carruthers officially took possession of it in the name of the Crown.
It proved to be of even greater value than they had supposed, for there were some wonderful jewels, mostly rubies and emeralds, mixed up with the gold. It was a wonderful find, for many of the objects were unique examples of the craftsmanship of the early inhabitants of tropical America, and as such were likely to bring high prices from collectors of such things. As a matter of detail, most of the pieces later found their way into museums, the comrades, including Eddie, receiving a fair percentage in cash of the total sum they produced.
After the treasure had been examined it was taken to the Wanderer for transportation to the coast; and as their task was finished, the comrades flew straight back, taking Carruthers and the still unconscious King of the Forest with them. They stayed at the acting-Governor's bungalow while the official inquiry into the whole affair was held. The court, having heard the evidence, exonerated them from all blame in connection with the deaths of the leading conspirators, and unofficially congratulated them on their work in putting an end to a menace that had long been a scandal in the colony. This was very gratifying, and gave them all that satisfactory feeling of a job well done. The Tiger was still in prison, awaiting trial on several charges of murder—evidence of which had been furnished by the released slaves—when they left the colony, but they had little doubt as to what his fate would be.
The formalities over, Eddie, after trying in vain to persuade the others to go with him, returned to the United States. Dusky was given a responsible position in the native police. Then, as there was no reason for them to stay, they climbed once more into the Wanderer and continued their interrupted pleasure cruise, well satisfied with the result of their call at the little outpost of the Empire.
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ok with friends
25 Biggles In The Jungle Page 16