“No, that was the only time I saw them folded. Dad”—Biff’s tone became worried—“do you think Mr. Serbot read the address on the envelope and phoned someone from the airport, and told them to come up here?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” his father asserted grimly. “The envelope has the return address of the Ajax Mining Corporation, and that would identify us to anyone who is trying to beat us to the El Dorado mine. But let’s not jump to conclusions just yet.”

Mr. Brewster had finished packing his bags. He picked them up and nodded for Biff to bring his, too.

“We’ll send these out to the airport,” Mr. Brewster declared. “There’s a plane going up the Rio Negro at dawn, and our luggage can go on it. We may take that plane, or perhaps a later one. We’ll see.”

They made arrangements with the hotel porter to handle the baggage. After that, Mr. Brewster decided that they should go out for dinner so Biff could see the city. Once on the lighted streets of Manaus, Biff realized how futile it would be to look for the baggily clad man who had stolen the map. Dozens of workmen who passed them were dressed in similar attire, even to a bandanna worn as a neckerchief.

The gay life of the tropical city impressed Biff. There were brilliantly lighted downtown cafés, and Mr. Brewster chose one where they were served half a dozen courses of tasty, highly seasoned food, finishing with ice cream that Biff thought was the best he had ever eaten. He had just swallowed the last spoonful when he suddenly exclaimed:

“Look, Dad! Those two men sitting at that table in the corner! One of them is Mr. Serbot!”

Mr. Brewster had no difficulty in picking out Serbot from Biff’s earlier description, though the scar on the smiling man’s cheek was scarcely visible in the soft light of the café. Serbot’s companion was shorter and chunkier, with a broad face, quick, narrow eyes, and straight lips.

“Introduce me on the way out,” Mr. Brewster told Biff. “I would like to size up that pair.”

A few minutes later, Biff’s father was shaking hands with Serbot, who immediately introduced his stocky companion.

“This is Senhor Armandeo,” stated Serbot. “Pepito Armandeo, known as Grande Pepito, or Big Pepito, as you would call him in English. He is a famous wrestler.” Smoothly, Serbot changed the subject. “You have a very intelligent son, 

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