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diff --git a/old/20tom10h.htm b/old/20tom10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9f1c2e3 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/20tom10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6309 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= +"text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {margin:10%; text-align:justify} +blockquote {font-size:14pt} +P {font-size:14pt} +--> +</style> +</head> +<body> +<p>The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tom Swift in the Land of +Wonders ****Subtitled: The Underground Search for the Idol of +Gold****<br> +</p> + +<p>#1 in our Tom Swift series #20 of the Tom Swift books<br> +</p> + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! +<br> +<p>Please take a look at the important information in this +header. 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Contact +Mike Lough [mikel caere.com="" /]<br> +</p> + +<br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1>TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS</h1> + +<br> +<h4>OR</h4> + +<br> +<h3>The Underground Search for the Idol of Gold</h3> + +<br> +<br> +<h2>BY VICTOR APPLETON</h2> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +AUTHOR OF "TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTORCYCLE," "TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG +TUNNEL," "THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS SERIES," "THE MOTION PICTURE +CHUMS SERIES," ETC. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +THE TOM SWIFT SERIES <br> +<p>1 TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLE 2 TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOAT +3 TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP 4 TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT 5 +TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT 6 TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS +MESSAGE 7 TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS 8 TOM SWIFT IN THE +CAVES OF ICE 9 TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER 10 TOM SWIFT AND HIS +ELECTRIC RIFLE 11 TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD 12 TOM SWIFT AND +HIS AIR GLIDER 13 TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY 14 TOM SWIFT AND HIS +WIZARD CAMERA 15 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT 16 TOM SWIFT +AND HIS GIANT CANNON 17 TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE 18 TOM +SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP 19 TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL 20 +TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS 21 TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK 22 +TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUT 23 TOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCH +24 TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS 25 TOM SWIFT AND HIS +ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE 26 TOM SWIFT AND HIS FLYING BOAT 27 TOM SWIFT +AND HIS GREAT OIL GUSHER 28 TOM SWIFT AND HIS CHEST OF SECRETS 29 +TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRLINE EXPRESS ***<br> +</p> + +TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_1">CHAPTER I</h1> + +A WONDERFUL STORY <br> +Tom Swift, who had been slowly looking through the pages of a +magazine, in the contents of which he seemed to be deeply +interested, turned the final folio, ruffled the sheets back again +to look at a certain map and drawing, and then, slapping the book +down on a table before him, with a noise not unlike that of a +shot, exclaimed: <br> +<p>"Well, that is certainly one wonderful story!"<br> +</p> + +"What's it about, Tom?" asked his chum, Ned Newton. "Something +about inside baseball, or a new submarine that can be converted +into an airship on short notice?" <br> +<p>"Neither one, you--you unscientific heathen," answered Tom, +with a laugh at Ned. "Though that isn't saying such a machine +couldn't be invented."<br> +</p> + +"I believe you--that is if you got on its trail," returned Ned, +and there was warm admiration in his voice. <br> +<p>"As for inside baseball, or outside, for that matter, I hardly +believe I'd be able to tell third base from the second base, it's +so long since I went to a game," proceeded Tom. "I've been too +busy on that new airship stabilizer dad gave me an idea for. I've +been working too hard, that's a fact. I need a vacation, and +maybe a good baseball game----"<br> +</p> + +He stopped and looked at the magazine he had so hastily slapped +down. Something he had read in it seemed to fascinate him. <br> +<p>"I wonder if it can possibly be true," he went on. "It sounds +like the wildest dream of a professional sleep-walker; and yet, +when I stop to think, it isn't much worse than some of the things +we've gone through with, Ned."<br> +</p> + +"Say, for the love of rice-pudding! will you get down to brass +tacks and strike a trial balance? What are you talking of, +anyhow? Is it a joke?" <br> +<p>"A joke?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes. What you just read in that magazine which seems to cause +you so much excitement." <br> +<p>"Well, it may be a joke; and yet the professor seems very much +in earnest about it," replied Tom. "It certainly is one wonderful +story!"<br> +</p> + +"So you said before. Come on--the `fillium' is busted. Splice it, +or else put in a new reel and on with the show. I'd like to know +what's doing. What professor are you talking of?" <br> +<p>"Professor Swyington Bumper."<br> +</p> + +"Swyington Bumper?" and Ned's voice showed that his memory was a +bit hazy. <br> +<p>"Yes. You ought to remember him. He was on the steamer when I +went down to Peru to help the Titus Brothers dig the big tunnel. +That plotter Waddington, or some of his tools, dropped a bomb +where it might have done us some injury, but Professor Bumper, +who was a fellow passenger, on his way to South America to look +for the lost city of Pelone, calmly picked up the bomb, plucked +out the fuse, and saved us from bad injuries, if not death. And +he was as cool about it as an ice-cream cone. Surely you +remember!"<br> +</p> + +"Swyington Bumper! Oh, yes, now I remember him," said Ned Newton. +"But what has he got to do with a wonderful story? Has he written +more about the lost city of Pelone? If he has I don't see +anything so very wonderful in that." <br> +<p>"There isn't," agreed Tom. "But this isn't that," and Tom +picked up the magazine and leafed it to find the article he had +been reading.<br> +</p> + +"Let's have a look at it," suggested Ned. "You act as though you +might be vitally interested in it. Maybe you're thinking of +joining forces with the professor again, as you did when you dug +the big tunnel." <br> +<p>"Oh, no. I haven't any such idea," Tom said. "I've got enough +work laid out now to keep me in Shopton for the next year. I have +no notion of going anywhere with Professor Bumper. Yet I can't +help being impressed by this," and, having found the article in +the magazine to which he referred, he handed it to his chum.<br> +</p> + +"Why, it's by Bumper himself!" exclaimed Ned. <br> +<p>"Yes. Though there's nothing remarkable in that, seeing that +he is constantly contributing articles to various publications or +writing books. It's the story itself that's so wonderful. To save +you the trouble of wading through a lot of scientific detail, +which I know you don't care about, I'll tell you that the story +is about a queer idol of solid gold, weighing many pounds, and, +in consequence, of great value."<br> +</p> + +"Of solid gold you say?" asked Ned eagerly. <br> +<p>"That's it. Got on your banking air already," Tom laughed. "To +sum it up for you--notice I use the word `sum,' which is very +appropriate for a bank--the professor has got on the track of +another lost or hidden city. This one, the name of which doesn't +appear, is in the Copan valley of Honduras, and----"<br> +</p> + +"Copan," interrupted Ned. "It sounds like the name of some new +floor varnish." <br> +<p>"Well, it isn't, though it might be," laughed Tom. "Copan is a +city, in the Department of Copan, near the boundary between +Honduras and Guatemala. A fact I learned from the article and not +because I remembered my geography."<br> +</p> + +"I was going to say," remarked Ned with a smile, "that you were +coming it rather strong on the school-book stuff." <br> +<p>"Oh, it's all plainly written down there," and Tom waved +toward the magazine at which Ned was looking. "As you'll see, if +you take the trouble to go through it, as I did, Copan is, or +maybe was, for all I know, one of the most important centers of +the Mayan civilization."<br> +</p> + +"What's Mayan?" asked Ned. "You see I'm going to imbibe my +information by the deductive rather than the excavative process," +he added with a laugh. <br> +<p>"I see," laughed Tom. "Well, Mayan refers to the Mayas, an +aboriginal people of Yucatan. The Mayas had a peculiar +civilization of their own, thousands of years ago, and their +calendar system was so involved----"<br> +</p> + +"Never mind about dates," again interrupted Ned. "Get down to +brass tacks. I'm willing to take your word for it that there's a +Copan valley in Honduras. But what has your friend Professor +Bumper to do with it?" <br> +<p>"This. He has come across some old manuscripts, or ancient +document records, referring to this valley, and they state, +according to this article he has written for the magazine, that +somewhere in the valley is a wonderful city, traces of which have +been found twenty to forty feet below the surface, on which great +trees are growing, showing that the city was covered hundreds, if +not thousands, of years ago."<br> +</p> + +"But where does the idol of gold come in?" <br> +<p>"I'm coming to that," said Tom. "Though, if Professor Bumper +has his way, the idol will be coming out instead of coming +in."<br> +</p> + +"You mean he wants to get it and take it away from the Copan +valley, Tom?" <br> +<p>"That's it, Ned. It has great value not only from the amount +of pure gold that is in it, but as an antique. I fancy the +professor is more interested in that aspect of it. But he's +written a wonderful story, telling how he happened to come across +the ancient manuscripts in the tomb of some old Indian whose +mummy he unearthed on a trip to Central America.<br> +</p> + +"Then he tells of the trouble he had in discovering how to solve +the key to the translation code; but when he did, he found a +great story unfolded to him. <br> +<p>"This story has to do with the hidden city, and tells of the +ancient civilization of those who lived in the Copan valley +thousands of years ago. The people held this idol of gold to be +their greatest treasure, and they put to death many of other +tribes who sought to steal it."<br> +</p> + +"Whew!" whistled Ned. "That IS some yarn. But what is Professor +Bumper going to do about it?" <br> +<p>"I don't know. The article seems to be written with an idea of +interesting scientists and research societies, so that they will +raise money to conduct a searching expedition.<br> +</p> + +"Perhaps by this time the party may be organized--this magazine +is several months old. I have been so busy on my stabilizer +patent that I haven't kept up with current literature. Take it +home and read it! Ned. That is if you're through telling me about +my affairs," for Ned, who had formerly worked in the Shopton +bank, had recently been made general financial manager of the +interests of Tom and his father. The two were inventors and +proverbially poor business men, though they had amassed a +fortune. <br> +<p>"Your financial affairs are all right, Tom," said Ned. "I have +just been going over the books, and I'll submit a detailed report +later."<br> +</p> + +The telephone bell rang and Tom picked up the instrument from the +desk. As he answered in the usual way and then listened a moment, +a strange look came over his face. <br> +<p>"Well, this certainly is wonderful!" he exclaimed, in much the +same manner as when he had finished reading the article about the +idol. "It certainly is a strange coincidence," he added, speaking +in an aside to Ned while he himself still listened to what was +being told to him over the telephone wire.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_2">CHAPTER II</h1> + +PROFESSOR BUMPER ARRIVES <br> +"What's the matter, Tom? What is it?" asked Ned Newton, attracted +by the strange manner of his chum at the telephone. "Has anything +happened?" <br> +<p>But the young inventor was too busy listening to the unseen +speaker to answer his chum, even if he heard what Ned remarked, +which is doubtful.<br> +</p> + +"Well, I might as well wait until he is through," mused Ned, as +he started to leave the room. Then as Tom motioned to him to +remain, he murmured: "He may have something to say to me later. +But I wonder who is talking to him." <br> +<p>There was no way of finding out, however, until Tom had a +chance to talk to Ned, and at present the young scientist was +eagerly listening to what came over the wire. Occasionally Ned +could hear him say:<br> +</p> + +"You don't tell me! That is surprising! Yes --yes! Of course if +it's true it means a big thing, I can understand that. What's +that? No, I couldn't make a promise like that. I'm sorry, +but----" <br> +<p>Then the person at the other end of the wire must have plunged +into something very interesting and absorbing, for Tom did not +again interrupt by interjected remarks.<br> +</p> + +Tom. Swift, as has been said, was an inventor, as was his father. +Mr. Swift was now rather old and feeble, taking only a nominal +part in the activities of the firm made up of himself and his +son. But his inventions were still used, many of them being vital +to the business and trade of this country. <br> +<p>Tom and his father lived in the village of Shopton, New York, +and their factories covered many acres of ground. Those who wish +to read of the earliest activities of Tom in the inventive line +are referred to the initial volume, "Tom Swift and His Motor +Cycle." From then on he and his father had many and exciting +adventures. In a motor boat, an airship, and a submarine +respectively the young inventor had gone through many perils. On +some of the trips his chum, Ned Newton, accompanied him, and very +often in the party was a Mr. Wakefield Damon, who had a curious +habit of "blessing" everything that happened to strike his +fancy.<br> +</p> + +Besides Tom and his father, the Swift household was made up of +Eradicate Sampson, a colored man-of-all-work, who, with his mule +Boomerang, did what he could to keep the grounds around the house +in order. There was also Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, Tom's +mother being dead. Mr. Damon, living in a neighboring town, was a +frequent visitor in the Swift home. <br> +<p>Mary Nestor, a girl of Shopton, might also be mentioned. She +and Tom were more than just good friends. Tom had an idea that +some day----. But there, I promised not to tell that part, at +least until the young people themselves were ready to have a +certain fact announced.<br> +</p> + +From one activity to another had Tom Swift gone, now constructing +some important invention for himself, as among others, when he +made the photo-telephone, or developed a great searchlight which +he presented to the Government for use in detecting smugglers on +the border. <br> +<p>The book immediately preceding this is called "Tom Swift and +His Bit, Tunnel," and deals with the efforts of the young +inventor to help a firm of contractors penetrate a mountain in +Peru. How this was done and how, incidentally, the lost city of +Pelone was discovered, bringing joy to the heart of Professor +Swyington Bumper, will be found fully set forth in the book.<br> +</p> + +Tom had been back from the Peru trip for some months, when we +again find him interested in some of the work of Professor +Bumper, as set forth in the magazine mentioned. <br> +<p>"Well, he certainly is having some conversation," reflected +Ned, as, after more than five minutes, Tom's ear was still at the +receiver of the instrument, into the transmitter of which he had +said only a few words.<br> +</p> + +"All right," Tom finally answered, as he hung the receiver up, +"I'll be here," and then he turned to Ned, whose curiosity had +been growing with the telephone talk, and remarked: <br> +<p>"That certainly was wonderful!"<br> +</p> + +"What was?" asked Ned. "Do you think I'm a mind reader to be able +to guess?" <br> +<p>"No, indeed! I beg your pardon. I'll tell you at once. But I +couldn't break away. It was too important. To whom do you think I +was talking just then?"<br> +</p> + +"I can imagine almost any one, seeing I know something of what +you have done. It might be almost anybody from some person you +met up in the caves of ice to a red pygmy from the wilds of +Africa." <br> +<p>"I'm afraid neither of them would be quite up to telephone +talk yet," laughed Tom. "No, this was the gentleman who wrote +that interesting article about the idol of gold," and he motioned +to the magazine Ned held in his hand.<br> +</p> + +"You don't mean Professor Bumper!" <br> +<p>"That's just whom I do mean."<br> +</p> + +"What did he want? Where did he call from?" <br> +<p>"He wants me to help organize an expedition to go to Central +America--to the Copan valley, to be exact--to look for this +somewhat mythical idol of gold. Incidentally the professor will +gather in any other antiques of more or less value, if he can +find any, and he hopes, even if he doesn't find the idol, to get +enough historical material for half a dozen books, to say nothing +of magazine articles."<br> +</p> + +"Where did he call from; did you say?" <br> +<p>"I didn't say. But it was a long-distance call from New York. +The Professor stopped off there on his way from Boston, where he +has been lecturing before some society. And now he's coming here +to see me," finished Tom.<br> +</p> + +"What! Is he going to lecture here?" cried Ned. "If he is, and +spouts a whole lot of that bone-dry stuff about the ancient Mayan +civilization and their antiquities, with side lights on how the +old-time Indians used to scalp their enemies, I'm going to the +moving pictures! I'm willing to be your financial manager, Tom +Swift, but please don't ask me to be a high-brow. I wasn't built +for that." <br> +<p>"Nor I, Ned. The professor isn't going to lecture. He's only +going to talk, he says."<br> +</p> + +"What about?" <br> +<p>"He's going to try to induce me to join his expedition to the +Copan valley."<br> +</p> + +"Do you feel inclined to go?" <br> +<p>"No, Ned, I do not. I've got too many other irons in the fire. +I shall have to give the professor a polite but firm +refusal."<br> +</p> + +"Well, maybe you're right, Tom; and yet that idol of +gold--GOLD--weighing how many pounds did you say?" <br> +<p>"Oh, you're thinking of its money value, Ned, old man!"<br> +</p> + +"Yes, I'd like to see what a big chunk of gold like that would +bring. It must be quite a nugget. But I'm not likely to get a +glimpse of it if you don't go with the professor." <br> +<p>"I don't see how I can go, Ned. But come over and meet the +delightful gentleman when he arrives. I expect him day after +to-morrow."<br> +</p> + +"I'll be here," promised Ned; and then he went downtown to attend +to some matters connected with his new duties, which were much +less irksome than those he had had when he had been in the bank. +<br> +<p>"Well, Tom, have you heard any more about your friend?" asked +Ned, two days later, as he came to the Swift home with some +papers needing the signature of the young inventor and his +father.<br> +</p> + +"You mean----?" <br> +<p>"Professor Bumper."<br> +</p> + +"No, I haven't heard from him since he telephoned. But I guess +he'll be here all right. He's very punctual. Did you see anything +of my giant Koku as you came in?" <br> +<p>"Yes, he and Eradicate were having an argument about who +should move a heavy casting from one of the shops. Rad wanted to +do it all alone, but Koku said he was like a baby now."<br> +</p> + +"Poor Rad is getting old," said Tom with a sigh. "But he has been +very faithful. He and Koku never seem to get along well +together." <br> +<p>Koku was an immense man, a veritable giant, one of two whom +Tom had brought back with him after an exciting trip to a strange +land. The giant's strength was very useful to the young +inventor.<br> +</p> + +"Now Tom, about this business of leasing to the English +Government the right to manufacture that new explosive of yours," +began Ned, plunging into the business at hand. "I think if you +stick out a little you can get a better royalty price." <br> +<p>"But I don't want to gouge 'em, Ned. I'm satisfied with a fair +profit. The trouble with you is you think too much of money. +Now----"<br> +</p> + +At that moment a voice was heard in the hall of the house saying: +<br> +<p>"Now, my dear lady, don't trouble yourself. I can find my way +in to Tom Swift perfectly well by myself, and while I appreciate +your courtesy I do not want to trouble you."<br> +</p> + +"No, don't come, Mrs. Baggert," added another voice. "Bless my +hat band, I think I know my way about the house by this time!" +<br> +<p>"Mr. Damon!" ejaculated Ned.<br> +</p> + +"And Professor Bumper is with him," added Tom. "Come in!" he +cried, opening the hall door, to confront a bald-headed man who +stood peering at our hero with bright snapping eyes, like those +of some big bird spying out the land from afar. "Come in, +Professor Bumper; and you too, Mr. Damon!" <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_3">CHAPTER III</h1> + +BLESSINGS AND ENTHUSIASM <br> +<p>Greetings and inquiries as to health having been passed, not +without numerous blessings on the part of Mr. Damon, the little +party gathered in the library of the home of Tom Swift sat down +and looked at one another.<br> +</p> + +On Professor Bumper's face there was, plainly to be seen, a look +of expectation, and it seemed to be shared by Mr. Damon, who +seemed eager to burst into enthusiastic talk. On the other hand +Tom Swift appeared a bit indifferent. <br> +<p>Ned himself admitted that he was frankly curious. The story of +the big idol of gold had occupied his thoughts for many +hours.<br> +</p> + +"Well, I'm glad to see you both," said Tom again. "You got here +all right, I see, Professor Bumper. But I didn't expect you to +meet and bring Mr. Damon with you." <br> +<p>"I met him on the train," explained the author of the book on +the lost city of Pelone, as well as books on other antiquities. +"I had no expectation of seeing him, and we were both surprised +when we met on the express."<br> +</p> + +"It stopped at Waterfield, Tom," explained Mr. Damon, "which it +doesn't usually do, being an aristocratic sort of train, not +given even to hesitating at our humble little town. There were +some passengers to get off, which caused the flier to stop, I +suppose. And, as I wanted to come over to see you, I got aboard." +<br> +<p>"Glad you did," voiced Tom.<br> +</p> + +"Then I happened to see Professor Bumper a few seats ahead of +me," went on Mr. Damon, "and, bless my scarfpin! he was coming to +see you also." <br> +<p>"Well, I'm doubly glad," answered Tom.<br> +</p> + +"So here we are," went on Mr. Damon, "and you've simply got to +come, Tom Swift. You must go with us!" and Mr. Damon, in his +enthusiasm, banged his fist down on the table with such force +that he knocked some books to the floor. <br> +<p>Koku, the giant, who was in the hall, opened the door and in +his imperfect English asked:<br> +</p> + +"Master Tom knock for him bigs man?" <br> +<p>"No," answered Tom with a smile, "I didn't knock or call you, +Koku. Some books fell, that is all."<br> +</p> + +"Massa Tom done called fo' me, dat's what he done!" broke in the +petulant voice of Eradicate. <br> +<p>"No, Rad, I don't need anything," Tom said. "Though you might +make a pitcher of lemonade. It's rather warm."<br> +</p> + +"Right away, Massa Tom! Right away!" cried the old colored man, +eager to be of service. <br> +<p>"Me help, too!" rumbled Koku, in his deep voice. "Me punch de +lemons!" and away he hurried after Eradicate, fearful lest the +old servant do all the honors.<br> +</p> + +"Same old Rad and Koku," observed Mr. Damon with a smile. "But +now, Tom, while they're making the lemonade, let's get down to +business. You're going with us, of course!" <br> +<p>"Where?" asked Tom, more from habit than because he did not +know.<br> +</p> + +"Where? Why to Honduras, of course! After the idol of gold! Why, +bless my fountain pen, it's the most wonderful story I ever heard +of! You've read Professor Bumper's article, of course. He told me +you had. I read it on the train coming over. He also told me +about it, and---- Well, I'm going with him, Tom Swift. <br> +<p>"And think of all the adventures that may befall us! We'll get +lost in buried cities, ride down raging torrents on a raft, fall +over a cliff maybe and be rescued. Why, it makes me feel quite +young again!" and Mr. Damon arose, to pace excitedly up and down +the room.<br> +</p> + +Up to this time Professor Bumper had said very little. He had sat +still in his chair listening to Mr. Damon. But now that the +latter had ceased, at least for a time, Tom and Ned looked toward +the scientist. <br> +<p>"I understand, Tom," he said, "that you read my article in the +magazine, about the possibility of locating some of the lost and +buried cities of Honduras?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes, Ned and I each read it. It was quite wonderful." <br> +<p>"And yet there are more wonders to tell," went on the +professor. "I did not give all the details in that article. I +will tell you some of them. I have brought copies of the +documents with me," and he opened a small valise and took out +several bundles tied with pink tape.<br> +</p> + +"As Mr. Damon said," he went on while arranging his papers, "he +met me on the train, and he was so taken by the story of the idol +of gold that he agreed to accompany me to Central America." <br> +<p>"On one condition!" put in the eccentric man.<br> +</p> + +"What's that? You didn't make any conditions while we were +talking," said the scientist. <br> +<p>"Yes, I said I'd go if Tom Swift did."<br> +</p> + +"Oh, yes. You did say that. But I don't call that a condition, +for of course Tom Swift will go. Now let me tell you something +more than I could impart over the telephone. <br> +<p>"Soon after I called you up, Tom--and it was quite a +coincidence that it should have been at a time when you had just +finished my magazine article. Soon after that, as I was saying, I +arranged to come on to Shopton. And now I'm glad we're all here +together.<br> +</p> + +"But how comes it, Ned Newton, that you are not in the bank?" +<br> +<p>"I've left there," explained Ned.<br> +</p> + +"He's now general financial man for the Swift Company," Tom +explained. "My father and I found that we could not look after +the inventing and experimental end, and money matters, too, and +as Ned had had considerable experience this way we made him take +over those worries," and Tom laughed genially. <br> +<p>"No worries at all, as far as the Swift Company is concerned," +returned Ned.<br> +</p> + +"Well, I guess you earn your salary," laughed Tom. "But now, +Professor Bumper, let's hear from you. Is there anything more +about this idol of gold that you can tell us?" <br> +<p>"Plenty, Tom, plenty. I could talk all day, and not get to the +end of the story. But a lot of it would be scientific detail that +might be too dry for you in spite of this excellent +lemonade,"<br> +</p> + +Between them Koku and Eradicate had managed to make a pitcher of +the beverage, though Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, told Tom +afterward that the two had a quarrel in the kitchen as to who +should squeeze the lemons, the giant insisting that he had the +better right to "punch" them. <br> +<p>"So, not to go into too many details," went on the professor, +"I'll just give you a brief outline of this story of the idol of +gold.<br> +</p> + +"Honduras, as you of course know, is a republic of Central +America, and it gets its name from something that happened on the +fourth voyage of Columbus. He and his men had had days of weary +sailing and had sought in vain for shallow water in which they +might come to an anchorage. Finally they reached the point now +known as Cape Gracias-a-Dios, and when they let the anchor go, +and found that in a short time it came to rest on the floor of +the ocean, some one of the sailors--perhaps Columbus himself-is +said to have remarked: <br> +<p>"`Thank the Lord, we have left the deep waters (honduras)' +that being the Spanish word for unfathomable depths. So Honduras +it was called, and has been to this day.<br> +</p> + +"It is a queer land with many traces of an ancient civilization, +a civilization which I believe dates back farther than some in +the far East. On the sculptured stones in the Copan valley there +are characters which seem to resemble very ancient writing, but +this pictographic writing is largely untranslatable. <br> +<p>"Honduras, I might add, is about the size of our state of +Ohio. It is rather an elevated tableland, though there are +stretches of tropical forest, but it is not so tropical a country +as many suppose it to be. There is much gold scattered throughout +Honduras, though of late it has not been found in large +quantities.<br> +</p> + +"In the old days, however, before the Spaniards came, it was +plentiful, so much, so that the natives made idols of it. And it +is one of the largest of these idols--by name Quitzel--that I am +going to seek." <br> +<p>"Do you know where it is?" asked Ned.<br> +</p> + +"Well, it isn't locked up in a safe deposit box, of that I'm +sure," laughed the professor. "No, I don't know exactly where it +is, except that it is somewhere in an ancient and buried city +known as Kurzon. If I knew exactly where it was there wouldn't be +much fun in going after it. And if it was known to others it +would have been taken away long ago. <br> +<p>"No, we've got to hunt for the idol of gold in this land of +wonders where I hope soon to be. Later on I'll show you the +documents that put me on the track of this idol. Enough now to +show you an old map I found, or, rather, a copy of it, and some +of the papers that tell of the idol," and he spread out his +packet of papers on the table in front of him, his eyes shining +with excitement and pleasure. Mr. Damon, too, leaned eagerly +forward.<br> +</p> + +"So, Tom Swift," went on the professor, "I come to you for help +in this matter. I want you to aid me in organizing an expedition +to go to Honduras after the idol of gold. Will you?" <br> +<p>"I'll help you, of course," said Tom. "You may use any of my +inventions you choose--my airships, my motor boats and +submarines, even my giant cannon if you think you can take it +with you. And as for the money part, Ned will arrange that for +you. But as for going with you myself, it is out of the question. +I can't. No Honduras for me!"<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_4">CHAPTER IX</h1> + +FENIMORE BEECHER <br> +Had Tom Swift's giant cannon been discharged somewhere in the +vicinity of his home it could have caused but little more +astonishment to Mr. Damon and Professor Bumper than did the +simple announcement of the young inventor. The professor seemed +to shrink back in his chair, collapsing like an automobile tire +when the air is let out. As for Mr. Damon he jumped up and cried: +<br> +<p>"Bless my----!"<br> +</p> + +But that is as far as he got--at least just then. He did not seem +to know what to bless, but he looked as though he would have +liked to include most of the universe. <br> +<p>"Surely you don't mean it, Tom Swift," gasped Professor Bumper +at length. "Won't you come with us?"<br> +</p> + +"No," said Tom, slowly. "Really I can't go. I'm working on an +invention of a new aeroplane stabilizer, and if I go now it will +be just at a time when I am within striking distance of success. +And the stabilizer is very much needed." <br> +<p>"If it's a question of making a profit on it, Tom," began Mr. +Damon, "I can let you have some money until----"<br> +</p> + +"Oh, no! It isn't the money!" cried Tom. "Don't think that for a +moment. You see the European war has called for the use of a +large number of aeroplanes, and as the pilots of them frequently +have to fight, and so can not give their whole attention to the +machines, some form of automatic stabilizer is needed to prevent +them turning turtle, or going off at a wrong tangent. <br> +<p>"So I have been working out a sort of modified gyroscope, and +it seems to answer the purpose. I have already received advance +orders for a number of my devices from abroad, and as they are +destined to save lives I feel that I ought to keep on with my +work.<br> +</p> + +"I'd like to go, don't misunderstand me, but I can't go at this +time. It is out of the question. If you wait a year, or maybe six +months----" <br> +<p>"No, it is impossible to wait, Tom," declared Professor +Bumper.<br> +</p> + +"Is it so important then to hurry?" asked Mr. Damon. "You did not +mention that to me, Professor Bumper." <br> +<p>"No, I did not have time. There are so many ends to my +concerns. But, Tom Swift, you simply must go!"<br> +</p> + +"I can't, my dear professor, much as I should like to." <br> +<p>"But, Tom, think of it!" cried Mr. Damon, who was as much +excited as was the little baldheaded scientist. "You never saw +such an idol of gold as this. What's its name?" and he looked +questioningly at the professor.<br> +</p> + +"Quitzel the idol is called," supplied Professor Bumper. "And it +is supposed to be in a buried city named Kurzon, somewhere in the +Sierra de Merendon range of mountains, in the vicinity of the +Copan valley. Copan is a city, or maybe we'll find it only a town +when we get there, and it is not far from the borders of +Guatemala. <br> +<p>"Tom, if I could show you the translations I have made of the +ancient documents, referring to this idol and the wonderful city +over which it kept guard, I'm sure you'd come with us."<br> +</p> + +"Please don't tempt me," Tom said with a laugh. "I'm only too +anxious to go, and if it wasn't for the stabilizer I'd be with +you in a minute. But---- Well, you'll have to get along without +me. Maybe I can join you later." <br> +<p>"What's this about the idol keeping guard over the ancient +city?" asked Ned, for he was interested in strange stories.<br> +</p> + +"It seems," explained the professor, "that in the early days +there was a strange race of people, inhabiting Central America, +with a somewhat high civilization, only traces of which remained +when the Spaniards came. <br> +<p>"But these traces, and such hieroglyphics, or, to be more +exact pictographs, as I have been able to decipher from the old +documents, tell of one country, or perhaps it was only a city, +over which this great golden idol of Quitzel presided.<br> +</p> + +"There is in some of these papers a description of the idol, +which is not exactly a beauty, judged from modern standards. But +the main fact is that it is made of solid gold, and may weigh +anywhere from one to two tons." <br> +<p>"Two tons of gold!" cried New Newton. "Why, if that's the case +it would be worth----" and he fell to doing a sum in mental +arithmetic.<br> +</p> + +"I am not so concerned about the monetary value of the statue as +I am about its antiquity," went on Professor Bumper. "There are +other statues in this buried city of Kurzon, and though they may +not be so valuable they will give me a wealth of material for my +research work." <br> +<p>"How do you know there are other statues?" asked Mr. +Damon.<br> +</p> + +"Because my documents tell me so. It was because the people made +other idols, in opposition, as it were, to Quitzel, that their +city or country was destroyed. At least that is the legend. +Quitzel, so the story goes, wanted to be the chief god, and when +the image of a rival was set up in the temple near him, he +toppled over in anger, and part of the temple went with him, the +whole place being buried in ruins. All the inhabitants were +killed, and trace of the ancient city was lost forever. No, I +hope not forever, for I expect to find it." <br> +<p>"If all the people were killed, and the city buried, how did +the story of Quitzel become known?" asked Mr. Damon.<br> +</p> + +"One only of the priests in the temple of Quitzel escaped and set +down part of the tale," said the professor. "It is his narrative, +or one based on it, that I have given you." <br> +<p>"And now, what I want to do, is to go and make a search for +this buried city. I have fairly good directions as to how it may +be reached. We will have little difficulty in getting to +Honduras, as there are fruit steamers frequently sailing. Of +course going into the interior--to the Copan valley--is going to +be harder. But an expedition from a large college was recently +there and succeeded, after much labor, in excavating part of a +buried city. Whether or not it was Kurzon I am unable to say.<br> +</p> + +"But if there was one ancient city there must be more. So I want +to make an attempt. And I counted on you, Tom. You have had +considerable experience in strange quarters of the earth, and +you're just the one to help me. I don't need money, for I have +interested a certain millionaire, and my own college will put up +part of the funds." <br> +<p>"Oh, it isn't a question of money," said Tom. "It's time."<br> +</p> + +"That's just what it is with me!" exclaimed Professor Bumper. "I +haven't any time to lose. My rivals may, even now, be on their +way to Honduras!" <br> +<p>"Your rivals!" cried Tom. "You didn't say anything about +them!"<br> +</p> + +"No, I believe I didn't There were so many other things to talk +about. But there is a rival archaeologist who would ask nothing +better than to get ahead of me in this matter. He is younger than +I am, and youth is a big asset nowadays." <br> +<p>"Pooh! You're not old!" cried Mr. Damon. "You're no older than +I am, and I'm still young. I'm a lot younger than some of these +boys who are afraid to tackle a trip through a tropical +wilderness," and he playfully nudged Tom in the ribs.<br> +</p> + +"I'm not a bit afraid!" retorted the young inventor. <br> +<p>"No, I know you're not," laughed Mr. Damon. "But I've got to +say something, Tom, to stir you up. Ned, how about you? Would you +go?"<br> +</p> + +"I can't, unless Tom does. You see I'm his financial man now." +<br> +<p>"There you are, Tom Swift!" cried Mr. Damon. "You see you are +holding back a number of persons just because you don't want to +go."<br> +</p> + +"I certainly wouldn't like to go without Tom," said the professor +slowly. "I really need his help. You know, Tom, we would never +have found the city of Pelone if it had not been for you and your +marvelous powder. The conditions in the Copan valley are likely +to be still more difficult to overcome, and I feel that I risk +failure without your young energy and your inventive mind to aid +in the work and to suggest possible means of attaining our +object. Come, Tom, reconsider, and decide to make the trip." <br> +<p>"And my promise to go was dependent on Tom's agreement to +accompany us," said Mr. Damon<br> +</p> + +"Come on!" urged the professor, much as one boy might urge +another to take part in a ball game. "Don't let my rival get +ahead of me." <br> +<p>"I wouldn't like to see that," Tom said slowly. "Who is +he--any one I know?"<br> +</p> + +"I don't believe so, Tom. He's connected with a large, new +college that has plenty of money to spend on explorations and +research work. Beecher is his name--Fenimore Beecher." <br> +<p>"Beecher!" exclaimed Tom, and there was such a change in his +manner that his friends could not help noticing it. He jumped to +his feet, his eyes snapping, and he looked eagerly and anxiously +at Professor Bumper.<br> +</p> + +"Did you say his name was Fenimore Beecher?" Tom asked in a tense +voice. <br> +<p>"That's what it is--Professor Fenimore Beecher. He is really a +learned young man, and thoroughly in earnest, though I do not +like his manner. But he is trying to get ahead of me, which may +account for my feeling."<br> +</p> + +Tom Swift did not answer. Instead he hurried from the room with a +murmured apology. <br> +<p>"I'll be back in about five minutes," he said, as he went +out.<br> +</p> + +"Well, what's up now?" asked Mr. Damon of Ned, as the young +inventor departed. "What set him off that way?" <br> +<p>"The mention of Beecher's name, evidently. Though I never +heard him mention such a person before."<br> +</p> + +"Nor did I ever hear Professor Beecher speak of Tom," said the +bald-headed scientist. "Well, we'll just have to wait until----" +<br> +<p>At that moment Tom came back into the room.<br> +</p> + +"Gentlemen," he said, "I have reconsidered my refusal to go to +the Copan valley after the idol of gold. I'm going with you!" +<br> +<p>"Good!" cried Professor Bumper.<br> +</p> + +"Fine!" ejaculated Mr. Damon. "Bless my time-table! I thought +you'd come around, Tom Swift." <br> +<p>"But what about your stabilizer?" asked Ned.<br> +</p> + +"I was just talking to my father about it,' the young inventor +replied. "He will be able to put the finishing touches on it. So +I'll leave it with him. As soon as I can get ready I'll go, since +you say haste is necessary, Professor Bumper." <br> +<p>"It is, if we are to get ahead of Beecher."<br> +</p> + +"Then we'll get ahead of him!" cried Tom. "I'm with you now from +the start to the finish. I'll show him what I can do!" he added, +while Ned and the others wondered at the sudden change in their +friend's manner. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_5">CHAPTER V</h1> + +<br> +<p>THE LITTLE GREEN GOD<br> +</p> + +"Tom how soon can we go?" asked Professor Bumper, as he began +arranging his papers, maps and documents ready to place them back +in the valise. <br> +<p>"Within a week, if you want to start that soon."<br> +</p> + +"The sooner the better. A week will suit me. I don't know just +what Beecher's plans are, but, he may try to get on the ground +first. Though, without boasting, I may say that he has not had as +much experience as I have had, thanks to you, Tom, when you +helped me find the lost city of Pelone." <br> +<p>"Well, I hope we'll be as successful this time," murmured Tom. +"I don't want to see Beecher beat you."<br> +</p> + +"I didn't know you knew him, Tom," said the professor. <br> +<p>"Oh, yes, I have met him. once," and there was something in +Tom's manner, though he tried to speak indifferently, that made +Ned believe there was more behind his chum's sudden change of +determination than had yet appeared.<br> +</p> + +"He never mentioned you," went on Professor Bumper; "yet the last +time I saw him I said I was coming to see you, though I did not +tell him why." <br> +<p>"No, he wouldn't be likely to speak of me," said Tom +significantly.<br> +</p> + +"Well, if that's all settled, I guess I'll go back home and pack +up," said Mr. Damon, making a move to depart. <br> +<p>"There's no special rush," Tom said. "We won't leave for a +week. I can't get ready in much less time than that."<br> +</p> + +"Bless my socks! I know that," ejaculated Mr. Damon. "But if I +get my things packed I can go to a hotel to stay while my wife is +away. She might take a notion to come home unexpectedly, and, +though she is a dear, good soul, she doesn't altogether approve +of my going off on these wild trips with you, Tom Swift. But if I +get all packed, and clear out, she can't find me and she can't +hold me back. She is visiting her mother now. I can send her a +wire from Kurzon after I get there." <br> +<p>"I don't believe the telegraph there is working," laughed +Professor Bumper. "But suit yourself. I must go back to New York +to arrange for the goods we'll have to take with us. In a week, +Tom, we'll start."<br> +</p> + +"You must stay to dinner," Tom said. "You can't get a train now +anyhow, and father wants to meet you again. He's pretty well, +considering his age. And he's much better I verily believe since +I said I'd turn over to him the task of finishing the stabilizer. +He likes to work." <br> +<p>"We'll stay and take the night train back," agreed Mr. Damon. +"It will be like old times, Tom," he went on, "traveling off +together into the wilds. Central America is pretty wild, isn't +it?" he asked, as if in fear of being disappointed! on that +score.<br> +</p> + +"Oh, it's wild enough to suit any one," answered Professor +Bumper. <br> +<p>"Well, now to settle a few details," observed Tom. "Ned, what +is the situation as regards the financial affairs of my father +and myself? Nothing will come to grief if we go away, will +there?"<br> +</p> + +"I guess not, Tom. But are you going to take your father with +you?" <br> +<p>"No, of course not."<br> +</p> + +"But you spoke of `we.' " <br> +<p>"I meant you and I are going."<br> +</p> + +"Me, Tom?" <br> +<p>"Sure, you! I wouldn't think of leaving you behind. You want +Ned along, don't you, Professor?"<br> +</p> + +"Of course. It will be an ideal party--we four. We'll have to +take natives when we get to Honduras, and make up a mule +pack-train for the interior. I had some thoughts of asking you to +take an airship along, but it might frighten the Indians, and I +shall have to depend on them for guides, as well as for porters. +So it will be an old-fashioned expedition, in a way." <br> +<p>Mr. Swift came in at this point to meet his old friends.<br> +</p> + +"The boy needs a little excitement," he said. "He's been +puttering over that stabilizer invention too long. I can finish +the model for him in a very short time." <br> +<p>Professor Bumper told Mr. Swift something about the proposed +trip, while Mr. Damon went out with Tom and Ned to one of the +shops to look at a new model aeroplane the young inventor had +designed.<br> +</p> + +There was a merry party around the table at dinner, though now +and then Ned noticed that Tom had an abstracted and preoccupied +air. <br> +<p>"Thinking about the idol of gold?" asked Ned in a whisper to +his chum, when they were about to leave the table.<br> +</p> + +"The idol of gold? Oh, yes! Of course! It will be great if we can +bring that back with us." But the manner in which he said this +made Ned feel sure that Tom had had other thoughts, and that he +had used a little subterfuge in his answer. <br> +<p>Ned was right, as he proved for himself a little later, when, +Mr. Damon and the professor having gone home, the young financial +secretary took his friend to a quiet corner and asked:<br> +</p> + +"What's the matter, Tom?" <br> +<p>"Matter? What do you mean?"<br> +</p> + +"I mean what made you make up your mind so quickly to go on this +expedition when you heard Beecher was going?" <br> +<p>"Oh--er--well, you wouldn't want to see our old friend +Professor Bumper left, would you, after he had worked out the +secret of the idol of gold? You wouldn't want some young +whipper-snapper to beat him in the race, would you, Ned?"<br> +</p> + +"No, of course not." <br> +<p>"Neither would I. That's why I changed my mind. This Beecher +isn't going to get that idol if I can stop him!"<br> +</p> + +"You seem rather bitter against him." <br> +<p>"Bitter? Oh, not at all. I simply don't want to see my friends +disappointed."<br> +</p> + +"Then Beecher isn't a friend of yours?" <br> +<p>"Oh, I've met him, that is all," and Tom tried to speak +indifferently.<br> +</p> + +"Humph!" mused Ned, "there's more here than I dreamed of. I'm +going to get at the bottom of it." <br> +<p>But though Ned tried to pump Tom, he was not successful. The +young inventor admitted knowing the youthful scientist, but that +was all, Tom reiterating his determination not to let Professor +Bumper be beaten in the race for the idol of gold.<br> +</p> + +"Let me see," mused Ned, as he went home that evening. "Tom did +not change his mind until he heard Beecher's name mentioned. Now +this shows that Beecher had something to do with it. The only +reason Tom doesn't want Beecher to get this idol or find the +buried city is because Professor Bumper is after it. And yet the +professor is not an old or close friend of Tom's. They met only +when Tom went to dig his big tunnel. There must be some other +reason." <br> +<p>Ned did some more thinking. Then he clapped his hands +together, and a smile spread over his face.<br> +</p> + +"I believe I have it!" he cried. "The little green god as +compared to the idol of gold! That's it. I'm going to make a call +on my way home." <br> +<p>This he did, stopping at the home of Mary Nestor, a pretty +girl, who, rumor had it, was tacitly engaged to Tom. Mary was not +at home, but Mr. Nestor was, and for Ned's purpose this +answered.<br> +</p> + +"Well, well, glad to see you!" exclaimed Mary's father. "Isn't +Tom with you?" he asked a moment later, seeing that Ned was +alone. <br> +<p>"No, Tom isn't with me this evening," Ned answered. "The fact +is, he's getting ready to go off on another expedition, and I'm +going with him."<br> +</p> + +"You young men are always going somewhere," remarked Mrs. Nestor. +"Where is it to this time?" <br> +<p>"Some place in Central America," Ned answered, not wishing to +be too particular. He was wondering how he could find out what he +wanted to know, when Mary's mother unexpectedly gave him just the +information he was after.<br> +</p> + +"Central America!" she exclaimed. "Why, Father," and she looked +at her husband, "that's where Professor Beecher is going, isn't +it?" <br> +<p>"Yes, I believe he did mention something about that."<br> +</p> + +"Professor Beecher, the man who is an authority on Aztec ruins?" +asked Ned, taking a shot in the dark. <br> +<p>"Yes," said Mr. Nestor. "And a mighty fine young man he is, +too. I knew his father well. He was here on a visit not long ago, +young Beecher was, and he talked most entertainingly about his +discoveries. You remember how interested Mary was, Mother?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes, she seemed to be," said Mrs. Nestor. "Tom Swift dropped in +during the course of the evening," she added to Ned, "and Mary +introduced him to Professor Beecher. But I can't say that Tom was +much interested in the professor's talk." <br> +<p>"No?" questioned Ned.<br> +</p> + +"No, not at all. But Tom did not stay long. He left just as Mary +and the professor were drawing a map so the professor could +indicate where he had once made a big discovery." <br> +<p>"I see," murmured Ned. "Well, I suppose Tom must have been +thinking of something else at the time."<br> +</p> + +"Very likely," agreed Mr. Nestor. "But Tom missed a very +profitable talk. I was very much interested myself in what the +professor told us, and so was Mary. She invited Mr. Beecher to +come again. He takes after his father in being very thorough in +what he does. <br> +<p>"Sometimes I think," went on Mr. Nestor, "that Tom isn't quite +steady enough. He's thinking of so many things, perhaps, that he +can't get his mind down to the commonplace. I remember he once +sent something here in a box labeled `dynamite.' Though there was +no explosive in it, it gave us a great fright. But Tom is a boy, +in spite of his years. Professor Beecher seems much older. We all +like him very much."<br> +</p> + +"That's nice," said Ned, as he took his departure. He had found +out what he had come to learn. <br> +<p>"I knew it!" Ned exclaimed as he walked home. "I knew +something was in the wind. The little green god of jealousy has +Tom in his clutches. That's why my inventive friend was so +anxious to go on this expedition when he learned Beecher was to +go. He wants to beat him. I guess the professor has plainly shown +that he wouldn't like anything better than to cut Tom out with +Mary. Whew! that's something to think about!"<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_6">CHAPTER VI</h1> + +UNPLEASANT NEWS <br> +Ned Newton decided to keep to himself what he had heard at the +Nestor home. Not for the world would he let Tom Swift know of the +situation. <br> +<p>"That is, I won't let him know that I know," said Ned to +himself, "though he is probably as well aware of the situation as +I am. But it sure is queer that this Professor Beecher should +have taken such a fancy to Mary, and that her father should +regard him so well. That is natural, I suppose. But I wonder how +Mary herself feels about it. That is the part Tom would be most +interested in.<br> +</p> + +"No wonder Tom wants to get ahead of this young college chap, who +probably thinks he's the whole show. If he can find the buried +city, and get the idol of gold, it would be a big feather in his +cap. <br> +<p>"He'd have no end of honors heaped on him, and I suppose his +hat wouldn't come within three sizes of fitting him. Then he'd +stand in better than ever with Mr. Nestor. And, maybe, with Mary, +too, though I think she is loyal to Tom. But one never can +tell.<br> +</p> + +"However, I'm glad I know about it. I'll do all I can to help +Tom, without letting him know that I know. And if I can do +anything to help in finding that idol of gold for Professor +Bumper, and, incidentally, Tom, I'll do it," and he spoke aloud +in his enthusiasm. <br> +<p>Ned, who was walking along in the darkness, clapped his open +hand down on Tom's magazine he was carrying home to read again, +and the resultant noise was a sharp crack. As it sounded a figure +jumped from behind a tree and called tensely:<br> +</p> + +"Hold on there!" <br> +<p>Ned stopped short, thinking he was to be the victim of a +holdup, but his fears were allayed when he beheld one of the +police force of Shopton confronting him.<br> +</p> + +"I heard what you said about gettin' the gold," went on the +officer. "I was walkin' along and I heard you talkin'. Where's +your pal?" <br> +<p>"I haven't any, Mr. Newbold," answered Ned with a laugh, as he +recognized the man.<br> +</p> + +"Oh, pshaw! It's Ned Newton!" exclaimed the disappointed officer. +"I thought you was talkin' to a confederate about gold, and +figured maybe you was goin' to rob the bank." <br> +<p>"No, nothing like that," answered Ned, still much amused. "I +was talking to myself about a trip Tom Swift and I are going to +take and----"<br> +</p> + +"Oh, that's all right," responded the policeman. "I can +understand it, if it had anything to do with Tom. He's a great +boy." <br> +<p>"Indeed he is," agreed Ned, making a mental resolve not to be +so public with his thoughts in the future. He chatted for a +moment with the officer, and then, bidding him good-night, walked +on to his home, his mind in a whirl with conglomerate visions of +buried cities, great grinning idols of gold, and rival professors +seeking to be first at the goal.<br> +</p> + +The next few days were busy ones for Tom, Ned and, in fact, the +whole Swift household. Tom and his father had several +consultations and conducted several experiments in regard to the +new stabilizer, the completion of which was so earnestly desired. +Mr. Swift was sure he could carry the invention to a successful +conclusion. <br> +<p>Ned was engaged in putting the financial affairs of the Swift +Company in shape, so they would practically run themselves during +his absence. Then, too, there was the packing of their baggage +which must be seen to.<br> +</p> + +Of course, the main details of the trip were left to Professor +Bumper, who knew just what to do. He had told Tom and Ned that +all they and Mr. Damon would have to do would be to meet him at +the pier in New York, where they would find all arrangements +made. <br> +<p>One day, near the end of the week (the beginning of the next +being set for the start) Eradicate came shuffling into the room +where Tom was sorting out the possessions he desired to take with +him, Ned assisting him in the task.<br> +</p> + +"Well, Rad, what is it?" asked Tom, with businesslike energy. +<br> +<p>"I done heah, Massa Tom, dat yo' all's gwine off on a long +trip once mo'. Am dat so?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes, that's so, Rad." <br> +<p>"Well, den, I'se come to ast yo' whut I'd bettah take wif me. +Shall I took warm clothes or cool clothes?"<br> +</p> + +"Well, if you were going, Rad," answered Tom with a smile, "you'd +need cool clothes, for we're going to a sort of jungle-land. But +I'm sorry to say you're not going this trip." <br> +<p>"I---- I ain't gwine? Does yo' mean dat yo' all ain't gwine to +take me, Massa Tom?"<br> +</p> + +"That's it, Rad. It isn't any trip for you." <br> +<p>"In certain not!" broke in the voice of Koku, the giant, who +entered with a big trunk Tom had sent him for. "Master want +strong man like a bull. He take Koku!"<br> +</p> + +"Look heah!" spluttered Eradicate, and his eyes flashed. +"Yo'--yo' giant yo'--yo' may be strong laik a bull, but ya' ain't +got as much sense as mah mule, Boomerang! Massa Tom don't want no +sich pusson wif him. He's gwine to take me." <br> +<p>"He take me!" cried Koku, and his voice was a roar while he +beat on his mighty chest with his huge fists.<br> +</p> + +Tom, seeing that the dispute was likely to be bothersome, winked +at Ned and began to speak. <br> +<p>"I don't believe you'd like it there, Rad--not where we're +going. It's a bad country. Why the mosquitoes there bite holes in +you--raise bumps on you as big as eggs."<br> +</p> + +"Oh, good land!" ejaculated the old colored man. "Am dat so Massa +Tom?" <br> +<p>"It sure is. Then there's another kind of bug that burrows +under your fingernails, and if you don't get 'em out, your +fingers drop off."<br> +</p> + +"Oh, good land, Massa Tom! Am dat a fact?" <br> +<p>"It sure is. I don't want to see those things happen to you, +Rad."<br> +</p> + +Slowly the old colored man shook his head. <br> +<p>"I don't mahse'f," he said. "I---- I guess I won't go."<br> +</p> + +Eradicate did not stop to ask how Tom and Ned proposed to combat +these two species of insects. <br> +<p>But there remained Koku to dispose of, and he stood smiling +broadly as Eradicate shuffled of.<br> +</p> + +"Me no 'fraid bugs," said the giant. <br> +<p>"No," said Tom, with a look at Ned, for he did not want to +take the big man on the trip for various reasons. "No, maybe not, +Koku. Your skin is pretty tough. But I understand there are deep +pools of water in the land where we are going, and in them lives +a fish that has a hide like an alligator and a jaw like a shark. +If you fall in it's all up with you."<br> +</p> + +"Dat true, Master Tom?" and Koku's voice trembled. <br> +<p>"Well, I've never seen such a fish, I'm sure, but the natives +tell about it."<br> +</p> + +Koku seemed to be considering the matter. Strange as it may seem, +the giant, though afraid of nothing human and brave when it came +to a hand-to-claw argument with a wild animal, had a very great +fear of the water and the unseen life within it. Even a little +fresh-water crab in a brook was enough to send him shrieking to +shore. So when Tom told of this curious fish, which many natives +of Central America firmly believe in, the giant took thought with +himself. Finally, he gave a sigh and said: <br> +<p>"Me stay home and keep bad mans out of master's shop."<br> +</p> + +"Yes, I guess that's the best thing for you," assented Tom with +an air of relief. He and Ned had talked the matter over, and they +had agreed that the presence of such a big man as Koku, in an +expedition going on a more or less secret mission, would attract +too much attention. <br> +<p>"Well, I guess that clears matters up," said Tom, as he looked +over a collection of rifles and small arms, to decide which to +take. "We won't have them to worry about."<br> +</p> + +"No, only Professor Beecher," remarked Ned, with a sharp look at +his chum. <br> +<p>"Oh, we'll dispose of him all right!" asserted Tom boldly. "He +hasn't had any experience in business of this sort, and with that +you and Professor Bumper and Mr. Damon know we ought to have +little trouble in getting ahead of the young man."<br> +</p> + +"Not to speak of your own aid," added Ned. <br> +<p>"Oh, I'll do what I can, of course," said Tom, with an air of +indifference. But Ned knew his chum would work ceaselessly to +help get the idol of gold.<br> +</p> + +Tom gave no sign that there was any complication in his affair +with Mary Nestor, and of course Ned did not tell anything of what +he knew about it. <br> +<p>That night saw the preparations of Ned and Tom about +completed. There were one or two matters yet to finish on Tom's +part in relation to his business, but these offered no +difficulties.<br> +</p> + +The two chums were in the Swift home, talking over the +prospective trip, when Mrs. Baggert, answering a ring at the +front door, announced that Mr. Damon was outside. <br> +<p>"Tell him to come in," ordered Tom.<br> +</p> + +"Bless my baggage check!" exclaimed the excitable man, as he +shook hands with Tom and Ned and noted the packing evidences all +about. "You're ready to go to the land of wonders." <br> +<p>"The land of wonders?" repeated Ned.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, that's what Professor Bumper calls the part of Honduras +we're going to. And it must be wonderful, Tom. Think of whole +cities, some of them containing idols and temples of gold, buried +thirty and forty feet under the surface! Wonderful is hardly the +name for it!" <br> +<p>"It'll be great!" cried Ned. "I suppose you're ready, Mr. +Damon--you and the professor?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes. But, Tom, I have a bit of unpleasant news for you." <br> +<p>"Unpleasant news?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes. You know Professor Bumper spoke of a rival--a man named +Beecher who is a member of the faculty of a new and wealthy +college." <br> +<p>"I heard him speak of him--yes," and the way Tom said it no +one would have suspected that he had any personal interest in the +matter.<br> +</p> + +"He isn't going to give his secret away," thought Ned. <br> +<p>"Well, this Professor Beecher, you know," went on Mr. Damon, +"also knows about the idol of gold, and is trying to get ahead of +Professor Bumper in the search."<br> +</p> + +"He did say something of it, but nothing was certain," remarked +Tom. <br> +<p>"But it is certain!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Bless my toothpick, +it's altogether too certain!"<br> +</p> + +"How is that?" asked Tom. "Is Beecher certainly going to +Honduras?" <br> +<p>"Yes, of course. But what is worse, he and his party will +leave New York on the same steamer with us!"<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_7">CHAPTER VII</h1> + +TOM HEARS SOMETHING <br> +On hearing Mr. Damon's rather startling announcement, Tom and Ned +looked at one another. There seemed to be something back of the +simple statement--an ominous and portending "something." <br> +<p>"On the same steamer with us, is he?" mused Tom.<br> +</p> + +"How did you learn this?" asked Ned. <br> +<p>"Just got a wire from Professor Bumper telling me. He asked me +to telephone to you about it, as he was too busy to call up on +the long distance from New York. But instead of 'phoning I +decided to come over myself."<br> +</p> + +"Glad you did," said Tom, heartily. "Did Professor Bumper want us +to do anything special, now that it is certain his rival will be +so close on his trail?" <br> +<p>"Yes, he asked me to warn you to be careful what you did and +said in reference to the expedition."<br> +</p> + +"Then does he fear something?" asked Ned. <br> +<p>"Yes, in a way. I think he is very much afraid this young +Beecher will not only be first on the site of the underground +city, but that he may be the first to discover the idol of gold. +It would be a great thing for a young archaeologist like Beecher +to accomplish a mission of this sort, and beat Professor Bumper +in the race."<br> +</p> + +"Do you think that's why Beecher decided to go on the same +steamer we are to take?" asked Ned. <br> +<p>"Yes, I do," said Mr. Damon. "Though from what Professor +Bumper said I know he regards Professor Beecher as a perfectly +honorable man, as well as a brilliant student. I do not believe +Beecher or his party would stoop to anything dishonorable or +underhand, though they would not hesitate, nor would we, to take +advantage of every fair chance to win in the race."<br> +</p> + +"No, I suppose that's right," observed Tom; but there was a queer +gleam in his eye, and his chum wondered if Tom did not have in +mind the prospective race between himself and Fenimore Beecher +for the regard of Mary Nestor. "We'll do our best to win, and any +one is at liberty to travel on the same steamer we are to take," +added the young inventor, and his tone became more incisive. <br> +<p>"It will be all the livelier with two expeditions after the +same golden idol," remarked Ned.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, I think we're in for some excitement," observed Tom grimly. +But even he did not realize all that lay before them ere they +would reach Kurzon. <br> +<p>Mr. Damon, having delivered his message, and remarking that +his preparations for leaving were nearly completed, went back to +Waterfield, from there to proceed to New York in a few days with +Tom and Ned, to meet Professor Bumper.<br> +</p> + +"Well, I guess we have everything in pretty good shape," remarked +Tom to his chum a day or so after the visit of Mr. Damon. +"Everything is packed, and as I have a few personal matters to +attend to I think I'll take the afternoon off." <br> +<p>"Go to it!" laughed Ned, guessing a thing of two. "I've got a +raft of stuff myself to look after, but don't let that keep +you."<br> +</p> + +"If there is anything I can do," began Tom, "don't hesitate +to----" <br> +<p>"Nonsense!" exclaimed Ned. "I can do it all alone. It's some +of the company's business, anyhow, and I'm paid for looking after +that."<br> +</p> + +"All right, then I'll cut along," Tom said, and he wore a +relieved air. <br> +<p>"He's going to see Mary," observed Ned with a grin, as he +observed Tom hop into his trim little roadster, which under his +orders, Koku had polished and cleaned until it looked as though +it had just come from the factory.<br> +</p> + +A little later the trim and speedy car drew up in front of the +Nestor home, and Tom bounded up on the front porch, his heart not +altogether as light as his feet. <br> +<p>"No, I'm sorry, but Mary isn't in," said Mrs. Nestor, +answering his inquiry after greeting him.<br> +</p> + +"Not at home?" <br> +<p>"No, she went on a little visit to her cousin's at +Fayetteville. She said something about letting you know she was +going."<br> +</p> + +"She did drop me a card," answered Tom, and, somehow he did not +feel at all cheerful. "But I thought it wasn't until next week +she was going." <br> +<p>"That was her plan, Tom. But she changed it. Her cousin wired, +asking her to advance the date, and this Mary did. There was +something about a former school chum who was also to be at Myra's +house--Myra is Mary's cousin you know."<br> +</p> + +"Yes, I know," assented the young inventor. "And so Mary is gone. +How long is she going to stay?" <br> +<p>"Oh, about two weeks. She wasn't quite certain. It depends on +the kind of a time she has, I suppose."<br> +</p> + +"Yes, I suppose so," agreed Tom. "Well, if you write before I do +you might say I called, Mrs. Nestor." <br> +<p>"I will, Tom. And I know Mary will be sorry she wasn't here to +take a ride with you; it's such a nice day," and the lady smiled +as she looked at the speedy roadster.<br> +</p> + +"Maybe--maybe you'd like to come for a spin?" asked Tom, half +desperately. <br> +<p>"No, thank you. I'm too old to be jounced around in one of +those small cars."<br> +</p> + +"Nonsense! She rides as easily as a Pullman sleeper." <br> +<p>"Well, I have to go to a Red Cross meeting, anyhow, so I can't +come, Tom. Thank you, just the same."<br> +</p> + +Tom did not drive back immediately to his home. He wanted to do a +bit of thinking, and he believed he could do it best by himself. +So it was late afternoon when he again greeted Ned, who, +meanwhile, had been kept very busy. <br> +<p>"Well?" called Tom's chum.<br> +</p> + +"Um!" was the only answer, and Tom called Koku to put the car +away in the garage. <br> +<p>"Something wrong," mused Ned.<br> +</p> + +The next three days were crowded with events and with work. Mr. +Damon came over frequently to consult with Tom and Ned, and +finally the last of their baggage had been packed, certain of +Tom's inventions and implements sent on by express to New York to +be taken to Honduras, and then our friends themselves followed to +the metropolis. <br> +<p>"Good-bye, Tom," said his father. "Goodbye, and good luck! If +you don't get the idol of gold I'm sure you'll have experiences +that will be valuable to you."<br> +</p> + +"We're going to get the idol of gold!" said Tom determinedly. +<br> +<p>"Look out for the bad bugs," suggested Eradicate.<br> +</p> + +"We will," promised Ned. <br> +<p>Tom's last act was to send a message to Mary Nestor, and then +he, with Ned and Mr. Damon, who blessed everything in sight from +the gasoline in the automobile to the blue sky overhead, started +for the station.<br> +</p> + +New York was reached without incident. The trio put up at the +hotel where Professor Bumper was to meet them. <br> +<p>"He hasn't arrived yet," said Tom, after glancing over the +names on the hotel register and not seeing Professor Bumper's +among them.<br> +</p> + +"Oh, he'll be here all right," asserted Mr. Damon. "Bless my +galvanic battery! he sent me a telegram at one o'clock this +morning saying he'd be sure to meet us in New York. No fear of +him not starting for the land of wonders." <br> +<p>"There are some other professors registered, though," observed +Ned, as he glanced at the book, noting the names of several +scientists of whom he and Tom had read.<br> +</p> + +"Yes. I wonder what they're doing in New York," replied Tom. +"They are from New England. Maybe there's a convention going on. +Well, we'll have to wait, that's all, until Professor Bumper +comes." <br> +<p>And during that wait Tom heard something that surprised him +and caused him no little worry. It was when Ned came back to his +room, which adjoined Tom's, that the young treasurer gave his +chum the news.<br> +</p> + +"I say, Tom!" Ned exclaimed. "Who do you think those professors +are, whose names we saw on the register?" <br> +<p>"I haven't the least idea."<br> +</p> + +"Why, they're of Beecher's party!" <br> +<p>"You don't mean it!"<br> +</p> + +"I surely do." <br> +<p>"How do you know?"<br> +</p> + +"I happened to overhear two of them talking down in the lobby a +while ago. They didn't make any secret of it. They spoke freely +of going with Beecher to some ancient city in Honduras, to look +for an idol of gold." <br> +<p>"They did? But where is Beecher?"<br> +</p> + +"He hasn't joined them yet. Their plans have been changed. +Instead of leaving on the same steamer we are to take in the +morning they are to come on a later one. The professors here are +waiting for Beecher to come." <br> +<p>"Why isn't he here now?"<br> +</p> + +"Well, I heard one of the other scientists say that he had gone +to a place called Fayetteville, and will come on from there." +<br> +<p>"Fayetteville!" ejaculated Tom. "Yes. That isn't far from +Shopton."<br> +</p> + +"I know," assented Tom. "I wonder--I wonder why he is going +there?" <br> +<p>"I can tell you that, too."<br> +</p> + +"You can? You're a regular detective." <br> +<p>"No, I just happened to overhear it. Beecher is going to call +on Mary Nestor in Fayetteville, so his friends here said he told +them, and his call has to do with an important matter--to him!" +and Ned gazed curiously at his chum.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_8">CHAPTER VIII</h1> + +OFF FOR HONDURAS <br> +Just what Tom's thoughts were, Ned, of course, could not guess. +But by the flush that showed under the tan of his chum's cheeks +the young financial secretary felt pretty certain that Tom was a +bit apprehensive of the outcome of Professor Beecher's call on +Mary Nestor. <br> +<p>"So he is going to see her about `something important,' +Ned?"<br> +</p> + +"That's what some members of his party called it." <br> +<p>"And they're waiting here for him to join them?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes. And it means waiting a week for another steamer. It must be +something pretty important, don't you think, to cause Beecher to +risk that delay in starting after the idol of gold?" <br> +<p>"Important? Yes, I suppose so," assented Tom. "And yet even if +he waits for the next steamer he will get to Honduras nearly as +soon as we do."<br> +</p> + +"How is that?" <br> +<p>"The next boat is a faster one."<br> +</p> + +"Then why don't we take that? I hate dawdling along on a slow +freighter." <br> +<p>"Well, for one thing it would hardly do to change now, when +all our goods are on board. And besides, the captain of the +_Relstab_, on which we are going to sail, is a friend of +Professor Bumper's."<br> +</p> + +"Well, I'm just as glad Beecher and his party aren't going with +us," resumed Ned, after a pause. "It might make trouble." <br> +<p>"Oh, I'm ready for any trouble HE might make!" quickly +exclaimed Tom.<br> +</p> + +He meant trouble that might be developed in going to Honduras, +and starting the search for the lost city and the idol of gold. +This kind of trouble Tom and his friends had experienced before, +on other trips where rivals had sought to frustrate their ends. +<br> +<p>But, in his heart, though he said nothing to Ned about it, Tom +was worried. Much as he disliked to admit it to himself, he +feared the visit of Professor Beecher to Mary Nestor in +Fayetteville had but one meaning.<br> +</p> + +"I wonder if he's going to propose to her," thought Tom. "He has +the field all to himself now, and her father likes him. That's in +his favor. I guess Mr. Nestor has never quite forgiven me for +that mistake about the dynamite box, and that wasn't my fault. +Then, too, the Beecher and Nestor families have been friends for +years. Yes, he surely has the inside edge on me, and if he gets +her to throw me over---- Well, I won't give up without a fight!" +and Tom mentally girded himself for a battle of wits. <br> +<p>"He's relying on the prestige he'll get out of this idol of +gold if his party finds it," thought on the young inventor. "But +I'll help find it first. I'm glad to have a little start of him, +anyhow, even if it isn't more than two days. Though if our vessel +is held back much by storms he may get on the ground first. +However, that can't be helped. I'll do the best I can."<br> +</p> + +These thoughts shot through Tom's mind even as Ned was asking his +questions and making comments. Then the young inventor, shaking +his shoulders as though to rid them of some weight, remarked: +<br> +<p>"Well, come on out and see the sights. It will be long before +we look on Broadway again."<br> +</p> + +When the chums returned from their sightseeing excursion, they +found that Professor Bumper had arrived. <br> +<p>"Where's Professor Bumper?" asked Ned, the next day.<br> +</p> + +"In his room, going over books, papers and maps to make sure he +has everything." <br> +<p>"And Mr. Damon?"<br> +</p> + +Tom did not have to answer that last question. Into the apartment +came bursting the excited individual himself. <br> +<p>"Bless my overshoes!" he cried, "I've been looking everywhere +for you! Come on, there's no time to lose!"<br> +</p> + +"What's the matter now?" asked Ned. "Is the hotel on fire?" <br> +<p>"Has anything happened to Professor Bumper?" Tom demanded, a +wild idea forming in his head that perhaps some one of the +Beecher party had tried to kidnap the discoverer of the lost city +of Pelone.<br> +</p> + +"Oh, everything is all right," answered Mr. Damon. "But it's +nearly time for the show to start, and we don't want to be late. +I have tickets." <br> +<p>"For what?" asked Tom and Ned together.<br> +</p> + +"The movies," was the laughing reply. "Bless my loose ribs! but I +wouldn't miss him for anything. He's in a new play called `Up in +a Balloon Boys.' It's great!" and Mr. Damon named a certain comic +moving picture star in whose horse-play Mr. Damon took a curious +interest. Tom and Ned were glad enough to go, Tom that he might +have a chance to do a certain amount of thinking, and Ned because +he was still boy enough to like moving pictures. <br> +<p>"I wonder, Tom," said Mr. Damon, as they came out of the +theater two hours later, all three chuckling at the remembrance +of what they had seen, "I wonder you never turned your inventive +mind to the movies."<br> +</p> + +"Maybe I will, some day," said Tom. <br> +<p>He spoke rather uncertainly. The truth of the matter was that +he was still thinking deeply of the visit of Professor Beecher to +Mary Nestor, and wondering what it portended.<br> +</p> + +But if Tom's sleep was troubled that night he said nothing of it +to his friends. He was up early the next morning, for they were +to leave that day, and there was still considerable to be done in +seeing that their baggage and supplies were safely loaded, and in +attending to the last details of some business matters. <br> +<p>While at the hotel they had several glimpses of the members of +the Beecher party who were awaiting the arrival of the young +professor who was to lead them into the wilds of Honduras. But +our friends did not seek the acquaintance of their rivals. The +latter, likewise, remained by themselves, though they knew +doubtless that there was likely to be a strenuous race for the +possession of the idol of gold, then, it was presumed, buried +deep in some forest-covered city.<br> +</p> + +Professor Bumper had made his arrangements carefully. As he +explained to his friends, they would take the steamer from New +York to Puerto Cortes, one of the principal seaports of Honduras. +This is a town of about three thousand inhabitants, with an +excellent harbor and a big pier along which vessels can tie up +and discharge their cargoes directly into waiting cars. <br> +<p>The preparations were finally completed. The party went aboard +the steamer, which was a large freight vessel, carrying a limited +number of passengers, and late one afternoon swung down New York +Bay.<br> +</p> + +"Off for Honduras!" cried Ned gaily, as they passed the Statue of +Liberty. "I wonder what will happen before we see that little +lady again." <br> +<p>"Who knows?" asked Tom, shrugging his shoulders, Spanish +fashion. And there came before him the vision of a certain +"little lady," about whom he had been thinking deeply of +late.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_9">CHAPTER IX</h1> + +VAL JACINTO <br> +"Rather tame, isn't it, Tom?" <br> +<p>"Well, Ned, it isn't exactly like going up in an airship," and +Tom Swift who was gazing over the rail down into the deep blue +water of the Caribbean Sea, over which their vessel was then +steaming, looked at his chum beside him.<br> +</p> + +"No, and your submarine voyage had it all over this one for +excitement," went on Ned. "When I think of that----" <br> +<p>"Bless my sea legs!" interrupted Mr. Damon, overhearing the +conversation. "Don't speak of THAT trip. My wife never forgave me +for going on it. But I had a fine time," he added with a twinkle +of his eyes.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, that was quite a trip," observed Tom, as his mind went back +to it. "But this one isn't over yet remember. And I shouldn't be +surprised if we had a little excitement very soon." <br> +<p>"What do you mean?" asked Ned.<br> +</p> + +Up to this time the voyage from New York down into the tropical +seas had been anything but exciting. There were not many +passengers besides themselves, and the weather had been fine. +<br> +<p>At first, used as they were to the actions of unscrupulous +rivals in trying to thwart their efforts, Tom and Ned had been on +the alert for any signs of hidden enemies on board the steamer. +But aside from a little curiosity when it became known that they +were going to explore little-known portions of Honduras, the +other passengers took hardly any interest in our travelers.<br> +</p> + +It was thought best to keep secret the fact that they were going +to search for a wonderful idol of gold. Not even the mule and +ox-cart drivers, whom they would hire to take them into the wilds +of the interior would be told of the real object of the search. +It would be given out that they were looking for interesting +ruins of ancient cities, with a view to getting such antiquities +as might be there. <br> +<p>"What do you mean?" asked Ned again, when Tom did not answer +him immediately. "What's the excitement?"<br> +</p> + +"I think we're in for a storm," was the reply. "The barometer is +falling and I see the crew going about making everything snug. So +we may have a little trouble toward this end of our trip." <br> +<p>"Let it come!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "We're not afraid of +trouble, Tom. Swift, are we?"<br> +</p> + +"No, to be sure we're not. And yet it looks as though the storm +would be a bad one." <br> +<p>"Then I am going to see if my books and papers are ready, so I +can get them together in a hurry in case we have to take to the +life-boats," said Professor Bumper, coming on deck at that +moment. "It won't do to lose them. If we didn't have the map we +might not be able to find----"<br> +</p> + +"Ahem!" exclaimed Tom, with unnecessary emphasis it seemed. "I'll +help you go over your papers, Professor," he added, and with a +wink and a motion of his hand, he enjoined silence on his friend. +Ned looked around for a reason for this, and observed a man, +evidently of Spanish extraction, passing them as he paced up and +down the deck. <br> +<p>"What's the matter?" asked the scientist in a whisper, as the +man went on. "Do you know him? Is he a----?"<br> +</p> + +"I don't know anything about him," said Tom; "but it is best not +to speak of our trip before strangers." <br> +<p>"You are right, Tom," said Professor Bumper. "I'll be more +careful."<br> +</p> + +A storm was brewing, that was certain. A dull, sickly yellow +began to obscure the sky, and the water, from a beautiful blue, +turned a slate color and ran along the sides of the vessel with a +hissing sound as though the sullen waves would ask nothing better +than to suck the craft down into their depths. The wind, which +had been freshening, now sang in louder tones as it hummed +through the rigging and the funnel stays and bowled over the +receiving conductors of the wireless. <br> +<p>Sharp commands from the ship's officers hastened the work of +the crew in making things snug, and life lines were strung along +deck for the safety of such of the passengers as might venture up +when the blow began.<br> +</p> + +The storm was not long in coming. The howling of the wind grew +louder, flecks of foam began to separate themselves from the +crests of the waves, and the vessel pitched, rolled and tossed +more violently. At first Tom and his friends thought they were in +for no more than an ordinary blow, but as the storm progressed, +and the passengers became aware of the anxiety on the part of the +officers and crew, the alarm spread among them. <br> +<p>It really was a violent storm, approaching a hurricane in +force, and at one time it seemed as though the craft, having been +heeled far over under a staggering wave that swept her decks, +would not come back to an even keel.<br> +</p> + +There was a panic among some of the passengers, and a few excited +men behaved in a way that caused prompt action on the part of the +first officer, who drove them back to the main cabin under threat +of a revolver. For the men were determined to get to the +lifeboats, and a small craft would not have had a minute to live +in such seas as were running. <br> +<p>But the vessel proved herself sturdier than the timid ones had +dared to hope, and she was soon running before the blast, going +out of her course, it is true, but avoiding the danger among the +many cays, or small islands, that dot the Caribbean Sea.<br> +</p> + +There was nothing to do but to let the storm blow itself out, +which it did in two days. Then came a period of delightful +weather. The cargo had shifted somewhat, which gave the steamer a +rather undignified list. <br> +<p>This, as well as the loss of a deckhand overboard, was the +effect of the hurricane, and though the end of the trip came amid +sunshine and sweet-scented tropical breezes, many could not +forget the dangers through which they had passed.<br> +</p> + +In due time Tom and his party found themselves safely housed in +the small hotel at Puerto Cortes, their belongings stored in a +convenient warehouse and themselves, rather weary by reason of +the stress of weather, ready for the start into the interior +wilds of Honduras. <br> +<p>"How are we going to make the trip?" asked Ned, as they sat at +supper, the first night after their arrival, eating of several +dishes, the redpepper condiments of which caused frequent trips +to the water pitcher.<br> +</p> + +"We can go in two ways, and perhaps we shall find it to our +advantage to use both means," said Professor Bumper. "To get to +this city of Kurzon," he proceeded in a low voice, so that none +of the others in the dining-room would hear them, "we will have +to go either by mule back or boat to a point near Copan. As near +as I can tell by the ancient maps, Kurzon is in the Copan valley. +<br> +<p>"Now the Chamelecon river seems to run to within a short +distance of there, but there is no telling how far up it may be +navigable. If we can go by boat it will be much more comfortable. +Travel by mules and ox-carts is slow and sure, but the roads are +very bad, as I have heard from friends who have made explorations +in Honduras.<br> +</p> + +"And, as I said, we may have to use both land and water travel to +get us where we want to go. We can proceed as far as possible up +the river, and then take to the mules." <br> +<p>"What about arranging for boats and animals?" asked Tom. "I +should think----"<br> +</p> + +He suddenly ceased talking and reached for the water, taking +several large swallows. <br> +<p>"Whew!" he exclaimed, when he could catch his breath. "That +was a hot one."<br> +</p> + +"What did you do?" asked Ned. <br> +<p>"Bit into a nest of red pepper. Guess I'll have to tell that +cook to scatter his hits. He's bunching 'em too much in my +direction," and Tom wiped the tears from his eyes.<br> +</p> + +"To answer your question," said Professor Bumper, "I will say +that I have made partial arrangements for men and animals, and +boats if it is found feasible to use them. I've been in +correspondence with one of the merchants here, and he promised to +make arrangements for us." <br> +<p>"When do we leave?" asked Mr. Damon.<br> +</p> + +"As soon as possible. I am not going to risk anything by delay," +and it was evident the professor referred to his young rival +whose arrival might be expected almost any time. <br> +<p>As the party was about to leave the table, they were +approached by a tall, dignified Spaniard who bowed low, rather +exaggeratedly low, Ned thought, and addressed them in fairly good +English.<br> +</p> + +"Your pardons, Senors," he began, "but if it will please you to +avail yourself of the humble services of myself, I shall have +great pleasure in guiding you into the interior. I have at my +command both mules and boats." <br> +<p>"How do you know we are going into the interior?" asked Tom, a +bit sharply, for he did not like the assurance of the man.<br> +</p> + +"Pardon, Senor. I saw that you are from the States. And those +from the States do not come to Honduras except for two reasons. +To travel and make explorations or to start trade, and professors +do not usually engage in trade," and he bowed to Professor +Bumper. <br> +<p>"I saw your name on the register," he proceeded, "and it was +not difficult to guess your mission," and he flashed a smile on +the party, his white teeth showing brilliantly beneath his small, +black moustache.<br> +</p> + +"I make it my business to outfit traveling parties, either for +business, pleasure or scientific matters. I am, at your service, +Val Jacinto," and he introduced himself with another low bow. +<br> +<p>For a moment Tom and his friends hardly knew how to accept +this offer. It might be, as the man had said, that he was a +professional tour conductor, like those who have charge of +Egyptian donkey-boys and guides. Or might he not be a spy?<br> +</p> + +This occurred to Tom no less than to Professor Bumper. They +looked at one another while Val Jacinto bowed again and murmured: +<br> +<p>"At your service!"<br> +</p> + +"Can you provide means for taking us to the Copan valley?" asked +the professor. "You are right in one respect. I am a scientist +and I purpose doing some exploring near Copan. Can you get us +there?" <br> +<p>"Most expensively--I mean, most expeditionlessly," said Val +Jacinto eagerly. "Pardon my unhappy English. I forget at times. +The charges will be most moderate. I can send you by boat as far +as the river travel is good, and then have mules and ox-carts in +waiting."<br> +</p> + +"How far is it?" asked Tom. <br> +<p>"A hundred miles as the vulture flies, Senor, but much farther +by river and road. We shall be a week going."<br> +</p> + +"A hundred miles in a week!" groaned Ned. "Say, Tom, if you had +your aeroplane we'd be there in an hour." <br> +<p>"Yes, but we haven't it. However, we're in no great rush."<br> +</p> + +"But we must not lose time," said Professor Bumper. "I shall +consider your offer," he added to Val Jacinto. <br> +<p>"Very good, Senor. I am sure you will be pleased with the +humble service I may offer you, and my charges will be small. +Adios," and he bowed himself away.<br> +</p> + +"What do you think of him?" asked Ned, as they went up to their +rooms in the hotel, or rather one large room, containing several +beds. <br> +<p>"He's a pretty slick article," said Mr. Damon. "Bless my +check-book! but he spotted us at once, in spite of our +secrecy."<br> +</p> + +"I guess these guide purveyors are trained for that sort of +thing," observed the scientist. "I know my friends have often +spoken of having had the same experience. However, I shall ask my +friend, who is in business here, about this Val Jacinto, and if I +find him all right we may engage him " <br> +<p>Inquiries next morning brought the information, from the head +of a rubber exporting firm with whom the professor was +acquainted, that the Spaniard was regularly engaged in +transporting parties into the interior, and was considered +efficient, careful and as honest as possible, considering the men +he engaged as workers.<br> +</p> + +"So we have decided to engage you," Professor Bumper informed Val +Jacinto the afternoon following the meeting. <br> +<p>"I am more than pleased, Senor. I shall take you into the +wilds of Honduras. At your service!" and he bowed low.<br> +</p> + +"Humph! I don't just like the way our friend Val says that," +observed Tom to Ned a little later. "I'd have been better pleased +if he had said he'd guide us into the wilds and out again." <br> +<p>If Tom could have seen the crafty smile on the face of the +Spaniard as the man left the hotel, the young inventor might have +felt even less confidence in the guide.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_10">CHAPTER X</h1> + +IN THE WILDS <br> +"All aboard! Step lively now! This boat makes no stops this side +of Boston!" cried Ned Newton gaily, as he got into one of the +several tree canoes provided for the transportation of the party +up the Chamelecon river, for the first stage of their journey +into the wilds of Honduras. "All aboard! This reminds me of my +old camping days, Tom." <br> +<p>It brought those days back, in a measure, to Tom also. For +there were a number of canoes filled with the goods of the party, +while the members themselves occupied a larger one with their +personal baggage. Strong, half-naked Indian paddlers were in +charge of the canoes which were of sturdy construction and light +draft, since the river, like most tropical streams, was of +uncertain depths, choked here and there with sand bars or +tropical growths.<br> +</p> + +Finding that Val Jacinto was regularly engaged in the business of +taking explorers and mine prospectors into the interior, +Professor Bumper had engaged the man. He seemed to be efficient. +At the promised time he had the canoes and paddlers on hand and +the goods safely stowed away while one big craft was fitted up as +comfortably as possible for the men of the party. <br> +<p>As Ned remarked, it did look like a camping party, for in the +canoes were tents, cooking utensils and, most important, mosquito +canopies of heavy netting.<br> +</p> + +The insect pests of Honduras, as in all tropical countries, are +annoying and dangerous. Therefore it was imperative to sleep +under mosquito netting. <br> +<p>On the advice of Val Jacinto, who was to accompany them, the +travelers were to go up the river about fifty miles. This was as +far as it would be convenient to use the canoes, the guide told +Tom and his friends, and from there on the trip to the Copan +valley would be made on the backs of mules, which would carry +most of the baggage and equipment. The heavier portions would be +transported in ox-carts.<br> +</p> + +As Professor Bumper expected to do considerable excavating in +order to locate the buried city, or cities, as the case might be, +he had to contract for a number of Indian diggers and laborers. +These could be hired in Copan, it was said. <br> +<p>The plan, therefore, was to travel by canoes during the less +heated parts of the day, and tie up at night, making camp on +shore in the netprotected tents. As for the Indians, they did not +seem to mind the bites of the insects. They sometimes made a +smudge fire, Val Jacinto had said, but that was all.<br> +</p> + +"Well, we haven't seen anything of Beecher and his friends," +remarked the young inventor as they were about to start. <br> +<p>"No, he doesn't seem to have arrived," agreed Professor +Bumper. "We'll get ahead of him, and so much the better.<br> +</p> + +"Well, are we all ready to start?" he continued, as he looked +over the little flotilla which carried his party and his goods. +<br> +<p>"The sooner the better!" cried Tom, and Ned fancied his chum +was unusually eager.<br> +</p> + +"I guess he wants to make good before Beecher gets the chance to +show Mary Nestor what he can do," thought Ned. "Tom sure is after +that idol of gold." <br> +<p>"You may start, Senor Jacinto," said the professor, and the +guide called something in Indian dialect to the rowers. Lines +were cast off and the boats moved out into the stream under the +influence of the sturdy paddlers.<br> +</p> + +"Well, this isn't so bad," observed Ned, as he made himself +comfortable in his canoe. "How about it, Tom?" <br> +<p>"Oh, no. But this is only the beginning."<br> +</p> + +A canopy had been arranged over their boat to keep off the +scorching rays of the sun. The boat containing the exploring +party and Val Jacinto took the lead, the baggage craft following. +At the place where it flowed into the bay on which Puerto Cortes +was built, the stream was wide and deep. <br> +<p>The guide called something to the Indians, who increased their +stroke.<br> +</p> + +"I tell them to pull hard and that at the end of the day's +journey they will have much rest and refreshment," he translated +to Professor Bumper and the others. <br> +<p>"Bless my ham sandwich, but they'll need plenty of some sort +of refreshment," said Mr. Damon, with a sigh. "I never knew it to +be so hot."<br> +</p> + +"Don't complain yet," advised Tom, with a laugh. "The worst is +yet to come." <br> +<p>It really was not unpleasant traveling, aside from the heat. +And they had expected that, coming as they had to a tropical +land. But, as Tom said, what lay before them might be worse.<br> +</p> + +In a little while they had left behind them all signs of +civilization. The river narrowed and flowed sluggishly between +the banks which were luxuriant with tropical growth. Now and then +some lonely Indian hut could be seen, and occasionally a craft +propelled by a man who was trying to gain a meager living from +the rubber forest which hemmed in the stream on either side. <br> +<p>As the canoe containing the men was paddled along, there +floated down beside it what seemed to be a big, rough log.<br> +</p> + +"I wonder if that is mahogany," remarked Mr. Damon, reaching over +to touch it. "Mahogany is one of the most valuable woods of +Honduras, and if this is a log of that nature--- "Bless my watch +chain!" he suddenly cried. It's alive!" <br> +<p>And the "log" was indeed so, for there was a sudden flash of +white teeth, a long red opening showed, and then came a click as +an immense alligator, having opened and closed his mouth, sank +out of sight in a swirl of water.<br> +</p> + +Mr. Damon drew back so suddenly that he tilted the canoe, and the +black paddlers looked around wonderingly. <br> +<p>"Alligator," explained Jacinto succinctly, in their +tongue.<br> +</p> + +"Ugh!" they grunted. <br> +<p>"Bless my--bless my----" hesitated Mr. Damon, and for one of +the very few times in his life his language failed him.<br> +</p> + +"Are there many of them hereabouts?" asked Ned, looking back at +the swirl left by the saurian. <br> +<p>"Plenty," said the guide, with a shrug of his shoulders. He +seemed to do as much talking that way, and with his hands, as he +did in speech. "The river is full of them."<br> +</p> + +"Dangerous?" queried Tom. <br> +<p>"Don't go in swimming," was the significant advice. "Wait, +I'll show you," and he called up the canoe just behind.<br> +</p> + +In this canoe was a quantity of provisions. There was a chunk of +meat among other things, a gristly piece, seeing which Mr. Damon +had objected to its being brought along, but the guide had said +it would do for fish bait. With a quick motion of his hand, as he +sat in the awningcovered stern with Tom, Ned and the others, +Jacinto sent the chunk of meat out into the muddy stream. <br> +<p>Hardly a second later there was a rushing in the water as +though a submarine were about to come up. An ugly snout was +raised, two rows of keen teeth snapped shut as a scissorslike jaw +opened, and the meat was gone.<br> +</p> + +"See!" was the guide's remark, and something like a cold shiver +of fear passed over the white members of the party. "This water +is not made in which to swim. Be careful!" <br> +<p>"We certainly shall," agreed Tom. "They're fierce."<br> +</p> + +"And always hungry," observed Jacinto grimly. <br> +<p>"And to think that I--that I nearly had my hand on it," +murmured Mr. Damon. "Ugh! Bless my eyeglasses!"<br> +</p> + +"The alligator nearly had your hand," said the guide. "They can +turn in the water like a flash, wherefore it is not wise to pat +one on the tail lest it present its mouth instead." <br> +<p>They paddled on up the river, the dusky Indians now and then +breaking out into a chant that seemed to give their muscles new +energy. The song, if song it was, passed from one boat to the +other, and as the chant boomed forth the craft shot ahead more +swiftly.<br> +</p> + +They made a landing about noon, and lunch was served. Tom and his +friends were hungry in spite of the heat. Moreover, they were +experienced travelers and had learned not to fret over +inconveniences and discomforts. the Indians ate by themselves, +two acting as servants to Jacinto and the professor's party. <br> +<p>As is usual in traveling in the tropics, a halt was made +during the heated middle of the day. Then, as the afternoon +shadows were waning, the party again took to the canoes and +paddled on up the river.<br> +</p> + +"Do you know of a good place to stop during the night?" asked +Professor Bumper of Jacinto. <br> +<p>"Oh, yes; a most excellent place. It is where I always bring +scientific parties I am guiding. You may rely on me."<br> +</p> + +It was within an hour of dusk--none too much time to allow in +which to pitch camp in the tropics, where night follows day +suddenly--when a halt was called, as a turn of the river showed a +little clearing on the edge of the forest-bound river. <br> +<p>"We stay here for the night," said Jacinto. "It is a good +place."<br> +</p> + +"It looks picturesque enough," observed Mr. Damon. "But it is +rather wild." <br> +<p>"We are a good distance from a settlement," agreed the guide. +"But one can not explore-and find treasure in cities," and he +shrugged his shoulders again.<br> +</p> + +"Find treasure? What do you mean?" asked Tom quickly. "Do you +think that we----?" <br> +<p>"Pardon, Senor," replied Jacinto softly. "I meant no offense. +I think that all you scientific parties will take treasure if you +can find it."<br> +</p> + +"We are looking for traces of the old Honduras civilization," put +in Professor Bumper. <br> +<p>"And doubtless you will find it," was the somewhat too +courteous answer of the guide. "Make camp quickly!" he called to +the Indians in their tongue. "You must soon get under the nets or +you will be eaten alive!" he told Tom. "There are many mosquitoes +here."<br> +</p> + +The tents were set up, smudge fires built and supper quickly +prepared. Dusk fell rapidly, and as Tom and Ned walked a little +way down toward the river before turning in under the mosquito +canopies, the young financial man said: <br> +<p>"Sort of lonesome and gloomy, isn't it, Tom?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes. But you didn't expect to find a moving picture show in the +wilds of Honduras, did you?" <br> +<p>"No, and yet-- Look out! What's that?" suddenly cried Ned, as +a great soft, black shadow seemed to sweep out of a clump of +trees toward him. Involuntarily he clutched Tom's arm and +pointed, his face showing fear in the fast-gathering +darkness.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_11">CHAPTER XI</h1> + +THE VAMPIRES <br> +Tom Swift looked deliberately around. It was characteristic of +him that, though by nature he was prompt in action, he never +acted so hurriedly as to obscure his judgment. So, though now Ned +showed a trace of strange excitement, Tom was cool. <br> +<p>"What is it?" asked the young inventor. "What's the matter? +What did you think you saw, Ned; another alligator?"<br> +</p> + +"Alligator? Nonsense! Up on shore? I saw a black shadow, and I +didn't THINK I saw it, either. I really did." <br> +<p>Tom laughed quietly.<br> +</p> + +"A shadow!" he exclaimed. "Since when were you afraid of shadows, +Ned?" <br> +<p>"I'm not afraid of ordinary shadows," answered Ned, and in his +voice there was an uncertain tone. "I'm not afraid of my shadow +or yours, Tom, or anybody's that I can see. But this wasn't any +human shadow. It was as if a great big blob of wet darkness had +been waved over your head."<br> +</p> + +"That's a queer explanation," Tom said in a low voice. "A great +big blob of wet darkness!" <br> +<p>"But that just describes it," went on Ned, looking up and +around. "It was just as if you were in some dark room, and some +one waved a wet velvet cloak over your head--spooky like! It +didn't make a sound, but there was a smell as if a den of some +wild beast was near here. I remember that odor from the time we +went hunting with your electric rifle in the jungle, and got near +the den in the rocks where the tigers lived."<br> +</p> + +"Well, there is a wild beast smell all around here," admitted +Tom, sniffing the air. "It's the alligators in the river I guess. +You know they have an odor of musk." <br> +<p>"Do you mean to say you didn't feel that shadow flying over us +just now?" asked Ned.<br> +</p> + +"Well, I felt something sail through the air, but I took it to be +a big bird. I didn't pay much attention. To tell you the truth I +was thinking about Beecher--wondering when he would get here," +added Tom quickly as if to forestall any question as to whether +or not his thoughts had to do with Beecher in connection with +Tom's affair of the heart. <br> +<p>"Well it wasn't a bird--at least not a regular bird," said Ned +in a low voice, as once more he looked at the dark and gloomy +jungle that stretched back from the river and behind the little +clearing where the camp had been made.<br> +</p> + +"Come on!" cried Tom, in what he tried to make a cheerful voice. +"This is getting on your nerves, Ned, and I didn't know you had +any. Let's go back and turn in. I'm dog-tired and the mosquitoes +are beginning to find that we're here. Let's get under the nets. +Then the black shadows won't get you." <br> +<p>Not at all unwilling to leave so gloomy a scene, Ned, after a +brief glance up and down the dark river, followed his chum. They +found Professor Bumper and Mr. Damon in their tent, a separate +one having been set up for the two men adjoining that of the +youths.<br> +</p> + +"Bless my fountain pen!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, as he caught sight +of Tom and Ned in the flickering light of the smudge fire between +the two canvas shelters. "We were just wondering what had become +of you." <br> +<p>"We were chasing shadows!" laughed Tom. "At least Ned was. But +you look cozy enough in there."<br> +</p> + +It did, indeed, look cheerful in contrast to the damp and dark +jungle all about. Professor Bumper, being an experienced +traveler, knew how to provide for such comforts as were possible. +Folding cots had been opened for himself, Mr. Damon and the guide +to sleep on, others, similar, being set up in the tent where Tom +and Ned were to sleep. In the middle of the tent the professor +had made a table of his own and Mr. Damon's suit cases, and on +this placed a small dry battery electric light. He was making +some notes, doubtless for a future book. Jacinto was going about +the camp, seeing that the Indians were at their duties, though +most of them had gone directly to sleep after supper. <br> +<p>"Better get inside and under the nets," advised Professor +Bumper to Tom and Ned. "The mosquitoes here are the worst I ever +saw."<br> +</p> + +"We're beginning to believe that," returned Ned, who was +unusually quiet. "Come on, Tom. I can't stand it any longer. I'm +itching in a dozen places now from their bites." <br> +<p>As Tom and Ned had no wish for a light, which would be sure to +attract insects, they entered their tent in the dark, and were +soon stretched out in comparative comfort. Tom was just on the +edge of a deep sleep when he heard Ned murmur:<br> +</p> + +"I can't understand it!" <br> +<p>"What's that?" asked the young inventor.<br> +</p> + +"I say I can't understand it." <br> +<p>"Understand what?"<br> +</p> + +"That shadow. It was real and yet----" <br> +<p>"Oh, go to sleep!" advised Tom, and, turning over, he was soon +breathing heavily and regularly, indicating that he, at least, +had taken his own advice.<br> +</p> + +Ned, too, finally succumbed to the overpowering weariness of the +first day of travel, and he, too, slept, though it was an uneasy +slumber, disturbed by a feeling as though some one were holding a +heavy black quilt over his head, preventing him from breathing. +<br> +<p>The feeling, sensation or dream--whatever it was--perhaps a +nightmare--became at last so real to Ned that he struggled +himself into wakefulness. With an effort he sat up, uttering an +inarticulate cry. To his surprise he was answered. Some one +asked:<br> +</p> + +"What is the matter?" <br> +<p>"Who--who are you?" asked Ned quickly, trying to peer through +the darkness.<br> +</p> + +"This is Jacinto--your guide," was the soft answer. "I was +walking about camp and, hearing you murmuring, I came to your +tent. Is anything wrong?" <br> +<p>For a moment Ned did not answer. He listened and could tell by +the continued heavy and regular breathing of his chum that Tom +was still asleep.<br> +</p> + +"Are you in our tent?" asked Ned, at length: <br> +<p>"Yes," answered Jacinto. "I came in to see what was the matter +with you. Are you ill?"<br> +</p> + +"No, of course not," said Ned, a bit shortly. "I--I had a bad +dream, that was all. All right now." <br> +<p>"For that I am glad. Try to get all the sleep you can, for we +must start early to avoid the heat of the day," and there was the +sound of the guide leaving and arranging the folds of the +mosquito net behind him to keep out the nightflying insects.<br> +</p> + +Once more Ned composed himself to sleep, and this time +successfully, for he did not have any more unpleasant dreams. The +quiet of the jungle settled down over the camp, at least the +comparative quiet of the jungle, for there were always noises of +some sort going on, from the fall of some rotten tree limb to the +scream or growl of a wild beast, while, now and again, from the +river came the pig-like grunts of the alligators. <br> +<p>It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they ascertained +later, when the whole camp-white travelers and all--was suddenly +awakened by a wild scream. It seemed to come from one of the +natives, who called out a certain word ever and over again. To +Tom and Ned it sounded like:<br> +</p> + +"Oshtoo! Oshtoo! Oshtoo!" <br> +<p>"What's the matter?" cried Professor Bumper.<br> +</p> + +"The vampires!" came the answering voice of Jacinto. "One of the +Indians has been attacked by a big vampire bat! Look out, every +one! It may be a raid by the dangerous creatures! Be careful!" +<br> +<p>Notwithstanding this warning Ned stuck his head out of the +tent. The same instant he was aware of a dark enfolding shadow +passing over him, and, with a shudder of fear, he jumped +back.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_12">CHAPTER XII</h1> + +A FALSE FRIEND <br> +"What is it? What's the matter?" cried Tom springing from his cot +and hastening to the side of his chum in the tent. "What has +happened, Ned?" <br> +<p>"I don't know, but Jacinto is yelling something about +vampires!"<br> +</p> + +"Vampires?" <br> +<p>"Yes. Big bats. And he's warning us to be careful. I stuck my +head out just now and I felt that same sort of shadow I felt this +evening when we were down near the river."<br> +</p> + +"Nonsense!" <br> +<p>"I tell you I did!"<br> +</p> + +At that instant Tom flashed a pocket electric lamp he had taken +from beneath his pillow and in the gleam of it he and Ned saw +fluttering about the tent some dark, shadow-like form, at the +sight of which Tom's chum cried: <br> +<p>"There it is! That's the shadow! Look out!" and he held up his +hands instinctively to shield his face.<br> +</p> + +"Shadow!" yelled Tom, unconsciously adding to the din that seemed +to pervade every part of the camp. "That isn't a shadow. It's +substance. It's a monster bat, and here goes for a strike at it!" +<br> +<p>He caught up his camera tripod which was near his cot, and +made a swing with it at the creature that had flown into the tent +through an opening it had made for itself.<br> +</p> + +"Look out!" yelled Ned. "If it's a vampire it'll----" <br> +<p>"It won't do anything to me!" shouted Tom, as he struck the +creature, knocking it into the corner of the tent with a thud +that told it must be completely stunned, if not killed. "But +what's it all about, anyhow?" Tom asked. "What's the row?"<br> +</p> + +From without the tent came the Indian cries of: <br> +<p>"Oshtoo! Oshtoo!"<br> +</p> + +Mingled with them were calls of Jacinto, partly in Spanish, +partly in the Indian tongue and partly in English. <br> +<p>"It is a raid by vampire bats!" was all Tom and Ned could +distinguish. "We shall have to light fires to keep them away, if +we can succeed. Every one grab up a club and strike hard!"<br> +</p> + +"Come on!" cried Tom, getting on some clothes by the light of his +gleaming electric light which he had set on his cot. <br> +<p>"You're not going out there, are you?" asked Ned.<br> +</p> + +"I certainly am! If there's a fight I want to be in it, bats or +anything else. Here, you have a light like mine. Flash it on, and +hang it somewhere on yourself. Then get a club and come on. The +lights will blind the bats, and we can see to hit 'em!" <br> +<p>Tom's plan seemed to be a good one. His lamp and Ned's had +small hooks on them, so they could be carried in the upper coat +pocket, showing a gleam of light and leaving the hands free for +use.<br> +</p> + +Out of the tents rushed the young men to find Professor Bumper +and Mr. Damon before them. The two men had clubs and were +striking about in the half darkness, for now the Indians had set +several fires aglow. And in the gleams, constantly growing +brighter as more fuel was piled on, the young inventor and his +chum saw a weird sight. <br> +<p>Circling and wheeling about in the camp clearing were many of +the black shadowy forms that had caused Ned such alarm. Great +bats they were, and a dangerous species, if Jacinto was to be +believed.<br> +</p> + +The uncanny creatures flew in and out among the trees and tents, +now swooping low near the Indians or the travelers. At such times +clubs would be used, often with the effect of killing or stunning +the flying pests. For a time it seemed as if the bats would +fairly overwhelm the camp, so many of them were there. But the +increasing lights, and the attacks made by the Indians and the +white travelers turned the tide of battle, and, with silent +flappings of their soft, velvety wings, the bats flew back to the +jungle whence they had emerged. <br> +<p>"We are safe--for the present!" exclaimed Jacinto with a sigh +of relief.<br> +</p> + +"Do you think they will come back?" asked Tom. <br> +<p>"They may--there is no telling."<br> +</p> + +"Bless my speedometer!" cried Mr. Damon, "If those beasts or +birds--whatever they are-come back I'll go and hide in the river +and take my chances with the alligators!" <br> +<p>"The alligators aren't much worse," asserted Jacinto with a +visible shiver. "These vampire bats sometimes depopulate a whole +village."<br> +</p> + +"Bless my shoe laces!" cried Mr. Damon. "You don't mean to say +that the creatures can eat up a whole village?" <br> +<p>"Not quite. Though they might if they got the chance," was the +answer of the Spanish guide. "These vampire bats fly from place +to place in great swarms, and they are so large and blood-thirsty +that a few of them can kill a horse or an ox in a short time by +sucking its blood. So when the villagers find they are visited by +a colony of these vampires they get out, taking their live stock +with them, and stay in caves or in densely wooded places until +the bats fly on. Then the villagers come back.<br> +</p> + +"It was only a small colony that visited us tonight or we would +have had more trouble. I do not think this lot will come back. We +have killed too many of them," and he looked about on the ground +where many of the uncanny creatures were still twitching in the +death struggle. <br> +<p>"Come back again!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my skin! I hope +not! I've had enough of bats-and mosquitoes," he added, as he +slapped at his face and neck.<br> +</p> + +Indeed the party of whites were set upon by the night insects to +such an extent that it was necessary to hurry back to the +protection of the nets. <br> +<p>Tom and Ned kicked outside the bat the former had killed in +their tent, and then both went back to their cots. But it was +some little time before they fell asleep. And they did not have +much time to rest, for an early start must be made to avoid the +terrible heat of the middle of the day.<br> +</p> + +"Whew!" whistled Ned, as he and Tom arose in the gray dawn of the +morning when Jacinto announced the breakfast which the Indian +cook had prepared. "That was some night! If this is a sample of +the wilds of Honduras, give me the tameness of Shopton." <br> +<p>"Oh, we've gone through with worse than this," laughed Tom. +"It's all in the day's work. We've only got started. I guess +we're a bit soft, Ned, though we had hard enough work in that +tunnel-digging."<br> +</p> + +After breakfast, while the Indians were making ready the canoes, +Professor Bumper, who, in a previous visit to Central America, +had become interested in the subject, made a brief examination of +some of the dead bats. They were exceptionally large, some almost +as big as hawks. and were of the sub-family _Desmodidae_, the +scientist said. <br> +<p>"This is a true blood-sucking bat," went on the professor. +"This," and he pointed to the nose-leaves, "is the sucking +apparatus. The bat makes an opening in the skin with its sharp +teeth and proceeds to extract the blood. I can well believe two +or three of them, attacking a steer or mule at once, could soon +weaken it so the animal would die."<br> +</p> + +"And a man, too?" asked Ned. <br> +<p>"Well a man has hands with which to use weapons, but a +helpless quadruped has not. Though if a sufficient number of +these bats attacked a man at the same time, he would have small +chance to escape alive. Their bites, too, may be poisonous for +all I know."<br> +</p> + +The Indians seemed glad to leave the "place of the bats," as they +called the camp site. Jacinto explained that the Indians believed +a vampire could kill them while they slept, and they were very +much afraid of the blood-sucking bats. There were many other +species in the tropics, Professor Bumper explained, most of which +lived on fruit or on insects they caught. The blood-sucking bats +were comparatively few, and the migratory sort fewer still. <br> +<p>"Well, we're on our way once more," remarked Tom as again they +were in the canoes being paddled up the river. "How much longer +does your water trip take, Professor?"<br> +</p> + +"I hardly know," and Professor Bumper looked to Jacinto to +answer. <br> +<p>"We go two more days in the canoes," the guide answered, "and +then we shall find the mules waiting for us at a place called +Hidjio. From then on we travel by land until--well until you get +to the place where you are going.<br> +</p> + +"I suppose you know where it is?" he added, nodding toward the +professor. "I am leaving that part to you." <br> +<p>"Oh, I have a map, showing where I want to begin some +excavations," was the answer. "We must first go to Copan and see +what arrangements we can make for laborers. After that--well, we +shall trust to luck for what we shall find."<br> +</p> + +"There are said to be many curious things," went on Jacinto, +speaking as though he had no interest. "You have mentioned buried +cities. Have you thought what may be in them--great heathen +temples, idols, perhaps?" <br> +<p>For a moment none of the professor's companions spoke. It was +as though Jacinto had tried to get some information. Finally the +scientist said:<br> +</p> + +"Oh, yes, we may find an idol. I understand the ancient people, +who were here long before the Spaniards came, worshiped idols. +But we shall take whatever antiquities we find." <br> +<p>"Huh!" grunted Jacinto, and then he called to the paddlers to +increase their strokes.<br> +</p> + +The journey up the river was not very eventful. Many alligators +were seen, and Tom and Ned shot several with the electric rifle. +Toward the close of the third day's travel there was a cry from +one of the rear boats, and an alarm of a man having fallen +overboard was given. <br> +<p>Tom turned in time to see the poor fellow's struggles, and at +the same time there was a swirl in the water and a black object +shot forward.<br> +</p> + +"An alligator is after him!" yelled Ned. <br> +<p>"I see," observed Tom calmly. "Hand me the rifle, Ned."<br> +</p> + +Tom took quick aim and pulled the trigger. The explosive electric +bullet went true to its mark, and the great animal turned over in +a death struggle. But the river was filled with them, and no +sooner had the one nearest the unfortunate Indian been disposed +of than another made a dash for the man. <br> +<p>There was a wild scream of agony and then a dark arm shot up +above the red foam. The waters seethed and bubbled as the +alligators fought under it for possession of the paddler. Tom +fired bullet after bullet from his wonderful rifle into the spot, +but though he killed some of the alligators this did not save the +man's life. His body was not seen again, though search was made +for it.<br> +</p> + +The accident cast a little damper over the party, and there was a +feeling of gloom among the Indians. Professor Bumper announced +that he would see to it that the man's family did not want, and +this seemed to give general satisfaction, especially to a brother +who was with the party. <br> +<p>Aside from being caught in a drenching storm and one or two +minor accidents, nothing else of moment marked the remainder of +the river journey, and at the end of the third day the canoes +pulled to shore and a night camp was made.<br> +</p> + +"But where are the mules we are to use in traveling to-morrow?" +asked the professor of Jacinto. <br> +<p>"In the next village. We shall march there in the morning. No +use to go there at night when all is dark."<br> +</p> + +"I suppose that is so." <br> +<p>The Indians made camp as usual, the goods being brought from +the canoes and piled up near the tents. Then night settled +down.<br> +</p> + +"Hello!" cried Tom, awakening the next morning to find the sun +streaming into his tent. "We must have overslept, Ned. We were to +start before old Sol got in his heavy work, but we haven't had +breakfast yet." <br> +<p>"I didn't hear any one call us," remarked Ned.<br> +</p> + +"Nor I. Wonder if we're the only lazy birds." He looked from the +tent in time to see Mr. Damon and the professor emerging. Then +Tom noticed something queer. The canoes were not on the river +bank. There was not an Indian in sight, and no evidence of +Jacinto. <br> +<p>"What's the matter?" asked the young inventor. "Have the +others gone on ahead?"<br> +</p> + +"I rather think they've gone back," was the professor's dry +comment. <br> +<p>"Gone back?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes. The Indians seem to have deserted us at the ending of this +stage of our journey." <br> +<p>"Bless my time-table!" cried Mr. Damon. "You don't say so! +What does it mean? What has becomes of our friend Jacinto?"<br> +</p> + +"I'm afraid he was rather a false friend," was the professor's +answer. "This is the note he left. He has gone and taken the +canoes and all the Indians with him," and he held out a paper on +which was some scribbled writing. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_13">CHAPTER XIII</h1> + +FORWARD AGAIN <br> +<p>"What does it all mean?" asked Tom, seeing that the note was +written in Spanish, a tongue which he could speak slightly but +read indifferently.<br> +</p> + +"This is some of Beecher's work," was Professor Bumper's grim +comment. "It seems that Jacinto was in his pay." <br> +<p>"In his pay!" cried Mr. Damon. "Do you mean that Beecher +deliberately hired Jacinto to betray us?"<br> +</p> + +"Well, no. Not that exactly. Here, I'll translate this note for +you," and the professor proceeded to read: <br> +<p>"Senors: I greatly regret the step I have to take, but I am a +gentleman, and, having given my word, I must keep it. No harm +shall come to you, I swear it on my honor!"<br> +</p> + +"Queer idea of honor he has!" commented Tom, grimly. <br> +<p>Professor Bumper read on:<br> +</p> + +"Know then, that before I engaged myself to you I had been +engaged by Professor Beecher through a friend to guide him into +the Copan valley, where he wants to make some explorations, for +what I know not, save maybe that it is for gold. I agreed, in +case any rival expeditions came to lead them astray if I could. +<br> +<p>"So, knowing from what you said that you were going to this +place, I engaged myself to you, planning to do what I have done. +I greatly regret it, as I have come to like you, but I had given +my promise to Professor Beecher's friend, that I would first lead +him to the Copan valley, and would keep others away until he had +had a chance to do his exploration.<br> +</p> + +"So I have led you to this wilderness. It is far from the Copan, +but you are near an Indian village, and you will be able to get +help in a week or so. In the meanwhile you will not starve, as +you have plenty of supplies. If you will travel northeast you +will come again to Puerto Cortes in due season. As for the money +I had from you, I deposit it to your credit, Professor Beecher +having made me an allowance for steering rival parties on the +wrong trail. So I lose nothing, and I save my honor. <br> +<p>"I write this note as I am leaving in the night with the +Indians. I put some harmless sedative in your tea that you might +sleep soundly, and not awaken until we were well on our way. Do +not try to follow us, as the river will carry us swiftly away. +And, let me add, there is no personal animosity on the part of +Professor Beecher against you. I should have done to any rival +expedition the same as I have done with you. JACINTO."<br> +</p> + +For a moment there was silence, and then Tom Swift burst out +with: <br> +<p>"Well, of all the mean, contemptible tricks of a human skunk +this is the limit!"<br> +</p> + +"Bless my hairbrush, but he is a scoundrel!" ejaculated Mr. +Damon, with great warmth. <br> +<p>"I'd like to start after him the biggest alligator in the +river," was Ned's comment.<br> +</p> + +Professor Bumper said nothing for several seconds. There was a +strange look on his face, and then he laughed shortly, as though +the humor of the situation appealed to him. <br> +<p>"Professor Beecher has more gumption than I gave him credit +for," he said. "It was a clever trick!"<br> +</p> + +"Trick!" cried Tom. <br> +<p>"Yes. I can't exactly agree that it was the right thing to do, +but he, or some friend acting for him, seems to have taken +precautions that we are not to suffer or lose money. Beecher goes +on the theory that all is fair in love and war, I suppose, and he +may call this a sort of scientific war."<br> +</p> + +Ned wondered, as he looked at his chum, how much love there was +in it. Clearly Beecher was determined to get that idol of gold. +<br> +<p>"Well, it can't be helped, and we must make the best of it," +said Tom, after a pause.<br> +</p> + +"True. But now, boys, let's have breakfast, and then we'll make +what goods we can't take with us as snug as possible, until we +can send the mule drivers after them," went on Professor Bumper. +<br> +<p>"Send the mule drivers after them?" questioned Ned. "What do +you mean to do?"<br> +</p> + +"Do? Why keep on, of course. You don't suppose I'm going to let a +little thing like this stand between me and the discovery of +Kurzon and the idol of gold, do you?" <br> +<p>"But," began Mr. Damon, "I don't see how--"<br> +</p> + +"Oh, we'll find a way," interrupted Tom. "It isn't the first time +I've been pretty well stranded on an expedition of this kind, and +sometimes from the same cause--the actions of a rival. Now we'll +turn the tables on the other fellows and see how they like it. +The professor's right --let's have breakfast. Jacinto seems to +have told the truth. Nothing of ours is missing." <br> +<p>Tom and Ned got the meal, and then a consultation was held as +to what was best to be done.<br> +</p> + +"We can't go on any further by water, that's sure," said Tom. "In +the first place the river is too shallow, and secondly we have no +canoes. So the only thing is to go on foot through the jungle." +<br> +<p>"But how can we, and carry all this stuff?" asked Ned.<br> +</p> + +"We needn't carry it!" cried Professor Bumper. "We'll leave it +here, where it will be safe enough, and tramp on to the nearest +Indian village. There we'll hire bearers to take our stuff on +until we can get mules. I'm not going to turn back!" <br> +<p>"Good!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my rubber boots! but that's +what I say--keep on!"<br> +</p> + +"Oh, no! we'll never turn back," agreed Tom. <br> +<p>"But how can we manage it?" asked Ned.<br> +</p> + +"We've just got to! And when you have to do a thing, it's a whole +lot easier to do than if you just feel as though you ought to. +So, lively is the word!" cried Tom, in answer. <br> +<p>"We'll pack up what we can carry and leave the rest," added +the scientist.<br> +</p> + +Being an experienced traveler Professor Bumper had arranged his +baggage so that it could be carried by porters if necessary. +Everything could be put into small packages, including the tents +and food supply. <br> +<p>"There are four of us," remarked Tom, "and if we can not pack +enough along with us to enable us to get to the nearest village, +we had better go back to civilization. I'm not afraid to +try."<br> +</p> + +"Nor I!" cried Mr. Damon. <br> +<p>The baggage, stores and supplies that were to be left behind +were made as snug as possible, and so piled up that wild beasts +could do the least harm. Then a pack was made up for each one to +carry.<br> +</p> + +They would take weapons, of course, Tom Swift's electric rifle +being the one he choose for himself. They expected to be able to +shoot game on their way, and this would provide them food in +addition to the concentrated supply they carried. Small tents, in +sections, were carried, there being two, one for Tom and Ned and +one for Mr. Damon and the professor. <br> +<p>As far as could be learned from a casual inspection, Jacinto +and his deserting Indians had taken back with them only a small +quantity of food. They were traveling light and down stream, and +could reach the town much more quickly than they had come away +from it.<br> +</p> + +"That Beecher certainly was slick," commented Professor Bumper +when they were ready to start. "He must have known about what +time I would arrive, and he had Jacinto waiting for us. I thought +it was too good to be true, to get an experienced guide like him +so easily. But it was all planned, and I was so engrossed in +thinking of the ancient treasures I hope to find that I never +thought of a possible trick. Well, let's start!" and he led the +way into the jungle, carrying his heavy pack as lightly as did +Tom. <br> +<p>Professor Bumper had a general idea in which direction lay a +number of native villages, and it was determined to head for +them, blazing a path through the wilderness, so that the Indians +could follow it back to the goods left behind.<br> +</p> + +It was with rather heavy hearts that the party set off, but Tom's +spirits could not long stay clouded, and the scientist was so +good-natured about the affair and seemed so eager to do the +utmost to render Beecher's trick void, that the others fell into +a lighter mood, and went on more cheerfully, though the way was +rough and the packs heavy. <br> +<p>They stopped at noon under a bower they made of palms, and, +spreading the nets over them, got a little rest after a lunch. +Then, when the sun was less hot, they started off again.<br> +</p> + +"Forward is the word!" cried Ned cheerfully. "Forward!"' <br> +<p>They had not gone more than an hour on the second stage of +their tramp when Tom, who was in the lead, following the +direction laid out by the compass, suddenly stopped, and reached +around for his electric rifle, which he was carrying at his +back.<br> +</p> + +"What is it?" asked Ned in a whisper. <br> +<p>"I don't know, but it's some big animal there in the bushes," +was Tom's low-voiced answer. "I'm ready for it."<br> +</p> + +The rustling increased, and a form could be seen indistinctly. +Tom aimed the deadly gun and stood ready to pull the trigger. +<br> +<p>Ned, tho had a side view into the underbrush, gave a sudden +cry.<br> +</p> + +"Don't shoot, Tom!" he yelled. "It's a man!" <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_14">CHAPTER XIV:</h1> + +A NEW GUIDE <br> +<p>In spite of Ned Newton's cry, Tom's finger pressed the +switch-trigger of the electric rifle, for previous experience had +taught him that it was sometimes the best thing to awe the +natives in out-of-the-way corners of the earth. But the young +inventor quickly elevated the muzzle, and the deadly missile went +hissing through the air over the head of a native Indian who, at +that moment, stepped from the bush.<br> +</p> + +The man, startled and alarmed, shrank back and was about to run +into the jungle whence he had emerged. Small wonder if he had, +considering the reception he so unwittingly met with. But Tom. +aware of the necessity for making inquiries of one who knew that +part of the jungle, quickly called to him. <br> +<p>"Hold on!" he shouted. "Wait a minute. I didn't mean that. I +thought at first you were a tapir or a tiger. No harm intended. I +say, Professor," Tom called back to the savant, "you'd better +speak to him in his lingo, I can't manage it. He may be useful in +guiding us to that Indian village Jacinto told us of."<br> +</p> + +This Professor Bumper did, being able to make himself understood +in the queer part-Spanish dialect used by the native Hondurians, +though he could not, of course, speak it as fluently as had +Jacinto. <br> +<p>Professor Bumper had made only a few remarks to the man who +had so unexpectedly appeared out of the jungle when the scientist +gave an exclamation of surprise at some of the answers made.<br> +</p> + +"Bless my moving picture!" cried Mr. Damon. <br> +<p>"What's the matter now? Is anything wrong? Does he refuse to +help us?"<br> +</p> + +"No, it isn't that," was the answer. "In fact he came here to +help us. Tom, this is the brother of the Indian who fell +overboard and who was eaten by the alligators. He says you were +very kind to try to save his brother with your rifle, and for +that reason he has come back to help us." <br> +<p>"Come back?" queried Tom.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, he went off with the rest of the Indians when Jacinto +deserted us, but he could not stand being a traitor, after you +had tried to save his brother's life. These Indians are queer +people. <br> +<p>They don't show much emotion, but they have deep feelings. +This one says he will devote himself to your service from now on. +I believe we can count on him. He is deeply grateful to you, +Tom."<br> +</p> + +"I'm glad of that for all our sakes. But what does he say about +Jacinto?" <br> +<p>The professor asked some more questions, receiving answers, +and then translated them.<br> +</p> + +"This Indian, whose name is Tolpec, says Jacinto is a fraud," +exclaimed Professor Bumper. "He made all the Indians leave us in +the night, though many of them were willing to stay and fill the +contract they had made. But Jacinto would not let them, making +them desert. Tolpec went away with the others, but because of +what Tom had done he planned to come back at the first chance and +be our guide. Accordingly he jumped ashore from one of the +canoes, and made his way to our camp. He got there, found it +deserted and followed us, coming up just now." <br> +<p>"Well I'm glad I didn't frighten him off with my gun," +remarked Tom grimly. "So he agrees with us that Jacinto is a +scoundrel, does he? I guess he might as well classify Professor +Beecher in the same way."<br> +</p> + +"I am not quite so sure of that," said Professor Bumper slowly. +"I can not believe Beecher would play such a trick as this, +though some over-zealous friend of his might." <br> +<p>"Oh, of course Beecher did it!" cried Tom. "He heard we were +coming here, figured out that we'd start ahead of him, and he +wanted to sidetrack us. Well, he did it all right," and Tom's +voice was bitter.<br> +</p> + +"He has only side-tracked us for a while," announced Professor +Bumper in cheerful tones. <br> +<p>"What do you mean?" asked Mr. Damon.<br> +</p> + +"I mean that this Indian comes just in the nick of time. He is +well acquainted with this part of the jungle, having lived here +all his life, and he offers to guide us to a place where we can +get mules to transport ourselves and our baggage to Copan." <br> +<p>"Fine!" cried Ned. "When can we start?"<br> +</p> + +Once more the professor and the native conversed in the strange +tongue, and then Professor Bumper announced: <br> +<p>"He says it will be better for us to go back where we left our +things and camp there. He will stay with us to-night and in the +morning go on to the nearest Indian town and come back with +porters and helpers."<br> +</p> + +"I think that is good advice to follow," put in Tom, "for we do +need our goods; and if we reached the settlement ourselves, we +would have to send back for our things, with the uncertainty of +getting them all." <br> +<p>So it was agreed that they would make a forced march back +through the jungle to where they had been deserted by Jacinto. +There they would make camp for the night, and until such time as +Tolpec could return with a force of porters.<br> +</p> + +It was not easy, that backward tramp through the jungle, +especially as night had fallen. But the new Indian guide could +see like a cat, and led the party along paths they never could +have found by themselves. The use of their pocket electric lights +was a great help, and possibly served to ward off the attacks of +jungle beasts, for as they tramped along they could hear stealthy +sounds in the underbush on either side of the path, as though +tigers were stalking them. For there was in the woods an animal +of the leopard family, called tiger or "tigre" by the natives, +that was exceedingly fierce and dangerous. But watchfulness +prevented any accident, and eventually the party reached the +place where they had left their goods. Nothing had been +disturbed, and finally a fire was made, the tents set up and a +light meal, with hot tea served. <br> +<p>"We'll get ahead of Beecher yet," said Tom.<br> +</p> + +"You seem as anxious as Professor Bumper," observed Mr. Damon, +<br> +<p>"I guess I am," admitted Tom. "I want to see that idol of gold +in the possession of our party."<br> +</p> + +The night passed without incident, and then, telling his new +friends that he would return as soon as possible with help, +Tolpec, taking a small supply of food with him, set out through +the jungle again. <br> +<p>As the green vines and creepers closed after him, and the +explorers were left alone with their possessions piled around +them, Ned remarked:<br> +</p> + +"After all, I wonder if it was wise to let him go?" <br> +<p>"Why not?" asked Tom.<br> +</p> + +"Well, maybe he only wanted to get us back here, and then he'll +desert, too. Maybe that's what he's done now, making us lose two +or three days by inducing us to return, waiting for what will +never happen--his return with other natives." <br> +<p>A silence followed Ned's intimation.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_15">CHAPTER XV</h1> + +IN THE COILS <br> +"Ned, do you really think Tolpec is going to desert us?" asked +Tom. <br> +<p>"Well, I don't know," was the slowly given reply. "It's a +possibility, isn't it?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes, it is," broke in Professor Bumper. "But what if it is? We +might as well trust him, and if he proves true, as I believe he +will, we'll be so much better off. If he proves a traitor we'll +only have lost a few days, for if he doesn't come back we can go +on again in the way we started." <br> +<p>"But that's just it!" complained Tom. "We don't want to lose +any time with that Beecher chap on our trail."<br> +</p> + +"I am not so very much concerned about him," remarked Professor +Bumper, dryly. <br> +<p>"Why not?" snapped out Mr. Damon.<br> +</p> + +"Well, because I think he'll have just about as hard work +locating the hidden city, and finding the idol of gold, as we'll +have. In other words it will be an even thing, unless he gets too +far ahead of us, or keeps us back, and I don't believe he can do +that now. <br> +<p>"So I thought it best to take a chance with this Indian. He +would hardly have taken the trouble to come all the way back, and +run the risks he did, just to delay us a few days. However, we'll +soon know. Meanwhile, we'll take it easy and wait for the return +of Tolpec and his friends."<br> +</p> + +Though none of them liked to admit it, Ned's words had caused his +three friends some anxiety, and though they busied themselves +about the camp there was an air of waiting impatiently for +something to occur. And waiting is about the hardest work there +is. <br> +<p>But there was nothing for it but to wait, and it might be at +least a week, Professor Bumper said, before the Indian could +return with a party of porters and mules to move their +baggage.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, Tolpec has not only to locate the settlement," Tom +admitted, "but he must persuade the natives to come back with +him. He may have trouble in that, especially if it is known that +he has left Jacinto, who, I imagine, is a power among the tribes +here." <br> +<p>But there were only two things left to do--wait and hope. The +travelers did both. Four days passed and there was no sign of +Tolpec. Eagerly, and not a little anxiously, they watched the +jungle path along which he had disappeared.<br> +</p> + +"Oh, come on!" exclaimed Tom one morning, when the day seemed a +bit cooler than its predecessor. "Let's go for a hunt, or +something! I'm tired of sitting around camp." <br> +<p>"Bless my watch hands! So am I!" cried Mr. Damon. "Let's all +go for a trip. It will do us good."<br> +</p> + +"And perhaps I can get some specimens of interest," added +Professor Bumper, who, in addition to being an archaeologist, was +something of a naturalist. <br> +<p>Accordingly, having made everything snug in camp, the party, +Tom and Ned equipped with electric rifles, and the professor with +a butterfly net and specimen boxes, set forth. Mr. Damon said he +would carry a stout club as his weapon.<br> +</p> + +The jungle, as usual, was teeming with life, but as Ned and Tom +did not wish to kill wantonly they refrained from shooting until +later in the day. For once it was dead, game did not keep well in +that hot climate, and needed to be cooked almost immediately. +<br> +<p>"We'll try some shots on our back trip," said the young +inventor.<br> +</p> + +Professor Bumper found plenty of his own particular kind of +"game" which he caught in the net, transferring the specimens to +the boxes he carried. There were beautiful butterflies, moths and +strange bugs in the securing of which the scientist evinced great +delight, though when one beetle nipped him firmly and painfully +on his thumb his involuntary cry of pain was as real as that of +any other person. <br> +<p>"But I didn't let him get away," he said in triumph when he +had dropped the clawing insect into the cyanide bottle where +death came painlessly. "It is well worth a sore thumb."<br> +</p> + +They wandered on through the jungle, taking care not to get too +far from their camp, for they did not want to lose their way, nor +did they want to be absent too long in case Tolpec and his native +friends should return. <br> +<p>"Well, it's about time we shot something, I think," remarked +Ned, when they had been out about two hours. "Let's try for some +of these wild turkeys. They ought to go well roasted even if it +isn't Thanksgiving."<br> +</p> + +"I'm with you," agreed Tom. "Let's see who has the best luck. But +tone down the charge in your rifle and use a smaller projectile, +or you'll have nothing but a bunch of feathers to show for your +shot. The guns are loaded for deer." <br> +<p>The change was made, and once more the two young men started +off, a little ahead of Professor Bumper and Mr. Damon. Tom and +Ned had not gone far, however, before they heard a strange cry +from Mr. Damon.<br> +</p> + +"Tom! Ned!" shouted the eccentric man, "Here's a monster after +me! Come quick!" <br> +<p>"A tiger!" ejaculated Tom, as he began once more to change the +charge in his rifle to a larger one, running back, meanwhile, in +the direction of the sound of the voice.<br> +</p> + +There were really no tigers in Honduras, the jaguar being called +a tiger by the natives, while the cougar is called a lion. The +presence of these animals, often dangerous to man, had been +indicated around camp, and it was possible that one had been bold +enough to attack Mr. Damon, not through hunger, but because of +being cornered. <br> +<p>"Come on, Ned!" cried Tom. "He's in some sort of trouble!"<br> +</p> + +But when, a moment later, the young inventor burst through a +fringe of bushes and saw Mr. Damon standing in a little clearing, +with upraised club, Tom could not repress a laugh. <br> +<p>"Kill it, Tom! Kill it!" begged the eccentric man. "Bless my +insurance policy, but it's a terrible beast!"<br> +</p> + +And so it was, at first glance. For it was a giant iguana, one of +the most repulsive-looking of the lizards. Not unlike an +alligator in shape, with spikes on its head and tail, with a +warty, squatty ridge-encrusted body, a big pouch beneath its +chin, and long-toed claws, it was enough to strike terror into +the heart of almost any one. Even the smaller ones look +dangerous, and this one, which was about five feet long, looked +capable of attacking a man and injuring him. As a matter of fact +the iguanas are harmless, their shape and coloring being designed +to protect them. <br> +<p>"Don't be afraid, Mr. Damon," called Tom, still laughing. "It +won't hurt you!"<br> +</p> + +"I'm not so positive of that. It won't let me pass." <br> +<p>"Just take your club and poke it out of the way," the young +inventor advised. "It's only waiting to be shoved."<br> +</p> + +"Then you do it, Tom. Bless my looking glass, but I don't want to +go near it! If my wife could see me now she'd say it served me +just right." <br> +<p>Mr. Damon was not a coward, but the giant iguana was not +pleasant to look at. Tom, with the butt of his rifle, gave it a +gentle shove, whereupon the creature scurried off through the +brush as though glad to make its escape unscathed.<br> +</p> + +"I thought it was a new kind of alligator," said Mr. Damon with a +sigh of relief. <br> +<p>"Where is it?" asked Professor Bumper, coming up at this +juncture. "A new species of alligator? Let me see it!"<br> +</p> + +"It's too horrible," said Mr. Damon. "I never want to see one +again. It was worse than a vampire bat!" <br> +<p>Notwithstanding this, when he heard that it was one of the +largest sized iguanas ever seen, the professor started through +the jungle after it.<br> +</p> + +"We can't take it with us if we get it," Tom called after his +friend. <br> +<p>"We might take the skin," answered the professor. "I have a +standing order for such things from one of the museums I +represent. I'd like to get it. Then they are often eaten. We can +have a change of diet. you see."<br> +</p> + +"We'd better follow him," said Tom to Ned. "We'll have to let the +turkeys go for a while. He may get into trouble. Come on." <br> +<p>Off they started through the jungle, trailing after the +impetuous professor who was intent on capturing the iguana. The +giant lizard's progress could be traced by the disturbance of the +leaves and underbrush, and the professor was following as closely +as possible.<br> +</p> + +So fast did he go that Ned, Tom and Mr. Damon, following, lost +sight of him several times, and Tom finally called: <br> +<p>"Wait a minute. We'll all be lost if you keep this up."<br> +</p> + +"I'll have him in another minute," answered the professor. "I can +almost reach him now. Then---- Oh!" <br> +<p>His voice ended in a scream that seemed to be one of terror. +So sudden was the change that Tom and Ned, who were together, +ahead of Mr. Damon, looked at one another in fear.<br> +</p> + +"What has happened?" whispered Ned, pausing. <br> +<p>"Don't stop to ask--come on!" shouted Tom.<br> +</p> + +At that instant again came the voice of the savant. <br> +<p>"Tom! Ned!" he gasped, rather than cried.<br> +</p> + +"I'm caught in the coils! Quick--quick if you would save me!" +<br> +<p>"In the coils!" repeated Ned. "What does he mean? Can the +giant iguana----"<br> +</p> + +Tom Swift did not stop to answer. With his electric rifle in +readiness, he leaped forward through the jungle. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_16">CHAPTER XVI</h1> + +A MEETING IN THE JUNGLE <br> +<p>Before Tom and Ned reached the place whence Professor Bumper +had called, they heard strange noises, other than the imploring +voice of their friend. It seemed as though some great body was +threshing about in the jungle, lashing the trees, bushes and +leaves about, and when the two young men, followed by Mr. Damon, +reached the scene they saw that, in a measure, this really +accounted for what they heard.<br> +</p> + +Something like a great whip was beating about close to two trees +that grew near together. And then, when the storm of twigs, +leaves and dirt, caused by the leaping, threshing thing ceased +for a moment, the onlookers saw something that filled them with +terror. <br> +<p>Between the two trees, and seemingly bound to them by a great +coiled rope, spotted and banded, was the body of Professor +Bumper. His arms were pinioned to his sides and there was horror +and terror on his face, that looked imploringly at the youths +from above the topmost coil of those encircling him.<br> +</p> + +"What is it?" cried Mr. Damon, as he ran pantingly up. "What has +caught him? Is it the giant iguana?" <br> +<p>"It's a snake--a great boa!" gasped Tom. "It has him in its +coils. But it is wound around the trees, too. That alone prevents +it from crushing the professor to death.<br> +</p> + +"Ned, be ready with your rifle. Put in the heaviest charge, and +watch your chance to fire!" <br> +<p>The great, ugly head of the boa reared itself up from the +coils which it had, with the quickness of thought, thrown about +the man between the two trees. This species of snake is not +poisonous, and kills its prey by crushing it to death, making it +into a pulpy mass, with scarcely a bone left unbroken, after +which it swallows its meal. The crushing power of one of these +boas, some of which reach a length of thirty feet, with a body as +large around as that of a full-grown man, is enormous.<br> +</p> + +"I'm going to fire!" suddenly cried Tom. He had seen his chance +and he took it. There was the faint report--the crack of the +electric rifle-and the folds of the serpent seemed to relax. <br> +<p>"I see a good chance now," added Ned, who had taken the small +charge from his weapon, replacing it with a heavier one.<br> +</p> + +His rifle was also discharged in the direction of the snake, and +Tom saw that the hit was a good one, right through the ugly head +of the reptile. <br> +<p>"One other will be enough to make him loosen his coils!" cried +Tom, as he fired again, and such was the killing power of the +electric bullets that the snake, though an immense one, and one +that short of decapitation could have received many injuries +without losing power, seemed to shrivel up.<br> +</p> + +Its folds relaxed, and the coils of the great body fell in a heap +at the roots of the two trees, between which the scientist had +been standing. <br> +<p>Professor Bumper seemed to fall backward as the grip of the +serpent relaxed, but Tom, dropping his rifle, and calling to Ned +to keep an eye on the snake, leaped forward and caught his +friend.<br> +</p> + +"Are you hurt?" asked Tom, carrying the limp form over to a +grassy place. There was no answer, the savant's eyes were closed +and he breathed but faintly. <br> +<p>Ned Newton fired two more electric bullets into the still +writhing body of the boa.<br> +</p> + +"I guess he's all in," he called to Tom. <br> +<p>"Bless my horseradish! And so our friend seems to be," +commented Mr. Damon. "Have you anything with which to revive him, +Tom?"<br> +</p> + +"Yes. Some ammonia. See if you can find a little water." <br> +<p>"I have some in my flask."<br> +</p> + +Tom mixed a dose of the spirits which he carried with him, and +this, forced between the pallid lips of the scientist, revived +him. <br> +<p>"What happened?" he asked faintly as he opened his eyes. "Oh, +yes, I remember," he added slowly. "The boa----"<br> +</p> + +"Don't try to talk," urged Tom. "You're all right. The snake is +dead, or dying. Are you much hurt?" <br> +<p>Professor Bumper appeared to be considering. He moved first +one limb, then another. He seemed to have the power over all his +muscles.<br> +</p> + +"I see how it happened," he said, as he sat up, after taking a +little more of the ammonia. "I was following the iguana, and when +the big lizard came to a stop, in a little hollow place in the +ground, at the foot of those two trees, I leaned over to slip a +noose of rope about its neck. Then I felt myself caught, as if in +the hands of a giant, and bound fast between the two trees." <br> +<p>"It was the big boa that whipped itself around you, as you +leaned over," explained Tom, as Ned came up to announce that the +snake was no longer dangerous. "But when it coiled around you it +also coiled around the two trees, you, fortunately slipping +between them. Had it not been that their trunks took off some of +the pressure of the coils you wouldn't have lasted a minute."<br> +</p> + +"Well, I was pretty badly squeezed as it was," remarked the +professor. "I hardly had breath enough left to call to you. I +tried to fight off the serpent, but it was of no use." <br> +<p>"I should say not!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my circus ring! +one might as well try to combat an elephant! But, my dear +professor, are you all right now?"<br> +</p> + +"I think so--yes. Though I shall be lame and stiff for a few +days, I fear. I can hardly walk." <br> +<p>Professor Bumper was indeed unable to go about much for a few +days after his encounter with the great serpent. He stretched out +in a hammock under trees in the camp clearing, and with his +friends waited for the possible return of Tolpec and the +porters.<br> +</p> + +Ned and Tom made one or two short hunting trips, and on these +occasions they kept a lookout in the direction the Indian had +taken when he went away. <br> +<p>"For he's sure to come back that way--if he comes at all," +declared Ned; "which I am beginning to doubt."<br> +</p> + +"Well, he may not come," agreed Tom, who was beginning to lose +some of his first hope. "But he won't necessarily come from the +same direction he took. He may have had to go in an entirely +different way to get help. We'll hope for the best." <br> +<p>A week passed. Professor Bumper was able to be about, and Tom +and Ned noticed that there was an anxious look on his face. Was +he, too, beginning to despair?<br> +</p> + +"Well, this isn't hunting for golden idols very fast," said Mr. +Damon, the morning of the eighth day after their desertion by the +faithless Jacinto. "What do you say, Professor Bumper; ought we +not to start off on our own account?" <br> +<p>"We had better if Tolpec does not return today," was the +answer.<br> +</p> + +They had eaten breakfast, had put their camp in order, and were +about to have a consultation on what was best to do, when Tom +suddenly called to Ned, who was whistling: <br> +<p>"Hark!"<br> +</p> + +Through the jungle came a faint sound of singing --not a +harmonious air, but the somewhat barbaric chant of the natives. +<br> +<p>"It is Tolpec coming back!" cried Mr. Damon. "Hurray! Now our +troubles are over t Bless my meal ticket! Now we can start!"<br> +</p> + +"It may be Jacinto," suggested Ned. <br> +<p>"Nonsense! you old cold-water pitcher!" cried Tom. "It's +Tolpec! I can see him! He's a good scout all right!"<br> +</p> + +And then, walking at the head of a band of Indians who were +weirdly chanting while behind them came a train of mules, was +Tolpec, a cheerful grin covering his honest, if homely, dark +face. <br> +<p>"Me come back!" he exclaimed in gutteral English, using about +half of his foreign vocabulary.<br> +</p> + +"I see you did," answered Professor Bumper in the man's own +tongue. "Glad to see you. Is everything all right?" <br> +<p>"All right," was the answer. "These Indians will take you +where you want to go, and will not leave you as Jacinto did."<br> +</p> + +"We'll start in the morning!" exclaimed the savant his own +cheerful self again, now that there was a prospect of going +further into the interior. "Tell the men to get something to eat, +Tolpec. There is plenty for all." <br> +<p>"Good!" grunted the new guide and soon the hungry Indians, who +had come far, were satisfying their hunger.<br> +</p> + +As they ate Tolpec explained to Professor Bumper, who repeated it +to the youths and Mr. Damon, that it had been necessary to go +farther than he had intended to get the porters and mules. But +the Indians were a friendly tribe, of which he was a member, and +could be depended on. <br> +<p>There was a feast and a sort of celebration in camp that +night. Tom and Ned shot two deer, and these formed the main part +of the feast and the Indians made merry about the fire until +nearly midnight. They did not seem to mind in the least the +swarms of mosquitoes and other bugs that flew about, attracted by +the light. As for Tom Swift and his friends, their nets protected +them.<br> +</p> + +An early start was made the following morning. Such packages of +goods and supplies as could not well be carried by the Indians in +their head straps, were loaded on the backs of the packmules. +Tolpec explained that on reaching the Indian village, where he +had secured the porters, they could get some ox-carts which would +be a convenience in traveling into the interior toward the Copan +valley. <br> +<p>The march onward for the next two days was tiresome; but the +Indians Tolpec had secured were as faithful and efficient as he +had described them, and good progress was made.<br> +</p> + +There were a few accidents. One native fell into a swiftly +running stream as they were fording it and lost a box containing +some much-needed things. But as the man's life was saved +Professor Bumper said it made up for the other loss. Another +accident did not end so auspiciously. One of the bearers was +bitten by a poisonous snake, and though prompt measures were +taken, the poison spread so rapidly that the man died. <br> +<p>In due season the Indian village was reached. where, after a +day spent in holding funeral services over the dead bearer, +preparations were made for proceeding farther.<br> +</p> + +This time some of the bearers were left behind, and ox-carts were +substituted for them, as it was possible to carry more goods this +way, <br> +<p>"And now we're really off for Copan!" exclaimed Professor +Bumper one morning, when the cavalcade, led by Tolpec in the +capacity of head guide, started off. "I hope we have no more +delays."<br> +</p> + +"I hope not, either," agreed Tom. "That Beecher may be there +ahead of us." <br> +<p>Weary marches fell to their portion. There were mountains to +climb, streams to ford or swim, sending the carts over on rudely +made rafts. There were storms to endure, and the eternal heat to +fight.<br> +</p> + +But finally the party emerged from the lowlands of the coast and +went up in among the hills, where though the going was harder, +the climate was better. It was not so hot and moist. <br> +<p>Not wishing to attract attention in Copan itself, Professor +Bumper and his party made a detour, and finally, after much +consultation with Tom over the ancient maps, the scientist +announced that he thought they were in the vicinity of the buried +city.<br> +</p> + +"We will begin test excavations in the morning," he said. <br> +<p>The party was in camp, and preparations were made for spending +the night in the forest, when from among the trees there floated +to the ears of our friends a queer Indian chant.<br> +</p> + +"Some one is coming," said Tom to Ned. <br> +<p>Almost as he spoke there filed into the clearing where the +camp had been set up, a cavalcade of white men, followed by +Indians. And at the sight of one of the white men Tom Swift +uttered a cry.<br> +</p> + +"Professor Beecher!" gasped the young inventor. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_17">CHAPTER XVII</h1> + +THE LOST MAP <br> +<p>The on-marching company of white men, with their Indian +attendants, came to a halt on the edge of the clearing as they +caught sight of the tents already set up there. The barbaric +chant of the native bearers ceased abruptly, and there was a look +of surprise shown on the face of Professor Fenimore Beecher. For +Professor Beecher it was, in the lead of the rival +expedition.<br> +</p> + +"Bless my shoe laces!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. <br> +<p>"Is it really Beecher?" asked Ned, though he knew as well as +Tom that it was the young archaeologist.<br> +</p> + +"It certainly is!" declared Tom. "And he has nerve to follow us +so closely!" <br> +<p>"Maybe he thinks we have nerve to get here ahead of him," +suggested Ned, smiling grimly.<br> +</p> + +"Probably," agreed Tom, with a short laugh. "Well, it evidently +surprises him to find us here at all, after the mean trick he +played on us to get Jacinto to lead us into the jungle and desert +us." <br> +<p>"That's right," assented Ned. "Well, what's the next +move?"<br> +</p> + +There seemed to be some doubt about this on the part of both +expeditions. At the sight of Professor Beecher, Professor Bumper, +who had come out of his tent, hurriedly turned to Tom and asked +him what he thought it best to do. <br> +<p>"Do!" exclaimed the eccentric Mr. Damon, not giving Tom time +to reply. "Why, stand your ground, of course! Bless my house and +lot! but we're here first! For the matter of that, I suppose the +jungle is free and we can no more object to his coming: here than +he can to our coming. First come, first served, I suppose is the +law of the forest."<br> +</p> + +Meanwhile the surprise occasioned by the unexpected meeting of +their rivals seemed to have spread something like consternation +among the white members of the Beecher party. As for the natives +they evidently did not care one way or the other. <br> +<p>There was a hasty consultation among the professors +accompanying Mr. Beecher, and then the latter himself advanced +toward the tents of Tom and his friends and asked:<br> +</p> + +"How long have you been here?" <br> +<p>"I don't see that we are called upon to answer that question," +replied Professor Bumper stiffly.<br> +</p> + +"Perhaps not, and yet----" <br> +<p>"There is no perhaps about it!" said Professor Bumper quickly. +"I know what your object is, as I presume you do mine. And, after +what I may term your disgraceful and unsportsmanlike conduct +toward me and my friends, I prefer not to have anything further +to do with you. We must meet as strangers hereafter."<br> +</p> + +"Very well," and Professor Beecher's voice was as cold and +uncompromising as was his rival's. "Let it be as your wish. But I +must say I don't know what you mean by unsportsmanlike conduct." +<br> +<p>"An explanation would be wasted on you," said Professor Bumper +stiffly. "But in order that you may know I fully understand what +you did I will say that your efforts to thwart us through your +tool Jacinto came to nothing. We are here ahead of you."<br> +</p> + +"Jacinto!" cried Professor Beecher in real or simulated surprise. +"Why, he was not my `tool,' as you term it." <br> +<p>"Your denial is useless in the light of his confession," +asserted Professor Bumper.<br> +</p> + +"Confession?" <br> +<p>"Now look here!" exclaimed the older professor, "I do not +propose to lower myself by quarreling with you. I know certainly +what you and your party tried to do to prevent us from getting +here. But we got out of the trap you set for us, and we are on +the ground first. I recognize your right to make explorations as +well as ourselves, and I presume you have not fallen so low that +you will not recognize the unwritten law in a case of this +kind--the law which says the right of discovery belongs to the +one who first makes it."<br> +</p> + +"I shall certainly abide by such conduct as is usual under the +circumstances," said Professor Beecher more stiffly than before. +"At the same time I must deny having set a trap. And as for +Jacinto----" <br> +<p>"It will be useless to discuss it further!" broke in Professor +Bumper.<br> +</p> + +"Then no more need be said," retorted the younger man. "I shall +give orders to my friends, as well as to the natives, to keep +away from your camp, and I shall expect you to do the same +regarding mine." <br> +<p>"I should have suggested the same thing myself," came from +Tom's friend, and the two rival scientists fairly glared at one +another, the others of both parties looking on with interest.<br> +</p> + +Professor Bumper turned and walked defiantly back to his tent. +Professor Beecher did the same thing. Then, after a short +consultation among the white members of the latter's +organization, their tents were set up in another clearing, +removed and separated by a screen of trees and bushes from those +of Tom Swift's friends. The natives of the Beecher party also +withdrew a little way from those of Professor Bumper's +organization, and then preparations for spending the night in the +jungle went on in the rival headquarters. <br> +<p>"Well, he certainly had nerve, to deny, practically, that he +had set Jacinto up to do what he did," commented Tom.<br> +</p> + +"I should say so!" agreed Ned. <br> +<p>"How do you imagine he got here nearly as soon as we did, when +he did not start until later?" asked Mr. Damon.<br> +</p> + +"He did not have the unfortunate experience of being deserted in +the jungle," replied Tom. "He probably had Jacinto, or some of +that unprincipled scoundrel's friends, show him a short route to +Copan and he came on from there." <br> +<p>"Well, I did hope we might have the ground to ourselves, at +least for the preliminary explorations and excavations. But it is +not to be. My rival is here," sighed Professor Bumper.<br> +</p> + +"Don't let that discourage you!" exclaimed Tom. "We can fight all +the better now the foe is in the open, and we know where he is." +<br> +<p>"Yes, Tom Swift, that is true," agreed the scientist. "I am +not going to give up, but I shall have to change my plans a +little. Perhaps you will come into the tent with me," and he +nodded to Tom and Ned. "I want to talk over certain matters with +you and Mr. Damon."<br> +</p> + +"Pleased to," assented the young inventor, and his financial +secretary nodded. <br> +<p>A little later, supper having been eaten, the camp made +shipshape and the natives settled down, Tom, Ned, Mr. Damon and +Professor Bumper assembled in the tent of the scientist, where a +dry battery lamp gave sufficient illumination to show a number of +maps and papers scattered over an improvised table.<br> +</p> + +"Now, gentlemen," said the professor, "I have called you here to +go over my plans more in detail than I have hitherto done, now we +are on the ground. You know in a general way what I hope to +accomplish, but the time has come when I must be specific. <br> +<p>"Aside from being on the spot, below which, or below the +vicinity where, I believe, lies the lost city of Kurzon and, I +hope, the idol of gold, a situation has arisen--an unexpected +situation, I may say--which calls for different action from that +I had counted on.<br> +</p> + +"I refer to the presence of my rival, Professor Beecher. I will +not dwell now on what he has done. It is better to consider what +he may do." <br> +<p>"That's right," agreed Ned. "He may get up in the night, dig +up this city and skip with that golden image before we know +it."<br> +</p> + +"Hardly," grinned Tom. <br> +<p>"No," said Professor Bumper. "Excavating buried cities in the +jungle of Honduras is not as simple as that. There is much work +to be done. But accidents may happen, and in case one should +occur to me, and I be unable to prosecute the search, I want one +of you to do it. For that reason I am going to show you the maps +and ancient documents and point out to you where I believe the +lost city lies. Now, if you will give me your attention, I'll +proceed."<br> +</p> + +The professor went over in detail the story of how he had found +the old documents relating to the lost city of Kurzon, and of +how, after much labor and research, he had located the city in +the Copan valley. The great idol of gold was one of the chief +possessions of Kurzon, and it was often referred to in the old +papers; copies and translations of which the professor had with +him. <br> +<p>"But this is the most valuable of all," he said, as he opened +an oiled-silk packet. "And before I show it to you, suppose you +two young men take a look outside the tent."<br> +</p> + +"What for?" asked Mr. Damon. <br> +<p>"To make sure that no emissaries from the Beecher crowd are +sneaking around to overhear what we say," was the somewhat bitter +answer of the scientist. "I do not trust him, in spite of his +attempted denial."<br> +</p> + +Tom and Ned took a quick but thorough observation outside the +tent. The blackness of the jungle night was in strange contrast +to the light they had just left. <br> +<p>"Doesn't seem to be any one around here," remarked Ned, after +waiting a minute or two.<br> +</p> + +"No. All's quiet along the Potomac. Those Beecher natives are +having some sort of a songfest, though." <br> +<p>In the distance, and from the direction of their rivals' camp, +came the weird chant.<br> +</p> + +"Well, as long as they stay there we'll be all right," said Tom. +"Come on in. I'm anxious to hear what the professor has to say." +<br> +<p>"Everything's quiet," reported Ned.<br> +</p> + +"Then give me your attention," begged the scientist. <br> +<p>Carefully, as though about to exhibit some, precious jewel, he +loosened the oiled-silk wrappings and showed a large map, on thin +but tough paper.<br> +</p> + +"This is drawn from the old charts," the professor explained. "I +worked on it many months, and it is the only copy in the world. +If it were to be destroyed I should have to go all the way back +to New York to make another copy. I have the original there in a +safe deposit vault." <br> +<p>"Wouldn't it have been wise to make two copies?" asked +Tom.<br> +</p> + +"It would have only increased the risk. With one copy, and that +constantly in my possession, I can be sure of my ground. +Otherwise not. That is why I am so careful of this. Now I will +show you why I believe we are about over the ancient city of +Kurzon." <br> +<p>"Over it!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my gunpowder! What do you +mean?" and he looked down at the earthen floor of the tent as +though expecting it to open and swallow him.<br> +</p> + +"I mean that the city, like many others of Central and South +America, is buried below the refuse of centuries," went on the +professor. "Very soon, if we are fortunate, we shall be looking +on the civilization of hundreds of years ago--how long no one +knows. <br> +<p>"Considerable excavation has been done in Central America," +went on Professor Bumper, "and certain ruins have been brought to +light. Near us are those of Copan, while toward the frontier are +those of Quirigua, which are even better preserved than the +former. We may visit them if we have time. But I have reason to +believe that in this section of Copan is a large city, the +existence of which has not been made certain of by any one save +myself--and, perhaps, Professor Beecher.<br> +</p> + +"Certainly no part of it has seen the light of day for many +centuries. It shall be our pleasure to uncover it, if possible, +and secure the idol of gold." <br> +<p>"How long ago do you think the city was buried?" asked +Tom.<br> +</p> + +"It would be hard to say. From the carvings and hieroglyphics I +have studied it would seem that the Mayan civilization lasted +about five hundred years, and that it began perhaps in the year +A. D. five hundred." <br> +<p>"That would mean," said Mr. Damon, "that the ancient cities +were in ruins, buried, perhaps, long before Columbus discovered +the new world."<br> +</p> + +"Yes," assented the professor. "Probably Kurzon, which we now +seek, was buried deep for nearly five hundred years before +Columbus landed at San Salvadore. The specimens of writing and +architecture heretofore disclosed indicate that. But, as a matter +of fact, it is very hard to decipher the Mayan pictographs. So +far, little but the ability to read their calendars and numerical +system is possessed by us, though we are gradually making +headway. <br> +<p>"Now this is the map of the district, and by the markings you +can see where I hope to find what I seek. We shall begin digging +here," and he made a small mark with a pencil on the map.<br> +</p> + +"Of course," the professor explained, "I may be wrong, and it +will take some time to discover the error if we make one. When a +city is buried thirty or forty feet deep beneath earth and great +trees have grown over it, it is not easy to dig down to it." <br> +<p>"How do you ever expect to find it?" asked Ned.<br> +</p> + +"Well, we will sink shafts here and there. If we find carved +stones, the remains of ancient pottery and weapons, parts of +buildings or building stones, we shall know we are on the right +track," was the answer. "And now that I have shown you the map, +and explained how valuable it is, I will put it away again. We +shall begin our excavations in the morning." <br> +<p>"At what point?" asked Tom.<br> +</p> + +"At a point I shall indicate after a further consultation of the +map. I must see the configuration of the country by daylight to +decide. And now let's get some rest. We have had a hard day." +<br> +<p>The two tents housing the four white members of the Bumper +party were close together, and it was decided that the night +would be divided into four watches, to guard against possible +treachery on the part of the Beecher crowd.<br> +</p> + +"It seems an unkind precaution to take against a fellow +scientist," said Professor Bumper, "but I can not afford to take +chances after what has occurred." <br> +<p>The others agreed with him, and though standing guard was not +pleasant it was done. However the night passed without incident, +and then came morning and the excitement of getting breakfast, +over which the Indians made merry. They did not like the cold and +darkness, and always welcomed the sun, no matter how hot.<br> +</p> + +"And now," cried Tom, when the meal was over, "let us begin the +work that has brought us here." <br> +<p>"Yes," agreed Professor Bumper, "I will consult the map, and +start the diggers where I think the city lies, far below the +surface. Now, gentlemen, if you will give me your +attention----"<br> +</p> + +He was seeking through his outer coat pockets, after an +ineffectual search in the inner one. A strange look came over his +face. <br> +<p>"What's the matter?" asked Tom.<br> +</p> + +"The map--the map!" gasped the professor. "The map I was showing +you last night! The map that tells where we are to dig for the +idol of gold! It's gone!" <br> +<p>"The map gone?" gasped Mr. Damon.<br> +</p> + +"I--I'm afraid so," faltered the professor. "I put it away +carefully, but now----" <br> +<p>He ceased speaking to make a further search in all his +pockets.<br> +</p> + +"Maybe you left it in another coat," suggested Ned. <br> +<p>"Or maybe some of the Beecher crowd took it!" snapped Tom.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_18">CHAPTER XVIII</h1> + +"EL TIGRE!" <br> +The four men gazed at one another. Consternation showed on the +face of Professor Bumper, and was reflected, more or less, on the +countenances of his companions. <br> +<p>"Are you sure the map is gone?" asked Tom. "I know how easy it +is to mislay anything in a camp of this sort. I couldn't at first +find my safety razor this morning, and when I did locate it the +hoe was in one of my shoes. I'm sure a rat or some jungle animal +must have dragged it there. Now maybe they took your map, +Professor. That oiled silk in which it was wrapped might have +appealed to the taste of a rat or a snake."<br> +</p> + +"It is no joking matter," said Professor Bumper. "But I know you +appreciate the seriousness of it as much as I do, Tom. But I had +the map in the pocket of this coat, and now it is gone!" <br> +<p>"When did you put it there?" asked Ned.<br> +</p> + +"This morning, just before I came to breakfast." <br> +<p>"Oh, then you have had it since last night!" Tom +ejaculated.<br> +</p> + +"Yes, I slept with it under my clothes that I rolled up for a +pillow, and when it was my turn to stand guard I took it with me. +Then I put it back again and went to sleep. When I awoke and +dressed I put the packet in my pocket and ate breakfast. Now when +I look for it--why, it's gone!" <br> +<p>"The map or the oiled-silk package?" asked Mr. Damon, who, +once having been a businessman, was sometimes a stickler for +small points.<br> +</p> + +"Both," answered the professor. "I opened the silk to tie it more +smoothly, so it would not be such a lump in my pocket, and I made +sure the map was inside." <br> +<p>"Then the whole thing has been taken--or you have lost it," +suggested Ned.<br> +</p> + +"I am not in the habit of losing valuable maps," retorted the +scientist. "And the pocket of my coat I had made deep, for the +purpose of carrying the long map. It could not drop out." <br> +<p>"Well, we mustn't overlook any possible chances," suggested +Tom. "Come on now, we'll search every inch of the ground over +which you traveled this morning, Professor."<br> +</p> + +"It MUST be found," murmured the scientist. "Without it all our +work will go for naught." <br> +<p>They all went into the tent where the professor and Mr. Damon +had slept when they were not on guard. The camp was a busy place, +with the Indians finishing their morning meal, and getting ready +for the work of the day. For word had been given out that there +would be no more long periods of travel.<br> +</p> + +In consequence, efforts were being directed by the head men of +the bearers to making a more permanent camp in the wilderness. +Shelters of palm-thatched huts were being built, a site for +cooking fires made, and, at the direction of Mr. Damon, to whom +this part was entrusted, some sanitary regulations were insisted +on. <br> +<p>Leaving this busy scene, the four, with solemn faces, +proceeded to the tent where it was hoped the map would be found. +But though they went through everything, and traced and retraced +every place the professor could remember having traversed about +the canvas shelter, no signs of the important document could be +found.<br> +</p> + +"I don't believe I dropped it out of my pocket," said the +scientist, for perhaps the twentieth time. <br> +<p>"Then it was taken," declared Tom.<br> +</p> + +"That's what I say!" chimed in Ned. "And by some of Beecher's +party!" <br> +<p>"Easy, my boy," cautioned Mr. Damon. "We don't want to make +accusations we can't prove."<br> +</p> + +"That is true," agreed Professor Bumper. "But, though I am sorry +to say it of a fellow archaelogist, I can not help thinking +Beecher had something to do with the taking of my map." <br> +<p>"But how could any of them get it?" asked Mr. Damon. "You say +you had the map this morning, and certainly none of them has been +in our camp since dawn, though of course it is possible that some +of them sneaked in during the night."<br> +</p> + +"It does seem a mystery how it could have been taken in open +daylight, while we were about camp together," said Tom. "But is +the loss such a grave one, Professor Bumper?" <br> +<p>"Very grave. In fact I may say it is impossible to proceed +with the excavating without the map."<br> +</p> + +"Then what are we to do?" asked Ned. <br> +<p>"We must get it back!" declared Tom.<br> +</p> + +"Yes," agreed the scientist, "we can not work without it. As soon +as I make a little further search, to make sure it could not have +dropped in some out-of-the-way place, I shall go over to +Professor Beecher's camp and demand that he give me back my +property." <br> +<p>"Suppose he says he hasn't taken it?" asked Tom.<br> +</p> + +"Well, I'm sure he either took it personally, or one of his party +did. And yet I can't understand how they could have come here +without our seeing them," and the professor shook his head in +puzzled despair. <br> +<p>A more detailed search did not reveal the missing map, and Mr. +Damon and his friend the scientist were on the point of departing +for the camp of their rivals, less than a mile away, when Tom had +what really amounted to an inspiration.<br> +</p> + +"Look here, Professor!" he cried. "Can you remember any of the +details of your map--say, for instance, where we ought to begin +excavating to get at the wonders of the underground city?" <br> +<p>"Well, Tom, I did intend to compare my map with the +configuration of the country about here. There is a certain +mountain which serves as a landmark and a guide for a starting +point. I think that is it over there," and the scientist pointed +to a distant snow-capped peak.<br> +</p> + +The party had left the low and marshy land of the true jungle, +and were among the foothills, though all about them was dense +forest and underbush, which, in reality, was as much a jungle as +the lower plains, but was less wet. <br> +<p>"The point where I believe we should start to dig," said the +professor, "is near the spot where the top of the mountain casts +a shadow when the sun is one hour high. At least that is the +direction given in the old manuscripts. So, though we can do +little without the map, we might make a start by digging +there."<br> +</p> + +"No, not there!" exclaimed Tom. <br> +<p>"Why not?"<br> +</p> + +"Because we don't want to let Beecher's crowd know that we are on +the track of the idol of gold." <br> +<p>"But they know anyhow, for they have the map," commented Ned, +puzzled by his chum's words.<br> +</p> + +"Maybe not," said Tom slowly. "I think this is a time for a big +bluff. It may work and it may not. Beecher's crowd either has the +map or they have not. If they have it they will lose no time in +trying to find the right place to start digging and then they'll +begin excavating. <br> +<p>"Very good! If they do that we have a right to dig near the +same place. But if they have not the map, which is possible, and +if we start to dig where the professor's memory tells him is the +right spot, we'll only give them the tip, and they'll dig there +also."<br> +</p> + +"I'm sure they have the map," the professor said. "But I believe +your plan is a good one, Tom." <br> +<p>"Just what do you propose doing?" asked Ned.<br> +</p> + +"Fooling 'em!" exclaimed Tom quickly. "We'll dig in some place +remote from the spot where the mountain casts its shadow. They +will think, if they haven't the map, that we are proceeding by +it, and they'll dig, too. When they find nothing, as will also +happen to us, they may go away. <br> +<p>"If, on the other hand, they have the map, and see us digging +at a spot not indicated on it, they will be puzzled, knowing we +must have some idea of where the buried city lies. They will +think the map is at fault, perhaps, and not make use of it. Then +we can get it back."<br> +</p> + +"Bless my hatband!" cried Mr. Damon. "I believe you're right, +Tom. We'll dig in the wrong place to fool 'em." <br> +<p>And this was done. Search for the precious map was given up +for the time being, and the professor and his friends set the +natives to work digging shafts in the ground, as though sinking +them down to the level of the buried city.<br> +</p> + +But though this false work was prosecuted with vigor for several +days, there was a feeling of despair among the Bumper party over +the loss of the map. <br> +<p>"If we could only get it back!" exclaimed the professor, again +and again.<br> +</p> + +Meanwhile the Beecher party seemed inactive. True, some members +of it did come over to look on from a respectful distance at what +the diggers were doing. Some of the rival helpers, under the +direction of the head of the expedition, also began sinking +shafts. But they were not in the locality remembered by Professor +Bumper as being correct. <br> +<p>"I can't imagine what they're up to," he said. "If they have +my map they would act differently, I should think."<br> +</p> + +"Whatever they're up to," answered Tom, "the time has come when +we can dig at the place where we can hope for results." And the +following day shafts were started in the shadow of the mountain. +<br> +<p>Until some evidence should have been obtained by digging, as +to the location beneath the surface of a buried city, there was +nothing for the travelers to do but wait. Turns were taken in +directing the efforts of the diggers, and an occasional +inspection was made of the shafts.<br> +</p> + +"What do you expect to find first?" asked Tom of Professor Bumper +one day, when the latter was at the top of a shaft waiting for a +bucket load of dirt to be hoisted up. <br> +<p>"Potsherds and artifacts," was the answer.<br> +</p> + +"What sort of bugs are they?" asked Ned with a laugh. He and Tom +were about to go hunting with their electric rifles. <br> +<p>"Artifacts are things made by the Indians--or whatever members +of the race who built the ancient cities were called--such as +household articles, vases, ornaments, tools and so on. Anything +made by artificial means is called an artifact."<br> +</p> + +"And potsherds are things with those Chinese laundry ticket +scratches on them," added Tom. <br> +<p>"Exactly," said the professor, laughing. "Though some of the +strange-appearing inscriptions give much valuable information. As +soon as we find some of them--say a broken bit of pottery with +hieroglyphics on--I will know I am on the right track."<br> +</p> + +And while the scientist and Mr. Damon kept watch at the top of +the shaft, Tom and Ned went out into the jungle to hunt. They had +killed some game, and were stalking a fine big deer, which would +provide a feast for the natives, when suddenly the silence of the +lonely forest was broken by a piercing scream, followed by an +agonized cry of <br> +<p>"El tigre! El tigre!"<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_19">CHAPTER XIX</h1> + +POISONED ARROWS <br> +"Did you hear that, Tom?" asked Ned, in a hoarse whisper. <br> +<p>"Surely," was the cautious answer. "Keep still, and I'll try +for a shot."<br> +</p> + +"Better be quick," advised Ned in a tense voice. "The chap who +did that yelling seems to be in trouble!" <br> +<p>And as Ned's voice trailed off into a whisper, again came the +cry, this time in frenzied pain.<br> +</p> + +"El tigre! El tigre!" Then there was a jumble of words. <br> +<p>"It's over this way!" and this time Ned shouted, seeing no +need for low voices since the other was so loud.<br> +</p> + +Tom looked to where Ned had parted the bushes alongside a jungle +path. Through the opening the young inventor saw, in a little +glade, that which caused him to take a firmer grip on his +electric rifle, and also a firmer grip on his nerves. <br> +<p>Directly in front of him and Ned, and not more than a hundred +yards away, was a great tawny and spotted jaguar--the "tigre" or +tiger of Central America. The beast, with lashing tail, stood +over an Indian upon whom it seemed to have sprung from some lair, +beating the unfortunate man to the ground. Nor had he fallen +scatheless, for there was blood on the green leaves about him, +and it was not the blood of the spotted beast.<br> +</p> + +"Oh, Tom, can you--can you----" and Ned faltered. <br> +<p>The young inventor understood the unspoken question.<br> +</p> + +"I think I can make a shot of it without hitting the man," he +answered, never turning his head. "It's a question, though, if +the beast won't claw him in the death struggle. It won't last +long, however, if the electric bullet goes to the right place, +and I've got to take the chance." <br> +<p>Cautiously Tom brought his weapon to bear. Quiet as Ned and he +had been after the discovery, the jaguar seemed to feel that +something was wrong. Intent on his prey, for a time he had stood +over it, gloating. Now the brute glanced uneasily from side to +side, its tail nervously twitching, and it seemed trying to gain, +by a sniffing of the air, some information as to the direction in +which danger lay, for Tom and Ned had stooped low, concealing +themselves by a screen of leaves.<br> +</p> + +The Indian, after his first frenzied outburst of fear, now lay +quiet, as though fearing to move, moaning in pain. <br> +<p>Suddenly the jaguar, attracted either by some slight movement +on the part of Ned or Tom, or perhaps by having winded them, +turned his head quickly and gazed with cruel eyes straight at the +spot where the two young men stood behind the bushes.<br> +</p> + +"He's seen us," whispered Ned. <br> +<p>"Yes," assented Tom. "And it's a perfect shot. Hope I don't +miss!"<br> +</p> + +It was not like Tom Swift to miss, nor did he on this occasion. +There was a slight report from the electric rifle--a report not +unlike the crackle of the wireless--and the powerful projectile +sped true to its mark. <br> +<p>Straight through the throat and chest under the uplifted jaw +of the jaguar it went--through heart and lungs. Then with a great +coughing, sighing snarl the beast reared up, gave a convulsive +leap forward toward its newly discovered enemies, and fell dead +in a limp heap, just beyond the native over which it had been +crouching before it delivered the death stroke, now never to +fall.<br> +</p> + +"You did it, Tom! You did it!" cried Ned, springing up from where +he had been kneeling to give his chum a better chance to shoot. +"You did it, and saved the man's life!" And Ned would have rushed +out toward the still twitching body. <br> +<p>"Just a minute!" interposed Tom. "Those beasts sometimes have +as many lives as a cat. I'll give it one more for luck." Another +electric projectile through the head of the jaguar produced no +further effect than to move the body slightly, and this proved +conclusively that there was no life left. It was safe to +approach, which Tom and Ned did.<br> +</p> + +Their first thought, after a glance at the jaguar, was for the +Indian. It needed but a brief examination to show that he was not +badly hurt. The jaguar had leaped on him from a low tree as he +passed under it, as the boys learned afterward, and had crushed +the man to earth by the weight of the spotted body more than by a +stroke of the paw. <br> +<p>The American jaguar is not so formidable a beast as the native +name of tiger would cause one to suppose, though they are +sufficiently dangerous, and this one had rather badly clawed the +Indian. Fortunately the scratches were on the fleshy parts of the +arms and shoulders, where, though painful, they were not +necessarily serious.<br> +</p> + +"But if you hadn't shot just when you did, Tom, it would have +been all up with him," commented Ned. <br> +<p>"Oh, well, I guess you'd have hit him if I hadn't," returned +the young inventor. "But let's see what we can do for this +chap."<br> +</p> + +The man sat up wonderingly--hardly able to believe that he had +been saved from the dreaded "tigre." His wounds were bleeding +rather freely, and as Tom and Ned carried with them a first-aid +kit they now brought it into use. The wounds were bound up, the +man was given water to drink and then, as he was able to walk, +Tom and Ned offered to help him wherever he wanted to go. <br> +<p>"Blessed if I can tell whether he's one of our Indians or +whether he belongs to the Beecher crowd," remarked Tom.<br> +</p> + +"Senor Beecher," said the Indian, adding, in Spanish, that he +lived in the vicinity and had only lately been engaged by the +young professor who hoped to discover the idol of gold before +Tom's scientific friend could do so. <br> +<p>Tom and Ned knew a little Spanish, and with that, and simple +but expressive signs on the part of the Indian, they learned his +story. He had his palm-thatched hut not far from the Beecher +camp, in a small Indian village, and he, with others, had been +hired on the arrival of the Beecher party to help with the +excavations. These, for some reason, were delayed.<br> +</p> + +"Delayed because they daren't use the map they stole from us," +commented Ned. <br> +<p>"Maybe," agreed Tom.<br> +</p> + +The Indian, whose name, it developed, was Tal, as nearly as Tom +and Ned could master it, had left camp to go to visit his wife +and child in the jungle hut, intending to return to the Beecher +camp at night. But as he passed through the forest the jaguar had +dropped on him, bearing him to earth. <br> +<p>"But you saved my life, Senor," he said to Tom, dropping on +one knee and trying to kiss Tom's hand, which our hero avoided. +"And now my life is yours," added the Indian.<br> +</p> + +"Well, you'd better get home with it and take care of it," said +Tom. "I'll have Professor Bumper come over and dress your +scratches in a better and more careful way. The bandages we put +on are only temporary." <br> +<p>"My wife she make a poultice of leaves--they cure me," said +the Indian.<br> +</p> + +"I guess that will be the best way," observed Ned. "These natives +can doctor themselves for some things, better than we can." <br> +<p>"Well, we'll take him home," suggested Tom. "He might keel +over from loss of blood. Come on," he added to Tal, indicating +his object.<br> +</p> + +It was not far to the native's hut from the place where the +jaguar had been killed, and there Tom and Ned underwent another +demonstration of affection as soon as those of Tal's immediate +family and the other natives understood what had happened. <br> +<p>"I hate this business!" complained Tom, after having been +knelt to by the Indian's wife and child, who called him the +"preserver" and other endearing titles of the same kind. "Come +on, let's hike back."<br> +</p> + +But Indian hospitality, especially after a life has been saved, +is not so simple as all that. <br> +<p>"My life--my house--all that I own is yours," said Tal in deep +gratitude. "Take everything," and he waved his hand to indicate +all the possessions in his humble hut.<br> +</p> + +"Thanks," answered Tom, "but I guess you need all you have. +That's a fine specimen of blow gun though," he added, seeing one +hanging on the wall. "I wouldn't mind having one like that. If +you get well enough to make me one, Tal, and some arrows to go +with it, I'd like it for a curiosity to hang in my room at home." +<br> +<p>"The Senor shall have a dozen," promised the Indian.<br> +</p> + +"Look, Ned," went on Tom, pointing to the native weapon. "I never +saw one just like this. They use small arrows or darts, tipped +with wild cotton, instead of feathers." <br> +<p>"These the arrows," explained Tal's wife, bringing a bundle +from a corner of the one-room hut. As she held them out her +husband gave a cry of fear.<br> +</p> + +"Poisoned arrows! Poisoned arrows!" he exclaimed. "One scratch +and the senors are dead men. Put them away!" <br> +<p>In fear the Indian wife prepared to obey, but as she did so +Tom Swift caught sight of the package and uttered a strange +cry.<br> +</p> + +"Thundering hoptoads, Ned!" he exclaimed. "The poisoned arrows +are wrapped in the piece of oiled silk that was around the +professor's missing map!" <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_20">CHAPTER XX</h1> + +AN OLD LEGEND <br> +<p>Fascinated, Tom and Ned gazed at the package the Indian woman +held out to them. Undoubtedly it was oiled silk on the outside, +and through the almost transparent covering could be seen the +small arrows, or darts, used in the blow gun.<br> +</p> + +"Where did you get that?" asked Tom, pointing to the bundle and +gazing sternly at Tal. <br> +<p>"What is the matter, Senor?" asked the Indian in turn. "Is it +that you are afraid of the poisoned arrows? Be assured they will +not harm you unless you are scratched by them."<br> +</p> + +Tom and Ned found it difficult to comprehend all the rapid +Spanish spoken by their host, but they managed to understand +some, and his eloquent gestures made up the rest. <br> +<p>"We're not afraid," Tom said, noting that the oiled skin well +covered the dangerous darts. "But where did you get that?"<br> +</p> + +"I picked it up, after another Indian had thrown it away. He got +it in your camp, Senor. I will not lie to you. I did not steal. +Valdez went to your camp to steal--he is a bad Indian-and he +brought back this wrapping. It contained something he thought was +gold, but it was not, so he----" <br> +<p>"Quick! Yes! Tell us!" demanded Tom eagerly. "What did he do +with the professor's map that was in the oiled silk? Where is +it?"<br> +</p> + +"Oh, Senors!" exclaimed the Indian woman, thinking perhaps her +husband was about to be dealt harshly with when she heard Tom's +excited voice. "Tal do no harm!" <br> +<p>"No, he did no harm," went on Tom, in a reassuring tone. "But +he can do a whole lot of good if he tells us what became of the +map that was in this oiled silk. Where is it?" he asked +again.<br> +</p> + +"Valdez burn it up," answered Tal. <br> +<p>"What, burned the professor's map?" cried Ned.<br> +</p> + +"If that was in this yellow cloth--yes," answered the injured +man. "Valdez he is bad. He say to me he is going to your camp to +see what he can take. How he got this I know not, but he come +back one morning with the yellow package. I see him, but he make +me promise not to tell. But you save my life I tell you +everything. <br> +<p>"Valdez open the package; but it is not gold, though he think +so because it is yellow, and the man with no hair on his head +keep it in his pocket close, so close," and Tal hugged himself to +indicate what he meant.<br> +</p> + +"That's Professor Bumper," explained Ned. <br> +<p>"How did Valdez get the map out of the professor's coat?" +asked Tom.<br> +</p> + +"Valdez he very much smart. When man with no hair on his head +take coat off for a minute to eat breakfast Valdez take yellow +thing out of pocket." <br> +<p>"The Indian must have sneaked into camp when we were eating," +said Tom. "Those from Beecher's party and our workers look all +alike to us. We wouldn't know one from the other, and one of our +rival's might slip in."<br> +</p> + +"One evidently did, if this is really the piece of oiled silk +that was around the professor's map," said Ned. <br> +<p>"It certainly is the same," declared the young inventor. "See, +there is his name," and he stretched out his hand to point.<br> +</p> + +"Don't touch!" cried Tal. "Poisoned arrows snake poison--very +dead-like and quick." <br> +<p>"Don't worry, I won't touch," said Tom grimly. "But go on. You +say Valdez sneaked into our camp, took the oiled-silk package +from the coat pocket of Professor Bumper and went back to his own +camp with it, thinking it was gold."<br> +</p> + +"Yes," answered Tal, though it is doubtful if he understood all +that Tom said, as it was half Spanish and half English. But the +Indian knew a little English, too. "Valdez, when he find no gold +is very mad. Only papers in the yellow silk-papers with queer +marks on. Valdez think it maybe a charm to work evil, so he burn +them up--all up!" <br> +<p>"Burned that rare map!" gasped Tom.<br> +</p> + +"All in fire," went on Tal, indicating by his hands the play of +flames. "Valdez throw away yellow silk, and I take for my arrows +so rain not wash off poison. I give to you, if you like, with +blow gun." <br> +<p>"No, thank you," answered Tom, in disappointed tones. "The +oiled silk is of no use without the map, and that's gone. Whew! +but this is tough!" he said to his chum. "As long as it was only +stolen there was a chance to get it back, but if it's burned, the +jig is up."<br> +</p> + +"It looks so," agreed Ned. "We'd better get back and tell the +professor. It he can't get along without the map it's time he +started a movement toward getting another. So it wasn't Beecher, +after all, who got it." <br> +<p>"Evidently not," assented Tom. "But I believe him capable of +it."<br> +</p> + +"You haven't much use for him," remarked Ned. <br> +<p>"Huh!" was all the answer given by his chum.<br> +</p> + +"I am sorry, Senors," went on Tal, "but I could not stop Valdez, +and the burning of the papers----" <br> +<p>"No, you could not help it," interrupted the young inventor. +"But it just happens that it brings bad luck to us. You see, Tal, +the papers in this yellow covering, told of an old buried city +that the bald-headed +professor--the-manwith-no-hair-on-his-head--is very anxious to +discover. It is somewhere under the ground," and he waved to the +jungle all about them, pointing earthwards.<br> +</p> + +"Paper Valdez burn tell of lost city?" asked Tal, his face +lighting up. <br> +<p>"Yes. But now, of course, we can't tell where to dig for +it."<br> +</p> + +The Indian turned to his wife and talked rapidly with her in +their own dialect. She, too, seemed greatly excited, making quick +gestures. Finally she ran out of the hut. <br> +<p>"Where is she going?" asked Tom suspiciously.<br> +</p> + +"To get her grandfather. He very old Indian. He know story of +buried cities under trees. Very old story--what you call legend, +maybe. But Goosal know. He tell same as his grandfather told him. +You wait. Goosal come, and you listen." <br> +<p>"Good, Ned!" suddenly cried Tom. "Maybe, we'll get on the +track of lost Kurzon after all, through some ancient Indian +legend. Maybe we won't need the map!"<br> +</p> + +"It hardly seems possible," said Ned slowly. "What can these +Indians know of buried cities that were out of existence before +Columbus came here? Why, they haven't any written history." <br> +<p>"No, and that may be just the reason they are more likely to +be right," returned Tom. "Legends handed down from one +grandfather to another go back a good many hundred years. If they +were written they might be destroyed as the professor's map was. +Somehow or other, though I can't tell why, I begin to see +daylight ahead of us."<br> +</p> + +"I wish I did," remarked Ned. <br> +<p>"Here comes Goosal I think," murmured Tom, and he pointed to +an Indian, bent with the weight of years, who, led by Tal's wife, +was slowly approaching the hut.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_21">CHAPTER XXI</h1> + +THE CAVERN <br> +"Now Goosal can tell you," said Tal, evidently pleased that he +had, in a measure, solved the problem caused by the burning of +the professor's map. "Goosal very old Indian. He know old +stories--legends--very old." <br> +<p>"Well, if he can tell us how to find the buried city of Kurzon +and the--the things in it," said Tom, "he's all right!"<br> +</p> + +The aged Indian proceeded slowly toward the hut where the +impatient youths awaited him. <br> +<p>"I know what you seek in the buried city," remarked Tal.<br> +</p> + +"Do you?" cried Tom, wondering if some one had indiscreetly +spoken of the idol of gold. <br> +<p>"Yes you want pieces of rock, with strange writings on them, +old weapons, broken pots. I know. I have helped white men +before."<br> +</p> + +"Yes, those are the things we want," agreed Tom, with a glance at +his chum. "That is--some of them. But does your wife's +grandfather talk our language?" <br> +<p>"No, but I can tell you what he says."<br> +</p> + +By this time the old man, led by "Mrs. Tal"-as the young men +called the wife of the Indian they had helped--entered the hut. +He seemed nervous and shy, and glanced from Tom and Ned to his +grandson-in-law, as the latter talked rapidly in the Indian +dialect. Then Goosal made answer, but what it was all about the +boys could not tell. <br> +<p>"Goosal say," translated Tal, "that he know a story of a very +old city away down under ground."<br> +</p> + +"Tell us about it!" urged Tom eagerly. <br> +<p>But a difficulty very soon developed. Tal's intentions were +good, but he was not equal to the task of translating. Nor was +the understanding of Tom and Ned of Spanish quite up to the +mark.<br> +</p> + +"Say, this is too much for me!" exclaimed Tom. "We are losing the +most valuable part of this by not understanding what Goosal says, +and what Tal translates." <br> +<p>"What can we do?" asked Ned.<br> +</p> + +"Get the professor here as soon as possible. He can manage this +dialect, and he'll get the information at first hand. If Goosal +can tell where to begin excavating for the city he ought to tell +the professor, not us." <br> +<p>"That's right," agreed Ned. "We'll bring the professor here as +soon as we can."<br> +</p> + +Accordingly they stopped the somewhat difficult task of listening +to the translated story and told Tal, as well as they could, that +they would bring the "man-with-no-hair-on-his-head" to listen to +the tale. <br> +<p>This seemed to suit the Indians, all of whom in the small +colony appeared to be very grateful to Tom and Ned for having +saved the life of Tal.<br> +</p> + +"That was a good shot you made when you bowled over the jaguar," +said Ned, as the two young explorers started back to their camp. +<br> +<p>"Better than I realized, if it leads to the discovery of +Kurzon and the idol of gold," remarked Tom.<br> +</p> + +"And to think we should come across the oiledsilk holding the +poisoned arrows!" went on Ned. "That's the strangest part of the +whole affair. If it hadn't been that you shot the jaguar this +never would have come about." <br> +<p>That Professor Bumper was astonished, and Mr. Damon likewise, +when they heard the story of Tom and Ned, is stating it +mildly.<br> +</p> + +"Come on!" exclaimed the scientist, as Tom finished, "we must see +this Goosal at once. If my map is destroyed, and it seems to be, +this old Indian may be our only hope. Where did he say the buried +city was, Tom?" <br> +<p>"Oh, somewhere in this vicinity, as nearly as I could make +out. But you'd better talk with him yourself. We didn't say +anything about the idol of gold."<br> +</p> + +"That's right. It's just as well to let the natives think we are +only after ordinary relics." <br> +<p>"Bless my insurance policy!" gasped Mr. Damon. "It does not +seem possible that we are on the right track."<br> +</p> + +"Well, I think we are, from what little information Goosal gave +us," remarked Tom. "This buried city of his must be a wonderful +place." <br> +<p>"It is, if it is what I take it to be," agreed the professor. +"I told you I would bring you to a land of wonders, Tom Swift, +and they have hardly begun yet. Come, I am anxious to talk to +Goosal."<br> +</p> + +In order that the Indians in the Bumper camp might not hear +rumors of the new plan to locate the hidden city, and, at the +same time, to keep rumors from spreading to the camp of the +rivals, the scientist and his friends started a new shaft, and +put a shift of men at work on it. <br> +<p>"We'll pretend we are on the right track, and very busy," said +Tom. "That will fool Beecher."<br> +</p> + +"Are you glad to know he did not take your map Professor Bumper?" +asked Mr. Damon. <br> +<p>"Well, yes. It is hard to believe such things of a fellow +scientist."<br> +</p> + +"If he didn't take it he wanted to," said Tom. "And he has done, +or will do, things as unsportsmanlike." <br> +<p>"Oh, you are hardly fair, perhaps, Tom," commented Ned.<br> +</p> + +"Um!" was all the answer he received. <br> +<p>With the Indians in camp busy on the excavation work, and +having ascertained that similar work was going on in the Beecher +outfit, Professor Bumper, with Mr. Damon and the young men, set +off to visit the Indian village and listen to Goosal's story. +They passed the place where Tom had slain the jaguar, but nothing +was left but the bones; the ants, vultures and jungle animals +having picked them clean in the night.<br> +</p> + +On the arrival of Tom and his friends at the Indian's hut, Goosal +told, in language which Professor Bumper could understand, the +ancient legend of the buried city as he had had it from his +grandfather. <br> +<p>"But is that all you know about it, Goosal?" asked the +savant.<br> +</p> + +"No, Learned One. It is true most of what I have told you was +told to me by my father and his father's father. But I--I +myself--with these eyes, have looked upon the lost city." <br> +<p>"You have!" cried the professor, this time in English. "Where? +When? Take us to it! How do you get here?"<br> +</p> + +"Through the cavern of the dead," was the answer when the +questions were modified. <br> +<p>"Bless my diamond ring!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, when Professor +Bumper translated the reply. "What does he mean?"<br> +</p> + +And then, after some talk, this information came out. Years +before, when Goosal was a young man, he had been taken by his +grandfather on a journey through the jungle. They stopped one day +at the foot of a high mountain, and, clearing away the brush and +stones at a certain place, an entrance to a great cavern was +revealed. This, it appeared, was the Indian burial ground, and +had been used for generations. <br> +<p>Goosal, though in fear and trembling, was lead through it, and +came to another cavern, vaster than the first. And there he saw +strange and wonderful sights, for it was the remains of a buried +city, that had once been the home of a great and powerful tribe +unlike the Indians--the ancient Mayas it would seem.<br> +</p> + +"Can you take us to this cavern?" asked the professor. <br> +<p>"Yes," answered Goosal. "I will lead to it those who saved the +life of Tal--them and their friends. I will take you to the lost +city!"<br> +</p> + +"Good!" cried Mr. Damon, when this had been translated. "Now let +Beecher try to play any more tricks on us! Ho! for the cavern and +the lost city of Kurzon." <br> +<p>"And the idol of gold," said Tom Swift to himself. "I hope we +can get it ahead of Beecher. Perhaps if I can help in that--Oh, +well, here's hoping, that's all!" and a little smile curved his +lips.<br> +</p> + +Greatly excited by the strange news, but maintaining as calm an +air outwardly as possible, so as not to excite the Indians, Tom +and his friends returned to camp to prepare for their trip. +Goosal had said the cavern lay distant more than a twodays' +journey into the jungle. <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_22">CHAPTER XXII</h1> + +THE STORM <br> +<p>"Now," remarked Tom, once they were back again in their camp, +"we must go about this trip to the cavern in a way that will +cause no suspicion over there as to what our object is," and he +nodded in the direction of the quarters of his rival.<br> +</p> + +"Do you mean to go off quietly?" asked Ned. <br> +<p>"Yes. And to keep the work going on here, at these shafts," +put in the scientist, "so that if any of their spies happen to +come here they will think we still believe the buried city to be +just below us. To that end we must keep the Indians digging, +though I am convinced now that it is useless."<br> +</p> + +Accordingly preparations were made for an expedition into the +jungle under the leadership of Goosal. Tal had not sufficiently +recovered from the jaguar wounds to go with the party, but the +old man, in spite of his years, was hale and hearty and capable +of withstanding hardships. <br> +<p>One of the most intelligent of the Indians was put in charge +of the digging gangs as foreman, and told to keep them at work, +and not to let them stray. Tolpec, whose brother Tom had tried to +save, proved a treasure. He agreed to remain behind and look +after the interests of his friends, and see that none of their +baggage or stores were taken.<br> +</p> + +"Well, I guess we're as ready as we ever shall be," remarked Tom, +as the cavalcade made ready to start. Mules carried the supplies +that were to be taken into the jungle, and others of the sturdy +animals were to be ridden by the travelers. The trail was not an +easy one, Goosal warned them. <br> +<p>Tom and his friends found it even worse than they had +expected, for all their experience in jungle and mountain +traveling. In places it was necessary to dismount and lead the +mules along, sometimes pushing and dragging them. More than once +the trail fairly hung on the edge of some almost bottomless +gorge, and again it wound its way between great walls of rock, so +poised that they appeared about to topple over and crush the +travelers. But they kept on with dogged patience, through many +hardships.<br> +</p> + +To add to their troubles they seemed to have entered the abode of +the fiercest mosquitoes encountered since coming to Honduras. At +times it was necessary to ride along with hats covered with +mosquito netting, and hands encased in gloves. <br> +<p>They had taken plenty of condensed food with them, and they +did not suffer in this respect. Game, too, was plentiful and the +electric rifles of Tom and Ned added to the larder.<br> +</p> + +One night, after a somewhat sound sleep induced by hard travel on +the trail that day, Tom awoke to hear some one or something +moving about among their goods, which included their provisions. +<br> +<p>"Who's there?" asked the young inventor sharply, as he reached +for his electric rifle.<br> +</p> + +There was no answer, but a rattling of the pans. <br> +<p>"Speak, or I'll fire!" Tom warned, adding this in such Spanish +as he could muster, for he thought it might be one of the +Indians. No reply came, and then, seeing by the light of the +stars a dark form moving in front of the tent occupied by himself +and Ned, Tom fired.<br> +</p> + +There was a combined grunt and squeal of pain, then a savage +growl, and Ned yelled: <br> +<p>"What's the matter, Tom?" for he had been awakened, and heard +the crackle of the electrical discharge.<br> +</p> + +"I don't know," Tom answered. "But I shot something--or +somebody!" <br> +<p>"Maybe some of Beecher's crowd," ventured his chum. But when +they got their electric torches, and focused them on the inert, +black object, it was found to be a bear which had come to nose +about the camp for dainty morsels.<br> +</p> + +Bruin was quite dead, and as he was in prime condition there was +a feast of bear meat at the following dinner. The white travelers +found it rather too strong for their palates, but the Indians +reveled in it. <br> +<p>It was shortly after noon the next day, when Goosal, after +remarking that a storm seemed brewing, announced that they would +be at the entrance to the cavern in another hour.<br> +</p> + +"Good!" cried Professor Bumper. "At last we are near the buried +city." <br> +<p>"Don't be too sure," advised Mr. Damon, "We may be +disappointed. Though I hope not for your sake, my dear +Professor."<br> +</p> + +Goosal now took the lead, and the old Indian, traveling on foot, +for he said he could better look for the old landmark that way +than on the back of a mule, walked slowly along a rough cliff. +<br> +<p>"Here. somewhere, is the entrance to the cavern," said the +aged man. "It was many years ago that I was here--many years. But +it seems as though yesterday. It is little changed."<br> +</p> + +Indeed little did change in that land of wonders. Only nature +caused what alterations there were. The hand of man had long been +absent. <br> +<p>Slowly Goosal walked along the rocky trail, on one side a +sheer rock, towering a hundred feet or more toward the sky. On +the other side a deep gash leading to a great fertile valley +below.<br> +</p> + +Suddenly the old man paused, and looked about him as though +uncertain. Then, more slowly still, he put out his hand and +pulled at some bushes that grew on a ledge of the rock. They came +away, having no depth of earth, and a small opening was +disclosed. <br> +<p>"It is here," said Goosal quietly. "The entrance to the cavern +that leads to the burial place of the dead, and the city that is +dead also. It is here."<br> +</p> + +He stood aside while the others hurried forward. It took but a +few minutes to prove that he was right--at least as to the +existence of the cavern--for the four men were soon peering into +the opening. <br> +<p>"Come on!" cried Tom, impetuously.<br> +</p> + +"Wait a moment," suggested the professor, "Sometimes the air in +these places is foul. We must test it." But a torch one of the +Indians threw in burned with a steady glow. That test was +conclusive at least. They made ready to enter. <br> +<p>Torches of a light bark, that glowed with a steady flame and +little smoke, had been provided, as well as a good supply of +electric dry-battery lamps, and the way into the cavern was thus +well lighted. At first the Indians were afraid to enter, but a +word or two from Goosal reassured them, and they followed +Professor Bumper, Tom, and the others into the cavern.<br> +</p> + +For several hundred feet there was nothing remarkable about the +cave. It was like any other cavern of the mountains, though +wonderful for the number of crystal formations on the root and +walls--formations that sparkled like a million diamonds in the +flickering lights. <br> +<p>"Talk about a wonderland!" cried Tom. "This is fairyland!"<br> +</p> + +A moment later, as Goosal walked on beside the professor and Tom, +the aged Indian came to a pause, and, pointing ahead, murmured: +<br> +<p>"The city of the dead!"<br> +</p> + +They saw the niches cut in the rock walls. niches that held the +countless bones of those who had died many, many years before. It +was a vast Indian grave. <br> +<p>"Doubtless a wealth of material of historic interest here," +said Professor Bumper, flashing his torch on the skeletons. "But +it will keep. Where is the city you spoke of, Goosal?"<br> +</p> + +"Farther on, Senor. Follow me." <br> +<p>Past the stone graves they went, deeper and deeper into the +great cave. Their footsteps echoed and re-echoed. Suddenly Tom, +who with Ned had gone a little ahead, came to a sudden halt and +said:<br> +</p> + +"Well, this may be a burial place sure enough, but I think I see +something alive all right--if it isn't a ghost." <br> +<p>He pointed ahead. Surely those were lights flickering and +moving about, and, yes, there were men carrying them. The Bumper +party came to a surprised halt. The other lights advanced, and +then, to the great astonishment of Professor Bumper and his +friends, there confronted them in the cave several scientists of +Professor Beecher's party and a score or more of Indians. +Professor Hylop, who was known to Professor Bumper, stepped +forward and asked sharply:<br> +</p> + +"What are you doing here?" <br> +<p>"I might ask you the same thing," was the retort.<br> +</p> + +"You might, but you would not be answered," came sharply. "We +have a right here, having discovered this cavern, and we claim it +under a concession of the Honduras Government. I shall have to +ask you to withdraw." <br> +<p>"Do you mean leave here?" asked Mr Damon.<br> +</p> + +"That is it, exactly. We first discovered this cave. We have been +conducting explorations in it for several days, and we wish no +outsiders." <br> +<p>"Are you speaking for Professor Beecher"' asked Tom.<br> +</p> + +"I am. But he is here in the cave, and will speak for himself if +you desire it. But I represent him, and I order you to leave. If +you do not go peaceably we will use force. We have plenty of it," +and he glanced back at the Indians grouped behind him--scowling +savage Indians. <br> +<p>"We have no wish to intrude," observed Professor Bumper, "and +I fully recognize the right of prior discovery. But one member of +our party (he did not say which one) was in this cave many years +ago. He led us to it."<br> +</p> + +"Ours is a government concession!" exclaimed Professor Hylop +harshly. "We want no intruders! Go!" and he pointed toward the +direction whence Tom's party had come. <br> +<p>"Drive them out!" he ordered the Indians in Spanish, and with +muttered threats the darkskinned men advanced toward Tom and the +others.<br> +</p> + +"You need not use force," said Professor Bumper. <br> +<p>He and Professor Hylop had quarreled bitterly years before on +some scientific matter, and the matter was afterward found to be +wrong. Perhaps this made him vindictive.<br> +</p> + +Tom stepped forward and started to protest, but Professor Bumper +interposed. <br> +<p>"I guess there is no help for it but to go. It seems to be +theirs by right of discovery and government concession," he said, +in disappointed tone. "Come friends"; and dejectedly they +retraced their steps.<br> +</p> + +Followed by the threatening Indians, the Bumper party made its +way back to the entrance. They had hoped for great things, but if +the cavern gave access to the buried city--the ancient city of +Kurzon on the chief altar of which stood the golden idol, +Quitzel--it looked as though they were never to enter it. <br> +<p>"We'll have to get our Indians and drive those fellows out!" +declared Tom. "I'm not going to be beaten this way--and by +Beecher!"<br> +</p> + +"It is galling," declared Professor Bumper. "Still he has right +on his side, and I must give in to priority, as I would expect +him to. It is the unwritten law." <br> +<p>"Then we've failed!" cried Tom bitterly.<br> +</p> + +"Not yet," said Professor Bumper. "If I can not unearth that +buried city I may find another in this wonderland. I shall not +give up." <br> +<p>"Hark! What's that noise?" asked Tom, as they approached the +entrance to the cave.<br> +</p> + +"Sounds like a great wind blowing," commented Ned. <br> +<p>It was. As they stood in the entrance they looked out to find +a fierce storm raging. The wind was sweeping down the rocky +trail, the rain was falling in veritable bucketfuls from the +overhanging cliff, and deafening thunder and blinding lightning +roared and flashed.<br> +</p> + +"Surely you would not drive us out in this storm," said Professor +Bumper to his former rival. <br> +<p>"You can not stay in the cave! You must get out!" was the +answer, as a louder crash of thunder than usual seemed to shake +the very mountain.<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_23">CHAPTER XXIII</h1> + +ENTOMBED ALIVE <br> +For an instant Tom and his friends paused at the entrance to the +wonderful cavern, and looked at the raging storm. It seemed +madness to venture out into it, yet they had been driven from the +cave by those who had every right of discovery to say who, and +who should not, partake of its hospitality. <br> +<p>"We can't go out into that blow!" cried Ned. "It's enough to +loosen the very mountains!"<br> +</p> + +"Let's stay here and defy them!" murmured Tom. "If the--if what +we seek--is here we have as good a right to it as they have." +<br> +<p>"We must go out," said Professor Bumper simply. "I recognize +the right of my rival to dispossess us."<br> +</p> + +"He may have the right, but it isn't human," said Mr. Damon. +"Bless my overshoes! If Beecher himself were here he wouldn't +have the heart to send us out in this storm." <br> +<p>"I would not give him the satisfaction of appealing to him," +remarked Professor Bumper. "Come, we will go out. We have our +ponchos, and we are not fair-weather explorers. If we can't get +to the lost city one way we will another. Come my friends."<br> +</p> + +And despite the downpour, the deafening thunder and the lightning +that seemed ready to sear one's eyes, he walked out of the cave +entrance, followed by Tom and the others. <br> +<p>"Come on!" cried Tom, in a voice he tried to render confident, +as they went out into the terrible storm. "We'll beat 'em +yet!"<br> +</p> + +The rain fell harder than ever. Small torrents were now rushing +down the trail, and it was only a question of a few minutes +before the place where they stood would be a raging river, so +quickly does the rain collect in the mountains and speed toward +the valleys. <br> +<p>"We must take to the forest!" cried Tom. "There'll be some +shelter there, and I don't like the way the geography of this +place is behaving. There may be a landslide at any moment."<br> +</p> + +As he spoke he motioned upward through the mist of the rain to +the sloping side of the mountain towering above them. Loose +stones were beginning to roll down, accompanied by patches of +earth loosened by the water. Some of the patches carried with +them bunches of grass and small bushes. <br> +<p>"Yes, it will be best to move into the jungle," said the +professor. "Goosal, you had better take the lead."<br> +</p> + +It was wonderful to see how well the aged Indian bore up in spite +of his years, and walked on ahead. They had left their mules +tethered some distance back, in a sheltering clump of trees, and +they hoped the animals would be safe. <br> +<p>The guide found a place where they could leave the trail, +though going down a dangerous slope, and take to the forest. As +carefully as possible they descended this, the rain continuing to +fall, the wind to blow, the lightning to sizzle all about them +and the thunder to boom in their ears.<br> +</p> + +They went on until they were beneath the shelter of the thick +jungle growth of trees, which kept off some of the pelting drops. +<br> +<p>"This is better!" exclaimed Ned, shaking his poncho and +getting rid of some of the water that had settled on it.<br> +</p> + +"Bless my overcoat!" cried Mr. Damon. "We seem to have gotten out +of the frying pan into the fire!" <br> +<p>"How?" asked Tom. "We are partly sheltered here, though had we +stayed in the cave in spite of----"<br> +</p> + +A deafening crash interrupted him, and following the flash one of +the giant trees of the forest was seen to blaze up and then +topple over. <br> +<p>"Struck by lightning!" yelled Ned.<br> +</p> + +"Yes; and it may happen to us!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "We were +safer from the lightning in the open. Maybe----" <br> +<p>Again came an interruption, but this time a different one. The +very ground beneath their feet seemed to be shaking and +trembling.<br> +</p> + +"What is it?" gasped Ned, while Goosal fell on his knees and +began fervently to pray. <br> +<p>"It's an earthquake!" yelled Tom Swift.<br> +</p> + +As he spoke there came another sound--the sound of a mass of +earth in motion. It came from the direction of the mountain trail +they had just left. They looked toward it and their +horrorstricken eyes saw the whole side of the mountain sliding +down. <br> +<p>Slowly at first the earth slid down, but constantly gathering +force and speed. In the face of this new disaster the rain seemed +to have ceased and the thunder and lightning to be less severe. +It was as though one force of nature gave way to the other.<br> +</p> + +"Look! Look!" gasped Ned. <br> +<p>In silence, which was broken now only by a low and ominous +rumble, more menacing than had been the awful fury of the +elements, the travelers looked.<br> +</p> + +Suddenly there was a quicker movement of seemingly one whole +section of the mountain. Great rocks and trees, carried down by +the appalling force of the landslide were slipping over the +trail, obliterating it as though it had never existed. <br> +<p>"There goes the entrance to the cavern!" cried Ned, and as the +others looked to where he pointed they saw the hole in the side +of the mountain --the mouth of the cave that led to the lost city +of Kurzon--completely covered by thousands of tons of earth and +stones.<br> +</p> + +"That's the end of them!" exclaimed Tom, as the rumble of the +earthquake died away. <br> +<p>"Of----" Ned stopped, his eyes staring.<br> +</p> + +"Of Professor Beecher's party. They're entombed alive!" <br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<h1 id="ref_24">CHAPTER XXIV</h1> + +THE REVOLVING STONE <br> +<p>Stunned, not alone by the realization of the awfulness of the +fate of their rivals, but also by the terrific storm and the +effect of the earthquake and the landslide, Tom and his friends +remained for a moment gazing toward the mouth of the cavern, now +completely out of sight, buried by a mass of broken trees, +tangled bushes, rocks and earth. Somewhere, far beyond that mass, +was the Beecher party, held prisoners in the cave that formed the +entrance to the buried city.<br> +</p> + +Tom was the first to come to a realization of what was needed to +be done. <br> +<p>"We must help them!" he exclaimed, and it was characteristic +of him that he harbored no enmity.<br> +</p> + +"How?" asked Ned. <br> +<p>"We must get a force of Indians and dig them out," was the +prompt answer.<br> +</p> + +At Tom's vigorous words Professor Bumper's forces were energized +into action, and he stated: "Fortunately we have plenty of +excavating tools. We may be in time to save them. Come on! the +storm seems to have passed as suddenly as it came up, and the +earthquake, which, after all did not cover a wide area, seems to +be over. We must start the work of rescue at once. We must go +back to camp and get all the help we can muster." <br> +<p>The storm, indeed, seemed to be over, but it was no easy +matter to get back over the soggy, rain-soaked ground to the +trail they had left to take shelter in the forest. Fortunately +the earthquake had not involved that portion where they had left +their mules, but most of the frightened animals had broken loose, +and it was some little time before they could all be caught.<br> +</p> + +"It is no use to try to get back to camp tonight," said Tom, when +the last of the pack and saddle animals had been corralled. "It +is getting late and there is no telling the condition of the +trail. We must stay here until morning." <br> +<p>"But what about them?" and Mr. Damon nodded in the direction +of the entombed ones.<br> +</p> + +"We can help them best by waiting until the beginning of a new +day," said the professor. "We shall need a large force, and we +could not bring it up to-night. Besides, Tom is right, and if we +tried to go along the trail after dark, torn and disturbed as it +is bound to be by the rain, we might get into difficulties +ourselves. No, we must camp here until morning and then go for +help." <br> +<p>They all decided finally this was best. The professor, too, +pointed out that their rivals were in a large and roomy cave, not +likely to suffer from lack of air nor food or water, since they +must have supplies with them.<br> +</p> + +"The only danger is that the cave has been crushed in," added +Tom; "but in that event we would be of no service to them +anyhow." <br> +<p>The night seemed very long, and it was a most uncomfortable +one, because of the shock and exertions through which the party +had passed. Added to this was the physical discomfort caused by +the storm.<br> +</p> + +But in time there was the light in the east that meant morning +was at hand, and with it came action. A hasty breakfast, cups of +steaming coffee forming a most welcome part, put them all in +better condition, and once more they were on their way, heading +back to the main camp where they had left their force of Indians. +<br> +<p>"My!" exclaimed Tom, as they made their way slowly along, "it +surely was some storm! Look at those big trees uprooted over +there. They're almost as big as the giant redwoods of California, +and yet they were bowled over as if they were tenpins."<br> +</p> + +"I wonder if the wind did it or the earthquake," ventured Mr. +Damon. <br> +<p>"No wind could do that," declared Ned. "It must have been the +landslide caused by the earthquake."<br> +</p> + +"The wind could do it if the ground was made soft by the rain; +and that was probably what did it," suggested Tom. <br> +<p>"There is no harm in settling the point," commented Professor +Bumper. "It is not far off our trail, and will take only a few +minutes to go over to the trees. I should like to get some +photographs to accompany an article that perhaps I shall write on +the effects of sudden and severe tropical storms. We will go to +look at the overturned trees and then we'll hurry on to camp to +get the rescue party."<br> +</p> + +The uprooted trees lay on one side of the mountain trail, perhaps +a mile from the mouth of the cave which had been covered over, +entombing the Beecher party. Leaving the mules in charge of one +of the Indians, Professor Bumper and his friends, accompanied by +Goosal, approached the fallen trees. As they neared them they saw +that in falling the trees had lifted with their roots a large +mass of earth and imbedded rocks that had clung to the twisted +and gnarled fibers. This mass was as large as a house. <br> +<p>"Look at the hole left when the roots pulled out!" cried Ned. +"Why, it's like the crater of a small volcano!" he added. And, as +they stood on the edge of it looking curiously at the hole made, +the others agreed with Tom's chum.<br> +</p> + +Professor Bumper was looking about, trying to ascertain if there +were any evidences of the earthquake in the vicinity, when Tom, +who had cautiously gone a little way down into the excavation +caused by the fallen trees, uttered a cry of surprise. <br> +<p>"Look!" he shouted. "Isn't that some sort of tunnel or +underground passage?" and he pointed to a square opening, perhaps +seven feet high and nearly as broad, which extended, no one knew +where, downward and onward from the side of the hole made by the +uprooting of the trees.<br> +</p> + +"It's an underground passage all right," said Professor Bumper +eagerly; "and not a natural one, either. That was fashioned by +the hand of man, if I am any judge. It seems to go right under +the mountain, too. Friends, we must explore this! It may be of +the utmost importance! Come, we have our electric torches, and we +shall need them, for it's very dark in there," and he peered into +the passage in front of which they all stood now. It seemed to +have been tunneled through the earth, the sides being lined by +either slabs of stone, or walls made by a sort of concrete. <br> +<p>"But what about the rescue work?" asked Mr. Damon.<br> +</p> + +"I am not forgetting Professor Beecher and his friends," answered +the scientist. <br> +<p>"Perhaps this may be a better means of rescuing them than by +digging them out, which will take a week at least," observed +Tom.<br> +</p> + +"This a better way?" asked Ned, pointing to the tunnel. <br> +<p>"That's it," confirmed the savant. "If you will notice it +extends back in the direction of the cave from which we were +driven. Now if there is a buried city beneath all this jungle, +this mountain of earth and stones, the accumulation of centuries, +it is probably on the bottom of some vast cavern. It is my +opinion that we were only in one end of that cavern, and this may +be the entrance to another end of it."<br> +</p> + +"Then," asked Mr. Damon, "do you mean that we can enter here, get +into the cave that contains the buried city, or part of it, and +find there Beecher and his friends?" <br> +<p>"That's it. It is possible, and if we could it would save an +immense lot of work, and probably be a surer way to save their +lives than by digging a tunnel through the landslide to find the +mouth of the cave where we first entered."<br> +</p> + +"It's a chance worth taking," said Mr. Damon. "Of course it is a +chance. But then everything connected with this expedition is; so +one is no worse than another. As you say, we may find the +entombed men more easily this way than any other." <br> +<p>"I wonder," said Tom slowly, "if, by any chance, we shall +find, through this passage, the lost city we are looking +for."<br> +</p> + +"And the idol of gold," added Ned. <br> +<p>"Goosal, do you know anything about this?" asked Professor +Bumper. "Did you ever hear of another passage leading to the cave +where you saw the ancient city?"<br> +</p> + +"No, Learned One, though I have heard stories about there being +many cities, or parts of a big one, beneath the mountain, and +when it was above ground there were many entrances to it." <br> +<p>"That settles it!" cried the professor in English, having +talked to Goosal in Spanish. "We'll try this and see where it +leads."<br> +</p> + +They entered the stone-lined passage. In spite of the fact that +it had probably been buried and concealed from light and air for +centuries, as evidenced by the growth of the giant trees above +it, the air was fresh. <br> +<p>"And this is one reason," said Tom, in commenting on this +fact, "why I believe it leads to some vast cavern which is +connected in some fashion with the outer air. Well, perhaps we +shall soon make a discovery."<br> +</p> + +Eagerly and anxiously the little party pressed forward by the +light of the pocket electric lamps. They were obsessed by two +thoughts--what they might find and the necessity for aiding in +the rescue of their rivals. <br> +<p>On and on they went, the darkness illuminated only by the +torches they carried. But they noticed that the air was still +fresh, and that a gentle wind blew toward them. The passage was +undoubtedly artificial, a tunnel made by the hands of men now +long crumbled into dust. It had a slightly upward slope, and +this, Professor Bumper said, indicated that it was bored upward +and perhaps into the very heart of the mountain somewhere in the +interior of which was the Beecher party.<br> +</p> + +Just how far they went they did not know, but it must have been +more than two miles. Yet they did not tire, for the way was +smooth. <br> +<p>Suddenly Tom, who, with Professor Bumper, was in the lead, +uttered a cry, as he held his torch above his head and flashed it +about in a circle.<br> +</p> + +"We're blocked!" he exclaimed. "We're up against a stone wall!" +<br> +<p>It was but too true. Confronting them, and extending from side +to side across the passage and from roof to floor, was a great +rough stone. Immense and solid it seemed when they pushed on it +in vain.<br> +</p> + +"Nothing short of dynamite will move that," said Ned in despair. +"This is a blind lead. We'll have to go back." <br> +<p>"But there must be something on the other side of that stone," +cried Tom. "See, it is pierced with holes, and through them comes +a current of air. If we could only move the stone!"<br> +</p> + +"I believe it is an ancient door," remarked Professor Bumper. +<br> +<p>Eagerly and frantically they tried to move it by their +combined weight. The stone did not give the fraction of the +breadth of a hair.<br> +</p> + +"We'll have to go back and get some of your big tunnel blasting +powder, Tom," suggested Ned. <br> +<p>As he spoke old Goosal glided forward. He had remained behind +them in the passage while they were trying to move the rock. Now +he said something in Spanish.<br> +</p> + +"What does he mean?" asked Ned. <br> +<p>"He asks that he be allowed to try," translated Professor +Bumper. "Sometimes, he says, there is a secret way of opening +stone doors in these underground caves. Let him try."<br> +</p> + +Goosal seemed to be running his fingers lightly over the outer +edge of the door. He was muttering to himself in his Indian +tongue. <br> +<p>Suddenly he uttered an exclamation, and, as he did so, there +was a noise from the door itself. It was a grinding, scraping +sound, a rumble as though rocks were being rolled one against the +other.<br> +</p> + +Then the astonished eyes of the adventurers saw the great stone +door revolve on its axis and swing to one side, leaving a passage +open through which they could pass. Goosal had discovered the +hidden mechanism. <br> +<p>What lay before them?<br> +</p> + +<br> +<h1 id="ref_25">CHAPTER XXV</h1> + +THE IDOL OF GOLD <br> +"Forward! cried Tom Swift. <br> +<p>"Where?" asked Mr Damon, hanging back for an instant. "Bless +my compass, Tom! do you know where you're going?"<br> +</p> + +"I haven't the least idea, but it must lead to something, or the +ancients who made this revolving stone door wouldn't have taken +such care to block the passage." <br> +<p>"Ask Goosal if he knows anything about it," suggested Mr. +Damon to the professor.<br> +</p> + +"He says he never was here before," translated the savant, "but +years ago, when he went into the hidden city by the cave we left +yesterday, he saw doors like this which opened this way." <br> +<p>"Then we're on the right track!" cried Tom. "If this is the +same kind of door, it must lead to the same place. Ho for Kurzon +and the idol of gold!"<br> +</p> + +As they passed through the stone door, Tom and Professor Bumper +tried to get some idea of the mechanism by which it worked. But +they found this impossible, it being hidden within the stone +itself or in the adjoining walls. But, in order that it might not +close of itself and entomb them, the portal was blocked open with +stones found in the passage. <br> +<p>"It's always well to have a line of retreat open," said Tom. +"There's no telling what may lie beyond us."<br> +</p> + +For a time there seemed to be nothing more than the same passage +along which they had come. Then the passage suddenly widened, +like the large end of a square funnel. Upward and outward the +stone walls swept, and they saw dimly before them, in the light +of their torches, a vast cavern, seemingly formed by the falling +in of mountains, which, in toppling over, had met overhead in a +sort of rough arch, thus protecting, in a great measure, that +which lay beneath them. <br> +<p>Goosal, who had brought with him some of the fiber bark +torches, set a bundle of them aflame. As they flared up, a +wondrous sight was revealed to Tom Swift and his friends.<br> +</p> + +Stretching out before them, as though they stood at the end of an +elevated street and gazed down on it, was a city--a large city, +with streets, houses, open squares, temples, statues, fountains, +dry for centuries--a buried and forgotten city-a city in ruins--a +city of the dead, now dry as dust, but still a city, or, rather, +the strangely preserved remains of one. <br> +<p>"Look!" whispered Tom. A louder voice just then, would have +seemed a sacrilege. "Look!"<br> +</p> + +"Is it what we are looking for?" asked Ned in a low voice. <br> +<p>"I believe it is," replied the professor. "It is the lost city +of Kurzon, or one just like it. And now if we can find the idol +of gold our search will be ended--at least the major part of +it."<br> +</p> + +"Where did you expect to find the idol?" asked Tom. <br> +<p>"It should be in the main temple. Come, we will walk in the +ancient streets--streets where no feet but ours have trod in many +centuries. Come!"<br> +</p> + +In eager silence they pressed on through this newly discovered +wonderland. For it was a wonderful city, or had been. Though much +of it was in ruins, probably caused by an earthquake or an +eruption from a volcano, the central portion, covered as it was +by the overtoppling mountains that formed the arching roof, was +well preserved. <br> +<p>There were rude but beautiful stone buildings. There were +archways; temples; public squares; and images, not at all +beautiful, for they seemed to be of man-monsters--doubtless +ancient gods. There were smoothly paved streets; wondrously +carved fountains, some in ruins, all now as dry as bone, but +which must have been places of beauty where youths and maidens +gathered in the ancient days.<br> +</p> + +Of the ancient population there was not a trace left. Tom and his +friends penetrated some of the houses, but not so much as a bone +or a heap of mouldering dust showed where the remains of the +people were. Either they had fled at the approaching doom of the +city and were buried elsewhere, or some strange fire or other +force of nature had consumed and obliterated them. <br> +<p>"What a wealth of historic information I shall find here!" +murmured Professor Bumper, as he caught sight of many +inscriptions in strange characters on the walls and buildings. "I +shall never get to the end of them."<br> +</p> + +"But what about the idol of gold?" asked Mr. Damon, "Do you think +you'll find that?" <br> +<p>"We must hurry on to the temple over there," said the +scientist, indicating a building further along.<br> +</p> + +"And then we must see about rescuing your rivals, Professor," put +in Tom. <br> +<p>"Yes, Tom. But fortunately we are on the ground here before +them," agreed the professor.<br> +</p> + +Undoubtedly it was the chief temple, or place of worship, of the +long-dead race which the explorers now entered. It was a building +beautiful in its barbaric style, and yet simple. There were +massive walls, and a great inner court, at the end of which +seemed to be some sort of altar. And then, as they lighted fresh +torches, and pressed forward with them and their electric lights, +they saw that which caused a cry of satisfaction to burst from +all of them. <br> +<p>"The idol of gold!"<br> +</p> + +Yes, there it squatted, an ugly, misshapen, figure, a cross +between a toad and a gila monster, half man, half beast, with big +red eyes--rubies probably--that gleamed in the repulsive golden +face. And the whole figure, weighing many pounds, seemed to be of +SOLID GOLD! <br> +<p>Eagerly the others followed Professor Bumper up the altar +steps to the very throne of the golden idol. The scientist +touched it, tried to raise it and make sure of its solidity and +material.<br> +</p> + +"This is it!" he cried. "It is the idol of gold! I have found We +have found it, for it belongs to all of us!" <br> +<p>"Hurray!" cried Tom Swift, and Ned and Mr. Damon joined in the +cry.<br> +</p> + +There was no need for silence or caution now; and yet, as they +stood about the squat and ugly figure, which, in spite of its +hideousness, was worth a fortune intrinsically and as an antique, +they heard from the direction of the stone passage a noise. <br> +<p>"What is it?" asked Tom Swift.<br> +</p> + +There was a murmur of voices. <br> +<p>"Indians!" cried Professor Bumper, recognizing the language--a +mixture of Spanish and Indian.<br> +</p> + +The cave was illuminated by the glare of other torches which +seemed to rush forward. A moment later it was seen that they were +being carried by a number of Indians. <br> +<p>"Friends," murmured Goosal, using the Spanish term, +"Amigos."<br> +</p> + +"They are our own Indians!" cried Tom Swift. "I see Tolpec!" and +he pointed to the native who had deserted from Jacinto's force to +help them. <br> +<p>"How did they get here?" asked Professor Bumper.<br> +</p> + +This was quickly told. In their camp, where, under the leadership +of Tolpec they had been left to do the excavating, the natives +had heard, seen and felt the effects of the storm and the +earthquake, though it did little damage in their vicinity. But +they became alarmed for the safety of the professor and his party +and, at Tolpec's suggestion, set off in search of them. <br> +<p>The Indians had seen, passing along the trail, the uprooted +trees, and had noted the footsteps of the explorers going down to +the stone passage. It was easy for them to determine that Tom and +his friends had gone in, since the marks of their boots were +plainly in evidence in the soft soil.<br> +</p> + +None of the Indians was as much wrought up over the discovery of +Kurzon and the idol as were the white adventurers. The gold, of +course, meant something to the natives, but they were indifferent +to the wonders of the underground city. Perhaps they had heard +too many legends concerning such things to be impressed. <br> +<p>"That statue is yours--all yours," said old Goosal when he had +talked with his relatives and friends among the natives. "They +all say what you find you keep, and we will help you keep +it."<br> +</p> + +"That's good," murmured Professor Bumper. "There was some doubt +in my mind as to our right to this, but after all, the natives +who live in this land are the original owners, and if they pass +title to us it is clear. That settles the last difficulty." <br> +<p>"Except that of getting the idol out," said Mr. Damon.<br> +</p> + +"Oh, we'll accomplish that!" cried Tom. <br> +<p>"I can hardly believe my good luck," declared Professor +Bumper. "I shall write a whole book on this idol alone and +then----"<br> +</p> + +Once more came an interruption. This time it was from another +direction, but it was of the same character--an approaching band +of torchbearers. They were Indians, too, but leading them were a +number of whites. <br> +<p>And at their head was no less personage than Professor Beecher +himself.<br> +</p> + +For a moment, as the three parties stood together in the ancient +temple, in the glare of many torches, no one spoke. Then +Professor Bumper found his voice. <br> +<p>"We are glad to see you," he said to his rival. "That is glad +to see you alive, for we saw the landslide bury you. And we were +coming to dig you out. We thought this cave--the cave of the +buried city--would lead us to you easier than by digging through +the slide. We have just discovered this idol," and he put his +hand on the grim golden image.<br> +</p> + +"Oh, you have discovered it, have you?" asked Professor Beecher, +and his voice was bitter. <br> +<p>"Yes, not ten minutes ago. The natives have kindly +acknowledged my right to it under the law of priority. I am sorry +but----"<br> +</p> + +With a look of disgust and chagrined disappointment on his face, +Professor Beecher turned to the other scientists and said: <br> +<p>"Let us go. We are too late. He has what I came after."<br> +</p> + +"Well, it is the fortune of war--and discovery," put in Mr. +Hardy, one of the party who seemed the least ill-natured. "Your +luck might have been ours, Professor Bumper. I congratulate you." +<br> +<p>"Thank you! Are you sure your party is all right--not in need +of assistance? How did you get out of the place you were +buried?"<br> +</p> + +"Thank you! We do not require any help. It was good of you to +think of us. But we got out the way we came in. We did not enter +the tunnel as you did, but came in through another entrance which +was not closed by the landslide. Then we made a turn through a +gateway in a tunnel connecting with ours--a gateway which seems +to have been opened by the earthquake-and we came here, just now. +<br> +<p>"Too late, I see, to claim the discovery of the idol of gold," +went on Mr. Hardy. "But I trust you will be generous, and allow +us to make observations of the buildings and other relics."<br> +</p> + +"As much as you please, and with the greatest pleasure in the +world," was the prompt answer of Professor Bumper. "All I lay +sole claim to is the golden idol. You are at liberty to take +whatever else you find in Kurzon and to make what observations +you like." <br> +<p>"That is generous of you, and quite in contrast to--er--to the +conduct of our leader. I trust he may awaken to a sense of the +injustice he did you."<br> +</p> + +But Professor Beecher was not there to hear this. He had stalked +away in anger. <br> +<p>"Humph!" grunted Tom. Then he continued: "That story about a +government concession was all a fake, Professor, else he'd have +put up a fight now. Contemptible sneak!"<br> +</p> + +In fact the story of Tom Swift's trip to the underground land of +wonders is ended, for with the discovery of the idol of gold the +main object of the expedition was accomplished. But their +adventures were not over by any means, though there is not room +in this volume to record them. <br> +<p>Suffice it to say that means were at once taken to get the +golden image out of the cave of the ancient city. It was not +accomplished without hard work, for the gold was heavy, and +Professor Bumper would not, naturally, consent to the shaving off +of so much as an ear or part of the flat nose, to say nothing of +one of the half dozen extra arms and legs with which the ugly +idol was furnished.<br> +</p> + +Finally it was safely taken out of the cave, and along the stone +passage to the opening formed by the overthrown trees, and thence +on to camp. <br> +<p>And at the camp a surprise awaited Tom.<br> +</p> + +Some long-delayed mail had been forwarded from the nearest place +of civilization and there were letters for all, including several +for our hero. One in particular he picked out first and read +eagerly. <br> +<p>"Well, is every little thing all right, Tom?" asked Ned, as he +saw a cheerful grin spread itself over his chum's face.<br> +</p> + +"I should say it is, and then some! Look here, Ned. This is a +letter from----" <br> +<p>"I know. Mary Nestor. Go on."<br> +</p> + +"How'd you guess?" <br> +<p>"Oh, I'm a mind-reader."<br> +</p> + +"Huh! Well, you know she was away when I went to call to say +good-bye, and I was a little afraid Beecher had got an inside +edge on me." <br> +<p>"Had he?"<br> +</p> + +"No, but he tried hard enough. He went to see Mary in +Fayetteville, just as you heard, before he came on to join his +party, but he didn't pay much of a visit to her." <br> +<p>"No?"<br> +</p> + +"No. Mary told him he'd better hurry along to Central America, or +wherever it was he intended going, as she didn't care for him as +much as he flattered himself she did." <br> +<p>"Good!" cried Ned. "Shake, old man. I'm glad!"<br> +</p> + +They shook hands. <br> +<p>"Well, what's the matter? Didn't you read all of her letter?" +asked Ned when he saw his chum once more perusing the +epistle.<br> +</p> + +"No. There's a postscript here. <br> +<p>"`Sorry I couldn't see you before you left. It was a mistake, +but when you come back----'<br> +</p> + +"Oh, that part isn't any of your affair!" and, blushing under his +tan, Tom thrust the letter into his pocket and strode away, while +Ned laughed happily. <br> +<p>With the idol of gold safe in their possession, Professor +Bumper's party could devote their time to making other +explorations in the buried city. This they did, as is testified +to by a long list of books and magazine articles since turned out +by the scientist, dealing strictly with archaeological subjects, +touching on the ancient Mayan race and its civilization, with +particular reference to their system of computing time.<br> +</p> + +Professor Beecher, young and foolish, would not consent to delve +into the riches of the ancient city, being too much chagrined +over the loss of the idol. It seems he had really promised to +give a part of it to Mary Nestor. But he never got the chance. +<br> +<p>His colleagues, after their first disappointment at being +beaten, joined forces with Professor Bumper in exploring the old +city, and made many valuable discoveries.<br> +</p> + +In one point Professor Bumper had done his rival an injustice. +That was in thinking Professor Beecher was responsible for the +treachery of Jacinto. That was due to the plotter's own work. It +was true that Professor Beecher had tentatively engaged Jacinto, +and had sent word to him to keep other explorers away from the +vicinity of the ancient city if possible; but Jacinto, who did +not return Professor Bumper's money, as he had promised, had +acted treacherously in order to enrich himself. Professor Beecher +had nothing to do with that, nor had he with the taking of the +map, as has been seen, the loss of which, after all, was a +blessing in disguise, for Kurzon would never have been located by +following the directions given there, as it was very inaccurate. +<br> +<p>In another point it was demonstrated that the old documents +were at fault. This was in reference to the golden idol having +been overthrown and another set up in its place, an act which had +caused the destruction of Kurzon.<br> +</p> + +It is true that the city was destroyed, or rather, buried, but +this catastrophe was probably brought about by an earthquake. And +another great idol, one of clay, was found, perhaps a rival of +Quitzel, but it was this clay image which was thrown down and +broken, and not the golden one. <br> +<p>Perhaps an effort had been made, just before the burying of +the city, to change idols and the system of worship, but Quitzel +seemed to have held his own. The old manuscripts were not very +reliable, it was found, except in general.<br> +</p> + +"Well, I guess this will hold Beecher for a while," said Tom, the +night of the arrival of Mary's letter, and after he had written +one in answer, which was dispatched by a runner to the nearest +place whence mail could be forwarded. <br> +<p>"Yes, luck seems to favor you," replied Ned. "You've had a +hand in the discovery of the idol of gold, and----"<br> +</p> + +"Yes. And I discovered something else I wasn't quite sure of," +interrupted Tom, as he felt to make sure he had a certain letter +safe in his pocket. <br> +<p>It was several weeks later that the explorations of Kurzon +came to an end--a temporary end, for the rainy season set in, +when the tropics are unsuitable for white men. Tom, Professor +Bumper, Ned and Mr. Damon set sail for the United States, the +valuable idol of gold safe on board.<br> +</p> + +And there, with their vessel plowing the blue waters of the +Caribbean Sea, we will take leave of Tom Swift and his friends. +<br> +<p><br> +</p> + +<br> +<p>End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tom Swift in the Land of +Wonders<br> +</p> +</body> +</html> + |