Tom Swift In The City Of Gold

or

Marvelous Adventures Underground

by Victor Appleton

AUTHOR OF "TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-CYCLE, " "TOM SWIFT AND HISAIRSHIP, " "TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE, " "TOM SWIFT AND HISELECTRIC RIFLE, " ETC. 

ILLUSTRATED

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

 I WONDERFUL NEWS II AN UNSUSPECTED LISTENER III ANDY IS WHITEWASHED IV A PERILOUS FLIGHT V NEWS FROM AFRICA VI "BEWARE THE HEAD-HUNTERS!" VII TOM MAKES A PROMISE VIII ERADICATE WILL GO IX "THAT LOOKED LIKE ANDY!" X MYSTERIOUS PASSENGERS XI THE MIDNIGHT ALARM XII INTO THE UNKNOWN XIII FOLLOWED XIV A WEARY SEARCH XV THE GOLDEN IMAGE XVI THE MAP ON THE GOLD XVII THE RUINED TEMPLE XVIII FINDING THE TUNNEL XIX THE UNDERGROUND RIVER XX THE CITY OF GOLD XXI THE BIG IMAGE XXII TRAPPED XXIII "IS IT A RESCUE?" XXIV THE FIGHT XXV THE ESCAPE--CONCLUSION

TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD

CHAPTER I

WONDERFUL NEWS

"Letter for you, Tom Swift. "

"Ah, thanks, Mr. Wilson. This is the first mail I've had this week. You've been neglecting me, " and the young inventor took the missivewhich the Shopton postman handed to him over the gate, against whichTom was leaning one fine, warm Spring day. 

"Well, I get around as often as I can, Tom. You're not home a greatdeal, you know. When you're not off in your sky racer seeing howmuch you can beat the birds, you're either hunting elephants inAfrica, or diving down under the ocean, or out in a diamond mine, orsome such out-of-the-way place as that. No wonder you don't get manyletters. But that one looks as if it had come quite a distance. "

"So it does, " agreed Tom, looking closely at the stamp and postmark. "What do you make out of it, Mr. Wilson?" and then, just as manyother persons do when getting a strange letter, instead of openingit to see from whom it has come, Tom tried to guess by looking atthe handwriting, and trying to decipher the faint postmark. "Whatdoes that say?" and the young inventor pointed to the black stamp. 

"Hum, looks like Jube--no, that first letter's a 'K' I guess, " andMr. Wilson turned it upside down, thinking that would help. 

"I made it out a 'G', " said Tom. 

"So it is. A 'G'--you're right. Gumbo--Twamba--that's what it is--GumbaTwamba. I can make it out now all right. "

"Well, where, for the love of my old geography, is Gumba Twamba?"asked the lad with a laugh. 

"You've got me, Tom. Must be in Sweden, or Holland, or some of thoseforeign countries. I don't often handle letters from there, so Ican't say. Why don't you open your letter and find out who itsfrom?"

"That's what I ought to have done at first. " Quickly Tom ripped openthe much worn and frayed envelope, through the cracks of which someparts of the letter already could be seen, showing that it hadtraveled many thousand miles before it got to the village ofShopton, in New York State. 

"Well, I've got to be traveling on, " remarked the postman, as Tomstarted to read the mysterious letter. "I'm late as it is. You cantell me the news when I pass again, Tom. "

But the young inventor did not reply. He was too much engaged inreading the missive, for, no sooner had he perused the first fewlines than his eyes began to open wide in wonder, and his mannerplainly indicated his surprise. He read the letter once, and thenover again, and when he had finished it a second time, he made adash for the house. 

"I say dad!" cried Tom. "This is great! Great news here! Where areyou, dad? Say, Mrs. Baggert, " he called as he saw the motherlyhousekeeper, "where's father? I've got great news for him? Where ishe?"

"Out in the shop, I think. I believe Mr. Damon is with him. "

"And blessing everything as usual, from his hat to his shoe laces, I'll wager, " murmured Tom as he made his war to the shop where hisfather, also an inventor like himself, spent much of his time. "Well, well, I'm glad Mr. Damon is here, for he'll be interested inthis. "

Tom fairly rushed into the building, much of the space of which, wastaken up by machinery, queer tools and odd devices, many of themhaving to do with the manufacture of aeroplanes, for Tom had as manyof them as some people have of automobiles. 

"I say, dad!" cried Tom, waving the letter above his head, "what doyou think of this? Listen to--"

"Easy there now, Tom! Easy, my boy, or you'll oblige me to do all mywork over again, " and an aged man, beside whom a younger one wasstanding, held up a hand of caution, while with the other hand hewas adjusting some delicate piece of machinery. 

"What are you doing?" demanded the son. 

"Bless my scarf pin!" exclaimed the other man--Mr. WakefieldDamon--"Bless my rubbers, Tom Swift! What SHOULD your father be doingbut inventing something new, as he always is. I guess he's working onhis new gyroscope, though it is only a guess, for he hasn't said tenwords to me since I came out to talk to him. But that's like allinventors, they--"

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Damon, " spoke Mr. Swift with a smile, "I'msure--"

"Say, can't you listen to me for five minutes?" pleaded Tom. "I'vegot some great news--simply great, and your gyroscope can wait, dad. Listen to this letter, " and he prepared to read it. 

"Who's it from?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"Mr. Jacob Illingway, the African missionary whom you and I rescued, together with his wife, from the red pigmies!" cried Tom. "Think ofthat! Of all persons to get a letter from, and SUCH a letter! SUCHnews in it. Why, it's simply great! You remember Mr. And Mrs. Illingway; don't you Mr. Damon? How we went to Africa afterelephant's tusks, with Mr. Durban the hunter, and how we got themissionaries away from those little savages in my airship--don't youremember?"

"I should say I did!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Bless my watchchain--but they were regular imps--the red Pygmies I mean, not themissionaries. But what is Mr. Illingway writing to you about now, Tom? I know he sent you several letters since we came back fromAfrica. What's the latest news?"

"I'll tell you, " replied the young inventor, sitting down on apacking box. "It would take too long to read the letter so I'll sumit up, and you can go over it later. "

"To be brief, Mr. Illingway tells of a wonderful golden image thatis worshiped by a tribe of Africans in a settlement not far fromGumba Twamba, where he is stationed. It's an image of solid gold--"

"Solid gold!" interrupted Mr. Swift. 

"Yes, dad, and about three feet high, " went on Tom, referring to theletter to make sure. "It's heavy, too, no hollows in it, and theseAfricans regard it as a god. But that's not the strangest part ofit. Mr. Illingway goes on to say that there is no gold in that partof Africa, and for a time he was at a loss how to account for thegolden image. He made some inquiries and learned that it was oncethe property of a white traveler who made his home with the tribethat now worships the image of gold. This traveler, whose name Mr. Illingway could not find out, was much liked by the Africans. Hetaught them many things, doctored them when they were sick, and theyfinally adopted him into the tribe. "

"It seems that he tried to make them better, and wanted them tobecome Christians, but they clung to their own beliefs until hedied. Then, probably thinking to do his memory honor, they took thegolden image, which was among his possessions, and set it up as agod. "

"Bless my hymn book!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "What did they do thatfor?"

"This white man thought a great deal of the image, " said Tom, againreferring to the letter, "and the Africans very likely imaginedthat, as he was so good to them, some of his virtues had passed intothe gold. Then, too, they may have thought it was part of hisreligion, and as he had so often wanted them to adopt his beliefs, they reasoned out that they could now do so, by worshiping thegolden god. "

"Anyhow, that's what they did, and the image is there to-day, inthat far-off African village. But I haven't got to the real newsyet. The image of solid gold is only a part of it. "

"Before this traveler died he told some of the more intelligentnatives that the image had come from a far-off underground city--aregular city of gold--nearly everything in it that was capable ofbeing made of metal, being constructed of the precious yellow gold. The golden image was only one of a lot more like it, some smallerand some larger--"

"Not larger, Tom, not larger, surely!" interrupted Mr. Swift. "Why, my boy, think of it! An image of solid gold, bigger even than thisone Mr. Illingway writes of, which he says is three feet high. Why, if there are any larger they must be nearly life size, and think ofa solid gold statue as large as a man--it would weigh--well, I'mafraid, to say how much, and be worth--why, Tom, it's impossible. Itwould be worth millions--all the wealth of a world must be in theunderground city. It's impossible Tom, my boy!"

"Well, that may be, " agreed Tom. "I'm not saying it's true. Mr. Illingway is telling only what he heard. "

"Go on! Tell some more, " begged Mr. Damon. "Bless my shirt studs, this is getting exciting!"

"He says that the traveler told of this underground city of gold, "went on Tom, "though he had never been there himself. He had met anative who had located it, and who had brought out some of the gold, including several of the images, and one he gave to the white man inreturn for some favor. The white man took it to Africa with him. "

"But where is this underground city, Tom?" asked Mr. Swift. "Doesn'tMr. Illingway give you any idea of its location. "

"He says it is somewhere in Mexico, " explained the lad. "TheAfricans haven't a very good idea of geography, but some of thetribesmen whom the white traveler taught, could draw rude maps, andMr. Illingway had a native sketch one for him, showing as nearly aspossible where the city of gold is located. "

"Tom Swift, have you got that map?" suddenly cried Mr. Damon. "Blessmy pocketbook, but--"

"I have it!" said Tom quietly, taking from the envelope a piece ofpaper covered with rough marks. "It isn't very good, but--"

"Bless my very existence!" cried the excitable man. "But you're notgoing to let such a chance as this slip past; are you Tom? Are yougoing to hunt for that buried city of gold?"

"I certainly am, " answered the young inventor quietly. 

"Tom! You're not going off on another wild expedition?" asked Mr. Swift anxiously. 

"I'm afraid I'll have to, " answered his son with a smile. 

"Go? Of course he'll go!" burst out Mr. Damon. "And I'm going withhim; can't I, Tom?"

"Surely. The reason Mr. Illingway sent me the letter was to tell meabout the city of gold. He thought, after my travels in Africa, thatto find a buried city in Mexico would be no trouble at all, Isuppose. Anyhow he suggests that I make the attempt, and--"

"Oh, but, Tom, just when I am perfecting my gyroscope!" exclaimedMr. Swift. "I need your help. "

"I'll help you when I come back, dad. I want to get some of thisgold. "

"But we are rich enough, Tom. "

"It isn't so much the money, dad. Listen. There is another part tothe letter. Mr. Illingway says that in that underground city, according to the rumor among the African natives, there is not onlygold in plenty, and a number of small gold statues, but one immensebig one--of solid gold, as large as three men, and there is somequeer mystery about it, so that white traveler said. A mystery hewanted to solve but could not. "

"So, dad, I'm going to search for that underground city, not onlyfor the mere gold, but to see if I can solve the mystery of the biggold statue. And if I could bring it away, " cried Tom in greatexcitement as he waved the missionary's letter above his head, "itwould be one of the wonders of the world--dad, for, not only is itvery valuable, but it is most beautifully carved. "

"Well, I might as well give up my gyroscope work until you come backfrom the city of gold, Tom, I can see that, " said Mr. Swift, with afaint smile. "And if you go, I hope you come back. I don't want thatmysterious image to be the undoing of you. "

"Oh, I'll come back all right!" cried Tom confidently. "Ho! for thecity of gold and the images thereof! I'm going to get ready tostart!"

"And so am I!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my shoe strings, Tom, but I'mwith you! I certainly am!" and the little man excitedly shook handswith Tom Swift, while the aged inventor looked on and nodded hishead doubtfully. But Tom was full of hope. 

CHAPTER II

AN UNSUSPECTED LISTENER

For a few moments after Tom Swift had announced his decision tostart for the city of gold, and Mr. Damon had said he wouldaccompany the young inventor, there was a silence in the workshop. Then Mr. Swift laid aside the delicate mechanism of the new modelgyroscope on which he had been working, came over to his son, andsaid:

"Well, Tom, if you're going, that means you're going--I know enoughto predict that. I rather wish you weren't, for I'm afraid no goodwill come of this. "

"Now, dad, don't be talking that way!" cried Tom gaily. "Pack up andcome along with us. " Lovingly he placed his arm around the bentshoulders of his father. 

"No, Tom, I'm too old. Home is the place for me. "

"Bless my arithmetic tables!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "you're not somuch older than I am, and I'm going with Tom. Come on, Mr. Swift. "

"No, I can't put up with dangers, hardship and excitement as I usedto. I'd better stay home. Besides, I want to perfect my newgyroscope. I'll work on that while you and Tom are searching for thecity of gold. But, Tom, if you're going you'd better have somethingmore definite to look for than an unknown city, located on a mapdrawn by some African bushman. "

"I intend to, dad. I guess when Mr. Illingway wrote his letter hedidn't really think I'd take him up, and make the search. I'm goingto write and ask him if he can't get me a better map, and also learnmore about the location of the city. Mexico isn't such a very largeplace, but it would be if you had to hunt all over it for a buriedcity, and this map isn't a lot of help, " and Tom who had shown it tohis father and Mr. Damon looked at it closely. 

"If we're going, we want all the information we can get, " declaredthe odd man. "Bless my gizzard, Tom, but this may mean a lot to us!"

"I think it will, " agreed the young inventor. "I'm going to write toMr. Illingway at once, and ask for all the information he can get. "

"And I'll help you with suggestions, " spoke Mr. Damon. "Come on inthe house, Tom. Bless my ink bottle, but we're going to have someadventures again!"

"It seems to me that is about all Tom does--have adventures--thatand invent flying machines, " said Mr. Swift with a smile, as his sonand their visitor left the shop. Then he once more bent over hisgyroscope model, while Tom and Mr. Damon hurried in to write theletter to the African missionary. 

And while this is being done I am going to ask your patience for alittle while--my old readers, I mean--while I tell my new friends, who have never yet met Tom Swift, something about him. 

Mr. Swift spoke truly when he said his son seemed to do nothing butseek adventures and invent flying machines. Of the latter the ladhad a goodly number, some of which involved new and startling ideas. For Tom was a lad who "did things. "

In the first volume of this series, entitled "Tom Swift and HisMotor Cycle, " I told you how he became acquainted with Mr. Damon. That eccentric individual was riding a motor cycle, when it startedto climb a tree. Mr. Damon was thrown off in front of Tom's house, somewhat hurt, and the young inventor took him in. Tom and hisfather lived in the village of Shopton, New York, and Mr. Swift wasan inventor of note. His son followed in his footsteps. Mrs. Swifthad been dead some years, and they had a good housekeeper, Mrs. Baggert. 

Another "member" of the family was Eradicate Sampson, a colored manof all work, who said he was named "Eradicate" because he"eradicated" the dirt. He used to do odd jobs of whitewashing beforehe was regularly employed by Mr. Swift as a sort of gardener andwatchman. 

In the first book I told how Tom bought the motor cycle from Mr. Damon, fixed it up, and had many adventures on it, not the least ofwhich was saving some valuable patent models of his father's whichsome thieves had taken. 

Then Tom Swift got a motor boat, as related in the second volume ofthe series, and he had many exciting trips in that craft. Followingthat he made his first airship with the help of a veteran balloonistand then, not satisfied with adventures in the air, he and hisfather perfected a wonderful submarine boat in which they went underthe ocean for sunken treasure. 

The automobile industry was fast forging to the front when Tom cameback from his trip under water, and naturally he turned hisattention to that. But he made an electric car instead of one thatwas operated by gasolene, and it proved to be the speediest car onthe road. 

The details of Tom Swift and his wireless message will be found inthe book of that title. It tells how he saved the castaways ofEarthquake Island, and among them was Mr. Nestor, the father ofMary, a girl whom Tom thought--but there, I'm not going to be mean, and tell on a good fellow. You can guess what I'm hinting at, Ithink. 

It was when Tom went to get Mary Nestor a diamond ring that he fellin with Mr. Barcoe Jenks, who eventually took Tom off on a searchfor the diamond makers, and he and Tom, with some friends, discovered the secret of Phantom Mountain. 

One would have thought that these adventures would have been enoughfor Tom Swift, but, like Alexander, he sighed for new worlds toconquer. How he went to the caves of ice in search of treasure, andhow his airship was wrecked is told in the eighth volume of theseries, and in the next is related the details of his swift sky-racer, in which he and Mr. Damon made a wonderfully fast trip, andbrought a doctor to Mr. Swift in time to save the life of the agedinventor. 

It was when Tom invented a wonderful electric rifle, and went toAfrica with a Mr. Durban, a great hunter, to get elephants' tusks, that he rescued Mr. And Mrs. Illingway, the missionaries, who wereheld captive by red pygmies. 

That was a startling trip, and full of surprises. Tom took with himto the dark continent a new airship, the Black Hawk, and but forthis he and his friends never would have escaped from the savagesand the wild beasts. 

As it was, they had a hazardous time getting the missionary and hiswife away from the jungle. It was this same missionary who, as toldin the first chapter of this book, sent Tom the letter about thecity of gold. Mr. Illingway and his wife wanted to stay in Africa inan endeavor to christianize the natives, even after their terribleexperience. So Tom landed them at a white settlement. It was fromthere that the letter came. 

But the missionaries were not the only ones whom Tom saved from thered pygmies. Andy Foger, a Shopton youth, was Tom's enemy, and hehad interfered with our hero's plans in his trips. He even had anairship made, and followed Tom to Africa. There Andy Foger and hiscompanion, a German were captured by the savages. But though Tomsaved his life, Andy did not seem to give over annoying the younginventor. Andy was born mean, and, as Eradicate Sampson used to say, "dat meanness neber will done git whitewashed outer him--dat's afack!"

But if Andy Foger was mean to Tom, there was another Shopton lad whowas just the reverse. This was Ned Newton, who was Tom's particularchum, Ned had gone with our hero on many trips, including the one toAfrica after elephants. Mr. Damon also accompanied Tom many times, and occasionally Eradicate went along on the shorter voyages. ButEradicate was getting old, like Mr. Swift, who, of late years, hadnot traveled much with his son. 

When I add that Tom still continued to invent things, that he wasalways looking for new adventures, that he still cared very much forMary Nestor, and thought his father the best in the world, and likedMr. Damon and Ned Newton above all his other acquaintances, exceptperhaps Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, I think perhaps I have saidenough about him; and now I will get back to the story. 

I might add, however, that Andy Foger, who had been away fromShopton for some time, had now returned to the village, and hadlately been seen by Tom, riding around in a powerful auto. The sightof Andy did not make the young inventor feel any happier. 

"Well, Tom, I think that will do, " remarked Mr. Damon when, afterabout an hour's work, they had jointly written a letter to theAfrican missionary. 

"We've asked him enough questions, anyhow, " agreed the lad. "If heanswers all of them we'll know more about the city of gold, andwhere it is, than we do now. "

"Exactly, " spoke the odd man. "Now to mail the letter, and wait foran answer. It will take several weeks, for they don't have good mailservice to that part of Africa. I hope Mr. Illingway sends us abetter map. "

"So do I, " assented Tom. "But even with the one we have I'd take achance and look for the underground city. "

"I'll mail the letter, " went on Mr. Damon, who was as eager over theprospective adventure as was Tom. "I'm going back home to WaterfieldI think. My wife says I stay here too much. "

"Don't be in a hurry, " urged Tom. "Can't you stay to supper? I'lltake you home to-night in the sky racer. I want to talk more aboutthe city of gold, and plan what we ought to take with us to Mexico. "

"All right, " agreed Mr. Damon. "I'll stay, but I suppose Ishouldn't. But let's mail the letter. "

It was after supper, when, the letter having been posted, that Tom, his father and Mr. Damon were discussing the city of gold. 

"Will you go, even if Mr. Illingway can't send a better map?" askedMr. Damon. 

"Sure" exclaimed Tom. "I want to get one of the golden images if Ihave to hunt all over the Aztec country for it. "

"Who's talking of golden images?" demanded a new voice, and Tomlooked up quickly, to see Ned Newton, his chum, entering the room. Ned had come in unannounced, as he frequently did. 

"Hello, old stock!" cried Tom affectionately. "Sir, there's greatnews. It's you and me for the city of gold now!"

"Get out! What are you talking about?"

Then Tom had to go into details, and explain to Ned all about thegreat quantity of gold that might be found in the underground city. 

"You'll come along, won't you, Ned?" finished the young inventor. "We can't get along without you. Mr. Damon is going, and Eradicatetoo, I guess. We'll have a great time. "

"Well, maybe I can fix it so I can go, " agreed Ned, slowly, "I'dlike it, above all things. Where did you say that golden city was?"

"Somewhere about the central part of Mexico, near the city of--"

"Hark!" suddenly exclaimed Ned, holding up a hand to caution Tom tosilence. 

"What is it?" asked the young inventor in a whisper. 

"Some one is coming along the hall, " replied Ned in a low voice. 

They all listened intently. There was no doubt but that some one wasapproaching along the corridor leading to the library where theconference was being held. 

"Oh, it's only Mrs. Baggert, " remarked Tom a moment later, reliefshowing in his voice. "I know her step. "

There was a tap on the door, and the housekeeper pushed it open, forit had been left ajar. She thrust her head in and remarked:

"I guess you've forgotten, Mr. Swift, that Andy Foger is waiting foryou in the next room. He has a letter for you. "

"Andy Foger!" gasped Tom. "Here. "

"That's so, I forgot all about him!" exclaimed Mr. Swift jumping up. "It slipped my mind. I let him in a while ago, before we came in thelibrary, and he's probably been sitting in the parlor ever since. Ithought he wanted to see you, Tom, so I told him to wait. And Iforgot all about him. You'd better see what he wants. "

"Andy Foger there--in the next room, " murmured Tom. "He's been theresome time. I wonder how much he heard about the city of gold?"

CHAPTER III

ANDY IS WHITEWASHED

The parlor where Mr. Swift had asked Andy to wait, adjoined thelibrary, and there was a connecting door, over which heavy curtainswere draped. Tom quickly pulled them aside and stepped into theparlor. The connecting door had been open slightly, and in a flashthe young inventor realized that it was perfectly possible for anyone in the next room to have heard most of the talk about the cityof gold. 

A glance across the room showed Andy seated on the far side, apparently engaged in reading a book. 

"Did you want to see me?" asked Tom sharply. His father and theothers in the library listened intently. Tom wondered what in theworld Andy could want of him, since the two were never in good tame, and Andy cherished a resentment even since our hero had rescued himfrom the African jungle. 

"No, I didn't come to see you, " answered Andy quickly, laying asidethe book and rising to face Tom. 

"Then what--"

"I came to see your father, " interrupted the red-haired bully. "Ihave a letter for him from my father; but I guess Mr. Swiftmisunderstood me when he let me in. "

"Did you tell him you wanted to see me?" asked Tom suspiciously, thinking Andy had made a mistatement in order to have a longer timeto wait. 

"No, I didn't, but I guess your father must have been thinking aboutsomething else, for he told me to come in here and sit down. I'vebeen waiting ever since, and just now Mrs. Baggert passed and sawme. She--"

"Yes, she said you were here, " spoke Tom significantly. "Well, thenit's my father you want to see. I'll tell him. "

Tom hurried back to the library. 

"Dad, " he said, "it's you that Andy wants to see. He has a letterfrom Mr. Foger for you. "

"For me? What in the world can it be about? He never wrote to mebefore. I must have misunderstood Andy. But then it's no wonder formy head is so full of my new gyroscope plans. There is a certainspring I can't seem to get right--"

"Perhaps you'd better see what Andy wants, " suggested Mr. Damongently. He looked at Tom. They were both thinking of the same thing. 

"I will, " replied Mr. Swift quickly, and he passed into the library. 

"I wonder how much Andy heard?" asked Ned, in a low voice. 

"Oh, I don't believe it could have been very much, " answered Tom. 

"No, I stopped you just in time, " rejoined his chum, "or you mighthave blurted out the name of the city near where the buried goldis. "

"Yes, we must guard our secret well, Tom, " put in Mr. Damon. 

"Well, Andy couldn't have known anything about the letter I got, "declared Tom, "and if he only heard snatched of our talk it won't dohim much good. "

"The only trouble is he's been there long enough to have heard mostof it. " suggested Ned. They could talk freely now, for in going intothe parlor Mr. Swift had tightly closed the door after him. Theycould just hear the murmur of his voice speaking to Andy. 

"Well, even if he does guess about the city of gold, and itslocation, I don't believe he'll try to go there, " remarked Tom, after a pause. 

A moment later they heard Mr. Swift letting Andy out of the frontdoor, and then the inventor rejoined his son and the others. He heldan open letter in his hand. 

"This is strange--very strange, " he murmured. 

"What is it?" asked Tom quickly. 

"Why. Mr. Foger has written to me asking to be allowed to sell someof our patents and machines on commission. "

"Sell them on commission!" exclaimed his son. "Why does amillionaire like Mr. Foger want to be selling goods on commission?It's only a trick!"

"No, it's not a trick, " said Mr. Swift slowly. "He is in earnest. Tom, Mr. Foger has lost his millions. His fortune has been sweptaway by unfortunate investments, he tells me, and he would be gladof any work I could give him. That's why Andy brought the letterto-night. I just sent him back with an answer. "

"What did you say, dad?"

"I said I'd think it over. "

"Mr. Foger's millions gone, " mused Tom. 

"And Andy in there listening to what we said about the city ofgold, " added Ned. "No wonder he was glad the door was open. He'd bethere in a minute, Tom, if he could, and so would Mr. Foger, if hethought he could get rich. He wouldn't have to sell goods oncommission if he could pick up a few of the golden images. "

"That's right, " agreed Tom, with an uneasy air. "I wish I knew justhow much Andy had heard. But perhaps it wasn't much. "

The time was to come, however, when Tom was to learn to his sorrowthat Andy Foger had overheard a great deal. 

"Bless my bankbook!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "I never dreamed of such athing! Andy had every reason in the world for not wanting us to knowhe was in there! No wonder he kept quiet. I'll wager all the whilehe was as close to the open door as he could get, hoping to overhearabout the location of the place, so he could help his father getback his lost fortune. Bless my hatband! It's a good thing Mrs. Baggert told us he was there. "

They all agreed with this, and then, as there was no further dangerof being overheard, they resumed their talk about the city of gold. It was decided that they would have to wait the arrival of anotherletter from Mr. Illingway before starting for Mexico. 

"Well, as long as that much is settled, I think I'd better be goinghome, " suggested Mr. Damon. "I know my wife will be anxious aboutme. "

"I'll get out the sky racer and you'll be in Waterford in a jiffy, "said Tom, and he kept his word, for the speedy aeroplane carried himand his guest rapidly through the night, bringing Tom safely backhome. 

It was several days after this, during which time Tom and Ned hadhad many talks about the proposed trip. They had figured on whatsort of a craft to use in the journey. Tom had about decided on asmall, but very powerful, dirigible balloon, that could be packed ina small compass and taken along. 

"This city may be in some mountain valley, and a balloon will be theonly way we can get to it, " he told Ned. 

"That's right, " agreed his chum. "By the way, you haven't heard anymore about Andy; have you?"

"Not a thing. Haven't even seen him. None of us have. "

"There goes Rad, I wonder if he's seen him. "

"No, or he'd have mentioned it to me. Hey, Rad, " Tom called to thecolored man, "what are you going to do?"

"Whitewash de back fence, Massa Tom. It's in a mos' disrupted stateob disgrace. I'se jest natchally got t' whitewash it. "

"All right, Rad, and when you get through come back here. I've gotanother job for you. "

"A'right, Massa Tom, I shorely will, " and Rad limped off with hispail of whitewash, and the long-handled brush. 

It may have been fate that sent Andy Foger along the rear road alittle later, and past the place where Eradicate was making thefence less "disrupted. " It may have been fate or Andy may have justbeen sneaking along to see if he could overhear anything of Tom'splans--a trick of which he was frequently guilty. At any rate, Andywalked, past where Eradicate was whitewashing. The colored man sawthe red-haired lad coming and murmured:

"Dere's dat no 'count white trash! I jest wish Massa Tom was hearnow. He'd jest natchally wallop Andy, " and Eradicate moved hislonghandled brush up and down, as though he were coating the Fogerlad with the white stuff. 

As it happened, Eradicate was putting some of the liquid on aparticularly rough spot in the fence, a spot low down, and thisnaturally made the handle of his brush stick out over the sidewalk, and at this moment Andy Foger got there. 

"Here, you black rascal!" the lad angrily exclaimed. "What do youmean by blocking the sidewalk that way? It's against the law, and Icould have you arrested for that. "

"No, could yo' really now?" asked Eradicate drawlingly for he wasnot afraid of Andy. 

"Yes, I could, and don't you give me any of your back-talk! Get thatbrush out of the way!" and Andy kicked the long handle. 

The natural result followed. The other end of the brush, wet withwhitewash, described a curve through the air, coming toward the meanbully. And as the blow of Andy's foot jarred the brush loose, thenext moment it fell right on Andy's head, the white liquid tricklingdown on his clothes, for Eradicate was not a miser when it came toputting on whitewash. 

For a moment Andy could not speak. Then he burst out with:

"Hi! You did that on purpose! I'll have you in jail for that! Lookat my hat, it's ruined! Look at my clothes! They're ruined! Oh, I'llmake you pay for this!"

"Deed, it shore was a accident, " said Eradicate, trying not to laugh. "You done did it yo'se'f!"

"I did not! You did it on purpose; Tom Swift put you in on this!I'll--I'll--"

But Andy had to stop and splutter for some of the lime ran down offhis hat into his mouth, and he yelled:

"I'll--I'll--Ouch! Phew! Woof! Oof! Oh!"

Then, in his rage, he made a blind rush for Eradicate. Now thecolored man had no fear of Andy, but he did not want the pail ofwhitewash to upset, and the said pail was right in the path of theadvancing youth. 

"Look out!" cried Eradicate. 

"I'll make you look out!" spluttered Andy. "I'll thrash you forthis!"

Eradicate caught up his pail. He did not want to have the trouble ofmixing more of the liquid. Just as he lifted it Andy aimed a kickfor him. But he mis-calculated, and his foot struck the bottom ofthe pail and sent it flying from the hands of the colored man. Sentit flying right toward Andy himself, for Eradicate jumped back outof the way. 

And the next moment a veritable deluge of whitewash was sprayed andsplashed and splattered over Andy, covering him with the snowyliquid from head to foot!

CHAPTER IV

A PERILOUS FLIGHT

There was silence for a moment--there had to be--for Eradicate wasdoubled over with mirth and could not even laugh aloud, and as forAndy the whitewash running down his face and over his moutheffectually prevented speech. But the silence did not last long. 

Just as Eradicate caught his breath, and let out a hearty laugh, Andy succeeded in wiping some of the liquid from his face so that itwas safe to open his mouth. Then he fairly let out a roar of rage. 

"I'll have you put in jail far that, Eradicate Sampson!" he cried. "You've nearly killed me: You'll suffer for this! My father will sueyou for damages, too! Look at me! Look at me!"

"Dat's jest what I'se doin', honey! Jest what I'se doin'!" gaspedEradicate, hardly able to speak from laughter. "Yo' suah am a mostcontrary lookin' specimen! Yo' suah is! Ha! Ha!"

"Stop it!" commanded Andy. "Don't you dare laugh at me, afterthrowing whitewash on me. "

"I didn't throw no whitewash on you!" protested the colored man. "Yo' done poured it over yo'se'f, dat's what yo' done did. An' Ijest cain't help laughin', honey. I jest natchally cain't! Yo' lookso mortally distressed, dat's what yo' does!"

Andy's rage might have been dangerous, but the very excess of itrendered him incapable of doing anything. He was wild at Eradicateand would willingly have attacked him, but the whitewash wasbeginning to soak through his clothes, and he was so wet andmiserable that soon all the fight oozed out of him. 

Then, too, though Eradicate was old, he was strong and he still heldthe long handle of the whitewash brush, no unformidable weapon. SoAndy contented himself with verbal abuse. He called Eradicate allthe mean names he could think of, ending up with:

"You won't hear the last of this for a long time, either. I'll haveyou, and your old rack of bones, your mule Boomerang, run out oftown, that's what I will. "

"What's dat? Yo' all gwine t'hab Boomerang run out ob town?"demanded Eradicate, a sudden change coming over him. His mule washis most beloved possession. "Lemme tell yo' one thing, Massa Andy. I'se an old colored man, an' I ain't much 'count mebby. But ef yo'dare lay one finger on mah mule Boomerang, only jest one finger, mind you', why I'll--I'll jest natchally drown yo'--all inwhitewash, dat's what I'll do!"

Eradicate drew himself up proudly, and boldly faced Andy. The bullyshrank back. He knew better than to arouse the colored man further. 

"You'll suffer for this, " predicted the bully. "For not going toforget it. Tom Swift put you up to this, and I'll take it out of himthe next time I see him. He's to blame. "

"Now looky heah, honey!" said Eradicate quick. "Doan't yo' all gitno sich notion laik dat in yo' head. Massa Tom didn't tell me to donoth'in an I ain't. He ain't eben 'round yeh. An' annudder thing. Yo'se t' blame to' this yo' own se'f. Ef yo' hadn't gone fo' is kickde bucket it nebber would 'a happened. It's yo' own fault, honey, an' doan't yo' forgit dat! No, yo' better go home an' git some dryclothes on. "

It was good advice, for Andy was soaking wet. He glared angrily atEradicate, and then swung off down the road, the whitewash drippingfrom has garments at every step. 

"Land a massy! But he suah did use up all mah lime. " complainedEradicate, as he picked up the overturned pail. "I's got t' makemo'. But I doan't mind, " he added cheerfully, and then, as he sawthe woe-begone figure of Andy shuffling along, he laughed heartily, fitted the brush on the handle and went to tell Tom and Ned what hadhappened, and make more whitewash. 

"Hum! Served him right, " commented the young inventor. 

"I suppose he'll try to play some mean trick on you now, " commentedNed. "He'll think you had some hand in what Rad did. "

"Let him, " answered Tom. "If he tries any of his games I'll be readyfor him. "

"Maybe we'll soon be able to start for the city of gold, " suggestedNed. 

"I'm afraid not in some time, " was his chum's reply. "It's going totake quite a while to get ready, and then we've got to wait to hearfrom Mr. Illingway. I wonder if it's true that Mr. Foger has losthis fortune; or was that only a trick?"

"Oh, it's true enough, " answered Ned. "I heard some of the bankofficials talking about it the other day. " Ned was employed in oneof the Shopton banks, an institution in which Tom and his fatherowned considerable stock. "He hasn't hardly any money left, and hemay leave town and go out west, I heard. "

"He can't go any too soon to suit me, " spoke Tom, "and I hope hetakes Andy with him. "

"Your father isn't going to have any business dealings with Mr. Foger then?"

"I guess not. Dad doesn't trust him. But say, Ned, what do you sayto a little trip in my sky racer? I want to go over to Waterford andsee Mr. Damon. We can talk about our trip, and he was going to getsome big maps of Central Mexico to study. Will you come?"

"I will this afternoon. I've got to go to the bank now. "

"All right, I'll wait for you. In the meanwhile I'll be tuning upthe motor. It didn't run just right the other night. "

The two chums separated, Ned to go downtown to the bank, while Tomhastened to the shed where he kept his speedy little air craft. Meanwhile Eradicate went on whitewashing the fence, pausing everynow and then to chuckle at the memory of Andy Foger. 

Tom found that some minor adjustments had to be made to the motor, and they took him a couple of hours to complete. It was nearly noonwhen he finished, and leaving the sky racer in the open space infront of the shed, he went in the house to wash up, for his face andhands were begrimed with dirt and oil. 

"But the machine's in good shape, " he said to the housekeeper whenshe objected to his appearance, "and Ned and I will have a speedyspin this afternoon. "

"Oh, you reckless boys! Risking your lives in those aeroplanes!"exclaimed Mrs. Baggert. 

"Why, they're safer than street cars!" declared Tom with a laugh. "Just think how often street cars collide, and you never heard of anaeroplane doing that. "

"No, but think what happens when they fall. "

"That's it!" cried Tom gaily, "when they fall you don't have time tothink. But is dinner ready? I'm hungry. "

"Never saw you when you weren't. " commented the housekeeperlaughing. "Yes, you can sit right down. We won't wait for yourfather. He said he'd be late as he wants to find something about hisgyroscope. I never did any such people as inventors for spoilingtheir meals, " she added as the put dinner on the tab's. 

Mr. Swift came in before his son had finished. 

"Was Andy Foger here to see me again?" he asked. 

"No, why do you ask?" inquired Tom quickly. 

"I just saw him out by the aeroplane shed, and--"

Tom jumped up without another word, and hurried to where his skyracer rested on its bicycle wheels. 

He breathed more easily when he saw that Andy was not in sight, anda hurried inspection of the aeroplane did not disclose that it hadbeen tampered with. 

"Anything the matter?" asked Mr. Swift, as he followed his son. 

"No, but when you mentioned that Andy was out here I thought hemight have been up to some of his tricks. He had a little troublewith Eradicate this morning, and he threatened to get even with mefor it. " And Tom told of the whitewashing incident. 

"I just happened to see him as I was coming to dinner, " went on theaged inventor. "He hurried off--when he noticed me, but I thought hemight have been here to leave another letter. "

"No, " said Tom. "I must tell Eradicate to keep his weather eye openfor him, though. No telling what Andy'll do. Well, I must finisheating, or Ned will be here before I'm through. "

After dinner, Ned arrived, and helped Tom start the motor. With aroar and a bang the swift little machine rapidly got up speed, thepropellers whizing so fast that they looked like blurs of light. Thesky racer was held back by a rope, as Tom wanted to note the "pull"of the propellers, the force they exerted against the air beingregistered on a spring balance. 

"What does it say, Ned?" cried the young inventor as he adjusted thecarburettor. 

"A shade over nine hundred pounds. "

"Guess that'll do. Hop in, and I'll cast off from the seat. "

This Tom frequently did when there was no one available to hold theaeroplane for him while he mounted. He could pull a cord, loosen theretaining rope, and away the craft would go. 

The two chums were soon seated side by side and then Tom, graspingthe steering wheel, turned on full power and jerked the releasingrope. 

Over the ground shot the sky racer, quickly attaining speed until, with a deft motion, the young inventor tilted the deflecting rudderand up into the air they shot. 

"Oh, this is glorious!" cried Ned, for, though he had often takentrips with Tom, every time he went up he seemed to enjoy it more. 

Higher and higher they rose, rose and then with the sharp nose ofthe craft turned in the proper direction they sailed off well abovethe trees and houses toward Waterford. 

"Guess I'll go up a bit higher, " Tom yelled into his chums ear whenthey were near their destination. "Then I can make a spiral glide toearth. I haven't practiced that lately. "

Up and up went the sky racer, until it was well over the town ofWaterford, where Mr. Damon lived. 

"There's his place!" yelled Ned, pointing downward. He had to yellto be heard above the noise of the motor. Tom nodded in reply. He, too, had picked out Mr. Damon's large estate. There were many goodlanding places on it, one near the house for which Tom headed. 

The aeroplane shot downward, like a bird darting from the sky. Tomgrasped the rudder lever more firmly. He looked below him, and then, suddenly he uttered a cry of terror. 

"What is it?" yelled Ned. 

"The rudder! The deflecting rudder! It's jammed, and I can't throwher head up! We're going to smash into the ground, Ned! I can'tcontrol her! Something has gone wrong!"

CHAPTER V

NEWS FROM AFRICA

Blankly, and with fear in his eyes, Ned gazed at Tom. The younginventor was frantically working at the levers, trying to loosen thejammed rudder--the rudder that enabled the sky racer to be tiltedupward. 

"Can't you do it?" cried Ned. 

Tom shook his head helplessly, but he did not give up. Madly heworked on, and there was need of haste, for every moment theaeroplane was shooting nearer and nearer to the earth. 

Ned glanced down. They were headed for the centre of a large grassplot and the bank employee found himself grimly thinking that atleast the turf would be softer to fall on than bare ground. 

"I--I can't imagine what's happened!" cried Tom. 

He was still yanking on the lever, but it would not move, and unlessthe head of the aeroplane was thrown up quickly, to catch the air, and check its downward right, they would both be killed. 

"Shut off the engine and vol-plane!" cried Ned. 

"No use, " answered Tom. "I can't vol-plane when I can't throw herhead up to check her. "

But he did shut off the banging, throbbing motor, and then insilence they continued to fall. Ned had half a notion to jump, buthe knew that would mean instant death, and there was just a barechance that if he stayed in the machine it would take off some ofthe shock. 

They could see Mr. Damon now. The old man had run out of his houseat the sight of the approaching aeroplane. He knew it well, for hehad ridden with Tom many times. He looked up and waved his hand tothe boys, but he had no idea of their danger, and he could not havehelped them had he been aware of it. 

He must have soon guessed that something was wrong though, for amoment later, the lads could hear him shout in terror, and could seehim motion to them. Later he said he saw that Tom was coming down attoo great an inclination, and he feared that the machine could notbe thrown up into the wind quickly enough!

"Here goes something--the lever or the rudder!" cried Tom indesperation, as he gave it a mighty yank. Up to now he had notpulled with all his strength as he feared to break some connecting-rod, wire or lever. But now he must take every chance. "If I can getthat rudder up even a little we're safe!" he went on. 

Once more he gave a terrific pull on the handle. There was asnapping sound and Tom gave a yell of delight. 

"That's the stuff!" he cried. "She's moving! We're all right now!"

And the rudder had moved only just in time, for when the aeroplanewas within a hundred feet of the earth the head was suddenlyelevated and she glided along on a level "keel. "

"Look out!" yelled Ned, for new a new danger presented. They were sonear the earth that Tom had over-run his original stepping place, and now the sky racer was headed directly for Mr. Damon's house, andmight crash into it. 

"All right! I've get her in hand!" said the young inventorreassuringly. 

Tom tilted the rudder at a sharp angle to have the air pressure actas a brake. At the same time he swerved the craft to one side sothat there was no longer any danger of crashing into the house. 

"Bless my--" began Mr. Damon, but in the excitement he reallydidn't know what to bless, so he stopped short. 

A moment later, feeling that the momentum had been checked enough tomake it safe to land, Tom directed the craft downward again and camegracefully to earth, a short distance away from his eccentricfriend. 

"Whew!" gasped the young inventor, as he leaped from his seat. "Thatwas a scary time while it lasted. "

"I should say so!" agreed Ned. 

"Bless my straw hat!" cried Mr. Damon. "What happened? Did you losecontrol of her, Tom?"

"No, the deflecting rudder got jammed, and I couldn't move it. Imust look and see what's the matter. "

"I thought it was all up with you, " commented Mr. Damon, as hefollowed Tom and Ned to the front end of the craft, where thedeflecting mechanism was located. 

Tom glanced quickly over it. His quick eye caught something, and heuttered an exclamation. 

"Look!" the young inventor cried. "No wonder it jammed!" and from acopper sleeve, through which ran the wire that worked the rudder, hepulled a small iron bolt. "That got between the sleeve and the wire, and I couldn't move it, " he explained. "But when I pulled hard Iloosened it. "

"How did it fall in there?" asked Ned. 

"It didn't FALL there. " spoke Tom quietly. "It was PUT there. "

"Put there! Bless my insurance policy! Who did such a dastardlytrick?" cried Mr. Damon. 

"I don't know, " answered Tom still quietly, "but I suspect it wasAndy Foger, and he was never any nearer to putting us out ofbusiness than a little while ago, Ned. "

"Do you mean to say that he deliberately tried to injure you?" askedMr. Damon. 

"Well, he may not have intended to hurt us, but that's what wouldhave happened if I hadn't been able to throw her up into the windwhen I did, " replied Tom. Then he told of Mr. Swift having seen thered-haired bully near the aeroplane. "Andy may have only intended toput my machine out of working order, " went on the young inventor, "but it might have been worse than that, " and he could not repress ashudder. 

"Are you going to say anything to him?" asked Ned. 

"I certainly am!" replied Torn quickly. "He doesn't realize that hemight have crippled us both for life. I sure am going to saysomething to him when I get back. "

But Tom did not get the chance, for when he and Ned returned toShopton, --the sky racer behaving beautifully on the homeward trip, --itwas learned that Mr. Foger had suddenly left town, taking Andywith him. 

"Maybe he knew I'd be after him, " said Tom grimly, and so thatincident was closed for the time being, but it was a long timebefore Tom and Ned got over their fright. 

They had a nice visit with Mr. Damon, and talked of the city of goldto their heart's content, looking at several large maps of Mexicothat the eccentric man had procured, and locating, as well as theycould from the meager map and description they had, where theunderground treasures might be. 

"I suppose you are getting ready to go, Mr. Damon?" remarked Ned. 

"Hush!" cautioned the odd man, looking quickly around the room. "Ihaven't said anything to my wife about it yet. You know she doesn'tlike me to go off on these 'wild goose chases' as she calls them, with you, Tom Swift. But bless my railroad ticket! It's half the funof my life. "

"Then don't you think you can go?" asked the young inventor eagerly, for he had formed a strong like for Mr. Damon, and would very muchreprait to go without him. 

"Oh, bless my necktie! I think I'll be able to manage it, " was theanswer. "I'm not going to tell her anything about it until the lastminute, and then I'll promise to bring her back one of the goldenimages. She won't object then. "

"Good!" exclaimed Tom. "I hope we can all bring back some of theimages. "

"Yes, I know who you'll bring one for, " said Ned with a laugh, andhe took care to get beyond the reach of Tom's fist. "Her first nameis Mary, " he added. 

"You get out!" laughed Tom, blushing at the same time. 

"Ah! What a thing it is to be young!" exclaimed Mr. Damon with amock sigh. The boys laughed, for the old man, though well along inyears, was a boy at heart. 

They talked at some length, speculating when they might hear fromMr. Illingway, and discussing the sort of an outfit that would bebest to take with them. 

Then, as the afternoon was drawing to a close, Tom and Ned went backin the aeroplane, hearing the news about the Fogers as I havepreviously mentioned. 

"Well, I'll have to wait until I do see Andy to take it out of hishide, " remarked Tom grimly. "I'm glad he's out of the way, though. There won't be any more danger of his overhearing our plans, and Ican work in peace on the dirigible balloon. "

Though Tom had many air crafts, the one he thought best suited totake with them on their search for the city of gold would have to beconstructed from parts of several machines, and it would take sometime. 

Tom began work on it the next day, his father helping him, as didMr. Damon and Ned occasionally. Several weeks were spent in thisway, meanwhile the mails being anxiously watched for news fromAfrica. 

"Here you are, Tom!" called the postman one morning, as he walkedout to the shop where the young inventor was busy over the balloon. "Here's another letter from that Buggy-wuggy place. "

"Oh, you mean Gumba Twamba, in Africa!" laughed the lad. "Good!That's what I've been waiting for. Now to see what the missionarysays. "

"I hope you're not going to go as a missionary to Africa, Tom, " saidthe postman. 

"No danger. This is just a letter from a friend there. He sent mesome facts so I can go off on another expedition. "

"Oh, you're always going off on wild adventures, " commented UncleSam's messenger with a shake of his head as he hurried away, whileTom tore open the letter from Africa and eagerly read it. 

CHAPTER VI

"BEWARE THE HEAD-HUNTERS!"

"That's what I want!" exclaimed the young inventor, as he finishedthe perusal of the missionary's missive. 

"What is it?" asked Mr. Swift, entering the shop at that moment. 

"News from Africa, dad. Mr. Illingway went to a lot of trouble toget more information for us about the city of gold, and he sends abetter map. It seems there was one among the effects of the whiteman who died near where Mr. Illingway has his mission. With thismap, and what additional information I have, we ought to locate theunderground city. Look, dad, " and the lad showed the map. 

"Humph!" exclaimed Mr. Swift with a smile. "I don't call that a veryclear map. It shows a part of Central Mexico, that's true, but it'son such a small scale I don't see how you're going to tell anythingby it. "

"But I have a description, " explained Tom. "It seems according toMr. Illingway's letter, that you have to go to the coast and strikeinto the interior until you are near the old city of Poltec. Thatused to be it's name, but Mr. Illingway says it may be abandonednow, or the name changed. But I guess we can find it. "

"Then, according to what he could learn from the African natives, who talked with the white man, the best way is to hire ox carts andstrike into the jungle. That's the only way to carry our baggage, and the dirigible balloon which I'm going to take along. "

"Pretty uncertain way to look for a buried city of gold, " commentedMr. Swift. "But I suppose even if you don't find it you'll have thefun of searching for it, Tom. "

"But we ARE going to find it!" the lad declared. "We'll get there, you'll see!"

"But how are you going to know it when you see it?" asked hisfather. "If it's underground even a balloon won't help you much. "

"It's true it is underground, " agreed Tom, "but there must be anentrance to it somewhere, and I'm going to hunt for that entrance. Mr. Illingway writes that the city is a very old one, and was builtunderground by the priests of some people allied to the Aztecs. Theywanted a refuge in times of war and they also hid their valuablesthere. They must have been rich to have so much gold, or else theydidn't value it as we do. "

"That might be so, " assented Mr. Swift. "But I still maintain, Tom, that it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. "

"Still, I'm going to have a try for it, " asserted the lad. "If I canonce locate the plain of the big temple I'll be near the entrance tothe underground city. "

"What is the 'plain of the big temple, ' Tom?"

"Mr. Illingway writes, " said the lad, again referring to the letter, "that somewhere near the beginning of the tunnel that leads into thecity of gold, there is an immense flat plain, on which the ancientAztecs once built a great temple. Maybe they worshiped the goldenimages there. Anyhow the temple is in ruins now, near an overgrownjungle, according to the stories the white man used to tell. He oncegot as near the city of gold as the big temple, but hostile nativesdrove him and his party back. Then he went to Africa after gettingan image from someone, and died there. So no one since has everfound the city of gold. "

"Well, I hope you do, Tom, but I doubt it. However, I suppose youwill hurry your preparations for going away, now that you have allthe information you can get. "

"Right, dad. I must send word to Mr. Damon and Ned at once. A fewmore days' work, and my balloon will be in shape for a trial flight, and then I can take it apart, pack it up, and ship it. Then ho! forthe city of gold!"

Mr. Swift smiled at his son's enthusiasm, but he did not check it. He knew Tom too well for that. 

Naturally Mr. Damon and Ned were delighted with the additionalinformation the missionary had sent, and Ned agreed with Tom that itwas a mere matter of diligent search to find the underground city. 

"Bless my collar button!" cried Mr. Damon. "It may not be as easy asall that, but Tom Swift isn't the kind that gives up! We'll getthere!"

Meanwhile Tom worked diligently on his balloon. He sent a letter ofthanks to Mr. Illingway, at the same time requesting that if anymore information was obtained within the next three weeks to cableit, as there would not be time for a letter to reach Shopton ere Tomplanned to leave for Mexico. 

The following days were busy ones for all. There was much to bedone, and Tom worked night and day. They had to get rifles ready, for they might meet hostile natives. Then, too, they had to arrangefor the proper clothing, and other supplies. 

To take apart and ship the balloon was no small task, and then therewere the passages to engage on a steamer that would land them at thenearest point to strike into the interior, the question oftransportation after reaching Mexico, and many other matters toconsider. 

But gradually things began to shape themselves and it looked asthough the expedition could start for the city of gold in about twoweeks after the receipt of the second letter from the missionary. 

"I think I'll give the balloon a trial to-morrow, " said Tom onenight, after a hard day's work, "It's all ready, and it ought towork pretty good. It will be just what we need to sail over somedense jungle and land down on the plain by the great temple. "

"Bless my slippers!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "I must think up some wayof telling my wife that I'm going. "

"Haven't you told her yet?" asked Ned. 

The eccentric man shook his head. 

"I haven't had a good chance, " he said, "but I think I'll tell herto-morrow, and promise her one of the gold images. Then she won'tmind. "

Tom was just a little bit nervous when he got ready for a trialflight in the new dirigible balloon. To tell the truth he muchpreferred aeroplanes to balloons, but he realized that in a countrywhere the jungle growth prevailed, and where there might be no levelplaces to get a "take off, " or a starting place for an aeroplane, the balloon was more feasible. 

But he need have had no fears, for the balloon worked perfectly. Inthe bag Tom used a new gas, much more powerful even than hydrogen, and which he could make from chemicals that could easily be carriedon their trip. 

The air craft was small but powerful, and could easily carry Tom, Ned and Mr. Damon, together with a quantity of food and othersupplies. They intended to use it by starting from the place wherethey would leave the most of their baggage, after getting as near tothe city of gold as they could by foot trails. Tom hoped toestablish a camp in the interior of Mexico, and make trips off indifferent directions to search for the ruined temple. Ifunsuccessful they could sail back each night, and if he shoulddiscover the entrance to the buried city there was food enough inthe car of the balloon to enable them to stay away from camp for aweek or more. 

In order to give the balloon a good test, Tom took up with him notonly Ned and Mr. Damon, but Eradicate and Mr. Swift to equalize theweight of food and supplies that later would be carried. The testshowed that the craft more than came up to expectations, though thetrial trip was a little marred by the nervousness of the coloredman. 

"I doan't jest laik dis yeah kind of travelin', " said Eradicate. "I'd radder be on de ground. "

Most of the remaining two weeks were spent in packing the balloonfor shipment, and then the travelers got their own personalequipment ready. They put up some condensed food, but they dependedon getting the major portion in Mexico. 

It was two days before they were to start. Their passage had beenengaged on a steamer, and the balloon and most of their effects hadbeen shipped. Mr. Damon had broken the news to his wife, and she hadconsented to allow him to go, though she said it would be for thelast time. 

"But if I bring her back a nice, big, gold image I know she'll letme go on other trips with you, Tom. " said the eccentric man. "Blessmy yard stick, if I couldn't go off on an adventure now and then Idon't know what I'd do. "

They were in the library of the Swift home that evening. Tom, Ned, Mr. Damon and the aged inventor, and of course the only thing talkedof was the prospective trip to the city of gold. 

"What I can't understand, " Mr. Swift was saying, "is why the nativesmade so many of the same images of gold, and why there is that largeone in the underground place. What did they want of it?"

"That's part of the mystery we hope to solve, " said Tom. "I'm goingto bring that big image home with me if I can. I guess--"

He was interrupted by a ring at the front door. 

"I hope that isn't Andy Foger, " remarked Ned. 

"No danger, " replied Tom. "He'll keep away from here after what hedid to my aeroplane. "

Mrs. Baggert went to the door. 

"A message for you, Tom, " she announced a little later, handing inan envelope. 

"Hello, a cablegram!" exclaimed the young inventor. "It must be fromMr. Illingway, in Africa. It is, " he added a moment later as heglanced at the signature. 

"What does he say?" asked Mr. Swift. 

"Can he give us any more definite information about the city ofgold?" inquired Ned. 

"I'll read it, " said Tom, and there was a curious, strained note inhis voice. "This is what it says:"

"'No more information obtainable. But if you go to the city of goldbeware of the head-hunters!'"

"Head-hunters!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Bless my top-knot, what arethey?"

"I don't know, " answered Tom simply, "but whatever they are we'vegot to be on the lookout for them when we get to the gold city, andthat's where I'm going, head-hunters or no head-hunters!"

CHAPTER VII

TOM MAKES A PROMISE

It may well be imagined that the cable warning sent by Mr. Illingwaycaused our friends considerable anxiety. Coming as it did, almost atthe last minute, so brief--giving no particulars--it was veryominous. Yet Tom was not afraid, nor did any of the others showsigns of fear. 

"Bless my shotgun!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, as he looked at the fewwords on the paper which Tom passed around. "I wish Mr. Illingwayhad said more about the head-hunters--or less. "

"What do you mean?" asked Ned. 

"Well, I wish he'd given us more particulars, told us where we mightbe on the lookout for the head-hunters, what sort of chaps theywere, and what they do to a fellow when they catch him. "

"Their name seems plainly to indicate what they do, " spoke Mr. Swiftgrimly. "They cut off the head of their enemies, like thatinteresting Filipino tribe. But perhaps they may not get after you. If they do--"

"If they do, " interrupted Tom with a laugh, "we'll hop in ourdirigible balloon, and get above THEIR heads, and then I guess wecan give a good account of ourselves. But would you rather Mr. Illingway had said less about them, Mr. Damon?"

"Yes, I wish, as long as he couldn't tell us more, that he'd keptquiet about them altogether. It's no fun to be always on the lookoutfor danger. I'm afraid it will get on my nerves, to be continuallylooking behind a rock, or a tree, for a head-hunter. Bless my comband brush!"

"Well, 'forewarned is forearmed, '" quoted Ned. "We won't thinkanything more about them. It was kind of Mr. Illingway to warn us, and perhaps the head-hunters have all disappeared since that whitetraveler was after the city of gold. Some story which he told hisfriends, the natives in Africa, is probably responsible for themissionary's warning. Let's check over our lists of supplies, Tom, and see if we have everything down!"

"Can't you do that alone, Ned?"

"Why?" and Ned glanced quickly at his chum. Mr. Damon and Mr. Swifthad left the room. 

"Well, I've get an engagement--a call to make, and--"

"Enough said, old man. Go ahead. I know what it is to be in love. I'll check the lists. Go see--"

"Now don't get fresh!" advised Tom with a laugh, as he went to hisroom to get ready to pay a little visit. 

"I say, Tom, " called Ned after him. "What about Eradicate? Are yougoing to take him along? He'd be a big help. "

"I know he would, but he doesn't want to go. He balked worse thanhis mule Boomerang when I spoke about an underground city. He saidhe didn't want to be buried before his time. I didn't tell him wewere going after gold, for sometimes Rad talks a bit too much, and Idon't want our plans known. "

"But I did tell him that Mexico was a great place for chickens, andthat he might see a bull fight. "

"Did he rise to that bait?"

"Not a bit of it. He said he had enough chickens of his own, and henever did like bulls anyhow. So I guess we'll have to get alongwithout Rad. "

"It looks like it. Well, go and enjoy yourself. I'll wait here untilyou come back, though I know you'll be pretty late, but I want tomake sure of our lists. "

"All right, Ned, " and Tom busied himself with his personalappearance, for he was very particular when going to call on youngladies. 

A little later he was admitted to her house by Miss Mary Nestor, andthe two began an animated conversation, for this was in the natureof a farewell call by Tom. 

"And you are really about to start off on your wild search?" askedthe girl. "My! It seems just like something out of a book!"

"Doesn't it?" agreed Tom. "However, I hope there's more truth in itthan there is in some books. I should hate to be disappointed, afterall our preparation, and not find the buried city after all. "

"Do you really think there is so much gold there?"

"Of course there's a good deal of guesswork about it, " admitted theyoung inventor, "and it may be exaggerated, for such things usuallyare when a traveler has to depend on the accounts of natives. "

"But it is certain that there is a big golden image in the interiorof Africa, and that it came from Mexico. Mr. Illingway isn't aperson who could easily be deceived. Then, too, the old Aztecs andtheir allies were wonderful workers in gold and silver, for look atwhat Cortez and his soldiers took from them. "

"My! This is quite like a lecture in history!" exclaimed Mary with alaugh. "But it's interesting. I wonder if there are any SMALL, golden images there, as you say there are so many in the undergroundcity. "

"Lots of them!" exclaimed Tom, as confidently as though he had seenthem. "I'll tell you what I'll do, Mary. I'll bring you back one ofthese golden images for an ornament. It would look nice on thatshelf I think, " and Tom pointed to a vacant space on the mantle. "I'll bring you a large one or a small one, or both, Mary. "

"Oh, you reckless boy! Well, I suppose it WOULD be nice to have two, for they must be very valuable. But I'm not going to tax you toomuch. If you bring me back two SMALL ones, I'll put one down hereand the other--"

She paused and blushed slightly. 

"Yes, and the other, " suggested Tom. 

"I'll put the other up in my room to remember you by, " she finishedwith a laugh, "so pick out one that is nicely carved. Some of thoseforeign ones, such as the Chinese have, are hideous. "

"That's right, " agreed Tom, "and I'll see that you get a nice one. Those Aztecs used to do some wonderful work in gold and silvercarving. I've seen specimens in the museum. "

Then the two young people fell to talking of the wonderful trip thatlay before Tom, and Mary, several times, urged him to be careful ofthe dangers he would be likely to encounter. 

Tom said nothing to her of the head-hunters. He did not want toalarm Miss Nestor, and then, too, he thought the less he allowed hismind to dwell on that unpleasant feature of the journey, the lesslikely it would be to get on the nerves of all of them. 

Ned was right when he predicted that Tom would make quite a lengthyvisit. There was much to talk about and he did not expect to seeMary again for some time. But finally he realized that he mustleave, and with a renewed promise to bring back with him the twosmall gold images, and after saying good-bye to Mr. And Mrs. Nestor, Tom took his leave. 

"If you get marooned in the underground city, Tom, " said Mr. Nestor, "I hope you can rig up a wireless outfit, and get help, as you didfor us on Earthquake Island. "

"I hope so, " answered our hero with a laugh, and then, a littlesaddened by his farewell, and pondering rather solemnly on what laybefore him--the dangers of travel as well as those of thehead-hunters--Tom hastened back to his own home. 

The young inventor found Ned busy over the list of supplies, diligently checking it and comparing it with the one originally madeout, to see that nothing had been omitted. Mr. Damon had gone to hisroom, for he was to remain at the Swift house until he left with thegold-hunting expedition. 

"Oh, you've got back, have you?" asked Tom's chum, with a teasingair. "I thought you'd given up the trip to the city of gold. "

"Oh, cheese it!" invited Tom. "Come on, now I'll help you. Where'sEradicate? I want him to go out and see that the shop is locked up. "

"He was in here a while ago and he said he was going to look afterthings outside. He told me quite a piece of news. "

"What was it?"

"It seems that the Foger house has been sold, the furniture was allmoved out to-day, and the family has left, bag and baggage. I askedRad if he had heard where to, and he said someone down in thevillage was saying that Andy and his father have engaged passage onsome ship that sails day after to-morrow. "

"Day after to-morrow!" cried Tom. "Why, that's when ours sails! Ihope Andy didn't hear enough of our plans that night to try tofollow us. "

"It would be just like him, " returned Ned, "but I don't thinkthey'll do it. They haven't enough information to go on. More likelyMr. Foger is going to try some new ventures to get back his lostfortune. "

"Well, I hope he and Andy keep away from us. They make troubleeverywhere they go. Now come on, get busy. "

And, though Tom tried to drive from his mind the thoughts of theFogers, yet it was with an uneasy sense of some portending disasterthat he went on with the work of preparing for the trip into theunknown. He said nothing to Ned about it, but perhaps his chumguessed. 

"That'll do, " said Tom after an hour's labor. "We'll call it anight's work and quit. Can't you stay here--we've got several sparebeds. "

"No, I'm expected home. "

"I'll walk a ways with you, " said Tom, and when he had left his chumat his house our hero returned by a street that would take him pastthe Foger residence. It was shrouded in darkness. 

"Everybody's cleared out, " said Tom in a low voice as he glance atthe gloomy house. "Well, all I hope is that they don't camp on ourtrail. "

CHAPTER VIII

ERADICATE WILL GO

"I guess everything is all ready, " remarked Tom. 

"I can't think of anything more to do, " said Ned. 

"Bless my grip-sack!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "if there IS, someoneelse has got to do it. I'm tired to death! I never thought gettingready to go off on a simple little trip was so much work. We oughtto have made the whole journey from start to finish in an airship, Tom, as we've done before. "

"It was hardly practical, " answered the young inventor. "I'm afraidwe'll be searching for this underground city for some time, andwe'll only need an airship or a dirigible balloon for short tripshere and there. We've got to go a good deal by information thenatives can furnish us, and we can't get at them very well whensailing in the air. "

"That's right, " agreed the eccentric man. "Well, I'm glad we'reready to start. "

It was the evening of the day before they were to leave for NewYork, there to take steamer to a small port on the Mexican coast, and every one was busy putting the finishing details to the packingof his personal baggage. 

The balloon, taken apart for easy transportation, had been sent onahead, as had most of their supplies, weapons and other neededarticles. All they would carry with them were handbags, containingsome clothing. 

"Then you've fully made up your mind not to go; eh Rad?" asked Tomof the colored man, who was busy helping them pack. "You won't takea chance in the underground city?"

"No, Massa Tom, I's gwine t' stay home an' look after yo' daddy. 'Sides, Boomerang is gettin' old, an' when a mule gits along inyeahs him temper ain't none ob de best. "

"Boomerang's temper never was very good, anyhow, " said Tom. "Many'sthe time he's balked on you, Rad. "

"I know it, Massa Tom, but dat jest shows what strong character hedone hab. Nobody kin manage dat air mule but me, an' if I were toleave him, dere suah would be trouble. No, I cain't go to nounderground city, nohow. "

"But if you found some of the golden images you could buy anothermule--two of 'em if you wanted that many, " said Ned, and a momentlater he remembered that Tom did not want the colored man to knowanything about the trip after gold. He had been led to believe thatit was merely a trip to locate an ancient city. 

"Did yo' done say GOLDEN images?" asked Eradicate, his eyes big withwonder. 

Ned glanced apologetically at Tom, and said, with a shrug of hisshoulders:

"Well, I--"

"Oh, we might as well tell him, " interrupted the young inventor. "Yes, Rad, we expect to bring back some images of solid gold fromthe underground city. If you go along you might get some for yourself. Of course there's nothing certain about it, but--"

"How--how big am dem gold images, Massa Tom?" asked Eradicateeagerly. 

"You've got him going now, Tom, " whispered Ned. 

"How big?" repeated Tom musingly. "Hum, well, there's one that issaid to be bigger than three men, and there must be any number ofsmaller ones--say boy's size, and from that on down to the reallittle ones, according to Mr. Illingway. "

"Real gold--yellow, gold images as big as a man, " said Eradicate ina dreamy voice. "An'--an' some big as boys. By golly, Massa Tom, amyo' suah ob dat?"

"Pretty sure. Why, Rad?"

"Cause I's gwine wid yo', dat's why! I didn't know yo' all was goin'after gold. My golly I's gwine along! Look out ob mah way, ef yo'please, --Mr. Damon. I'se gwine t' pack up an' go. Am it too late togit me a ticket, Massa Tom?"

"No, I guess there's room on the ship. But say, Rad, I don't wantyou to talk about this gold image part of it. You can say we'regoing to look for an underground city, but no more, mind you!"

"Trust me, Massa Tom; trust me. I--I'll jest say BRASS images, dat'swhat I'll say--BRASS! We's gwine after brass, an' not GOLD. Bygolly, I'll fool 'em!"

"No, don't say anything about the images--brass or gold, " cautionedTom. "But, Rad, there's another thing. We may run across the head-huntersdown there in Mexico. "

"Head-hunters? What's dem?"

"They crush you, and chop off your head for an ornament. "

"Ha! Ha! Den I ain't in no danger, Massa Tom. Nobody would want dehead ob an old colored man fo' an ornament. By golly! I's safe fromdem head-hunters! Yo' can't scare me dat way. I's gwine after someof dem gold images, I is, an' ef I gits some I'll build de fineststable Boomerang ever saw, an' he kin hab oats fo' times a day. Dat's what I's gwine t' do. Now look out ob mah way, Mr. Damon, efyo' pleases. I's gwine t' pack up, " and Eradicate shuffled off, chuckling to himself and muttering over and over again: "Goldimages! Gold images! Images ob solid gold! Think ob dat! By golly!"

"Think he'll give the secret away, Tom?" asked Ned. 

"No. And I'm glad he's going. Four makes a nice party, and Rad willmake himself useful around camp. I've been sorry ever since he saidhe wouldn't go, on account of the good cooking I'd miss, for Rad issure a fine cook. "

"Bless my knife and fork, that's so!" agreed Mr. Damon. 

So complete were the preparations of our friends that nothingremained to do the next morning. Eradicate had his things all inreadiness, and when good-byes had been said to Mr. Swift, and Mrs. Baggert, Tom, Ned and Mr. Damon, followed by the faithful coloredman, set off for the depot to take the train for New York. Therethey were to take a coast steamer for Tampico, Mexico, and oncethere they could arrange for transportation into the interior. 

The journey to New York was uneventful, but on arrival there theymet with their first disappointment. The steamer on which they wereto take passage had been delayed by a storm, and had only justarrived at her dock. 

"It will take three days to get her cargo out, clean the boilers, load another cargo in her and get ready to sail, " the agent informedthem. 

"Then what are we to do?" asked Ned. 

"Guess we'll have to wait; that's all, " answered Tom. "It doesn'tmuch matter. We're in no great rush, and it will give us three daysaround New York. We'll see the sights. "

"Bless my spectacles! Its an ill wind that blows nobody good, "remarked Mr. Damon, "I've been wanting to visit New York for sometime, and here's my chance. "

"We'll go to a good hotel, " said Tom, "and enjoy ourselves as long aswe have to wait for the steamer. "

CHAPTER IX

"THAT LOOKED LIKE ANDY!"

What seemed at first as if it was going to be a tedious time ofwaiting, proved to be a delightful experience, for our friends foundmuch to occupy their attention in New York. 

Tom and Ned went to several theatrical performances, and wanted Mr. Damon to go with them, but the odd man said he wanted to visitseveral museums and other places of historical interest, so, whilehe was browsing around that way, the boys went to Bronx Park, and toCentral Park, to look at the animals, and otherwise enjoythemselves. 

Eradicate put in his time in his own way. Much of it was spent inrestaurants where chicken and pork chops figured largely on thebills of fare, for Tom had plentifully supplied the colored man withmoney, and did not ask an accounting. 

"What else do you do besides eat, Rad?" asked Ned with a laugh, thesecond day of their stay in New York. 

"I jest natchally looks in de jewelery store windows, " repliedEradicate with a grin on his honest black face. "I looks at all degold ornaments, an' I tries t' figger out how much better mah goldenimages am gwine t' be. "

"But don't you go in, and ask what a gold image the size of a manwould be worth!" cautioned Tom. "The jeweler might think you werecrazy, and he might suspect something. "

"No, Massa Tom, I won't do nuffin laik dat, " promised Eradicate. "But, Massa Tom, how much DOES yo' 'spect a image laik dat WOULD beworth?"

"Haven't the least idea, Rad. Enough, though, to make you rich forthe rest of your life. "

"Good land a' massy!" gasped Eradicate, and he spent several hourstrying to do sums in arithmetic on scraps of paper. 

"Hurrah!" cried Tom, when, on the morning of the third day of theirenforced stay in New York, a letter was sent up to his room by thehotel clerk. 

"What's up?" asked Ned. "I didn't know that you sent Mary word thatyou were here. "

"I didn't, you old scout!" cried Tom. "This is from the steamshipcompany, saying that the steamer Maderia, on which we have takenpassage for Mexico, will sail to-night at high tide. That's thestuff! At last we'll really get on our way. "

"Bless my notebook!" cried Mr. Damon. "I hoped we'd stay at leastanother day here. I haven't seen half enough in the museums. "

"You'll see stranger things than in any museum when we get to theunderground city, " predicted Tom. "Come on, Ned, we'll take in amoving picture show, have our last lunch in the big city, and thengo aboard. "

So impatient were the travelers to go on board the steamer that theyarrived several hours before the time set for sailing. Many othersdid the same thing, however, as supper was to be served on theMaderia. 

Though it was within a few hours of leaving time there seemed somuch to be done, such a lot of cargo to stow away, and so much coalto put into the bunkers, that Tom and the others might well beexcused for worrying about whether or not they really would sail. 

Big trucks drawn by powerful horses thundered down the long dock. Immense automobiles laden with boxes, barrels and bales puffed tothe loading gangways. There was the puffing and whistling of thedonkey engines as they hoisted into the big holds the goods intendedfor export. 

At the side of the steamer were grimy coal barges, into which wasdipped an endless chain of buckets carrying the coal to the bunkers. Stevadores were running here and there, orders and counter-orderswere being given, and the confusion must have been maddening to anyone not accustomed to it. 

"Bless my walking stick!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "We'll never get offto-night, I'm positive. "

"Dat's right, " agreed Eradicate. "Look at all dat coal dey's got toload in. "

"Oh. They knew how to hustle at the last minute, " said Tom, and soit proved. Gradually the loading was finished. The coal barges wereemptied and towed away. Truck after truck departed from the dockempty, having left its load in the interior of the steamer. Onedonkey engine after another ceased to puff, and the littered deckswere cleared. 

"Let's watch the late-comers get aboard, " suggested Ned to Tom, whenthey had arranged things in their stateroom. The two boys and Mr. Damon had a large one to themselves and Eradicate had been assigneda small one not far from them. 

"That'll make the time pass until supper is ready, " agreed the younginventor, so they took their station near the main gangway andwatched the passengers hurrying up. There were many going to makethe trip to Mexico it seemed, and later the boys learned that atourist agency had engaged passage for a number of its patrons. 

"That fat man will never get up the slope unless some one pusheshim, " remarked Ned, pointing to a very fleshy individual who wasstruggling up the steep gangplank, carrying a heavy valise. For thetide was almost at flood and the deck of the steamer was muchelevated. Indeed it seemed at one moment as if the heavy-weightpassenger would slide backward instead of getting aboard. 

"Go give him a hand, Rad, " suggested Tom, and the colored manobligingly relieved the fat man of his grip, thereby enabling him togive all his attention to getting up the plank. 

And it was this simple act on the part of Rad that was the cause ofan uneasy suspicion coming to Tom and Ned. For, as Eradicatehastened to help the stout passenger, two others behind him, a manand a boy, started preciptably at the sight of the colored helper. So confused were they that it was noticed by Ned and his chum. 

"Look at that!" said Ned in a low voice, their attention drawn fromthe fat man to the man and youth immediately behind him. "You'dthink they were afraid of meeting Rad. "

"That's right, " agreed Tom, for the man and youth had halted, andseemed about to turn back, Then the man, with a quick gesture, tossed a steamer rug he was carrying over his shoulder up so that ithid his face. At the same time the lad with him, evidently inobedience to some command, pulled his cap well down over his faceand turned up the collar of a light overcoat he was wearing. He alsoseemed to shrink down, almost as if he were deformed. 

"Say!" began Ned in wondering tones, "Tom, doesn't that look like--"

"Andy Foger and his father!" burst out the young inventor in a horsewhisper. "Ned, do you think it's possible?"

"Hardly, and yet--"

Ned paused in his answer to look more closely at the two who hadaroused the suspicions of himself and Tom. But they had now crowdedso close up behind the fat man whom Eradicate was assisting up theplank, that he partly hid them from sight, and the action of the twoin covering their faces further aided them in disguising themselves, if such was their intention. 

"Oh, it can't be!" declared Tom. "If they were going to follow usthey wouldn't dare go on the same steamer. It must be some one else. But it sure did look like Andy at first. "

"That's what I say, " came from Ned. "But we can easily find out. "

"How?"

"Ask the purser to show us the passenger list. Even if they are downunder some other names he'd know the Fogers if we described them tohim. "

"That's right, we'll do it. "

By this time the fat man, who was being assisted by Eradicate hadreached the top of the gang plank. He must have been expected, forseveral friends rushed to greet him, and for a moment there was aconfusing little throng at the place where the passengers cameabroad. Tom and Ned hurried up, intent on getting a closer view ofthe man and youth who seemed so anxious to escape observation. 

But several persons got in their way, and the two mysterious onestaking advantage of the confusion, slipped down a companionway totheir stateroom, so that when our two lads managed to extricatethemselves from the throng around the fat man, who insisted onthanking them for allowing Eradicate to help him, it was too late toeffect any identification, at least for the time being. 

"But we'll go to the purser, " said Tom. "If Andy and his father areon this steamer we want to know it. "

"That's right, " agreed Ned. 

Just then there was the usual cry:

"All ashore that's going ashore! Last warning!"

A bell rang, there was a hoarse whistle, the rattle of the gangplankbeing drawn in, a quiver through the whole length of the ship, andTom cried:

"We're off!"

"Yes, " added Ned, "if Andy and his father are here it's too late toleave them behind now!"

CHAPTER X

MYSTERIOUS PASSENGERS

Ned and Tom did not escape the usual commotion that always attendsthe sailing of a large steamer. The people on the dock were wavingfarewells to those on the boat, and those on the deck of the Maderiashook their handkerchiefs, their steamer rugs, their hands, umbrellas--in short anything to indicate their feelings. It wasgetting dark, but big electric lights made the dock and thesteamer's deck brilliantly aglow. 

The big whistle was blowing at intervals to warn other craft thatthe steamer was coming out of her slip. Fussy little tugs werepushing their blunt noses against the sides of the Maderia to helpher and, in brief, there was not a little excitement. 

"Bless my steamer chair!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "We're really off atlast! And now for the land of--"

"Hush!" exclaimed Tom, who stood near the odd gentleman. "You'reforgetting. Some one might hear you. "

"That's so, Tom. Bless my soul! I'll keep quiet after this. "

"Mah golly!" gasped Eradicate as he saw the open water between theship and the deck, "I can't git back now if I wanter--but I doan'twanter. I hope yo' father takes good care ob Boomerang, Massa Tom. "

"Oh, I guess he will. But come on, Ned, we'll go to the purser'soffice now. "

"What for? Is something wrong?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"No, we just want to see if--er--if some friends of ours are onboard, " replied the young inventor, with a quick glance at hischum. 

"Very well, " assented Mr. Damon. "I'll wait for you on deck here. It's quite interesting to watch the sights of the harbor. "

As for these same sights they possessed no attractions for the twolads at present. They were too intent on learning whether or nottheir suspicions regarding the Fogers were correct. 

"Now if they are on board, " said Tom, as they made their way to thepurser's office, "it only means one thing--that they're following usto get at the secret of the city of gold, " and Tom whispered thislast, even though there seemed to be no one within hearing, fornearly all the passengers were up on deck. 

"That's right, " agreed Ned. "Of course there's a bare chance, ifthose two were the Fogers, that Mr. Foger is going off to try andmake another fortune. But more than likely they're on our trail, Tom. "

"If it's them--yes. "

"Hum, Foger--no, I don't think I havs any passengers of that name, "said the purser slowly, when Tom had put the question. "Let's see, Farday, Fenton, Figaro, Flannigan, Ford, Foraham, Fredericks--thoseare all the names in the 'Fs'. No Fogers among them. Why, are youlooking for some friends of yours, boys?"

"Not exactly friends, " replied Tom slowly, "but we know them, and wethought we saw them come aboard, so we wanted to make sure. "

"They might be under some other name, " suggested Ned. 

"Yes, that is sometimes done, " admitted the purser with a quickglance at the two lads, "It's done when a criminal wants to throwthe police off his track, or, occasionally, when a celebrated personwants to avoid the newspaper reporters. But I hardly think that--"

"Oh, I don't believe they'd do it, " said Tom quickly. He saw at oncethat the suspicions of the purser had been aroused, and the officialmight set on foot inquiries that would be distasteful to the twolads and Mr. Damon. Then, too, if the Fogers were on board undersome other name, they would hear of the questions that had been putregarding them, and if they were on a legitimate errand they couldmake it unpleasant for Tom. 

"I don't believe they'd do anything like that, " the young inventorrepeated. 

"Well, you can look over the passenger list soon, " said the purser. "I'm going to post it in the main saloon. But perhaps if youdescribed the persons you are looking for I could help you out. Ihave met nearly all the passengers already. "

"Mr. Foger is a big man, with a florid complexion and he has a heavybrown moustache, " said Ned. 

"And Andy has red hair, and he squints, " added Tom. 

"No such persons on board, " declared the official positively. "It'strue we have several persons who squint, but no one with red hair--I'msure of it. "

"Then they're not here, " declared Ned. "No, we must have beenmistaken, " agreed Tom, and there was relief in his tone. It was badenough to have to search for a hidden city of gold, and perhaps haveto deal with the head-hunters, without having to fight off anotherenemy from their trail. 

"Much obliged, " said the young inventor to the purser, and then thetwo lads went back on deck. 

A little later supper was served in the big dining saloon, and theboys and Mr. Damon were glad of it, for they were hungry. Eradicateate with a party of colored persons whose acquaintance he hadquickly made. It was a gay gathering in which Tom and Ned foundthemselves, for though they had traveled much, generally it had beenin one of Tom's airships, or big autos, and this dining on a bigship was rather a novelty to them. 

The food was good, the service prompt, and Tom found himselfpossessed of a very good appetite. He glanced across the table andnoted that opposite him and Ned, and a little way down the board, were two vacant chairs. 

"Can't be that anyone is seasick already. " he remarked to his chum. 

"I shouldn't think so, for we haven't any more motion than aferryboat. But some persons are very soon made ill on the water. "

"If they're beginning thus early, what will happen when we get outwhere it's real rough?" Tom wanted to know. 

"They'll sure be in for it, " agreed Ned, and a glance around thedining saloon showed that those two vacant chairs were the onlyones. 

Somehow Tom felt a vague sense of uneasiness--as if something wasabout to happen. In a way he connected it with the suspicion thatthe Fogers were aboard, and with his subsequent discovery that theirnames were not on the passenger list. Then, with another thought inmind, he looked about to see if he could pick out the man and youthwho, on coming up the gang plank, had been taken by both Tom and Nedto be their enemies. No one looking like either was to be seen, andTom's mind at once went back to the vacant seats at the table. 

"By Jove, Ned!" he exclaimed. "I believe I have it!"

"Have what--a fit of seasickness?"

"No, but these empty seats--the persons we saw you know--they belongthere and they're afraid to come out and be seen. "

"Why should they be--if they're not the Fogers. I guess you've gotanother think coming. "

"Well, I'm sure there's something mysterious about those two--theway they hid their faces as they came on board--not appearing atsupper--I'm going to keep my eyes open. "

"All right, go as far as you like and I'm with you. Just now you maypass me the powdered sugar. I want some on this pie. "

Tom laughed at Ned's matter-of-fact indifference, but when the younginventor turned in to his berth that night he could not stopthinking of the empty seats--the two mysterious passengers--and thetwo Fogers. They got all jumbled in his head and made his sleeprestless. 

Morning saw the Maderia well out to sea, and, as there was quite aswell on, the vessel rolled and pitched to an uncomfortable degree. This did not bother Tom and Ned, who were used to sudden changes ofequilibrium from their voyages in the air. Nor did Mr. Damon suffer. In fact he was feeling fine and went about on deck like an old salt, blessing so many new things that he had many of the passengersamused. 

Poor Eradicate did suffer though. He was very seasick, and kept tohis berth most of the time, while some of his new friends did whatthey could for him. 

Tom had in mind a plan whereby he might solve the identity of themysterious passengers. He was going to do it by a process ofelimination--that is he would carefully note all on board until hehad fixed on the two who had aroused his suspicions. And he had todo this because so many of the passengers looked very different, nowthat they had on their ship "togs, " than when first coming on board. 

But the rough weather of the first day prevented the lad fromcarrying out his plan, as many of the travelers kept to theirstaterooms, and there were a score of vacant places at the tables. 

The next day, however, was fine, and with the sea like theproverbial mill pond, it seemed that everyone was out on deck. Yetwhen meal time came there were these same two vacant seats. 

"What do you think of it, Ned?" asked Tom, with a puzzled air. 

"I don't know what to think, Tom. It sure is queer that thesetwo--whoever they are--don't ever come to meals. They can't be seasickon a day like this, and they certainly weren't the first night. "

"That's right. I'm going to ask one of the stewards where theirstateroom is, and why they don't come out. "

"You may get into trouble. "

"Oh, I guess not. If I do I can stand it. I want to solve thismystery. " Tom did put his question to one of the dining saloonstewards and it created no suspicions. 

"Ah, yes, I guess you must mean Mr. Wilson and his son. " spoke thesteward when he had referred to a list that corresponded with thenumbers of the vacant places at the table. "They have their mealsserved in their stateroom. "

"Why?" asked Tom, "are they ill?"

"I really couldn't say, sir. They prefer it that way, and thecaptain consented to it from the first. "

"But I should think they'd want to get out for a breath of air, " putin Ned. "I can't stay below decks very long. "

"They may come out at night, " suggested the steward. "Some of ourtravelers think they are less likely to be seasick if they come outat night. They don't see the motion of the waves then. "

"Guess that's it, " agreed Tom with a wink at Ned. "Much obliged. Glad we're not seasick, " and he linked his arm in that of his chum'sand marched him off. 

"Why the wink?" asked Ned, when they were out of earshot of thesteward. 

"That was to tip you off to say nothing more. I've got a plan I'mgoing to work. "

"What is it?"

"Well, we know who the mysterious ones are, anyhow--at least we knowtheir names--Wilson. "

"It may not be the right one. "

"That doesn't make any difference. I can find out their stateroom bylooking at the passenger list. "

"What good will that do. "

"Lots. I'm going to keep a watch on that stateroom until I get agood look at the people in it. And if they only come out at night, which it begins to look like, I'm going to do some night watching. This thing has got to be settled, Ned. Our trip to the city of goldis too important to risk having a mysterious couple on our trail--whenthat same couple may be the Fogers. I'm going to do some detectivework, Ned!"

CHAPTER XI

THE MIDNIGHT ALARM

"Whew! What a lot of 'em!"

"Bless my fish line! It's a big school!"

"Look how they turn over and over, and leap from the water. "

"By golly, dere is suttinly some fish dere!"

These were the exclamations made by our four friends a few dayslater, as they leaned over the rail of the Maderia and watched a bigschool of porpoises gamboling about in the warm waters of the gulfstream. It was the second porpoise school the ship had come up withon the voyage, and this was a much larger one than the first, sothat the passengers crowded up to see the somewhat novel sight. 

"If they were only good eating now, we might try for a few, "observed Ned. 

"Some folks eat them, but they're too oily for me, " observed agentleman who had struck up an acquaintance with the boys and Mr. Damon. "Their skin makes excellent shoe laces though, their oil isused for delicate machinery--especially some that comes from aroundthe head, at least so I have heard. "

"Wow! Did you see that?" cried Tom, as one large porpoise leapedclear of the water, turned over several times and fell back with aloud splash. "That was the biggest leap yet. "

"And there goes another, " added Ned. 

"Say, this ought to bring those two mysterious passengers out oftheir room, " observed Tom to his chum in a low voice. "Nearlyeveryone else seems to be on deck. "

"You haven't been able to catch a glimpse of them; eh Tom?"

"Not a peak. I stayed up several nights, as you know, and paced thedeck, but they didn't stir out. Or, if they did, it must have beentoward morning after I turned in. I can't understand it. They mustbe either criminals, afraid of being seen, or they ARE the Fogers, and they know we're on to their game. "

"It looks as if it might be one or the other, Tom. But if they arecriminals we don't have to worry about 'em. They don't concern us. "

"No, that's right. Split mackerel! Look at that fellow jump. He'sgot 'em all beat!" and Tom excitedly, pointed at the porpoises, thewhole school of which was swimming but a short distance from thesteamer. 

"Yes, a lot of them are jumping now. I wonder--"

"Look! Look!" cried the man who had been talking to Mr. Damon. "Something out of the ordinary is going on among those porpoises. Inever saw them leap out of the water like that before. "

"Sharks! It's sharks!" cried a sailor who came running along thedeck. "A school of sharks are after the porpoises!" "I believe he'sright, " added Mr. Sander, the gentleman with Mr. Damon. "See, there's the ugly snout of one now. He made a bite for that bigporpoise but missed. "

"Bless my meat axe!" cried the odd man. "So he did. Say, boys, thisis worth seeing. There'll be a big fight in a minute. "

"Not much of a fight, " remarked Mr. Sander. "The porpoise isn'tbuilt for fighting. They're trying to get away from the sharks byleaping up. "

"Why don't they dive, and so get away?" asked Ned. 

"The sharks are too good at diving, " went on Mr. Sander. "Theporpoises couldn't escape that way. Their only hope is thatsomething will scare the sharks away, otherwise they'll kill untiltheir appetites are satisfied, and that isn't going to be very soonI'm afraid. "

"Look! Look!" cried Ned. "A shark leaped half way out of the waterthen. "

"Yes, I saw it, " called Tom. 

There was now considerable excitement on deck. Nearly all thepassengers, many of the crew and several of the officers werewatching the strange sight. The porpoises were frantically tumbling, turning and leaping to get away from their voracious enemies. 

"Oh, if I only had my electric rifle!" cried Tom. "I'd make some ofthose ugly sharks feel sick!"

"Bless my cartridge belt!" cried Mr. Damon. "That would be a goodidea. The porpoises are such harmless creatures. It's a shame to seethem attacked so. "

For the activity of the sharks had now redoubled, and they weredarting here and there amid the school of porpoises biting withtheir cruel jaws. The other fish were frantically leaping andtumbling, but the strange part of it was that the schools of sharksand porpoises kept about the same distance ahead of the ship, sothat the passengers had an excellent view of the novel and thrillingsight. 

"Rifle!" said Mr. Sander, catching at the word. "I fancy the captainmay have some. He's quite a friend of mine, I'll speak to him. "

"Get me one, too, if you please, " called Ned as the gentlemanhurried away. 

"And I'll also try my luck at potting a shark. Bless my gunpowder ifI won't!" said Mr. Damon. 

The captain did have several rifles in his stateroom, and he loanedthem to Mr. Sander. They were magazine weapons, firing sixteen shotseach, but they were not of as high power as those Tom had packedaway. 

"Now we'll make those sharks sing a different tune, if sharks sing!"cried the young inventor. 

"Yes, we're coming to the rescue of the porpoises!" added Ned. 

The passengers crowded up to witness the marksmanship, and soon thelads and Mr. Damon were at it. 

It was no easy matter to hit a shark, as the big, ugly fish wereonly seen for a moment in their mad rushes after the porpoises, butboth Tom and Ned were good shots and they made the bullets tell. 

"There, I hit one big fellow!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my bull'seye, but I plugged him right in the mouth, I think. "

"I hope you knocked out some of his teeth, " cried Ned. 

They fired rapidly, and while they probably hit some of the innocentporpoises in their haste, yet they accomplished what they had setout to do--scare off the sharks. In a little while the "tigers ofthe sea" as some one has aptly called them, disappeared. 

"That's the stuff!" cried Mr. Damon. "Now we can watch the porpoisesat play. "

But they did not have that sight to interest them very long. For, assuddenly as the gamboling fish had appeared, they sank from sight--allbut a few dead ones that the sharks had left floating on the calmsurface of the ocean. Probably the timid fish had taken some alarmfrom the depths into which they sank. 

"Well, that was some excitement while it lasted, " remarked Tom. Ashe and Ned took the rifles back to the captain. 

"But it didn't bring out the mysterious passengers, " added Ned. Tomshook his head and on their return to deck he purposely went out ofhis way to go past Stateroom No. 27, where the "Wilsons" werequartered. The door was closed and a momentary pause to listenbrought our hero no clew, for all was silent in the room. 

"It's too much for me, " he murmured, shaking his head and herejoined his chum. 

Several more days passed, for the Maderia was a slow boat, and couldnot make good time to Mexico. However, our travelers were in nohaste, and they fully enjoyed the voyage. 

Try as Tom did to get a glimpse of the mysterious passengers he wasunsuccessful. He spent many hours in a night, and early morningvigil, only to have to do his sleeping next day, and it resulted innothing. 

"I guess they want to get on Mexican soil before any one sees theirfaces, " spoke Ned, and Tom was inclined to agree with his chum. 

They awoke one morning to find the sea tempestuous. The ship tossedand rolled amid the billows, and the captain said they had run intothe tail end of a gulf hurricane. 

"Two days more and we'll be in port, " he added, "and I'm sorry thevoyage had to be marred even by this blow. "

For it did blow, and, though it was not a dangerous storm, yet manypassengers kept below. 

"I'm afraid this settles it, " remarked Tom that night, when the shipwas still pitching and tossing. "They won't come out now, and thisis likely to keep up until we get to port. Well, I can't help it. "

But fate was on the verge of aiding Tom in an unexpected way. Nearlyevery one turned in early that night for it was no pleasure to sitin the saloons, and to lie in one's berth made it easier to standthe rolling of the vessel. 

Tom and Ned, together with Mr. Damon, had fallen into slumber inspite of the storm, when, just as eight bells announced midnightthere was a sudden jar throughout the whole ship. 

The Maderia quivered from stem to stern, seemed to hesitate a momentas though she had been brought to a sudden stop, and then plowed on, only to bring up against some obstruction again, with that samesickening jar throughout her length. 

"Bless my soul! What's that?" cried Mr. Damon, springing from hisberth. 

"Something has happened!" added Tom, as he reached out and switchedon the electric lights. 

"We hit something!" declared Ned. 

The ship was now almost stopped and she was rolling from side toside. 

Up on deck could be heard confused shouts and the running to and froof many feet. The jangling of bells sounded--hoarse orders wereshouted--and there arose a subdued hubbub in the interior of theship. 

"Something sure is wrong!" cried Tom. "We'd better get our clotheson and get on deck! Come on, Ned and Mr. Damon! Grab lifepreservers!"

CHAPTER XII

INTO THE UNKNOWN

"Bless my overshoes! I hope we're not sinking!" cried Mr. Damon, ashe struggled into some of his clothes, an example followed by Nedand Tom. 

"This boat has water-tight compartments, and if it does sink itwon't do it in a hurry, " commented Tom. 

"I don't care to have it do it at all, " declared Ned, who found thathe had started to get into his trousers hindside before and he hadto change them. "Think of all our baggage and supplies and theballoon on board. " For the travelers had shipped their things by thesame steamer as that on which they sailed. 

"Well, let's get out and learn the worst, " cried Tom. 

He was the first to have the stateroom, and as he rushed along thepassages which were now brilliant with light he saw other half-cladpassengers bent on the same errand as himself, to get on deck andlearn what had happened. 

"Wait, Tom!" called Ned. 

"Come along, I'm just ahead of you, " yelled his chum from around acorner. "I'm going to see if Eradicate is up. He's an awful heavysleeper. "

"Bless my feather bed! That shock was enough to awaken anyone!"commented Mr. Damon, as he followed Ned, who was running to catch upto Tom. 

Suddenly a thought came to our hero. The mysterious passengers inStateroom No. 27! Surely this midnight alarm would bring them out, and he might have a chance to see who they were. 

Tom thought quickly. He could take a turn, go through a shortpassage, and run past the room of the mysterious passengers gettingon deck as quickly as if he went the usual way. 

"I'll go look after Rad!" Tom shouted to Ned. "You go up on deck, and I'll join you. "

Eradicate's stateroom was on his way, after he had passed No. 27. Tom at once put his plan into execution. As he ran on, the confusionon deck seemed to increase, but the lad noted that the vessel didnot pitch and roll so much, and she seemed to be on an even keel, and in no immediate danger of going down. 

As Tom neared Stateroom No. 27 he heard voices coming from it, voices that sent a thrill through him, for he was sure he had heardthem before. 

"Where are the life preservers? Oh, I KNOW we'll be drowned! I wishI'd never come on this trip! Look out, those are my pants you'reputting on! Oh, where is my collar? Hand me my coat! Look out, you're stepping on my fingers!"

These were the confused and alarmed cries that Tom heard. He pausedfor a moment opposite the door, and then it was suddenly flung open. The lights were glaring brightly inside and a strange sight met thegaze of the young inventor. 

There stood Mr. Foger and beside him--half dressed--was his son--Andy!Tom gasped. So did Andy and Mr. Foger, for they had both recognizedour hero. 

But how Mr. Foger had changed! His moustache was shaved off, thoughin spite of this Tom knew him. And Andy! No longer was his hair red, for it had been dyed a deep black and glasses over his eyesconcealed their squint. No wonder the purser had not recognized themby the descriptions Tom and Ned had given. 

"Andy Foger!" gasped Tom. 

"Tom--it's Tom Swift, father!" stammered the bully. 

"Close the door!" sharply ordered Mr. Foger, though he and his sonhad been about to rush out. 

"I won't do it!" cried Andy. "The ship is sinking and I'm not goingto be drowned down here. "

"So it was you--after all, " went on Tom. "What are you doing here?"

"None of your business!" snapped Andy. "Get out of my way, I'm goingon deck. "

Tom realized that it was not the proper time to hold a conversation, with a possibly sinking ship under him. He looked at Mr. Foger, andmany thoughts shot through his mind. Why were they on board? Had itanything to do with the city of gold? Had Andy overheard the talk?Or was Mr. Foger merely looking for a new venture whereby toretrieve his lost fortune. 

Tom could not answer. The bully's father glared at our hero andthen, slipping on a coat, he made a dash for the door. 

"Get out of my way!" he shouted, and Tom stood aside. 

Andy was already racing for the deck, and as the noise and confusionseemed to increase rather than diminish, Tom concluded that hiswisest move would be to get out and see what all the excitement wasabout. 

He stopped on his way to arouse Eradicate but found that he and allthe colored persons had left their staterooms. A few seconds laterTom was on deck. 

"It's all right, now! It's all right!" several officers werecalling. "There is no danger. Go back to your staterooms. The dangeris all over. "

"Is the ship sinking?"

"What happened?"

"Are we on fire?"

"Are you sure there's no danger?"

These were only a few of the questions that were flying about, andthe officers answered them as best they could. 

"We hit a derelict, or some bit of wreckage, " explained the firstmate, when he could command silence. "There is a slight hole belowthe water-line, but the bulkheads have been closed, and there is notthe slightest danger. "

"Are we going to turn back for New York?" asked one woman. 

"No, certainly not. We're going right on as soon as a slight breakto one of the engines can be repaired. We are in no danger. Only alittle water came in before the automatic bulkheads were shut. Wehaven't even a list to one side. Now please clear the decks and goback to bed. "

It took more urging, but finally the passengers began to disperse. Tom found Ned and Mr. Damon, who were looking for him. 

"Bless my life preserver!" cried the odd man. "I thought surely thiswas my last voyage, Tom!"

"So did I, " added Ned. "What's the matter, Tom, you look as thoughyou'd seen a ghost. "

"I have--pretty near. The Fogers are on board. "

"No! You don't mean it!"

"It's a fact. I just saw them. They are the mysterious passengers. "And Tom related his experience. 

"Where are they now?" demanded Ned, looking about the deck. 

"Gone below again, I suppose. Though I don't see what object theycan have in concealing their identity any longer. "

"Me either. Well, that surely is a queer go. "

"Bless my hot cross buns! I should say so!" commented Mr. Damon whenhe heard about it. "What are you going to do, Tom?"

"Nothing. I can't. They have a right on board. But if they try tofollow us--well, I'll act then, " and Tom shut his jaws grimly. 

Our three trends went back to their state-room, and Eradicate alsoretired. The excitement was passing, and soon the ship was under wayagain, the sudden shock having caused slight damage to one of thebig engines. But it was soon repaired and, though the storm stillcontinued, the ship made her way well through the waves. 

A stout bow, water-tight compartments, and the fact (learned later)that she had struck the derelict a glancing blow, had combined tosave the Maderia. 

There were many curious ones who looked over the side next morningto see the gaping hole in the bow. A canvas had been rigged over it, however, to keep out the waves as much as possible, so little couldbe viewed. Then the thoughts of landing occupied the minds of all, and the accident was nearly forgotten. For it was announced thatthey would dock early the next morning. 

In spite of the fact that their presence on board was known to Tomand his friends, the Fogers still kept to their stateroom, not evenappearing at meals. Tom wondered what their object could be, butcould not guess. 

"Well, here we are at last--in Mexico, " exclaimed Ned the nextmorning, when, the Maderia having docked, allowed the passengers todisembark, a clean bill of health having been her good luck. 

"Yes, and now for a lot of work!" added Tom. "We've got to see aboutgetting ox teams, carts and helpers, and no end of food for our tripinto the interior. "

"Bless my coffee pot! It's like old times to be going off into thejungle or wilderness camping, " said Mr. Damon. 

"Did you see anything of the Fogers?" asked Ned of his chum. 

"Not a thing. Guess they're in their stateroom, and they can staythere for all of me. I'm going to get busy. "

Tom and his friends went to a hotel, for they knew it would takeseveral days to get their expedition in shape. They looked about fora sight of their enemies, but saw nothing of them. 

It took five days to hire the ox carts, get helpers, a supply offood and other things, and to unload the balloon and baggage fromthe ship. In all this time there was no sign of the Fogers, and Tomhoped they had gone about their own business. 

Our friends had let it be known that they were going into theinterior to prospect, look for historic relics and ruins, andgenerally have a sort of vacation. 

"For if it is even hinted that we are after the city of gold, " saidTom, "it would be all up with us. The whole population of Mexicowould follow us. So keep mum, everyone. "

They all promised, and then they lent themselves to the task ofgetting things in shape for travel. Eradicate was a big help, andhis cheerful good nature often lightened their toil. 

At last all was in readiness, and with a caravan of six ox carts(for the balloon and its accessories took up much space) theystarted off, the Mexican drivers cracking their long whips, andsinging their strange songs. 

"Ho, for the interior!" cried Ned gaily. 

"Yes, we're off into the unknown all right, " added Tom grimly, "andthere's no telling when we'll get back, if we ever will, should thehead-hunters get after us. "

"Bless my collar and tie! Don't talk that way. It gives me the coldshivers!" protested Mr. Damon. 

CHAPTER XIII

FOLLOWED

"Well, this is something like it!" exclaimed Ned as he sat in frontof the campfire, flourishing a sandwich in one hand, and in theother a tin cup of coffee. 

"It sure is, " agreed Tom. "But I say, old man, would you just assoon wave your coffee the other way? You're spilling it all overme. "

"Excuse me!" laughed Ned. "I'll be more careful in the future. Mr. Damon will you have a little more of these fried beans--tortillas orfrijoles or whatever these Mexicans call 'em. They're not bad. Passyour plate, Mr. Damon. "

"Bless my eyelashes!" exclaimed the odd man. "Water, please, quick!"and he clapped his hand over his mouth. 

"What's the matter?" demanded Tom. 

"Too much red pepper! I wish these Mexicans wouldn't put so much ofit in. Water!"

Mr. Damon hastily swallowed a cup of the liquid which Ned passed tohim. 

"I spects dat was my fault, " put in Eradicate, who did the cookingfor the three whites, while the Mexicans had their own. "I were justa little short ob some ob dem funny fried beans, an' I took somefrom ober dere, " and the colored man nodded toward the Mexicancampfire. "Den I puts some red pepper in 'em, an' I done guesssomebody'd put some in afo' I done it. "

"I should say they had!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, drinking more water. "I don't see how those fellows stand it, " and he looked to where theMexican ox drivers were eagerly devouring the highly-spiced food. 

It was the second day of their trip into the interior, and they hadhalted for dinner near a little stream of good water that flowedover a grassy plain. So far their trip had been quite enjoyable. Theox teams were fresh and made good time, the drivers were capable andjolly, and there was plenty of food. Tom had brought along a supplyespecially for himself and his friends, for they did not relish thekind the Mexican drivers ate, though occasionally the gold-seekersindulged in some of the native dishes. 

"This is lots of fun, " Ned remarked again, when Mr. Damon had beensufficiently cooled off. "Don't you think so, Tom?"

"Indeed I do. I don't know how near we are to the place we'relooking for, nor even if we're going in the right direction, but Ilike this sort of life. "

"How long Massa Tom, befo' dat gold--" began Eradicate. 

"Hush!" interrupted the young inventor quickly, raising a hand ofcaution, and glancing toward the group of Mexicans. He hoped theyhad not heard the word the colored man so carelessly used, for ithad been the agreed policy to keep the nature of their search asecret. But at the mention of "gold" Miguel Delazes, the head oxdriver, locked up quickly, and sauntered over to where Tom and theothers were seated on the grass. This Delazes was a Mexican laborcontractor, and it was through him that Tom had hired the other menand the ox carts. 

"Ah, senors!" exclaimed Delazes as he approached, "I fear you aregoing in the wrong direction to reach the gold mines. If I had knownat the start--"

"We're not looking for gold mines!" interrupted Tom quickly. He didnot like the greedy look in the eyes of Delazes, a look that flaredout at the mention of gold--a look that was crafty and full ofcunning. 

"Not looking for gold mines!" the contractor repeated incredulously. "Surely I heard some one say something about gold, " and he looked atEradicate. 

"Oh, you mustn't mind what Rad says, " cried Tom laughing, and hedirected a look of caution at the colored man. "Rad is alwaystalking about gold; aren't you, Rad?"

"I 'spects I is, Massa Tom. I shore would laik t' find a gold mine, dat's what I would. "

"I guess that's the case with all of us, " put in Ned. 

"Rad, get the things packed up, " directed Tom quickly. "We've hadenough to eat and I want to make a good distance before we camp forthe night. " He wanted to get the colored man busy so the Mexicanwould have no chance to further question him. 

"Surely the senors are not going to start off again atonce--immediately!" protested Delazes. "We have not yet taken thesiesta--the noon-day sleep, and--"

"We're going to cut out the siestas on this trip, " interposed Tom. "We don't want to stay here too long. We want to find some goodruins that we can study, and the sooner we find them the better. "

"Ah, then it is but to study--to photograph ruined cities and getrelics, that the senors came to Mexico?"

Once more that look of cunning came in the Mexican's eyes. 

"That's about it, " answered Tom shortly. He did not want toencourage too much familiarity on the part of the contractor. "So, no siestas if you please, Senor Delazes. We can all siesta to-night. "

"Ah, you Americanos!" exclaimed the Mexican with a shrug of hisshoulders. He stroked his shiny black moustache. "You are ever so onthe alert! Always moving. Well, be it so, we will travel on--to theruined city--if we can find one, " and he gave Tom a look that thelatter could not quite understand. 

It was hot--very hot--but Tom noticed that about a mile farther on, the trail led into a thick jungle of trees, where it would be shady, and make the going more comfortable. 

"We'll be all right when we get there, " he said to the others. 

It was not with very good grace that the Mexicans got their ox teamsready. They had not objected very much when, on the day before Tomhad insisted on starting off right after the mid-day meal, but nowwhen it seemed that it was going to be a settled policy to omit thesiesta, or noon sleep, there was some grumbling. 

"They may make trouble for us, Tom, " said in a low voice. "Maybeyou'd better give in to them. "

"Not much!" exclaimed the young inventor. "If I do they'll want tosleep all the while, and we'll never get any where. We're going tokeep on. They won't kick after the first few times, and if they tryany funny business--well, we're well armed and they aren't, " and helooked at his own rifle, and Ned's. Mr. Damon also carried one, andEradicate had a large revolver which he said he preferred to a gun. Each of our white friends also carried an automatic pistol andplenty of ammunition. 

"I took care not to let the Mexicans have any guns, " Tom went on. "It isn't safe. "

"I'll wager that they've got knives and revolvers tucked awaysomewhere in their clothes, " spoke Ned. 

"Bless my tackhammer!" cried Mr. Damon. "Why do you say suchblood-curdling things Ned? You make me shiver!"

In a little while they took up the trail again, the ox carts movingalong toward the comparatively cool woods. Our friends had a cart tothemselves, one fitted with padded seats, which somewhat made up forthe absence of springs, and Eradicate was their driver. Tom had madethis arrangement so they might talk among themselves without fear ofbeing overheard by the Mexicans. At first Senor Delazes hadsuggested that one of his own drivers pilot Tom's cart, saying:

"I know what the senors fear--that their language may be listenedto, but I assure you that this man understands no English, do you, Josef?" he asked the man in question, using the Spanish. 

The man shook his head, but a quick look passed between him and hisemployer. 

"Oh, I guess we'll let Rad drive, " insisted Tom calmly, "it willremind him of his mule Boomerang that he left behind. "

"As the senor will, " Delazes had replied with a shrug of hisshoulders, and he turned away. So it was that Tom, Ned and Mr. Damon, in their own cart, piloted by the colored man, were in therear of the little cavalcade. 

"Have you any idea where you are going, Tom?" asked Ned, after theyhad reached the shade, when it was not such a task to talk. 

"Oh, I have a good general idea, " replied the young inventor. "I'vestudied the map Mr. Illingway sent, and according to that the cityof--well, you know the place we're looking for--lies somewherebetween Tampico and Zacatecas, and which the plain of the ruinedtemple which used to be near the ancient city of Poltec, is about ahundred and fifty miles north of the city of Mexico. So I'm headingfor there, as near as I can tell. We ought to fetch it in about aweek at this rate. "

"And what are we to do when we get there?" inquired Mr. Damon. "Ifwe keep on to that place where the images are to be found, with thisrascally crew of Mexicans, there won't be much gold for us. " He hadspoken in low tones, though the nearest Mexican cart was somedistance ahead. 

"I don't intend to take them all the way with us, " said Tom. "When Ithink we are somewhere near the temple plain I'm going to make theMexicans go into camp. Then we'll put the balloon together and wefour will go off in that. When we find what we're looking for we'llgo back, pick up the Mexicans, and make for the coast. "

"If the head-hunters let us, " put in Ned grimly. 

"Bless my nail file! There you go again!" cried Mr. Damon. "Positively, Ned, you get on my nerves. "

"Yais, Massa Ned, an' _I_ jest wish yo' wouldn't mention dem headgen'men no mo', " added Eradicate. "I can't drive straight when Ihears yo' say dem words, an' goodness knows dese oxes is wusser t'drive dan my mule Boomerang. "

"All right I'll keep still, " agreed Ned, and then he and Tom, together with Mr. Damon, studied the map, trying to decide whetheror not they were on the proper trail. 

They made a good distance that day, and went into camp that nightnear the foot of some low hills. 

"It will be cooler traveling to-morrow, " said Tom. "We will be uphigher, and though we'll have to go slower on account of the upgrade, it will be better for all of us. "

They found the trail quite difficult the next day, as there wereseveral big hills to climb. It was toward evening, and they werelooking for a good place to camp for the night, when Delazes, whowas riding in the first cart, was observed to jump down and hastento the rear. 

"I wonder what he wants?" spoke Tom, as he noted the approachingfigure. 

"Probably he's going to suggest that we take a few days' vacation, "ventured Ned. "He doesn't like work. "

"Senor, " began Delazes addressing Tom, who called to Eradicate tobring his oxen to a halt, "are you aware that we are beingfollowed?"

"Followed? What do you mean?" cried the young inventor, lookingquickly around. 

"Bless my watch chain!" gasped Mr. Damon. "Followed? By whom?" He, too, looked around, as did Ned, but the path behind them wasdeserted. 

"When last we doubled on our own trail, to make the ascent of thebig hill a little easier, " on the Mexican, "I saw, on the road belowus two ox carts, such as are hired out to prospectors or relicseekers like yourself. At first I thought nothing of it. That wasearly this morning. When we stopped for dinner, once more having todouble, I had another view of the trail, I saw the same two carts. And now, when we are about to camp, the same two carts are there. "

He pointed below, for the caravan was on quite an elevation now, anddown on the faint trail, which was in plain view, for it wound upthe mountain like a corkscrew, were two ox carts, moving slowlyalong. 

"They are the same ones, " went on Delazes, "and they have beenfollowing us all day--perhaps longer--though this is the first Ihave noted them. "

"Followed!" murmured Tom. "I wonder--" From his valise he took asmall but powerful telescope. In the fast-fading light he focused iton the two ox carts. The next moment he uttered an exclamation ofanger and dismay. 

"Who is it?" asked Ned, though he was almost sure what the answerwould be. 

"Andy Foger and his father!" cried Tom. "I might have known they'dfollow us--to learn--" and then he stopped, for Senor Delazes wasregarding him curiously. 

CHAPTER XIV

A WEARY SEARCH

"Are you sure it's them?" asked Ned. 

"Bless my toothpick!" cried Mr. Damon. "It isn't possible, Tom?"

"Yes, it is, " said the young inventor. "It's the Fogers all right. Take a look for yourself, Ned. "

The other lad did, and confirmed his chum's news, and then Mr. Damonalso made sure, by using the glass. 

"No doubt of it, " the odd man said. "But what are you going to do, Tom?"

Our hero thought for a moment. Then, once more, he lookedsteadfastly through the glass at the other carts. The occupants ofthem did not appear to know that they were under observation, and atthat distance they could not have made out our friends without atelescope. Tom ascertained that the Fogers were not using one. 

"Has Senor Swift any orders?" asked Delazes. "Who are these Fogers?Enemies of yours I take it. Why should they follow you merely tofind a ruined city, that the ruins and relics may be studied?"

"Here are the orders, " spoke Tom, a bit sharply, not answering thequestion. "We'll camp and have supper, and then we'll go on and makeall the distance we can after dark. "

"What, travel at night?" cried the Mexican, as if in horror at thesuggestion. 

"Yes; why not?" asked Tom calmly. "They can't see us after dark, andif we can strike off on another trail we may throw them off ourtrack. Surely we'll travel after supper. "

"But it will be night--dark--we never work after dark, " protestedDelazes. 

"You're going to this time, " declared Tom grimly. 

"But the oxen--they are not used to it. "

"Nothing like getting used to a thing, " went on the young inventor. "They won't mind after a rest and a good feed. Besides, there is amoon to-night, and it will be plenty light enough. Tell the men, Senor Delazes. "

"But they will protest. It is unheard of, and--"

"Send them to me, " said Tom quickly. "There'll be double pay fornight work. Send them to me. "

"Ah, that is good. Senor Swift. Double pay! I think the men will notobject, " and with a greedy look in his black eyes the Mexicancontractor hastened to tell his men of the change of plans. 

Tom took another look at the approaching Fogers. Their carts wereslowly crawling up the trail, and as Tom could plainly see them, hemade no doubt but that his caravan was also observed by Andy and hisfather. 

"I guess that's the best plan to throw them off, " agreed Ned, whenthey were once more underway. "But how are you going to explain toDelazes, Tom, the reason the Fogers are following us? He'll getsuspicious, I'm afraid. "

"Let him. I'm not going to explain. He can think what he likes, Ican't stop him. More than likely though, that he'll put it down tosome crazy whim of us 'Americanos. ' I hope he does. We can talkloudly, when he's around, about how we want to get historicalrelics, and the Fogers are after the same thing. There have beenseveral expeditions down this way from rival colleges or museumsafter Aztec relics, and he may think we're one of them. For thegolden images are historical relics all right, " added Tom in a lowervoice. 

The Mexicans made no objections to continuing on after supper, oncethey learned of the double pay, and a little later they went intocamp. A turn of the trial hid the Fogers from sight, but Tom and hisfriends had no doubt but what they were still following. 

It was rather novel, traveling along by the light of the brilliantmoon, and the boys and Mr. Damon thoroughly enjoyed it. Orders hadbeen given to proceed as quietly as possible, for they did not wantthe Fogers to learn of the night trip. 

"They may see us, " Tom had said when they were ready to start, "butwe've got to take a chance on that. If the trail divides, however, we can lose them. "

"It does separate, a little farther on, " Delazes had said. 

"Good!" cried Tom, "then we'll fool our rival relic hunters and ourmuseum will get the benefit. " He said this quite loudly. 

"Ah, then you want the relics for a museum?" asked the Mexicancontractor quickly. 

"Yes, if they pay enough, " replied Tom, and he meant it, for he hadno doubt that many museums would be glad to get specimens of thegolden images. 

Just as they were about to start off Tom had swept the moonlit trailwith his night-glass, but there was no sign of the Fogers, thoughthey may have seen their rivals start off. 

"Let her go!" ordered Tom, and they were once more underway. 

It was about five miles to where the trail divided, and it wasmidnight when they got there, for the going was not easy. 

"Now, which way, " asked Delazes, as the caravan came to a halt. "Tothe left or right?"

"Let me see, " mused Tom, trying to remember the map the Africanmissionary had sent him. "Do these roads come together farther on?"

"No, but there is a cross trail about twenty miles ahead by whichone can get from either of these trails to the other. "

"Good!" cried the young inventor. "Then we'll go to the right, andwe can make our way back. But wait a minute. Send a couple of cartson the left trail for about two miles. We'll wait here until theycome back. "

"The senor is pleased to joke, " remarked the Mexican quickly. 

"I never was more earnest in all my life, " replied Tom. 

"What's the answer?" asked Ned. 

"I want to fool the Fogers. If they see cart tracks on both roadsthey won't know which one we took. They may hit on the right onefirst shot, and again, they may go to the left until they come tothe place where our two carts turn back. In that case we'll gain alittle time. "

"Good!" cried Ned. "I might have known you had a good reason, Tom. "

"Send on two carts, " ordered the young inventor, and now Delazesunderstood the reason for the strategy. He chuckled as he orderedtwo of the drivers to start off, and come back after covering acouple of miles. 

It was rather dreary waiting there at the fork of the trail, and tobeguile the time Tom ordered fires lighted and chocolate made. Themen appreciated this, and were ready to start off again when theircompanions returned. 

"There, " announced Tom, when they were on the way once more, "Ithink we've given them something to think over at any rate. Now fora few more miles, and then we'll rest until morning. "

All were glad enough when Tom decided to go into camp, and theyslept later than usual the next morning. The trail was now of such acharacter that no one following them could be detected until quiteclose, so it was useless to worry over what the Fogers might do. 

"We'll just make the best time we can, and trust to luck, " Tom said. 

They traveled on for two days more, and saw nothing of the Fogers. Sometimes they would pass through Mexican villages where they wouldstop to eat, and Tom would make inquiries about the ancient city ofPoltec and the plain of the ruined temple. In every case theMexicans shook their heads. They had never heard of it. Long beforethis Tom had ascertained that neither Delazes nor any of his menknew the location of this plain nor had they ever heard of it. 

"If there is such a place it must be far in--very far in, " thecontractor had said. "You will never find it. "

"Oh, yes, I will, " declared Tom. 

But when a week passed, and he was no nearer it than at first evenTom began to get a little doubtful. They made inquiries at everyplace they stopped, of villagers, of town authorities, and even insome cases of the priests who obligingly went over their ancientchurch records for them. But there was no trace of the temple plain, and of course none of the city of gold. 

Peasants, journeying along the road, parties of travelers, and oftenlittle bodies of soldiers were asked about the ruined temple, butalways the answer was the same. They had never heard of it, nor ofthe head-hunters either. 

"Well, I'm glad of the last, " said Mr. Damon, looking apprehensivelyaround, while Eradicate of his head to see if it was still fast onhis shoulders. 

It was a weary search, and when two weeks had passed even Tom had toadmit that it was not as easy as it had seemed at first. As for theMexicans, they kept on, spurred by the offer of good wages. Delazeswatched Tom narrowly, for a sign or hint of what the party wasreally after, but the young inventor and his friends guarded theirsecret well. 

"But I'm not going to give up!" cried Tom. "Our map may be wrong, and likely it is, but I'm sure we're near the spot, and I'm going tokeep on. If we don't get some hint of it in a few days, though, I'llestablish a camp, go up in the air and see what I can pick out fromthe balloon. "

"That's the stuff!" cried Ned. "It will be a relief from these roughox carts. "

So for the next few days they doubled and redoubled on their trail, criss-crossing back and forth, ever hoping to get some trace of thetemple, which was near the entrance to the city of gold. In all thattime nothing was seen of the Fogers. 

"We'll try the balloon to-morrow, " decided Tom, as they went intocamp one night after a weary day. Every one was tired enough tosleep soundly under the tents which were set up over the carts, inwhich beds were laid. It must have been about midnight when Tom, whofelt a bit chilly (for the nights were cool in spite of the heat ofthe day), got up to look at the campfire. It was almost out so hewent over to throw on some more logs. 

As he did so he heard a noise as if something or somebody had leapeddown out of a tree to the ground. A moment later, before he couldtoss on the sticks he had caught up, Tom was aware of two eyes ofgreenish brightness staring at him in the glow of the dying fire, and not ten feet away. 

CHAPTER XV

THE GOLDEN IMAGE

For a moment the young inventor felt a cold chill run down hisspine, and, while his hair did not actually "stand up" there was aqueer sensation on his scalp as if the hairs WANTED to stand on end, but couldn't quite manage it. 

Involuntarily Tom started, and one of the sticks he held in his handdropped to the ground. The green eyes shifted--they came nearer, andthe lad heard a menacing growl. Then he knew it was some wild animalthat had dropped down from a tree and was now confronting him, readyto spring on the instant. 

Tom hardly knew what to do. He realized that if he moved it mightprecipitate an attack on him, and he found himself dimly wondering, as he stood there, what sort of an animal it was. 

He had about come to the conclusion that it was something between acougar and a mountain lion, and the next thought that came to himwas a wonder whether any one else in the camp was awake, and wouldcome to his rescue. 

He half turned his head to look, when again there came that menacinggrowl, and the animal came a step nearer. Evidently every movementTom made aroused the beast's antagonism, and made him more eager tocome to the attack. 

"I've got to keep my eyes on him, " mused the lad. "I wonder ifthere's any truth in the old stories that you can subdue a wildbeast with your eyes--by glaring at him. But whether that's so ornot, I've got to do it--keep looking him in the face, for that's allI can do. "

True, Tom held in his hand some light sticks, but if it came to afight they would be useless. His gun was back in the tent, and asfar as he could learn by listening there was not another soul in thecamp awake. 

Suddenly the fire, which had almost died out, flared up, as a dyingblaze sometimes will, and in the bright glare the young inventor wasable to see what sort of beast confronted him. He saw the tawny, yellow body, the twitching tail, the glaring eyes and the cruelteeth all too plainly, and he made up his mind that it was somespecies of the cougar family. Then the embers flared out and it wasdarker than before. But it was not so dark but what Tom could stillsee the glaring eyes. 

"I've got to get away from him--scare him--or shoot him, " the laddecided on the instant. "I'd like to bowl him over with a bullet, but how can I get my gun?"

He thought rapidly. The gun was in the tent back of him, near wherehe had been sleeping. It was fully loaded. 

"I've got to get it, " reflected Tom, and then he dropped the othersticks in his hand. Once more the beast growled and came a stepnearer--soft, stealthy steps they were, too, making no sound on theground. 

Then Tom started to make a cautious retreat backwards, the whilekeeping his eyes focused on those of the beast. He made up his mindthat he would give that "hypnotism" theory a trial, at any rate. 

But at his first backward step the beast let out such a fiercegrowl, and came on with such a menacing leap that Tom stood still invery terror. The animal was now so close to him that a short jumpwould hurl the beast upon the lad. 

"This won't do, " thought Tom. "Every time I go back one step hecomes on two, and it won't take him long to catch up to me. Andthen, too, he'll be in the tent in another minute, clawing Ned orMr. Damon. What can I do? Oh, for a gun!"

He stood still, and this seemed to suit the animal, for it remainedquiet. But it never took its eyes off Tom, and the switching tail, and the low growls now and then, plainly indicated that the beastwas but waiting its time to leap and give the death blow. 

Then an idea came to Tom. He remembered that he had once read thatthe human voice had a wonderful effect on wild animals. He would tryit. 

"And I'm not going to sing him any slumber song, either, " mused Tom. "I'll start on a low tone to call for Ned, and gradually raise myvoice until I wake him up. Then I'll tell Ned to draw a bead on thebeast and plunk him while I hold his attention. "

Tom lost no time in putting his plan into operation. 

"Ned! Ned! Say, old man, wake up! I'm in trouble! There's a beast asbig as a lion out here. Ned! Ned! Ned!"

Tom began in a low voice, but increased his tones with each word. Atfirst the beast seemed uneasy, and then it stepped switching itstail and just glared at Tom. 

"Ned! I say Ned! Wake up!"

Tom listened. All was silent within the tent. 

"Ned! Oh, Ned!"

Louder this time, but still silence. 

"Hey, Ned! Are you ever going to wake up! Get your gun! Your gun!Shoot this beast! Ned! Ned!"

Tom waited. It seemed as if the beast was nearer to him. He calledonce more. 

"Ned! Ned!" He was fairly shouting now. Surely some one must hearhim. 

"What's that? What's the matter? Tom? Where are you?"

It was Ned's voice--a sleepy voice--and it came from the interior ofthe tent. 

"Here!" called Tom. "Out in front--by the fire--get your gun, andget him with the first shot, or it's all up with yours truly. "

"Get who with the first shot. Who are you talking about?"

"This cougar! Hurry Ned, he's creeping nearer!"

Tom heard a movement behind him. He dared not turn his head, but heknew it was his chum. Then he heard a gasp and he knew that Ned hadseen the beast. Then all Tom could do was to wait. And it was noteasy waiting. At any moment the beast might spring, and, as far ashe was concerned it would be all over. 

Nearer and nearer crept the brute. Again Tom felt that queersensation down his spine. 

"Hurry, Ned, " he whispered. 

"All right, " came back the reassuring answer. 

There was a moment of silence. 

Crack! A sliver of flame cut the darkness. There was a report thatsounded like a cannon, and it was followed by an unearthly scream. Instinctively Tom leaped back as he saw the greenish eyes changecolor. 

The young inventor felt a shower of dirt thrown over him by theclaws of the dying cougar, and then he realized that he was safe. Heraced toward the tent, to be met by Ned, and the next instant thecamp was in wild commotion. 

"Bless my slippers!" cried Mr. Damon. "What has happened. Tell me atonce?"

"Fo' de lob of chicken!" yelled Eradicate from a tent he had all tohimself--the cook tent. 

"Santa Maria! Ten thousand confusions! What is it?" fairly screamedDelazes. 

"Are you all right, Tom?" called Ned. 

"Sure. It was a good shot. "

And then came explanations. Wood was thrown on the fire, and as theMexicans gathered around the blaze they saw, twitching in the deaththroes, a big cougar, or some animal allied to it. Neither Tom norhis friends had ever seen one just like it, and the Mexican name forit meant nothing to them. But it was dead, and Tom was saved and theway he grasped Ned's hand showed how grateful he was, even if he didnot say much. 

Soon the excitement died out, after Tom had related his experience, and though it was some time before he and the others got to sleepagain, they did finally, and the camp was once more quiet. 

An early start was made the next day, for Tom had reconsidered hisdetermination to assemble the balloon and explore in that air craft, And the reason for his reconsideration was this:

They had not gone far on their journey before they met a solitaryMexican, and of him they asked the usual question about the plain ofthe temple. 

He knew nothing, as might have been expected, but he stated thatthere was a large village not far distant in which dwelt many oldMexicans. 

"They might know something, " he said. 

"It's worth trying, " decided Tom. "I'll wait until to-morrow aboutthe balloon. We can make the village by noon, I guess. Perhaps wecan get a clew there. "

But it was nearly night when the ox carts drew into the Mexicansettlement, for there was an accident in the afternoon, one of thevehicles breaking down. 

There were fires blazing in many places in the village, which wasone of the most primitive sort, when our friends entered. They werecuriously watched as they drove through on their way to a goodcamping site beyond. 

And here, once more, fate stepped in to aid Tom in his search forthe city of gold. 

As they were out of corn meal, and needed some for supper, Tom toldEradicate to stop at one of the larger houses to buy some. The ladfollowed the colored man into the building, which seemed to be usedby several families. 

"We'll be obliged to yo' all fo' some corn meal, " began Eradicate, picking out an aged Mexican to whom he addressed his request. 

"What is it?" asked the Mexican in Spanish. 

Tom put the question in that language, and he was on the point ofexplaining that they were travelers, when he stopped midway, andstared at something on a rude shelf in the main room of the house. 

"Look! Look, Ned!" whispered Tom. 

"What is it?" asked his chum. 

"On that shelf! That image! The image of gold! One just like thedrawing Mr. Illingway sent from Africa! Ned, we're on the trail atlast, for there is one of the small images from the city of gold!"and Tom, with a hand that trembled in spite of himself, pointed atthe small, yellow figure. 

CHAPTER XVI

THE MAP ON THE GOLD

Naturally, when Tom pointed at the golden image, the eyes of all theMexicans in the room, as well as those of the friends of the younginventor, followed. For a moment there was silence and then the agedMexican, whom Eradicate had asked for corn meal, rapidly utteredsomething in Spanish. 

"Yes! Yes!" chorused his companions, and they followed this up, bycrying aloud when he had said something else: "No! No!" Then therewas confused talking, seemingly directed at Tom, who, though he hadlowered his hand, continued to stare at the golden image. 

"What in the world are they saying?" asked Ned, who only knew alittle Spanish. 

"I can't get on to all of it, " explained Tom above the confusion. "Evidently they think we've come to take the image away from themand they are objecting. "

"Offer to buy it then, " suggested Ned. 

"That's what I'm going to do, " answered Tom, and once moreaddressing the aged Mexican, who seemed to be at the head of thehousehold, Tom offered to purchase the relic which meant so much tohim, agreeing to pay a large sum. 

This seemed to create further confusion, and one of the women of thehousehold hastily took down the little statute and was carrying itinto an inner room, when Miguel Delazes came up. He looked into theopen doorway, glanced about the room which was illuminated byseveral rude oil lamps, saw the looks of wonder and surprise on thefaces of Tom and his companions, noted the excitement among theMexicans, and then he caught sight of the golden image which thewoman held. 

"Ah!" exclaimed Delazes, and there was a world of meaning in histone. His small dark eyes glittered. They roved from the image toTom, and back to the little golden figure again. "Ah!" muttered thecontractor. "And so the senor has found that for what he wassearching? It IS gold after all, but such gold as never I have seenbefore. So, the senor hopes to get many relics like that for hismuseum? So, is it not? Ah, ha! But that is worth coming many milesto get!"

Tom realized that if he did net act quickly Delazes might have hissecret, and once it was known that Tom was seeking the buried cityof gold, the Mexicans could never be shaken off his trail. Hedecided on a bold step. 

"Look here, Senor Delazes, " said the young inventor. "I had no moreidea that golden image was here than you did. I would like to buyit, in fact I offered to, but they don't seem to want to sell it. Ifyou can purchase it for me I'll pay YOU a good price for it. "

"And doubtless the senor would like many more, " suggested Delazes, with an open sneer. 

"Doubtless the senor would!" snapped Tom. "Look here, Delazes, I'mhere on business, to get all the relics I can--this kind or anyother that I may fancy. You can think we're after buried treasure ifyou want to--I'm not going to take the trouble to contradict you. Ihired you and your men for a certain purpose. But if you don't wantto stay and let me and my friends run things, the sooner you tell meso the better. But I don't want any more of your underhand remarks. Understand?"

For a moment Delazes stared at Tom with snapping eyes, as though hewould like to have attacked him. Then, knowing that Tom and hisfriends were well armed, and doubtless thinking that strategy wasbetter than open force he bowed, smiled in what he probably meantfor a friendly fashion, and said:

"The senor is pleased to joke. Very well, I shall believe what Ilike. Meanwhile, does Senor Swift commission me to buy the image forhim?"

Tom hesitated a moment. He feared he would be no match for theshrewd Mexican, and he wondered how much Delazes already knew. Thenhe decided on keeping up his end baldly, as that had seemed to havethe best effect. 

"You can have a try at buying the image after I have failed, " hesaid. "I'll try my hand first. "

"Very well, " assented the contractor. The talk had been in English, and none of the Mexicans gave any signs of having understood it. Tomrealized that he was playing a dangerous game, for naturally Delazeswould privately tell the Mexicans to put so high a price on thestatute as to prevent Tom from getting it and then the contractorwould make his own terms. 

But Tom decided that this was the only course, and he followed it. 

"We'll stay here in the village for to-night, " he went on. "Delazes, you and your men can make yourselves comfortable with any friendsyou may find here. We'll set up our tent as usual, after we get somecorn meal for supper. I'll talk to them about the relic to-morrow. They seem to be afraid now. "

"Very well, " assented the contractor again, and then he saidsomething in Spanish to the aged Mexican. What it was Tom could notcatch, for Delazes spoke rapidly and seemed to use some colloquial, or slang phrases with which our hero was not familiar. The oldMexican assented by a nod, and then he brought out some corn mealwhich Eradicate took. The woman with the golden image had gone intoan inner room. 

"Bless my pocketbook!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, when he Tom, Ned andEradicate were busy setting up their tent near a campfire just onthe edge of the village. "This is most unexpected. What are yougoing to do, Tom?"

"I hardly know. I want to have a talk with whoever owns that image, to learn where they got it. One thing is sure, it proves that Mr. Illingway's information about the city of gold is correct. "

"But it doesn't tell us where it is, " said Ned. 

"It must be somewhere around here, " declared his chum. "Otherwisethe image wouldn't be here. "

"Bless my gaiters, that's so!" exclaimed the odd man. 

"Not necessarily, " insisted Ned. "Why one of the images is away overin Africa, and this one may have been brought hundreds of miles fromthe underground city. "

"I don't believe so, " declared Tom. "We're somewhere in theneighborhood of the city, according to Mr. Illingway's map, I'msure. That would be true, image or no image. But when you take thelittle gold statue into consideration it makes me positive that I'mnear the end of the trail. I've just got to have a talk with thosepeople to learn where the statue came from. "

"Look out for Delazes, " warned Ned. 

"I intend to. As soon as I can, I'm going to leave him and his menbehind and set off in the balloon. But first I want to get an ideaof where to head for. We must locate the plain on which stands theruined temple. "

"It's getting exciting, " remarked Ned. "I wish--"

"Supper am serbed in de dinin' cah!" interrupted Eradicate with alaugh, as he imitated a Pullman porter. 

"That's the best thing you could wish for, " put in Tom gaily. "Comeon, we'll have a good meal, a sleep, and then we'll be ready to playdetectives again to-morrow. "

They all slept soundly that night, though Tom had some idea ofstaying awake to see if Delazes paid any secret visits to the housewhere the golden image was kept. But he realized that the Mexican, if he wanted to, could easily find means to outwit him, so the younginventor decided to get all the rest he could and trust to chance tohelp him out. 

His first visit after breakfast was to the house of the agedMexican. The image was not in sight, though Tom and Ned and Mr. Damon looked eagerly around for it. There was a curious light in theeyes of the old man as Tom asked for the little statue of gold. Delazes was not in evidence. Tom had to conduct the conversation inSpanish, no particularly easy task for him, though he made out allright. 

"Will you sell the image?" he asked. 

"No sell, " replied the Mexican quickly. 

"Will you please let me look at it?"

The Mexican hesitated a moment, called a command to some one in thenext room, and, a moment later the old woman shuffled in, bearingthe wonderful golden image. Tom could not repress a little gasp ofdelight as he saw it at close range, for it was beautifully carvedout of solid, yellow gold. 

The woman set it on a rude table, and the young inventor, Ned andMr. Damon drew near to look at the image more closely. It was thework of a master artist. The statue was about eight inches high, andshowed a man, dressed in flowing robes, seated crosslegged on a sortof raised pedestal. On the head was a crown, many pointed and theface beneath it showed calm dignity like that of a superior being. In one extended hand was a round ball, with lines on it to show theshape of the earth, though only the two American continentsappeared. In the other hand was what might be tables of stone, abook, or something to represent law-giving authority. 

"How much?" asked Tom. 

"No sell, " was the monotonous answer. 

"Five hundred dollars, " offered our hero. 

"No sell. "

"One thousand dollars. "

"No sell. "

"Why is it so valuable to you?" Tom wanted to know. 

"We have him for many years. Bad luck come if he go. " Then theMexican went on to explain that the image had been in his family formany generations, and that once, when it had been taken by an enemy, death and poverty followed until the statue was recovered. He saidhe would never part with it. 

"Where did it come from?" asked Tom, and he cared more about thisthan he did about buying the image. 

"Far, far off, " said the Mexican. "No man know. I no know--my fatherhe no know--his father's father no know. Too many years back--manyyears. "

He motioned to the woman to take the statue away, and Tom and hisfriend realized that little more could be learned. The younginventor stretched out his hand with an involuntary motion, and theMexican understood. He spoke to the woman and she handed the imageto Tom. The Mexican had recognized his desire for a moment's closerinspection and had granted it. 

"Jove! It's as heavy as lead!" exclaimed Tom. "And solid gold. "

"Isn't it hollow up the middle?" asked Ned. "Look on the underside, Tom. "

His chum did so. As he turned the image over to look at the base hehad all he could do not to utter a cry of surprise. For there, rudely scratched on the plain surface of the gold, was what wasunmistakably a map. And it was a map showing the location of theruined temple--the temple and the country surrounding it--theancient city of Poltec, and the map was plain enough so that Tomcould recognize part of the route over which they had traveled. 

But, better than all, was a tiny arrow, something like the compassmark on modern maps. And this arrow pointed straight at the ruins ofthe temple, and the direction indicated was due west from thevillage where our travelers now were. Tom Swift had found out whathe wanted to know. 

Without a word he handed back the image and then, trying not to lethis elation show in his face, he motioned to Ned and Mr. Damon tofollow him from the house. 

"Bless my necktie!" exclaimed the odd man, when they were out ofhearing distance. "What's up, Tom. "

"I know the way to the ruined temple. We'll start at once, " and hetold them of the map on the image. 

"Who do you suppose could have made it?" asked Ned. 

"Probably whoever took the image from the city of gold. He wanted tofind his way back again, or show some one, but evidently none of therecent owners of the image understand about the map, if they knowit's there. The lines are quite faint, but it is perfectly plain. "

"It's lucky I saw it. I don't have to try to buy the image now, norseek to learn where it came from. Anyhow, if they told me they'dtell Delazes, and he'd be hot after us. As it is I doubt if he canlearn now. Come, we'll get ready to hit the trail again. "

And they did, to the no small wonder of the contractor and his men, who could not understand why Tom should start out without the image, or without having learned where it came from, for Delazes hadquestioned the old Mexican, and learned all that took place. But hedid not look on the base of the statue. 

Due west went the cavalcade, and then a new complication arose. Tomdid not want to take the Mexicans any nearer to the plain of thetemple than possible, and he did not know how many miles it wasaway. So he decided on taking a longer balloon voyage than at firstcontemplated. 

"We'll camp to-night at the best place we can find, " he said toDelazes, "and then I'm going on in the balloon. You and your menwill stay in camp until we come back. "

"Ha! And suppose the senors do not come back with the balloon?"

"Wait a reasonable time for us, and then you can do as you wish. I'll pay you to the end of the month and if you wait for us anylonger I have given instructions for the bank in Tampico to pay youand your men what is right. "

"Good! And the senors are going into the unknown?"

"Yes, we don't know where we'll wind up. This hunting for relics isuncertain business. Make yourselves comfortable in camp, and wait. "

"Waiting is weary business, Senor Swift. If we could come with you--"began Delazes, with an eager look in his eyes. 

"Out of the question, " spoke Tom shortly. "There isn't room in theballoon. "

"Very well, senor, " and with a snapping glance from his black eyesthe contractor walked away. 

CHAPTER XVII

THE RUINED TEMPLE

Though Tom had his portable balloon in shape for comparatively quickassembling it was several days, after they went into permanent camp, before it was in condition for use. 

The Mexicans were not of much help for several reasons. Some of themwere ignorant men, and were very superstitious, and would havenothing to do with the "Air Fiend" as they called it. In consequenceTom, Ned, Mr. Damon and Eradicate had to do most of the work. ButTom and Ned were a host in themselves, and Mr. Damon was a greathelp, though he often stopped to bless something, to the no smallastonishment of the Mexicans, one of whom innocently asked Tom ifthis eccentric man was not "a sort of priest in his own country, forhe called down so many blessings?"

"Bless my pen wiper!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, when Tom had told him. "Imust break myself of that habit. Bless my--" and then he stoppedand laughed, and went on with the work of helping to install themotor. 

Another reason why some of the Mexicans were of little service wasbecause they were so lazy. They preferred to sit in the shade andsmoke innumerable cigarettes, or sleep. Then, too, some of them hadto go out after some small game with which that part of the countryabounded, for though there was plenty of tinned food, fresh meat wasmuch more appreciated. 

But Tom and Ned labored long and hard, and in about a week aftermaking camp they had assembled the dirigible balloon in which theyhoped to set out to locate the plain of the ruined temple, and alsothe entrance to the underground city of gold. 

"Well, I'll start making the gas to-morrow, " decided Tom, in theirtent one night, after a hard day's work. "Then we'll give theballoon a tryout and see how she behaves in this part of the world. The motor is all right, we're sure of that much, " for they had giventhe engine a test several days before. 

"Which way are we going to head?" asked Ned. 

"North, I think, " answered Tom. 

"But I thought you said that the temple was west--"

"Don't you see my game?" went on the young inventor quickly, and ina low voice, for several times of late he had surprised some of theMexicans sneaking about the tent. "As soon as we start off Delazesis going to follow us. "

"Follow us?" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my shoe horn, what do youmean?"

"I mean that he still suspects that we are after gold, and he isgoing to do his best to get on our trail. Of course he can't followus through the air, but he'll note in what direction we start and assoon as we are out of sight he and his men will hit the trail in thesame direction. "

"What, and leave the camp?" asked Ned. 

"Yes, though they'll probably skip off with some of our supplies. That's why I'm going to take along an unusually large supply. We maynot come back to this camp at all. In fact, it won't be much useafter Delazes and his crowd clean it out and leave. "

"And you really think they'll do that, Tom?" asked his chum. 

"I'm almost sure of it, from the way the Mexicans have been actinglately. Delazes has been hinting around trying to surprise me intosaying which direction we're going to take. But I've been careful. The sight of that golden image aroused him and his men. They'rehungry for gold, and they'd do away with us in a minute if theythought they could find what we're looking for and get it withoutus. But our secret is ours yet, I'm glad to say. If only the balloonbehaves we ought soon to be in the--"

"Hark!" exclaimed Ned, holding up a warning hand. They heard arustling outside the tent, and one side bulged in, as if some onewas leaning against it. 

"Some one's listening, " whispered Ned. 

Tom nodded. The next moment he drew his heavy automatic revolver andremarked in loud tones:

"My gun needs cleaning. I'm going to empty it through the tent wherethat bulge is--look out, Ned. "

The bulge against the canvas disappeared as if by magic, and thesound of some one crawling or creeping away could be heard outside. Tom laughed. 

"You see how it is, " he said. "We can't even think aloud. "

"Bless my collar button; who was it?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"Some of Delazes's men--or himself, " replied the young inventor. "But I guess I scared him. "

"Maybe it was Andy Foger, " suggested Ned with a smile. 

"No, I guess we've lost track of him and his father, " spoke Tom. "I've kept watch of the back trail as much as I could, and haven'tseen them following us. Of course they may pick up our trail laterand come here, and they may join forces with the Mexicans. But Idon't know that they can bother us, once we're off in the balloon. "

To Tom's disappointment, the next day proved stormy, a heavy rainfalling, so it was impossible to test the balloon with the gas. Thecamp was a disconsolate and dreary place, and even Eradicate, usually so jolly, was cross and out of sorts. 

For three days the rain kept up, and Tom and Ned thought they wouldnever see the last of it, but on the fourth morning the sun shone, wet garments and shoes were dried out, tents were opened to the warmwind and everyone was in better spirits. Tom and his chum at onceset about making gas for the big bag, their operations being closelywatched by the Mexicans. 

As I have explained before, Tom had the secret of making a verypowerful gas from comparatively simple ingredients, and themachinery for this was not complicated. So powerful was it that thebag of the dirigible balloon did not need to be as large as usual, adistinct saving in space. 

In a short time the bag began to distend and then the balloon tookshape and form. The bag was of the usual cigar shape, divided intomany compartments so that the puncture of one would not empty outall the vapor. 

Below the bag was a car or cabin made of light wood. It was allenclosed and contained besides the motor, storage tanks forgasolene, oil and other things, sleeping berths, a tiny kitchen, apilot house, and a room to be used for a living apartment. Everything was very compact, and there was not half the room therewas in some of Tom Swift's other airships. But then the party didnot expect to make long voyages. 

They could take along a good supply of canned and also compressedfood, much of which was in tablet or capsule form, and of coursethey would take their weapons, and ammunition. 

"And I hope you'll leave room for plenty of gold, " said Ned in awhisper to Tom, as they completed arrangements for the gas test. 

"I guess we can manage to store all that we can get out of theunderground city, " replied his chum. "I'm going to find a place forthe big gold statue if we can manage to lift it. "

"Say, we'll be millionaires all right!" exulted Ned. 

Though much still remained to be done on the balloon, it was soon inshape for an efficient test, and that afternoon Tom, Ned and Mr. Damon went up in it to the no small wonder, fear and delight of theMexicans. Some, who had never seen an air craft before, fell ontheir knees and prayed. Others shouted, and when Tom started themotor, and showed how he could control his aircraft, there wereyells of amazement. 

"She'll do!" cried the young inventor, as he let out some gas andcame down. 

Thereupon followed busy days, stocking the airship for the trip todiscover the ruined temple. Food and supplies were put aboard, sparegarments, all their weapons and ammunition, and then Tom paidDelazes and his men, giving them a month's wages in advance, for hetold them to wait in camp that long. 

"But they won't, " the young inventor predicted to Ned. 

There was nothing more to be done. All that they could do, to insuresuccess had been completed. From now on they were in the hands offate. 

"All aboard!" cried Tom, as he motioned for Eradicate to take hisplace in the car. Mr. Damon and Ned followed, and then the younginventor himself. He shook hands with Delazes, though he did notlike the man. 

"Good bye, " said Tom. "We may be back before the month is up. If weare not, go back to Tampico. "

"Si, senor, " answered the contractor, bowing mockingly. 

Tom turned the lever that sent more gas into the bag. The balloonshot up. The young gold-seeker was about to throw on the motor, whenDelazes waved his hand to the little party. 

"Bon voyage!" he called. "I hope you will find the city of gold!"

"Bless my soul!" cried Mr. Damon. "He knows our secret!"

"He's only guessing at it, " replied Tom calmly. "He's welcome tofollow us--if he can. "

Up shot the aircraft, the propellers whirling around like blades oflight. Up and up, higher and higher, and then forward, while downbelow the Mexicans yelled and swung their hats. 

Straight for the north Tom headed his craft, so as to throw theeagerly watching ones off the track. He intended to circle aroundand go west when out of sight. 

And then the very thing Tom had predicted came to pass. The balloonwas scarcely half a mile high when, as the young inventor lookeddown, he uttered a cry. 

"See!" he said. "They're breaking camp to follow us. "

And it was so. Riding along in one of the lightest ox carts wasDelazes, his eyes fixed on the balloon overhead, while behind himcame his followers. 

"They're following us, " said Tom, "but they're going to get sadlyleft. "

In an hour Tom knew his balloon would not be visible to theMexicans, and at the end of that time he pointed for the west. Andthen, flying low so as to use the trees as a screen, but going atgood speed. Tom and his friends were well on their way to the cityof gold. 

"We must keep a good lookout down below, " said Tom, when everythingwas in working order. "We don't want to fly over the plain of theruined temple. "

"We may in the night, " suggested Ned. 

"No night flying this time, " said his chum. "We'll only move alongdaytimes. We'll camp at night. "

For three days they sailed along, sometimes over vast level plainson which grazed wild cattle, again over impenetrable jungles whichthey could never have gotten through in their ox carts. They crossedrivers and many small lakes, stopping each night on the ground, theairship securely anchored to trees. Tom could make the lifting gason board so what was wasted by each descent was not missed. 

One day it rained, and they did not fly, spending rather a lonelyand miserable twelve hours in the car. Another time a powerful windblew them many miles out of their course. But they got back on it, and kept flying to the west. 

"We must strike it soon, " murmured Tom one day. 

"Maybe we're too far to the north or south, " suggested Ned. 

"Then we'll have to beat back and forth until we get right, " wasTom's reply. "For I'm going to locate that ruined temple. "

They ate breakfast and dinner high in the air, Eradicate preparingthe meals in the tiny kitchen. Ever did they keep looking downwardfor a sight of a great plain, with a ruined temple in the midst ofit. 

In this way a week passed, the balloon beating back and forth to theNorth or South, and they were beginning to weary of the search, andeven Tom, optimistic as he was, began to think he would never findwhat he sought. 

It was toward the close of day, and the young inventor was lookingfor a good place to land. He was flying over a range of low hills, hoping the thick forest would soon come to an end when, as hecrossed the last of the range of small mountains, he gave a cry, that drew the attention of Ned and Mr. Damon. 

"What is it?" demanded his chum. 

"Look!" said Tom. "There is the great plain!"

Ned gazed, and saw, spread out below them a vast level plateau. Butthis was not all he saw, for there, about in the centre, was a massof something--something that showed white in the rays of the settingsun. 

"Bless my chimney!" cried Mr. Damon. "That's some sort of abuilding. "

"The ruined temple, " said Tom softly. "We've found it at last, " andhe headed the balloon for it and put on full speed. 

CHAPTER XVIII

FINDING THE TUNNEL

In silence, broken only by the noise of the motor, did the gold-seekersapproach the temple. As they neared it they could see its vastproportions, and they noted that it was made of some white stone, something like marble. Then, too, as they drew closer, they couldsee the desolate ruin into which it had fallen. 

"Looks as if a dynamite explosion had knocked it all apart, "observed Ned. 

"It certainly does, " agreed Mr. Damon. 

"Maybe Cortez, or some of those early explorers, blew it up withgunpowder after fighting the Aztecs, or whatever the natives werecalled in those days, " suggested Tom. 

"Bless my bookcase! You don't mean to say you think this temple goesback to those early days, " spoke Mr. Damon. 

"Yes, and probably farther, " declared Tom. "It must be very ancient, and the whole country about here is desolate. Why, the way the woodshave grown up everywhere but on this plain shows that it must bethree or four hundred years ago. There must have been a city aroundthe temple, probably Poltec, and yet there isn't a trace of it thatwe have seen as we came along. Oh, yes, this is very ancient. "

"It will be jolly fun to explore it, " decided Ned. "I wish it wasn'tso near night. "

"We can't do much now, " decided Tom. "It will be too dark, and Idon't altogether fancy going in those old ruins except by daylight. "

"Do you think any of those old Aztec priests, with their knifes ofglass, will sacrifice you on a stone altar?" asked Ned, with alaugh. 

"No, but there might be wild beasts in there, " went on the younginventor, "and I'm sure there are any number of bats. There must belots of nooks and corners in there where a whole army could hide. It's an immense place. "

The ruined temple certainly was large in extent, and in its glorymust have been a wonderful place. The balloon came nearer, and thenTom let it sink to rest on the sand not far from the ancient ruin. Out he leaped, followed by his friends, and for a moment they stoodin silent contemplation of the vast temple. Then as the last rays ofthe setting sun turned the white stones to gold, Tom exclaimed:

"A good omen! I'm sure the city of gold must be near here, and inthe morning we'll begin our search for the secret tunnel that leadsto it. "

"That's the stuff!" cried Ned enthusiastically. 

An instant later it seemed to get dark very suddenly, as it does inthe tropics, and almost with the first shadows of night there came astrange sound from the ruined temple. 

It was a low moaning, rumbling sound, like a mighty wind, afar off, and it sent a cold shiver down the spines of all in the littleparty. 

"Good land a' massy! What am dat?" moaned Eradicate, as he dartedback toward the balloon. 

"Bless my looking glass!" cried Mr. Damon. 

A second later the noise suddenly increased, and something black, accompanied by a noise of rapidly beating wings rushed from one ofthe immense doorways. 

"Bats!" cried Tom. "Thousands of bats! I'm glad we didn't go inafter dark!" And bats they were, that had made the noise as theyrushed out on their nightly flight. 

"Ugh!" shuddered Mr. Damon. "I detest the creatures! Let's get undercover. "

"Yes, " agreed Tom, "we'll have supper, turn in, and be up early tolook for the tunnel. We're here at last. I'll dream of gold to-night. "

Eradicate soon had a meal in preparation, though he stopped everynow and then to peer out at the bats, that still came in unbrokenflight from the old temple. Truly there must have been manythousands of them. 

Whether Tom dreamed of gold that night he did not say, but he wasthe first one up in the morning, and Ned saw him hurrying over thesands toward the temple. 

"Hold on, Tom!" his chum called as he hastened to dress. "Where yougoing?"

"To have a hunt for that tunnel before breakfast. I don't want tolose any time. No telling when Delazes and his crowd may be afterus. And the Fogers, too, may strike our trail. Come on, we'll getbusy. "

"Where do you think the tunnel will be?" asked Ned, when he hadcaught up to Tom. 

"Well, according to all that Mr. Illingway could tell us, it wassomewhere near this temple. We'll make a circle of it, and if wedon't come across it then we'll make another, and so on, increasingthe size of the circles each time, until we find what we're lookingfor. "

"Let's have a look inside the temple first, " suggested Ned. "It musthave been a magnificent place when it was new, and with theprocessions of people and priests in their golden robes. "

"You ought to have been an Aztec, " suggested Tom, as he headed forone of the big doorways. 

They found the interior of the temple almost as badly in ruins aswas the outside. In many places the roof had fallen in, the sidewalls contained many gaping holes, and the stone floor was brokenaway in many places, showing yawning, black caverns below. They sawhundreds of bats clinging to projections, but the ugly creatureswere silent in sleep now. 

"Bur-r-r-r-r!" murmured Ned. "I shouldn't like any of 'em to fall onme. "

"No, it's not a very nice place to go in, " agreed Tom. 

They saw that the temple consisted of two parts, or two circularbuildings, one within the other. Around the outer part were manyrooms, which had evidently formed the living apartments of thepriests. There were galleries, chambers, halls and assembly rooms. Then the whole of the interior of the temple, under a great domethat had mostly fallen in, consisted of a vast room, which wasprobably where the worship went on. For, even without going fartherthan to the edge of it, the youths could see stone altars, and manystrangely-carved figures and statues. Some had fallen over and layin ruins on the floor. The whole scene was one of desolation. 

"Come on, " invited Tom, "it's healthier and more pleasant outside. Let's look for that tunnel. "

But the lads soon realized that it was not going to be as easy tolocate this as they had hoped. They were looking for some sort ofslanting opening, going down into the earth--the entrance to theunderground city--but though they both made a complete circuit ofthe temple, each at a varying distance from the outer walls, notunnel entrance showed. 

"Breakfust! Breakfust!" called Eradicate, when Tom was about tostart on a second round. 

"Let's eat, " suggested Ned, "and then we four can circle aroundtogether. " Tom agreed that this would be a good plan. A little laterthen, with Tom nearest the temple walls, the four began their marcharound them. 

Four times that morning they made the circuit, and the same numberin the afternoon, until they were nearly half a mile away from theruin, but no tunnel showed. 

"Well, we'll have to keep at it to-morrow, " suggested Tom. "It's toosoon to give up. "

But the morrow brought no better success, nor did the following twodays. In fact for a week they kept up the search for the tunnel, butdid not come upon it, and they had now pretty well covered the bigplain. They found a few ruins of the ancient city of Poltec. 

"Well, what about it?" asked Ned one night as they sat in theballoon, talking it over. "What next, Tom?"

"We've got to keep at it, that's all. I think we'll go up in theballoon, circle around over the plain at just a little elevation, and maybe we can spot it that way. "

"All right, I'm with you. "

But they did not try that plan. For in the middle of the night Nedsuddenly awakened. Something had come to him in his sleep. 

"Tom! Tom!" he cried. "I have it! What chumps we were!"

"What's the matter, old man?" asked Tom anxiously. "Are you sick--talkingin your sleep?"

"Sleep nothing! I've just thought of it. That tunnel entrance isINSIDE the temple. That's the most natural place in the world forit. I'll bet it's right in the middle of the big inner chamber, where the priests could control it. Why didn't we look therebefore?"

"That's right; why didn't we?" agreed Tom. "I believe you're right, Ned! We'll look the first thing in the morning. "

They did not wait for breakfast before trying the experiment, andMr. Damon and Eradicate went with Tom and Ned. It was no easy workto make their way over the ruins to the inner auditorium. Wreckageand ruin was all around, and they had to avoid the yawning holes onevery side. But when they got to the main, or sacrificial chamber, as Ned insisted on calling it, they found the floor there solid. Inthe centre was a great altar, but to their chagrin there was not asign of a tunnel opening. 

"Fooled again!" said Tom bitterly. 

"Maybe some of those holes outside is the entrance, " suggested Mr. Damon. 

"I don't believe so, " objected Tom. "They seemed to go only to thecellar, if a temple has such a thing. "

Bitterly disappointed, Tom strolled over and stood in front of thebig stone altar. It seemed that he must give up the search. Idly helooked at the sacrificial stone. Projecting from it was a sort of abundle. 

Tom took hold of it, and to his surprise he found that it could bemoved. Hardly knowing what he was doing, he pulled it toward him. 

The next instant he uttered a cry of horror, for the immense stonealtar, with a dull rumbling, rolled back as though on wheels, andthere, over where it had stood was a hole of yawning blackness, witha flight of stone steps leading down into it. And Tom stood so nearthe edge that he almost toppled in. 

"Look! Look!" he cried when he could get his gasping breath, andstep back out of danger. 

"The tunnel entrance!" cried Ned. "That's what it is! You've foundit, Tom! The entrance to the city of gold at last!"

CHAPTER XIX

THE UNDERGROUND RIVER

They gathered around the opening so unexpectedly disclosed to them, and stared down into the black depths. Beyond the first few steps ofthe flight that led to they knew not where, nothing could be seen. In his impatience Tom was about to go down. 

"Bless my match box!" cried Mr. Damon. "What are you going to do, Tom, my boy?"

"Go down there, of course! What else? I want to get to theunderground city. "

"Don't!" quickly advised the odd man. "You don't know what's there. It may be a trap, where the old Aztecs used to throw their victims. There may be worse things than bats there. You'll needtorches--lights--and you'd better wait until the air clears. It mayhave been centuries since that place was opened. "

"I believe that's right, " agreed Ned. "Whew; Smell it! It's as mustyas time!"

An unpleasant odor came up the tunnel entrance, and it was stiflingto stand too close. Tom lighted a match and threw it down. Almostinstantly the flame was snuffed out. 

"We couldn't live down there a minute, " said the young inventor. "We've got to wait for it to clear. We'll go back to the balloon andget some electric flash lamps. I brought along a lot of 'em, withextra strong batteries. I thought we'd need some if we did find thecity of gold, and it looks as if we were almost there now. "

Tom's plan was voted good so they hurried out of the temple, theirfeet echoing and re-echoing over the stone floor. The place, ruinedand desolate as it was, had no terrors for them now. In fact theywere glad of the very loneliness, and Tom and Ned actually lookedabout apprehensively as they emerged, fearing they might see a signof the Mexicans or the Fogers. 

"Guess they can't pick up our trail, " said Tom, when, he saw of whatNed was thinking. 

"No, we've got the place to ourselves. I wonder how long it willtake for the air to get fresh?"

"Not so very long, I guess. There was a good draught. There must besome opening in the underground city by which the air is sucked in. They'd never have only one opening to it. But we don't need to lookfor the other. Come on, we'll get out the torches. "

These electrical contrivances are familiar to all boys. A smallelectric lamp is set in the end of a hollow tube of tin, and aboutthe lamp is a reflector. Dry electrical batteries are put in the tintube, and by means of a push button the circuit is closed, illuminating the lamp, which gives a brilliant glow. Tom had aspecial kind of lamp, with tungsten filaments, which gave a verypowerful light, and with batteries designed to last a long time. Aclip on the spring controlling the push button made it so that thelamp could be made to give a steady glow. Thus they were wellprepared for exploring the tunnel. 

It took some little time to get the flash lamps ready, and when theywere all charged and they had eaten, they went back to the openingto see if the air had cleared. Tom tested it by dropping a matchdown, and, to his delight it burned with a clear flame. 

"It's all right!" he exclaimed. "The air is pure. Now to see wherewe will bring up. Come on, everybody. "

"Jest one minute, Massa Tom, " begged Eradicate, as the younginventor was about to descend the steps, which even the brightnessof his lamp did not disclose the end. "Is yo' gwine down dar, MassaTom?"

"Certainly, Rad. "

"An' is yo'--'scuse me--but is yo' expectin' me fo' t' follow yo'?"

"Certainly, Rad. "

"Den, all I's got t' say is dat yo' is 'spectin' too much. I ain'tgwine t' bury mahse'f alive not yit. "

"But, Rad, this is where the gold images are. If you don't come downwith us you won't get any gold. "

"Am dat so? No gold?" The colored man scratched his head. "Well, Ishore does want gold, " he murmured. "I reckon I'd better trot along. But one thing mo', Massa Tom. "

"What is it, Rad?"

"Was yo' all aimin' t' stay down thar any length ob time? 'Case ifyo' is yo' all'd better take along a snack ob suffin' t' eat. 'Casewhen I gits among gold I don't want t' come out very soon, an' wemight stay dar all day. "

"Good advice, Rad, " exclaimed Ned with a laugh. "I think we may gethungry. You go back and put us up a lunch. We'll wait for you. "

"Bless my napkin ring! I think you're right!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, and Eradicate hurried back to the balloon to get some of thecondensed food. 

He was soon back and then, with Tom in the lead, and with everyonecarrying an electric torch, with a spare one in reserve, and withtheir weapons in readiness the party descended the stone steps. 

Their footfalls echoed solemnly as they went down--down into theunknown blackness. They kept their bright lights playing here andthere, but even these did not dispell the gloom. On every side wasstone--stone walls--stone steps. It was like going down into somevast stretch of catacombs. 

"Say, will we ever get to the bottom?" asked Ned, when they hadcounted several hundred steps. "Maybe this goes down to the middleof the earth. "

"Well, ef it do I'm gwine right along!" called Eradicate. "I's gwinet' hab one ob dem gold images or bust!"

"And I'm with you!" cried Tom. "We'll have to get to the bottomsooner or later. "

Hardly had he spoken than he came to the last step, and sawstretching off before him a long tunnel, straight and level, linedon both sides, and bottom, with smooth stones that gleamed likemarble. 

"Now we are really in the tunnel, " declared Ned. "I wonder what's atthe end?"

"The city of gold, of course, " answered Tom confidently. 

Eagerly they hurried on. There was a slightly musty smell to theair, but it was fresher than might have been expected. 

Suddenly Tom, who was in advance, uttered a cry. It sounded like oneof alarm, and Ned yelled:

"What's the matter?"

"Look here!" cried Tom. They hurried up to him, to find him standingbefore a sort of niche in the wall. And the niche was lined with ayellow metal that gleamed like gold, while in it was one of thegolden images, the second one they had seen, and the third theyheard about. 

"We're on the trail! We're on the trail!" cried Tom. 

"Heah! Let me hab dat!" cried Eradicate. "I may not git anudder, "and he reached up for the statue. 

"Let it stay until we come back, " suggested Mr. Damon. 

"Somebody might take it, " said the colored man. 

"Who?" laughed Tom. "There's not a soul here but ourselves. But takeit, if you want it, Rad, " and Eradicate did so, stuffing the image, which was only about four inches high, into his pocket. 

Then they went on, and they saw several other images, though not ofgold. Several niches were lined with yellow metal, but whether itwas gold or not they could not tell. They did not want to stop, asthey were anxious to get to the underground city. 

"Hark! What's that?" asked Tom, when they had gone about a milealong the tunnel. "Don't you hear something?"

"Sounds like a roaring, " agreed Ned. "Maybe it's more of the bats. "

"Doesn't sound like bats, " declared Tom. "It's more like awaterfall. Come on. "

They hurried forward, the strange sound increasing at every step, until it filled the tunnel with its menacing roar. 

"That's strange, " said Tom in worried tones. "I hope we don't cometo a waterfall. "

Suddenly the tunnel made a turn, and as they went around the curvein the wall the sound smote on their ears with increased violence. Tom raced forward, focusing his electric lamp down on the stonecorridor. The next instant he cried out:

"A river! It's an underground river and we can't go any further!We're blocked!"

The others came to his side, and there, in the glare of their lamps, they saw rushing along, between two walls of stone, a dark streamwhich caused the roaring sound that had come to them. The tunnel wascut squarely in two by the stream, which was at least thirty feetwide, and how deep they could only guess. Swiftly it flowed on, itsroar filling the tunnel. 

CHAPTER XX

THE CITY OF GOLD

"Well, I guess this is the end of it, " remarked Ned ruefully, asthey stood contemplating the roaring stream by the gleam of theirelectric flash lamps. "We can't go on to the city of gold unless weswim that river, and--"

"And none of us is going to try that!" interrupted Tom sharply. "Thestrongest swimmer in the world couldn't make a yard against thatcurrent. He'd be carried down, no one knows where. "

"Bless my bathing suit, yes!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "But what are weto do? Can't we make a raft, or get a boat, or something like that?"

"Hab t' be a mighty pow'ful boat t' git across dat ribber obJordan, " spoke Eradicate solemnly. 

"That's right, " agreed Ned. "But say, Tom, don't you think we couldgo back, get a lot of trees, wood and stuff and make some sort of abridge? It isn't so very wide--not more than thirty or forty feet. We ought to be able to bridge it. "

"I'm afraid not, " and Tom shook his head. "In the first place anytrees that would be long enough are away at the far edge of the bigplain, and we'd have a hard job getting them to the temple, to saynothing of lugging them down the tunnel. Then, too, we don't knowmuch about building a bridge, and with no one on the other side tohelp us, we'd have our hands full. One slip and we might be alldrowned. No, I guess we've got to go back, " and Tom spokeregretfully. "It's hard luck, but we've got to give up and go back. "

"Den I's pow'ful glad I got ma golden image when I did, dat's suah!"exclaimed Eradicate. "Ef we doan't git no mo' I'll hab one. But I'llsell it and whack up wid yo' all, Massa Tom. "

"You'll do nothing of the sort, Rad!" exclaimed the young inventor. "That image is yours, and I'm sorry we can't get more of them. "

He turned aside, and after another glance at the black undergroundriver which flowed along so relentlessly he prepared to retrace hissteps along the tunnel. 

"Say, look here!" suddenly exclaimed Ned. "I'm not so sure, afterall that we've got to turn back. I think we can go on to the city ofgold, after all. "

"How do you mean?" asked Tom quickly. "Do you think we can bring theballoon down here and float across?"

"Bless my watch chain!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "but that WOULD be away. I wonder--"

"No, I don't mean that way at all, " went on Ned. "But it seems to meas if this river isn't a natural one--I mean that it flows alongbanks of smooth stone, just as if they were cut for it, a canal youknow. "

"That's right, " said Tom, as he looked at the edge of the channel ofthe underground stream. "These stones are cut as cleanly as the restof the tunnel. Whoever built that must have made a regular channelfor this river to flow in. And it's square on the other side, too, "he added, flashing his lamp across. 

"Then don't you see, " continued Ned, "that this river hasn't alwaysbeen here. "

"Bless my gaiters!" gasped Mr. Damon, "what does he mean? The rivernot always been here?"

"No, " proceeded Tom's chum. "For the ancients couldn't have cut thechannel out of stone, or made it by cementing separate stonestogether while the water was here. The channel must have been dry atone time, and when it was finished they turned the water in it. "

"But how is that going to help us?" asked Tom. "I grant you that theriver may not have been here at one time, but it's here NOW, whichmakes it all the worse for us. "

"But, Tom!" cried his chum, "if the river was turned aside from thischannel once it can be done again. My notion is that the ancientscould make the river flow here or not, just as they choose. Probablythey turned it into this channel to keep their enemies from crossingto the city of gold, like the ancient moats. Now if we could onlyfind--"

"I see! I see!" cried Tom enthusiastically. "You mean there must besome way of shutting off the water. "

"Exactly, " replied his chum. "We've got to shut that stream of wateroff, or turn it into some other channel, then we can cross, and keepon to the city of gold. And I think there must be some valve--somelever, or handle or something similar to the one that moved thealtar-near here that does the trick. Let's all look for it. "

"Bless my chopping block!" cried Mr. Damon. "That's the strangestthing I ever heard of! But I believe you're right, Ned. We'll lookfor the handle to the river, " and he laughed gaily. 

Every one was in better spirits, now that there seemed a way out ofthe difficulty, and a moment later they were eagerly flashing theirlamps on the sides, floor and ceiling of the tunnel, to discover themeans of shutting off the water. At first they feared that, afterall, Ned's ingenious theory was not to be confirmed. The walls, ceiling and floor were as smooth near the edge of the river aselsewhere. 

But Eradicate, who was searching as eagerly as the others, went backa little, flashing his lamp on every square of stone. Suddenly heuttered a cry. 

"Look yeah, Massa Tom! Heah's suffin' dat looks laik a big doorknob. Maybe yo' kin push it or pull it. "

They rushed to where he was standing in front of a niche similar tothe one where he had found the golden image. Sunken in the wall wasa round black stone. For a moment Tom looked at it, and then he saidsolemnly:

"Well, here goes. It may shut off the water, or it may make it risehigher and drown us all, or the whole tunnel may cave in, but I'mgoing to risk it. Hold hard, everybody!"

Slowly Tom put forth his hand and pushed the knob of stone. It didnot move. Then he pulled it. The result was the same--nothing. 

"Guess it doesn't work any more, " he said in a low tone. 

"Twist it!" cried Ned. "Twist it like a door knob. "

In a flash Tom did so. For a moment no result was apparent, then, from somewhere far off, there sounded a low rumble, above the roarof the black stream. 

"Something happened!" cried Mr. Damon. 

"Back to the river!" shouted Tom, for they were some distance awayfrom it now. "If it's rising we may have a chance to escape. "

They hurried to the edge of the stone channel, and Ned uttered a cryof delight. 

"It's going down!" he yelled, capering about. "Now we can go on!"

And, surely enough, the river was falling rapidly. It no longerroared, and it was flowing more slowly. 

"The water is shut off, " remarked Tom. 

"Yes, and see, there are steps which lead across the channel, " spokeNed, pointing to them as the receding water revealed them. "Everything is coming our way now. "

In a short time the water was all out of the channel, and they couldsee that it was about twenty feet deep. Truly it would have been aformidable stream to attempt to swim over, but now it had completelyvanished, merely a few little pools of water remaining indepressions on the bottom of the channel. There were steps leadingdown to the bottom, and other steps ascending on the other side, showing that the river was used as a barrier to further progressalong the tunnel. 

"Forward!" cried Tom gaily, and they went on. 

They went down into the river channel, taking care not to slip onthe wet steps, and a few seconds later they had again ascended tothe tunnel, pressing eagerly on. 

Straight and true the tunnel ran through the darkness, the onlyillumination being their electric flash lamps. On and on they went, hoping every minute to reach their goal. 

"Dish suah am a mighty long tunnel, " remarked Eradicate. "Dey oughtt' hab a trolley line in yeah. "

"Bless my punching bag!" cried Mr. Damon, "so they had! Now if thoseancients were building to-day--"

He stopped suddenly, for Tom, who was in the lead, had uttered acry. It was a cry of joy, there was no mistaking that, andinstinctively they all knew that he had found what he had sought. 

All confirmed it a moment later, for, as they rushed forward, theydiscovered Tom standing at the place where the tunnel broadenedout--broadened out into a great cave, a cave miles in extent, for allthey could tell, as their lamps, powerful as they were, onlyilluminated for a comparatively short distance. 

"We're here!" cried Tom. "In the city of gold at last!"

"The city of gold!" added Ned. "The underground city of gold!"

"And gold there is!" fairly shouted Mr. Damon. "See it's all over!Look at the golden streets--even the sides of the buildings areplated with it--and see, in that house there are even gold chairs!Boys, there is untold wealth here!"

"An' would yo' all look at dem golden statues!" cried Eradicate, "dey mus' be millions ob 'em! Oh, golly! Ain't I glad I comedalong!" and he rushed into one of the many houses extending alongthe street of the golden city where they stood, and gathered up afairly large statue of gold--an image exactly similar to the one healready had, except as to size. 

"I never would have believed it possible!" gasped Tom. "It's a cityof almost solid gold. We'll be millionaires a million times over!"

CHAPTER XVI

THE BIG IMAGE

Could the light of day have penetrated to that mysterious andancient underground city of gold our friends might have had someidea of its magnificence. As it was they could only view small partsof it at a time by the illumination of their electric torches. Buteven with them they saw that it was a most wonderful place. 

"I don't believe there's another city like it in all the world, "spoke Tom in awed accents, "there never was, and never will beagain. Those Aztecs must have brought all their treasures of goldhere. "

"Bless my cake box! that's so, " agreed Mr. Damon. 

"Let's take a look around, " advised Ned, "and then we can decide onwhat will be best to take away. "

"It won't take me long t' make up mah mind, " spoke Eradicate. "I'sgoin' t' take all dem images I kin find. "

"I was going to say we'd have plenty of time to look about and pickwhat we wanted, " said Tom, "but I think perhaps we'd better hurry. "

"Why?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"There's no telling when Delazes and his gang may find this place, and even the Fogers may be nearer than we think. But I believe ourbest plan would be this: To take some gold now, and several of thestatues, go back to our balloon, and make some kind of big lamps, sowe can light this place up. Then, too, I think we'd better move theballoon into the old temple. It will be safer there. Then we cancome back here, pack up as much gold as we can carry, and be off. Idon't like to think of being underground when Delazes and the Fogersare on the surface. It might not be altogether safe for us. "

"Bless my insurance policy!" cried the odd man. "Now YOU'RE givingme the cold shivers, Tom. But I believe you're right. We must lookahead a bit. "

With all their electric flash lamps turned on, the four advancedfarther into the underground city of gold. As they went on they sawthe precious yellow metal on every side of them. It was usedlavishly, showing that to the ancients it was as common as iron orsteel is to-day. But they did not use the gold merely as commonmaterial in the construction of buildings or objects of use. Instead, the gold seemed to be brought into play to beautify thecity. An artistic scheme was carried out, and while it was true thatin many buildings common objects were made of gold, yet each one wasbeautiful in itself. 

"What a wonderful place this must have been when it was lighted up, "spoke Tom. 

"Do you think it was ever lighted up?" asked his chum. 

"It must have been, " declared the young inventor. "My idea is thatthis city was the home of the priests of the temple, and theirfriends. I don't believe the common people ever came here. Perhapsthe officers of the army, the rulers and the royal family wereadmitted, but not the ordinary people. That's why it's so farunderground, and so well guarded by the river. "

"Probably the priests and others collected so much gold they didn'tknow what to do with it, and built this city to use it up, and, atthe same time have a safe place to store it. And they must have hadsome means of lighting the place, for they couldn't go about indarkness--they couldn't have seen the gold if they did. Yes, thismust have been wonderfully beautiful then. The priests probably camehere to study, or perhaps to carry out some of their rites. Ofcourse it's only guesswork, but it seems true to me. "

"I believe you're right, Tom, " said Mr. Damon. 

As our friends walked about they saw that the city, while smallerthan they had at first supposed, was laid out with regular streets. Each one was straight, and at certain places in the stone pavementplates of gold were set, so that literally the streets were pavedwith gold. There were houses or buildings on each side of thestreets, and most of these were open at the doors or windows, forthere was no need of heat in that buried city. 

All about were the golden images such as they had seen in theMexican's house, and like the one in far off Africa. Some of theimages were almost life size, and others were only an inch or twoinches in height. Not a house but had half a dozen or more invarious places, and there were also the images on golden pedestalsabout the streets. 

"This must have been their chief god, or else a representation ofsome great personage to whom they paid the highest honor, " said Mr. Damon. "Perhaps he was the reigning king or ruler, and he, himself, might have ordered the images made out of vanity, like some men ofto-day. "

The boys agreed that this was a natural theory. As for Eradicate hewas busy collecting numbers of the small golden statues, andstuffing them in his pockets. 

"Why don't you take bigger ones, and not so many of them?" askedTom. 

"'Case as how I doan't want all mah eggs in one basket, " replied thecolored man. "I kin carry mo' ob de little fellers, " and hepersisted in this plan. 

They found in some of the houses utensils of solid gold, but thereappeared to be no way of cooking food, and that was probably doneoutside, or in the great temple. In many houses were articlesevidently used in the sacrificial rites or in worship of strangegods. They did not stay to half examine the wonderful city of gold, for it would have taken several days. But on Tom's advice, they tookup a considerable quantity of the precious metal in the mostconvenient form to carry, including a number of the statues and artobjects and started back along the tunnel. 

"We'll rig up some sort of lamps, " Tom explained, "and come back tomake a thorough examination of this place. I think the scientificmen and historians will be glad to know about this city, and I'mgoing to make some notes about it. "

They soon came again to the place of the underground river and foundno water there. Ned wanted to turn the stream back into the channelagain, but Tom said they might not be able to work the ancientmechanism, so they left the black knob as it was, and hurried on. They decided that the knob must have worked some counter-balance, orgreat weight that let down a gate and cut off the river from onechannel, to turn it into another. 

When they emerged at the top of the steps, and came out at theopening which had been revealed by the rolling back of the greataltar, they saw there that counter weights, delicately balanced, hadmoved the big stone. 

"We might close that opening, " said Tom, "and then if any one SHOULDcome along and surprise us, they wouldn't know how to get to theunderground city. " This was done, the altar rolling back over thestaircase. 

"Now to get the balloon in the temple, make the lamps, and go back, "suggested Tom, and, storing the gold they had secured in a safeplace in the temple, they went back to move the airship. 

This was an easy matter, and soon they had floated the big gas bagand car in through one of the immense doorways and so into the greatmiddle part of the temple where the big stone altar was located. 

"Now we're prepared for emergencies, " remarked Tom, as he looked upat the yawning hole in the dome-like roof. "If worst comes to worst, and we have to run, we can float right up here, out of the temple, and skip. "

"Do you think anything is going to happen?" asked Mr. Damonanxiously. 

"You never can tell, " replied Tom. "Now to make some lamps. I thinkI'll use gas, as I've got plenty of the chemicals. "

It took two days to construct them, and Tom ingeniously made themout of some empty tins that had contained meat and other foods. Thetins were converted into tanks, and from each one rose a short pieceof pipe that ended in a gas tip. On board the dirigible were plentyof tools and materials. Into the cans were put certain chemicalsthat generated a gas which, when lighted, gave a brilliant glow, almost like calcium carbide. 

"Now, I guess we can see to make our way about, " remarked Tom, onthe morning of the third day, when they prepared to go back to thecity of gold. "And we'll take plenty of lunch along, for we may stayuntil nearly night. "

It did not take them long to roll back the altar, descend into thetunnel, and reach the underground city. The river channel was nowdry, even the small pools of water in the depressions havingevaporated. 

The gas torches worked to perfection, and revealed the beauties andwonders of the city of gold to the astonished gaze of our friends. It was even richer in the precious metal than they had at firstsupposed. 

"Before we do any exploring, I think we'd better take some more goldback to the balloon, " suggested Tom, "and I think I'll just move theballoon itself more out of sight, so that if any persons come along, and look into the temple, they won't see our airship without lookingfor it. "

This was done, and a considerable quantity of the precious metal, including a number of the larger-sized statues, were stored in theballoon car. 

"We can't take much more, " Tom warned his friends, "or we'll beover-weighted. "

"We've got enough now, to make us all rich, " said Ned, contentedly. 

"I want moah, " spoke Eradicate with a grin. 

They went back to the underground city and began to explore it witha view of taking back to civilization some word of its wonders andbeauties. 

"Didn't Mr. Illingway, in his letters, say something about animmense golden statue here?" asked Ned, when they had almostcompleted a circuit of the underground place. 

"So he did!" exclaimed Tom. "I'd almost forgotten. It must besomewhere in the centre of this place I should think. Let's have ahunt for it. We can't take it with us, but maybe we could get partof an arm or a leg to keep as a relic. Come on. "

It was easy to reach the centre of the underground city, for it waslaid out on a regular plan. In a short time they were in sight ofthe central plaza and, even before they reached it the glare oftheir gas lamps showed them something glittering golden yellow. Itwas on a tall, golden pedestal. 

"There it is!" cried Ned. 

"Yes, there's the big golden image all right, " agreed Tom, hurryingforward, and a moment later they stood before a most wonderfulstatue. 

CHAPTER XXII

TRAPPED

"Well, that sure is a big statue!" exclaimed Ned as he walked aroundit. 

"An' to t'ink dat it's SOLID GOLD!" cried Eradicate his eyes bigwith wonder. "I suah wish I had dat all fo' mahse'f!"

"We never could carry that in the balloon, " spoke Tom with a shakeof his head. "I guess we'll have to leave it here. But I would liketo take say the head. It would be worth a lot as a relic to somemuseum--worth more than the value of the gold itself. I've a notionto do it. "

"How could you get the head off?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"Oh, pull the statue down or overturn it, as the American patriotsdid to the Bowling Green, New York, lead statue of King George IIIduring the Revolutionary days, " answered Tom. "I think that's whatI'll do. "

"I say, look here!" called Ned, who had made a circuit of thestatue. "There's some sort of an inscription here. See if you canread it, Tom. "

They went around to the front of the big, golden image where Nedstood. On a sort of a plate, with raised letters, was an inscriptionin a strange language. Part of it seemed to be the name of theperson or god whom the statue represented, and what followed nonecould make out. 

"It's something like the ancient Greek or Persian language, "declared Mr. Damon, who was quite a scholar. "I can make out a wordhere and there, and it seems to be a warning against disturbing thestatue, or damaging it. Probably it was put there to warn small boysthousands of years ago, if they ever allowed small boys in thisplace. "

"Does it say what will be done to whoever harms the statue?" askedTom with a laugh. 

"Probably it does, but I can't make out what it is, " answered Mr. Damon. 

"Then here goes to see if we can't overturn it and hack off thehead, " went on Tom. "I've got a sharp little hatchet, and gold isvery soft to cut. Over she goes. "

"You never can upset that statue, " declared Ned. 

"Yes, I can, " cried the young inventor. "I brought a long, thin, butvery strong rope with me, and I think if we all pull together we cando it. "

Tom made a noose and skillfully threw it over the head of thestatue. It settled about the neck, and then, all taking hold, andwalking away a short distance, they gave a "long pull, a strongpull, and a pull altogether. "

At first the statue would not move, but when they strained on therope, the image suddenly tilted, and, a moment later it tumbled tothe stone pavement. But the fall was not as heavy as should haveresulted from a statue of solid metal. There was a tinkling sound. 

"That's queer!" cried Tom. "It didn't make half the fuss Iexpected, " and he hurried up to look at the fallen statue. "Why!" hecried in astonishment, "it's hollow--the big golden statue ishollow--it's a fake!"

And so it was. The big image was only a shell of gold. 

"Not so valuable as it looked, " commented Ned. "We could take thatwith us in the balloon, if it wasn't so big. "

"Well, here goes for the head, anyhow!" exclaimed Tom, and with afew blows of his keen little axe he severed the neck. As he held itup for all to see--rather a grewsome sight it was, too, in theflickering light of the gas torches--there sounded throughout theunderground city, a dull, booming noise, like distant thunder. 

"What's that?" cried Ned. 

"Bless my bath sponge!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "I hope the water isn'trising in the river. "

"Oh land a massy!" gasped Eradicate. 

Without a word Tom dropped the golden head and made for the streetthat led to the tunnel. The others followed, and soon caught up tothe young inventor. On and on they ran, with only the light of theirelectric flash torches to guide them. Suddenly Tom stopped. 

"Go on!" cried Ned. "See what's happened! Go on!"

"I can't, " answered Tom, and they all wondered at his voice. "There's a big block of stone across the tunnel, and I can't goanother step. The stone gate has fallen. We're trapped here in theunderground city of gold!"

"Bless my soul! The tunnel closed?" cried Mr. Damon. 

"Look, " said Tom simply and in hopeless tones, as he flashed hislight. And there, completely filling the tunnel, was a great blockof stone, fitting from ceiling to floor and from side wall to sidewall, completely cutting off all escape. 

"Trapped!" gasped Ned. "The Mexicans or Andy Foger did this. "

"No, I don't think so, " spoke Tom solemnly. "I think the pullingdown of the statue released this stone gate. We trapped ourselves. Oh, why didn't I leave the statue alone!"

"That can't have done it!" declared Ned. 

"We can soon tell, " spoke Mr. Damon. "Let's go back and look. Latermaybe we can raise the block, " and they returned to the fallen goldstatue. Tom casting back a hopeless look at the barrier that hadburied them alive in the city of gold. 

 CHAPTER XXIII

"IS IT A RESCUE?"

"Can you see anything, Tom? Any lever or anything by which we canraise the stone gate?"

It was Ned who spoke, and he addressed his chum, who was closelyexamining the pedestal of the fallen golden statue. 

"Bless my soul!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "we've get to find some wayout of here soon--or--"

He did not finish the sentence, but they all knew what he meant. 

"Oh good landy!" cried Eradicate. "What's gwine t' become ob us?"

"Don't you see anything, Tom?" repeated Ned. 

"Not a thing. Not a sign of a lever or handle by which the stonemight be raised. But wait, I'm going to get on top of the pedestal. "

He managed to scramble up by stepping on and clinging to variousornamental projections, and soon gained the flat place where the biggolden statue had rested. But he saw at a glance that it was assmooth as a billiard table. 

"Nothing here!" he called down to Ned. 

"Then how do you suppose the gate closed down when the statue waspulled off?" asked Ned. 

"It must have been because of the disturbance of the equilibrium, ordue to a change of weight. Probably this pedestal rests on aplatform, like the platform of a large scale. Its weight, with thatof the statue, rested on certain concealed levers, and held thestone up out of sight in the roof of the tunnel. When I yanked downthe statue I made the weight uneven, and the stone fell, and theredoesn't seem to be any way of putting the weight back again. "

"No, we never could get the statue back on the pedestal, " said Ned. "But maybe there's some mechanism at the stone gate, or near it, like the black knob which turned off the water. We may be able towork that and raise the big stone slab. "

"It's the only thing to try, as long as we haven't dynamite to blastit, " agreed Tom. "Come on, we'll take a look. "

They went back to where the rock closed the tunnel, but a long andfrantic search failed to show the least projection, lever, handle orany other thing, that could be moved. 

"What in the world do you suppose those ancients made such aterrible contrivance for?" Ned wanted to know. 

"Well, if we could read the warning on the statue we might know, "replied Mr. Damon. "That probably says that whoever disturbs thestatus will close up the golden city forever. "

"Maybe there's another way out--or in, " suggested Tom hopefully. "Wedidn't look for that. It must be our next move. We must not let asingle chance go by. We'll look for some way of getting out, at thefar end of this underground city. "

Filled with gloomy and foreboding thoughts, they walked away fromthe stone barrier. To search for another means of egress would takesome time, and the same fear came to all of them--could they livethat long?

"It was a queer thing, to make that statue hollow, " mused Ned as hewalked between Mr. Damon and Tom. "I wonder why it was done, whenall the others are solid gold?"

"Maybe they found they couldn't melt up, and cast in a mould, enoughgold to make a solid statue that size, " suggested Mr. Damon. "Then, too, there may have been no means of getting it on the pedestal ifthey made it too heavy. "

They discussed these and other matters as they hurried on to seekfor some way of escape. In fact to talk seemed to make them lessgloomy and sad, and they tried to keep up their spirits. 

For several hours they searched eagerly for some means of gettingout of the underground city. They went to the farthest limits of it, and found it to be several miles in diameter, but eventually theycame to solid walls of stone which reached from roof to ceiling, andthere was no way out. 

They found that the underground city was exactly like an overturnedbowl, or an Esquimo ice hut, hollow within, and with a tunnelleading to it--but all below the surface of the earth. The city hadbeen hollowed out of solid rock, and there was but one way in orout, and that was closed by the seamless stone. 

"There's no use hunting any longer, " declared Tom, when, weary andfootsore, they had completed a circuit of the outer circumference ofthe city, "the rock passage is our only hope. "

"And that's no hope at all!" declared Ned. 

"Yes, we must try to raise that stone slab, or--break it!" cried Tomdesperately. "Come on. "

"Wait a bit, " advised Mr. Damon. "Bless my dinner plate! but I'mhungry. We brought some food along, and my advice to you is to eatand keep up our strength. We'll need it. "

"By golly gracious, that's so!" declared Eradicate. "I'll git deeatin's. "

Fortunately there was a goodly supply, and, going in one the housesthey ate off a table of solid gold, and off dishes of the precious, yellow metal. Yet they would have given it all--yes, even the goldin their dirigible balloon--for a chance for freedom. 

"I wonder what became of the chaps who used to live here?" mused Nedas he finished the rather frugal meal. 

"Oh, they probably died--from a plague maybe, or there may have beena war, or the people may have risen in revolt and killed them off, "suggested Tom grimly. 

"But then there ought to be some remains--some mummies or skeletonsor something. "

"I guess every one left this underground city--every soul. "suggested Mr. Damon, "and then they turned on the river and left it. I shouldn't be surprised but what we are the first persons to setfoot here in thousands of years. "

"And WE may stay here for a thousand years, " predicted Tom. 

"Oh, good land a' massy; doan't say dat!" cried Eradicate. "Whywe'll all be dead ob starvation in dat time. "

"Before then, I guess, " muttered Tom. "I wonder if there's any waterin this hole?"

"We'll need it--soon, " remarked Ned, looking at the scanty supplythey had brought in with them. "Let's have a hunt for it. "

"Let Rad do that, while we work on the stone gate, " proposed theyoung inventor. "Rad, chase off and see if you can find some water. "

While the colored man was gone, Tom, Ned and Mr. Damon went back tothe stone gate. To attack it without tools, or some powerfulblasting powder seemed useless, but their case was desperate andthey knew they must do something. 

"We'll try chipping away the stone at the base, " suggested Tom. "Itisn't a very hard rock, in fact it's a sort of soft marble, or whitesand stone, and we may be able to cut out a way under the slab doorwith our knifes. "

Fortunately they had knives with big, strong blades, and as Tom hadsaid, the stone was comparatively soft. But, after several hours'work they only had a small depression under the stone door. 

"At this rate it will take a month, " sighed Ned. 

"Say!" cried Tom, "we're foolish. We should try to cut through thestone slab itself. It can't be so very thick. And another thing. I'mgoing to play the flames from the gas torches on the stone. Thefires will make it brittle and it will chip off easier. "

This was so, but even with that advantage they had only made aslight impression on the solid stone door after more than four hoursof work, and Eradicate came back, with a hopeless look on his face, to report that he had been unable to find water. 

"Then we've got to save every drop of what we've got, " declared Tom. "Short rations for everybody. "

"And our lights, too, " added Mr. Damon. "We must save them. "

"All out but one!" cried Tom quickly. "If we're careful we can makethem gas torches last a week, and the electric flashes are good forseveral days yet. "

Then they laid out a plan of procedure, and divided the food into assmall rations as would support life. It was grim work, but it had tobe done. They found, with care, that they might live for four dayson the food and water and then--

Well--no one liked to think about it. 

"We must take turns chipping away at the stone door, " decided Tom. "Some of us will work and some will sleep--two and two, I guess. "

This plan was also carried out, and Tom and Eradicate took the firsttrick of hacking away at the door. 

How they managed to live in the days that followed they could nevertell clearly afterward. It was like some horrible nightmare, composed of hours of hacking away at the stone, and then of eatingsparingly, drinking more sparingly, and resting, to get up, and doit all over again. 

Their water was the first to give out, for it made them thirsty tocut at the stone, and parched mouths and swollen tongues demandedmoisture. They did manage to find a place where a few drops of watertrickled through the rocky roof, and without this they would havedied before five days had passed. 

They even searched, at times for another way out of the city ofgold, for Tom had insisted there must be a way, as the air in theunderground cave remained so fresh. But there must have been asecret way of ventilating the place, as no opening was found, andthey went back to hacking at the stone. 

Just how many days they spent in their horrible golden prison theynever really knew. Tom said it was over a week, Ned insisted it wasa month, Mr. Damon two months, and Eradicate pitifully said "it seemmos' laik a yeah, suah!"

It must have been about eight days, and at the end of that timethere was not a scrap of food left, and only a little water. Theywere barely alive, and could hardly wield the knives against thestone slab. They had dug a hole about a foot deep in it, but itwould have to be made much larger before any one could crawlthrough, even when it penetrated to the other side. And how soonthis would be they did not know. 

It was about the end of the eighth day, and Tom and Ned were hackingaway at the rocky slab, for Mr. Damon and Eradicate were too weary. 

Tom paused for a moment to look helplessly at his chum. As he did sohe heard, amid the silence, a noise on the other side of the stonedoor. 

"What--what's that?" Tom gasped faintly. 

"It sounds--sounds like some one--coming, " whispered Ned. "Oh, if itis only a rescue party!"

"A rescue party?" whispered Tom. "Where would a rescue party--"

He stopped suddenly. Unmistakably there were voices on the otherside of the barrier--human voices. 

"It IS a rescue party!" cried Ned. 

"I--I hope so, " spoke Tom slowly. 

"Mr. Damon--Eradicate!" yelled Ned with the sudden strength of hope, "they're coming to save us! Hurry ever here!"

And then, as he and Tom stood, they saw, with staring eyes, thegreat stone slab slowly beginning to rise!

CHAPTER XXIV. 

THE FIGHT

The talk sounded more plainly now--a confused murmur of voices--manyof them--the sound coming under the slowly raising stone doorway. 

"Who can it be--there's a lot of them, " murmured Ned. 

Tom did not answer. Instead he silently sped back to where they hadslept and got his automatic revolver. 

"Better get yours, " he said to his companions. "It may be a rescueparty, though I don't see how any one could know we were in here, orit may be--"

He did not finish. They all knew what he meant, and a moment laterfour strained and anxious figures stood on the inner side of thestone door, revolvers in hand, awaiting what might be revealed tothem. Would it be friend or foe?

At Tom's feet lay the golden head--the hollow head of the statue. The scene was illumined by a flickering gas torch--the last one, asthe others had burned out. 

Slowly the stone went up, very slowly, for it was exceedingly heavyand the mechanism that worked it was primitive. Up and up it wentuntil now a man could have crawled under. Ned made a motion as if hewas going to do so, but Tom held him back. 

Slowly and slowly it went up. On the other side was a very babble ofvoices now--voices speaking a strange tongue. Tom and his companionswere silent. 

Then, above the other voices, there sounded the tones of some onespeaking English. Hearing it Tom started, and still more as he notedthe tones, for he heard this said:

"We'll be inside in a minute, dad, and I guess we'll show Tom Swiftthat he and his crowd can't fool us. We've got to the city of goldfirst!"

"Andy Foger!" hoarsely whispered Tom to Ned. 

The next moment the stone gate went up with a rush, and there, inthe light of the gas torch, and in the glare of many burning ones ofwood, held by a throng of people on the other side, stood AndyFoger, his father, Delazes, and a horde of men who looked as wild assavages. 

For a moment both parties stood staring at one another, too startledto utter a sound. Then as Tom noticed that some of the natives, whosomewhat resembled the ancient Aztecs, had imitation human headsstuck on the ends of poles or spears, he uttered two words;

"Head-hunters!"

Like a flash there came to him the warning of the Africanmissionary: "Beware of the head-hunters!" Now they were here--beingled on by the Mexican and the Fogers--the enemies of our friends. 

For another moment there was a silence, and then Andy Foger criedout:

"They're here! Tom Swift and his party! They got here first and theymay have all the gold!"

"If they have they will share it with us!" cried Delazes fiercely. 

"Quick!" Tom called hoarsely to Ned, Mr. Damon and Eradicate. "We'vegot to fight. It's the only way to save our lives. We must fight, and when we can, escape, get to the airship and sail away. It's afight to the finish now. "

He raised his automatic revolver, and, as he did so one of thesavages saw the golden head of the statue lying at Tom's feet. Theman uttered a wild cry and called out something in his unknowntongue. Then he raised his spear and hurled it straight at our hero. 

Had not Mr. Damon pulled Tom to one side, there might have been adifferent ending to this story. As it was the weapon hissed throughthe air over the head of the young inventor. The next minute hisrevolver spat lead and fire, but whether he hit any one or not hecould not see, as the place was so filled with smoke, from thepowder and from the torches. But some one yelled in pain. 

"Crouch down and fire!" ordered Tom. "Low down and they'll throwover our heads. " It was done on the instant, and the four revolversrang out together. 

There were howls of pain and terror and above them could be heardthe gutteral tones of Delazes, while Andy Foger yelled:

"Look out dad! Here, help me to get behind something or I may behit. Mr. Delazes, can't you tell those savages to throw spears atTom Swift and his gang?"

"They are doing it, Senor Foger, " replied the Mexican. "Oh, why didI not think to bring my gun! We haven't one among us. " Then hecalled some command to the head-hunters who had apparently beenenlisted on the side of himself and the two Fogers. 

The automatic revolvers were soon emptied, and the place was now sofull of smoke that neither party could see the other. The torchesburned with a red glare. 

"Reload!" ordered Tom, "and we'll make a rush for it! We can't keepthis up long!"

It took but an instant to slip in another lot of cartridges andthen, on Tom's advice, they slipped the catches to make theautomatic weapons simple ones, to be fired at will. 

They sent several more shots through the door-way but no cries ofpain followed, and it was evident that their enemies had steppedback out of the line of fire. 

"Now's our chance!" cried Tom. "The way is clear. Come on!"

He and the others dashed forward, Tom carrying the golden head, though it was hard work. It was not very heavy but it was awkward. 

As they rushed through the now open gateway they crouched low toavoid the spears, but, as it was one grazed Tom's shoulder, andEradicate was pierced in the fleshy part of his arm. 

"Forward! Forward!" cried Tom. "Come on!"

And on they went, through the smoke and darkness, Ned flashing hiselectric torch which gave only a feeble glow as the battery wasalmost exhausted. On and on! Now they were through the stonegateway, now out in the long tunnel. 

Behind them they could hear feet running, and several spearsclattered to the stone floor. Lights flickered behind them. 

"If only the river bed is dry!" gasped Tom. "We may yet escape. Butif they've filled the channel--"

He did not dare think of what that would mean as he ran on, turningoccasionally to fire, for he and the others had again reloaded theirrevolvers. 

CHAPTER XXV

THE ESCAPE--CONCLUSION

The noise behind our friends increased. There were shouts of rage, yells of anger at the escape of the prey. High above the othervoices were the shrill war-cries of the head-hunters--the savageswith their grewsome desires. 

"Can--can we make it, Tom?" panted Ned. 

They were almost at the river channel now, and in another instantthey had reached it. 

By the feeble rays of Ned's electric torch they saw with relief thatit was empty, though they would have given much to see just atrickle of water in it, for they were almost dead from thirst. 

Together they climbed up the other side, and as yet their pursuershad not reached the brink. For one moment Tom had a thought ofworking the black knob, and flooding the channel, but he could notdoom even the head-hunters, much less the Fogers and Delazes, tosuch a death as that would mean. 

On ran Tom and his companions, but now they could glance back andsee the foremost of the other crowd dipping down into the drychannel. 

"The steps! The steps!" suddenly cried Ned, when they had run a longdistance, as a faint gleam of daylight beyond shewed the openingbeneath the stone altar. "We're safe now. "

"Hardly, but a few minutes will tell, " said Tom. "The balloon is inshape for a quick rise, and then we'll leave this horrible placebehind. "

"And all the gold, too, " murmured Ned regretfully. "We've got some, "said Mr. Damon, "and I wouldn't take a chance with those head-huntersfor all the gold in the underground city. "

"Same here!" panted Tom. Then they were at the steps and ran upthem. 

Out into the big auditorium they emerged, weak and faint, and towardthe hidden dirigible balloon they rushed. 

"Quick!" cried Tom, as he climbed into the car, followed by Mr. Damon and Eradicate. "Shove it right under the broken dome, Ned, andI'll turn on the gas machine. It's partly inflated. "

A moment later the balloon was right below the big opening. The bluesky showed through it--a welcome sight to our friends. The hiss ofthe gas was heard, and the bag distended still more. 

"Hop in!" cried Tom. "She'll go up I guess. "

"There they come!" shouted Ned, as he spoke the foremost of thehead-hunters emerged from the hole beneath the stone altar. He wasfollowed by Delazes. 

"Stop them! Get them! Spear them!" cried the contractor. Theyevidently thought our friends had all the gold from the undergroundcity. 

Fortunately the temple was so large that the balloon was a gooddistance from the hole leading to the tunnel, and before theforemost of the head-hunters could reach it the dirigible began torise. 

"If they throw their spears, and puncture the bag in many placeswe're done for, " murmured Tom. But evidently the savages did notthink of this, though Delazes screamed it at them. 

Up went the balloon, and not a moment too soon, for one of thehead-hunters actually grabbed the edge of the car, and only let go whenhe found himself being lifted off the temple floor. 

Up and up it went and, as it was about to emerge from the brokendome, Tom looked down and saw a curious sight. 

Mr. Foger and Andy, who brought up in the rear of the pursuing andattacking party, had just emerged from the hole by the great stonealtar when there suddenly spouted from the same opening a solidcolumn of water. A cry of wonder came from all as they saw thestrange sight. A veritable geyser was now spurting in the verymiddle of the temple floor, and the head-hunters, the Mexicans andthe Fogers ran screaming to get out of the way. 

"Look!" cried Ned. "What happened?"

"The underground river must be running the wrong way!" answered Tom, as he prepared to set in motion the motor. "Either they accidentallyturned some hidden lever, or when they raised the stone door theydid it. The tunnel is flooded and--"

"Bless my match box! So is the underground city!" cried Mr. Damon. "I guess we've seen the last of it and its gold. We were lucky toescape with our lives, and these fellows might have been drownedlike rats in a trap, if they hadn't followed us. The undergroundcity will never be discovered again. "

"And now for home!" cried Tom, when they had eaten and drunksparingly until they should get back their strength, and had seen totheir slight wounds. 

"And our trip wasn't altogether a failure, " said Mr. Damon. "We'dhave had more gold if the stone door hadn't trapped us. But I guesswe have enough as it is. I wonder how the Fogers ever found us?"

"They must have followed our trail, though how we'll never know andthey came up to where Delazes and his men were, joined forces withthem, and hunted about until they found the temple, " remarked Tom. "Then they saw the opening, went down, and found the stone door. "

"But how did they get it open? and what were they doing with thehead-hunters, and why didn't the head-hunters attack them?" Nedwanted to know. 

"Well, I guess perhaps Delazes knew how to handle those head-hunters, "replied Tom. "They may be a sort of lost tribe of Mexicans, andperhaps their ancestors centuries ago owned the city of gold. At any rate I think some of them knew the secret of raising thedoor. " And later Tom learned in a roundabout way from the Fogersthat this was so. The father and son had after much hardship joinedforces with Delazes and he, by a promise of the heads of the partyof our friends, and much tobacco, had gained the head-hunters asallies. 

On and on sailed the balloon and our friends regained their strengthafter partaking of the nourishing food. They looked at their storeof gold and found it larger than they had thought. Soon they leftfar behind them the great plain of the ruined temple, which, hadthey but known it was a lake now, for the underground river, perhapsby some break in the underground mechanism that controlled it, or abreak in the channel, overflowed and covered temple, plain andunderground city with water many fathoms deep. 

"Are we going all the way home in the balloon?" asked Ned on thesecond day of their voyage in the air, when they had stopped to makeslight repairs. 

"No, indeed, " replied Tom. "As soon as we get to some city where wecan pack it up, and ship our gold without fear of being robbed, I'mcoming to earth, and go home in a steamer. "

This plan was carried out; and a week later, with the gold safelyinsured by an express company, and the balloon packed fortransportation, our friends went to a railroad station, and took atrain for Tampico, there to get a steamer for New York. 

"Bless my top knot!" exclaimed Mr. Damon a few days after this, asthey were on the vessel. "I think for queer adventures this one ofours in the city of gold, Tom, puts it all over the others we had. "

"Oh, I don't know, " answered the young inventor, "we certainly hadsome strenuous times in the past, and I hope we'll have some more inthe future. "

"The same here, " agreed Ned. 

And whether they did or not I will leave my readers to judge if theyperuse the next book in this series, which will be called, "TomSwift and His Air Glider; Or, Seeking the Platinum Treasure. "

They arrived safely in Shopton in due course of time, and found Mr. Swift well. They did not become millionaires, for they found, totheir regret that their gold was rather freely alloyed with basermetals, so they did not have more than half the amount in pure solidgold. But there was a small fortune in it for all of them. 

In recognition of Mr. Illingway, the African missionary having putTom on the track of the gold, a large sum was sent to him, to helphim carry on his work of humanity. 

Tom had many offers for the big golden head, but he would not sellit, though he loaned it to a New York museum, where it attractedmuch attention. There were many articles written about theunderground city of gold from the facts the young inventorfurnished. 

Eventually the Fogers got home, but they did not say much abouttheir experiences, and Tom and his friends did not think it worthwhile to prosecute them for the attack. As for Delazes, Tom neversaw nor heard from him again, not in all his reading could he findany account of the head-hunters, who must have been a small, littleknown tribe. 

"And you really kept your promise, and brought me a golden image?"asked Mary Nestor of Tom, when he called on her soon after reachinghome. 

"Indeed I did, the two that I promised and a particularly fine onethat I picked up almost at the last minute, " and Tom gave her thevaluable relics. 

"And now tell me about it, " she begged, when she had admired them, and then sat down beside Tom: and there we will leave our hero forthe present, as he is in very good company, and I know he wouldn'tlike to be disturbed. 

THE END