TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS

or

The Underground Search for the Idol of Gold

BY

VICTOR APPLETON

 AUTHOR OF "TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTORCYCLE, " "TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL, " "THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS SERIES, " "THE MOTION PICTURE CHUMS SERIES, " ETC. 

 THE TOM SWIFT SERIES

 1 TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLE 2 TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOAT 3 TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP 4 TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT 5 TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT 6 TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE 7 TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS 8 TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE 9 TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER 10 TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE 11 TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD 12 TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER 13 TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY 14 TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA 15 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT 16 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON 17 TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE 18 TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP 19 TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL 20 TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS 21 TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK 22 TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUT 23 TOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCH 24 TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS 25 TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE 26 TOM SWIFT AND HIS FLYING BOAT 27 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT OIL GUSHER 28 TOM SWIFT AND HIS CHEST OF SECRETS 29 TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRLINE EXPRESS

Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders

CONTENTS

 I A WONDERFUL STORY II PROFESSOR BUMPER ARRIVES III BLESSINGS AND ENTHUSIASM IV FENIMORE BEECHER V THE LITTLE GREEN GOD VI UNPLEASANT NEWS VII TOM HEARS SOMETHING VIII OFF FOR HONDURAS IX VAL JACINTO X IN THE WILDS XI THE VAMPIRES XII A FALSE FRIEND XIII FORWARD AGAIN XIV A NEW GUIDE XV IN THE COILS XVI A MEETING IN THE JUNGLE XVII THE LOST MAP XVIII "EL TIGRE!" XIX POISONED ARROWS XX AN OLD LEGEND XXI THE CAVERN XXII THE STORM XXIII ENTOMBED ALIVE XXIV THE REVOLVING STONE XXV THE IDOL OF GOLD

TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS

CHAPTER I

A WONDERFUL STORY

Tom Swift, who had been slowly looking through the pages of a magazine, in the contents of which he seemed to be deeply interested, turned thefinal folio, ruffled the sheets back again to look at a certain map anddrawing, and then, slapping the book down on a table before him, with anoise not unlike that of a shot, exclaimed:

"Well, that is certainly one wonderful story!"

"What's it about, Tom?" asked his chum, Ned Newton. "Something aboutinside baseball, or a new submarine that can be converted into anairship on short notice?"

"Neither one, you--you unscientific heathen, " answered Tom, with alaugh at Ned. "Though that isn't saying such a machine couldn't beinvented. "

"I believe you--that is if you got on its trail, " returned Ned, andthere was warm admiration in his voice. 

"As for inside baseball, or outside, for that matter, I hardly believeI'd be able to tell third base from the second base, it's so long sinceI went to a game, " proceeded Tom. "I've been too busy on that newairship stabilizer dad gave me an idea for. I've been working toohard, that's a fact. I need a vacation, and maybe a good baseballgame----"

He stopped and looked at the magazine he had so hastily slapped down. Something he had read in it seemed to fascinate him. 

"I wonder if it can possibly be true, " he went on. "It sounds like thewildest dream of a professional sleep-walker; and yet, when I stop tothink, it isn't much worse than some of the things we've gone throughwith, Ned. "

"Say, for the love of rice-pudding! will you get down to brass tacksand strike a trial balance? What are you talking of, anyhow? Is it ajoke?"

"A joke?"

"Yes. What you just read in that magazine which seems to cause you somuch excitement. "

"Well, it may be a joke; and yet the professor seems very much inearnest about it, " replied Tom. "It certainly is one wonderful story!"

"So you said before. Come on--the 'fillium' is busted. Splice it, orelse put in a new reel and on with the show. I'd like to know what'sdoing. What professor are you talking of?"

"Professor Swyington Bumper. "

"Swyington Bumper?" and Ned's voice showed that his memory was a bithazy. 

"Yes. You ought to remember him. He was on the steamer when I wentdown to Peru to help the Titus Brothers dig the big tunnel. Thatplotter Waddington, or some of his tools, dropped a bomb where it mighthave done us some injury, but Professor Bumper, who was a fellowpassenger, on his way to South America to look for the lost city ofPelone, calmly picked up the bomb, plucked out the fuse, and saved usfrom bad injuries, if not death. And he was as cool about it as anice-cream cone. Surely you remember!"

"Swyington Bumper! Oh, yes, now I remember him, " said Ned Newton. "Butwhat has he got to do with a wonderful story? Has he written moreabout the lost city of Pelone? If he has I don't see anything so verywonderful in that. "

"There isn't, " agreed Tom. "But this isn't that, " and Tom picked upthe magazine and leafed it to find the article he had been reading. 

"Let's have a look at it, " suggested Ned. "You act as though you mightbe vitally interested in it. Maybe you're thinking of joining forceswith the professor again, as you did when you dug the big tunnel. "

"Oh, no. I haven't any such idea, " Tom said. "I've got enough worklaid out now to keep me in Shopton for the next year. I have no notionof going anywhere with Professor Bumper. Yet I can't help beingimpressed by this, " and, having found the article in the magazine towhich he referred, he handed it to his chum. 

"Why, it's by Bumper himself!" exclaimed Ned. 

"Yes. Though there's nothing remarkable in that, seeing that he isconstantly contributing articles to various publications or writingbooks. It's the story itself that's so wonderful. To save you thetrouble of wading through a lot of scientific detail, which I know youdon't care about, I'll tell you that the story is about a queer idol ofsolid gold, weighing many pounds, and, in consequence, of great value. "

"Of solid gold you say?" asked Ned eagerly. 

"That's it. Got on your banking air already, " Tom laughed. "To sum itup for you--notice I use the word 'sum, ' which is very appropriate fora bank--the professor has got on the track of another lost or hiddencity. This one, the name of which doesn't appear, is in the Copanvalley of Honduras, and----"

"Copan, " interrupted Ned. "It sounds like the name of some new floorvarnish. "

"Well, it isn't, though it might be, " laughed Tom. "Copan is a city, in the Department of Copan, near the boundary between Honduras andGuatemala. A fact I learned from the article and not because Iremembered my geography. "

"I was going to say, " remarked Ned with a smile, "that you were comingit rather strong on the school-book stuff. "

"Oh, it's all plainly written down there, " and Tom waved toward themagazine at which Ned was looking. "As you'll see, if you take thetrouble to go through it, as I did, Copan is, or maybe was, for all Iknow, one of the most important centers of the Mayan civilization. "

"What's Mayan?" asked Ned. "You see I'm going to imbibe my informationby the deductive rather than the excavative process, " he added with alaugh. 

"I see, " laughed Tom. "Well, Mayan refers to the Mayas, an aboriginalpeople of Yucatan. The Mayas had a peculiar civilization of their own, thousands of years ago, and their calendar system was so involved----"

"Never mind about dates, " again interrupted Ned. "Get down to brasstacks. I'm willing to take your word for it that there's a Copanvalley in Honduras. But what has your friend Professor Bumper to dowith it?"

"This. He has come across some old manuscripts, or ancient documentrecords, referring to this valley, and they state, according to thisarticle he has written for the magazine, that somewhere in the valleyis a wonderful city, traces of which have been found twenty to fortyfeet below the surface, on which great trees are growing, showing thatthe city was covered hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago. "

"But where does the idol of gold come in?"

"I'm coming to that, " said Tom. "Though, if Professor Bumper has hisway, the idol will be coming out instead of coming in. "

"You mean he wants to get it and take it away from the Copan valley, Tom?"

"That's it, Ned. It has great value not only from the amount of puregold that is in it, but as an antique. I fancy the professor is moreinterested in that aspect of it. But he's written a wonderful story, telling how he happened to come across the ancient manuscripts in thetomb of some old Indian whose mummy he unearthed on a trip to CentralAmerica. 

"Then he tells of the trouble he had in discovering how to solve thekey to the translation code; but when he did, he found a great storyunfolded to him. 

"This story has to do with the hidden city, and tells of the ancientcivilization of those who lived in the Copan valley thousands of yearsago. The people held this idol of gold to be their greatest treasure, and they put to death many of other tribes who sought to steal it. "

"Whew!" whistled Ned. "That IS some yarn. But what is ProfessorBumper going to do about it?"

"I don't know. The article seems to be written with an idea ofinteresting scientists and research societies, so that they will raisemoney to conduct a searching expedition. 

"Perhaps by this time the party may be organized--this magazine isseveral months old. I have been so busy on my stabilizer patent that Ihaven't kept up with current literature. Take it home and read it!Ned. That is if you're through telling me about my affairs, " for Ned, who had formerly worked in the Shopton bank, had recently been madegeneral financial manager of the interests of Tom and his father. Thetwo were inventors and proverbially poor business men, though they hadamassed a fortune. 

"Your financial affairs are all right, Tom, " said Ned. "I have justbeen going over the books, and I'll submit a detailed report later. "

The telephone bell rang and Tom picked up the instrument from the desk. As he answered in the usual way and then listened a moment, a strangelook came over his face. 

"Well, this certainly is wonderful!" he exclaimed, in much the samemanner as when he had finished reading the article about the idol. "Itcertainly is a strange coincidence, " he added, speaking in an aside toNed while he himself still listened to what was being told to him overthe telephone wire. 

CHAPTER II

PROFESSOR BUMPER ARRIVES

"What's the matter, Tom? What is it?" asked Ned Newton, attracted bythe strange manner of his chum at the telephone. "Has anythinghappened?"

But the young inventor was too busy listening to the unseen speaker toanswer his chum, even if he heard what Ned remarked, which is doubtful. 

"Well, I might as well wait until he is through, " mused Ned, as hestarted to leave the room. Then as Tom motioned to him to remain, hemurmured: "He may have something to say to me later. But I wonder whois talking to him. "

There was no way of finding out, however, until Tom had a chance totalk to Ned, and at present the young scientist was eagerly listeningto what came over the wire. Occasionally Ned could hear him say:

"You don't tell me! That is surprising! Yes--yes! Of course if it'strue it means a big thing, I can understand that. What's that? No, Icouldn't make a promise like that. I'm sorry, but----"

Then the person at the other end of the wire must have plunged intosomething very interesting and absorbing, for Tom did not againinterrupt by interjected remarks. 

Tom. Swift, as has been said, was an inventor, as was his father. Mr. Swift was now rather old and feeble, taking only a nominal part in theactivities of the firm made up of himself and his son. But hisinventions were still used, many of them being vital to the businessand trade of this country. 

Tom and his father lived in the village of Shopton, New York, and theirfactories covered many acres of ground. Those who wish to read of theearliest activities of Tom in the inventive line are referred to theinitial volume, "Tom Swift and His Motor Cycle. " From then on he andhis father had many and exciting adventures. In a motor boat, anairship, and a submarine respectively the young inventor had gonethrough many perils. On some of the trips his chum, Ned Newton, accompanied him, and very often in the party was a Mr. Wakefield Damon, who had a curious habit of "blessing" everything that happened tostrike his fancy. 

Besides Tom and his father, the Swift household was made up ofEradicate Sampson, a colored man-of-all-work, who, with his muleBoomerang, did what he could to keep the grounds around the house inorder. There was also Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, Tom's motherbeing dead. Mr. Damon, living in a neighboring town, was a frequentvisitor in the Swift home. 

Mary Nestor, a girl of Shopton, might also be mentioned. She and Tomwere more than just good friends. Tom had an idea that some day----. But there, I promised not to tell that part, at least until the youngpeople themselves were ready to have a certain fact announced. 

From one activity to another had Tom Swift gone, now constructing someimportant invention for himself, as among others, when he made thephoto-telephone, or developed a great searchlight which he presented tothe Government for use in detecting smugglers on the border. 

The book immediately preceding this is called "Tom Swift and His Bit, Tunnel, " and deals with the efforts of the young inventor to help afirm of contractors penetrate a mountain in Peru. How this was doneand how, incidentally, the lost city of Pelone was discovered, bringingjoy to the heart of Professor Swyington Bumper, will be found fully setforth in the book. 

Tom had been back from the Peru trip for some months, when we againfind him interested in some of the work of Professor Bumper, as setforth in the magazine mentioned. 

"Well, he certainly is having some conversation, " reflected Ned, as, after more than five minutes, Tom's ear was still at the receiver ofthe instrument, into the transmitter of which he had said only a fewwords. 

"All right, " Tom finally answered, as he hung the receiver up, "I'll behere, " and then he turned to Ned, whose curiosity had been growing withthe telephone talk, and remarked:

"That certainly was wonderful!"

"What was?" asked Ned. "Do you think I'm a mind reader to be able toguess?"

"No, indeed! I beg your pardon. I'll tell you at once. But I couldn'tbreak away. It was too important. To whom do you think I was talkingjust then?"

"I can imagine almost any one, seeing I know something of what you havedone. It might be almost anybody from some person you met up in thecaves of ice to a red pygmy from the wilds of Africa. "

"I'm afraid neither of them would be quite up to telephone talk yet, "laughed Tom. "No, this was the gentleman who wrote that interestingarticle about the idol of gold, " and he motioned to the magazine Nedheld in his hand. 

"You don't mean Professor Bumper!"

"That's just whom I do mean. "

"What did he want? Where did he call from?"

"He wants me to help organize an expedition to go to CentralAmerica--to the Copan valley, to be exact--to look for this somewhatmythical idol of gold. Incidentally the professor will gather in anyother antiques of more or less value, if he can find any, and he hopes, even if he doesn't find the idol, to get enough historical material forhalf a dozen books, to say nothing of magazine articles. "

"Where did he call from; did you say?"

"I didn't say. But it was a long-distance call from New York. TheProfessor stopped off there on his way from Boston, where he has beenlecturing before some society. And now he's coming here to see me, "finished Tom. 

"What! Is he going to lecture here?" cried Ned. "If he is, and spoutsa whole lot of that bone-dry stuff about the ancient Mayan civilizationand their antiquities, with side lights on how the old-time Indiansused to scalp their enemies, I'm going to the moving pictures! I'mwilling to be your financial manager, Tom Swift, but please don't askme to be a high-brow. I wasn't built for that. "

"Nor I, Ned. The professor isn't going to lecture. He's only going totalk, he says. "

"What about?"

"He's going to try to induce me to join his expedition to the Copanvalley. "

"Do you feel inclined to go?"

"No, Ned, I do not. I've got too many other irons in the fire. Ishall have to give the professor a polite but firm refusal. "

"Well, maybe you're right, Tom; and yet that idol ofgold--GOLD--weighing how many pounds did you say?"

"Oh, you're thinking of its money value, Ned, old man!"

"Yes, I'd like to see what a big chunk of gold like that would bring. It must be quite a nugget. But I'm not likely to get a glimpse of itif you don't go with the professor. "

"I don't see how I can go, Ned. But come over and meet the delightfulgentleman when he arrives. I expect him day after to-morrow. "

"I'll be here, " promised Ned; and then he went downtown to attend tosome matters connected with his new duties, which were much lessirksome than those he had had when he had been in the bank. 

"Well, Tom, have you heard any more about your friend?" asked Ned, twodays later, as he came to the Swift home with some papers needing thesignature of the young inventor and his father. 

"You mean----?"

"Professor Bumper. "

"No, I haven't heard from him since he telephoned. But I guess he'llbe here all right. He's very punctual. Did you see anything of mygiant Koku as you came in?"

"Yes, he and Eradicate were having an argument about who should move aheavy casting from one of the shops. Rad wanted to do it all alone, but Koku said he was like a baby now. "

"Poor Rad is getting old, " said Tom with a sigh. "But he has been veryfaithful. He and Koku never seem to get along well together. "

Koku was an immense man, a veritable giant, one of two whom Tom hadbrought back with him after an exciting trip to a strange land. Thegiant's strength was very useful to the young inventor. 

"Now Tom, about this business of leasing to the English Government theright to manufacture that new explosive of yours, " began Ned, plunginginto the business at hand. "I think if you stick out a little you canget a better royalty price. "

"But I don't want to gouge 'em, Ned. I'm satisfied with a fair profit. The trouble with you is you think too much of money. Now----"

At that moment a voice was heard in the hall of the house saying:

"Now, my dear lady, don't trouble yourself. I can find my way in toTom Swift perfectly well by myself, and while I appreciate yourcourtesy I do not want to trouble you. "

"No, don't come, Mrs. Baggert, " added another voice. "Bless my hatband, I think I know my way about the house by this time!"

"Mr. Damon!" ejaculated Ned. 

"And Professor Bumper is with him, " added Tom. "Come in!" he cried, opening the hall door, to confront a bald-headed man who stood peeringat our hero with bright snapping eyes, like those of some big birdspying out the land from afar. "Come in, Professor Bumper; and youtoo, Mr. Damon!"

CHAPTER III

BLESSINGS AND ENTHUSIASM

Greetings and inquiries as to health having been passed, not withoutnumerous blessings on the part of Mr. Damon, the little party gatheredin the library of the home of Tom Swift sat down and looked at oneanother. 

On Professor Bumper's face there was, plainly to be seen, a look ofexpectation, and it seemed to be shared by Mr. Damon, who seemed eagerto burst into enthusiastic talk. On the other hand Tom Swift appeareda bit indifferent. 

Ned himself admitted that he was frankly curious. The story of the bigidol of gold had occupied his thoughts for many hours. 

"Well, I'm glad to see you both, " said Tom again. "You got here allright, I see, Professor Bumper. But I didn't expect you to meet andbring Mr. Damon with you. "

"I met him on the train, " explained the author of the book on the lostcity of Pelone, as well as books on other antiquities. "I had noexpectation of seeing him, and we were both surprised when we met onthe express. "

"It stopped at Waterfield, Tom, " explained Mr. Damon, "which it doesn'tusually do, being an aristocratic sort of train, not given even tohesitating at our humble little town. There were some passengers toget off, which caused the flier to stop, I suppose. And, as I wantedto come over to see you, I got aboard. "

"Glad you did, " voiced Tom. 

"Then I happened to see Professor Bumper a few seats ahead of me, " wenton Mr. Damon, "and, bless my scarfpin! he was coming to see you also. "

"Well, I'm doubly glad, " answered Tom. 

"So here we are, " went on Mr. Damon, "and you've simply got to come, Tom Swift. You must go with us!" and Mr. Damon, in his enthusiasm, banged his fist down on the table with such force that he knocked somebooks to the floor. 

Koku, the giant, who was in the hall, opened the door and in hisimperfect English asked:

"Master Tom knock for him bigs man?"

"No, " answered Tom with a smile, "I didn't knock or call you, Koku. Some books fell, that is all. "

"Massa Tom done called fo' me, dat's what he done!" broke in thepetulant voice of Eradicate. 

"No, Rad, I don't need anything, " Tom said. "Though you might make apitcher of lemonade. It's rather warm. "

"Right away, Massa Tom! Right away!" cried the old colored man, eagerto be of service. 

"Me help, too!" rumbled Koku, in his deep voice. "Me punch de lemons!"and away he hurried after Eradicate, fearful lest the old servant doall the honors. 

"Same old Rad and Koku, " observed Mr. Damon with a smile. "But now, Tom, while they're making the lemonade, let's get down to business. You're going with us, of course!"

"Where?" asked Tom, more from habit than because he did not know. 

"Where? Why to Honduras, of course! After the idol of gold! Why, blessmy fountain pen, it's the most wonderful story I ever heard of! You'veread Professor Bumper's article, of course. He told me you had. Iread it on the train coming over. He also told me about it, and----Well, I'm going with him, Tom Swift. 

"And think of all the adventures that may befall us! We'll get lost inburied cities, ride down raging torrents on a raft, fall over a cliffmaybe and be rescued. Why, it makes me feel quite young again!" andMr. Damon arose, to pace excitedly up and down the room. 

Up to this time Professor Bumper had said very little. He had satstill in his chair listening to Mr. Damon. But now that the latter hadceased, at least for a time, Tom and Ned looked toward the scientist. 

"I understand, Tom, " he said, "that you read my article in themagazine, about the possibility of locating some of the lost and buriedcities of Honduras?"

"Yes, Ned and I each read it. It was quite wonderful. "

"And yet there are more wonders to tell, " went on the professor. "Idid not give all the details in that article. I will tell you some ofthem. I have brought copies of the documents with me, " and he opened asmall valise and took out several bundles tied with pink tape. 

"As Mr. Damon said, " he went on while arranging his papers, "he met meon the train, and he was so taken by the story of the idol of gold thathe agreed to accompany me to Central America. "

"On one condition!" put in the eccentric man. 

"What's that? You didn't make any conditions while we were talking, "said the scientist. 

"Yes, I said I'd go if Tom Swift did. "

"Oh, yes. You did say that. But I don't call that a condition, for ofcourse Tom Swift will go. Now let me tell you something more than Icould impart over the telephone. 

"Soon after I called you up, Tom--and it was quite a coincidence thatit should have been at a time when you had just finished my magazinearticle. Soon after that, as I was saying, I arranged to come on toShopton. And now I'm glad we're all here together. 

"But how comes it, Ned Newton, that you are not in the bank?"

"I've left there, " explained Ned. 

"He's now general financial man for the Swift Company, " Tom explained. "My father and I found that we could not look after the inventing andexperimental end, and money matters, too, and as Ned had hadconsiderable experience this way we made him take over those worries, "and Tom laughed genially. 

"No worries at all, as far as the Swift Company is concerned, " returnedNed. 

"Well, I guess you earn your salary, " laughed Tom. "But now, ProfessorBumper, let's hear from you. Is there anything more about this idol ofgold that you can tell us?"

"Plenty, Tom, plenty. I could talk all day, and not get to the end ofthe story. But a lot of it would be scientific detail that might betoo dry for you in spite of this excellent lemonade. "

Between them Koku and Eradicate had managed to make a pitcher of thebeverage, though Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, told Tom afterward thatthe two had a quarrel in the kitchen as to who should squeeze thelemons, the giant insisting that he had the better right to "punch"them. 

"So, not to go into too many details, " went on the professor, "I'lljust give you a brief outline of this story of the idol of gold. 

"Honduras, as you of course know, is a republic of Central America, andit gets its name from something that happened on the fourth voyage ofColumbus. He and his men had had days of weary sailing and had soughtin vain for shallow water in which they might come to an anchorage. Finally they reached the point now known as Cape Gracias-a-Dios, andwhen they let the anchor go, and found that in a short time it came torest on the floor of the ocean, some one of the sailors--perhapsColumbus himself--is said to have remarked:

"'Thank the Lord, we have left the deep waters (honduras)' that beingthe Spanish word for unfathomable depths. So Honduras it was called, and has been to this day. 

"It is a queer land with many traces of an ancient civilization, acivilization which I believe dates back farther than some in the farEast. On the sculptured stones in the Copan valley there arecharacters which seem to resemble very ancient writing, but thispictographic writing is largely untranslatable. 

"Honduras, I might add, is about the size of our state of Ohio. It israther an elevated tableland, though there are stretches of tropicalforest, but it is not so tropical a country as many suppose it to be. There is much gold scattered throughout Honduras, though of late it hasnot been found in large quantities. 

"In the old days, however, before the Spaniards came, it was plentiful, so much, so that the natives made idols of it. And it is one of thelargest of these idols--by name Quitzel--that I am going to seek. "

"Do you know where it is?" asked Ned. 

"Well, it isn't locked up in a safe deposit box, of that I'm sure, "laughed the professor. "No, I don't know exactly where it is, exceptthat it is somewhere in an ancient and buried city known as Kurzon. IfI knew exactly where it was there wouldn't be much fun in going afterit. And if it was known to others it would have been taken away longago. 

"No, we've got to hunt for the idol of gold in this land of wonderswhere I hope soon to be. Later on I'll show you the documents that putme on the track of this idol. Enough now to show you an old map Ifound, or, rather, a copy of it, and some of the papers that tell ofthe idol, " and he spread out his packet of papers on the table in frontof him, his eyes shining with excitement and pleasure. Mr. Damon, too, leaned eagerly forward. 

"So, Tom Swift, " went on the professor, "I come to you for help in thismatter. I want you to aid me in organizing an expedition to go toHonduras after the idol of gold. Will you?"

"I'll help you, of course, " said Tom. "You may use any of myinventions you choose--my airships, my motor boats and submarines, evenmy giant cannon if you think you can take it with you. And as for themoney part, Ned will arrange that for you. But as for going with youmyself, it is out of the question. I can't. No Honduras for me!"

CHAPTER IV

FENIMORE BEECHER

Had Tom Swift's giant cannon been discharged somewhere in the vicinityof his home it could have caused but little more astonishment to Mr. Damon and Professor Bumper than did the simple announcement of theyoung inventor. The professor seemed to shrink back in his chair, collapsing like an automobile tire when the air is let out. As for Mr. Damon he jumped up and cried:

"Bless my----!"

But that is as far as he got--at least just then. He did not seem toknow what to bless, but he looked as though he would have liked toinclude most of the universe. 

"Surely you don't mean it, Tom Swift, " gasped Professor Bumper atlength. "Won't you come with us?"

"No, " said Tom, slowly. "Really I can't go. I'm working on aninvention of a new aeroplane stabilizer, and if I go now it will bejust at a time when I am within striking distance of success. And thestabilizer is very much needed. "

"If it's a question of making a profit on it, Tom, " began Mr. Damon, "Ican let you have some money until----"

"Oh, no! It isn't the money!" cried Tom. "Don't think that for amoment. You see the European war has called for the use of a largenumber of aeroplanes, and as the pilots of them frequently have tofight, and so can not give their whole attention to the machines, someform of automatic stabilizer is needed to prevent them turning turtle, or going off at a wrong tangent. 

"So I have been working out a sort of modified gyroscope, and it seemsto answer the purpose. I have already received advance orders for anumber of my devices from abroad, and as they are destined to savelives I feel that I ought to keep on with my work. 

"I'd like to go, don't misunderstand me, but I can't go at this time. It is out of the question. If you wait a year, or maybe six months----"

"No, it is impossible to wait, Tom, " declared Professor Bumper. 

"Is it so important then to hurry?" asked Mr. Damon. "You did notmention that to me, Professor Bumper. "

"No, I did not have time. There are so many ends to my concerns. But, Tom Swift, you simply must go!"

"I can't, my dear professor, much as I should like to. "

"But, Tom, think of it!" cried Mr. Damon, who was as much excited aswas the little bald-headed scientist. "You never saw such an idol ofgold as this. What's its name?" and he looked questioningly at theprofessor. 

"Quitzel the idol is called, " supplied Professor Bumper. "And it issupposed to be in a buried city named Kurzon, somewhere in the Sierrade Merendon range of mountains, in the vicinity of the Copan valley. Copan is a city, or maybe we'll find it only a town when we get there, and it is not far from the borders of Guatemala. 

"Tom, if I could show you the translations I have made of the ancientdocuments, referring to this idol and the wonderful city over which itkept guard, I'm sure you'd come with us. "

"Please don't tempt me, " Tom said with a laugh. "I'm only too anxiousto go, and if it wasn't for the stabilizer I'd be with you in a minute. But---- Well, you'll have to get along without me. Maybe I can joinyou later. "

"What's this about the idol keeping guard over the ancient city?" askedNed, for he was interested in strange stories. 

"It seems, " explained the professor, "that in the early days there wasa strange race of people, inhabiting Central America, with a somewhathigh civilization, only traces of which remained when the Spaniardscame. 

"But these traces, and such hieroglyphics, or, to be more exactpictographs, as I have been able to decipher from the old documents, tell of one country, or perhaps it was only a city, over which thisgreat golden idol of Quitzel presided. 

"There is in some of these papers a description of the idol, which isnot exactly a beauty, judged from modern standards. But the main factis that it is made of solid gold, and may weigh anywhere from one totwo tons. "

"Two tons of gold!" cried New Newton. "Why, if that's the case itwould be worth----" and he fell to doing a sum in mental arithmetic. 

"I am not so concerned about the monetary value of the statue as I amabout its antiquity, " went on Professor Bumper. "There are otherstatues in this buried city of Kurzon, and though they may not be sovaluable they will give me a wealth of material for my research work. "

"How do you know there are other statues?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"Because my documents tell me so. It was because the people made otheridols, in opposition, as it were, to Quitzel, that their city orcountry was destroyed. At least that is the legend. Quitzel, so thestory goes, wanted to be the chief god, and when the image of a rivalwas set up in the temple near him, he toppled over in anger, and partof the temple went with him, the whole place being buried in ruins. All the inhabitants were killed, and trace of the ancient city was lostforever. No, I hope not forever, for I expect to find it. "

"If all the people were killed, and the city buried, how did the storyof Quitzel become known?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"One only of the priests in the temple of Quitzel escaped and set downpart of the tale, " said the professor. "It is his narrative, or onebased on it, that I have given you. "

"And now, what I want to do, is to go and make a search for this buriedcity. I have fairly good directions as to how it may be reached. Wewill have little difficulty in getting to Honduras, as there are fruitsteamers frequently sailing. Of course going into the interior--to theCopan valley--is going to be harder. But an expedition from a largecollege was recently there and succeeded, after much labor, inexcavating part of a buried city. Whether or not it was Kurzon I amunable to say. 

"But if there was one ancient city there must be more. So I want tomake an attempt. And I counted on you, Tom. You have had considerableexperience in strange quarters of the earth, and you're just the one tohelp me. I don't need money, for I have interested a certainmillionaire, and my own college will put up part of the funds. "

"Oh, it isn't a question of money, " said Tom. "It's time. "

"That's just what it is with me!" exclaimed Professor Bumper. "Ihaven't any time to lose. My rivals may, even now, be on their way toHonduras!"

"Your rivals!" cried Tom. "You didn't say anything about them!"

"No, I believe I didn't There were so many other things to talk about. But there is a rival archaeologist who would ask nothing better than toget ahead of me in this matter. He is younger than I am, and youth isa big asset nowadays. "

"Pooh! You're not old!" cried Mr. Damon. "You're no older than I am, and I'm still young. I'm a lot younger than some of these boys who areafraid to tackle a trip through a tropical wilderness, " and heplayfully nudged Tom in the ribs. 

"I'm not a bit afraid!" retorted the young inventor. 

"No, I know you're not, " laughed Mr. Damon. "But I've got to saysomething, Tom, to stir you up. Ned, how about you? Would you go?"

"I can't, unless Tom does. You see I'm his financial man now. "

"There you are, Tom Swift!" cried Mr. Damon. "You see you are holdingback a number of persons just because you don't want to go. "

"I certainly wouldn't like to go without Tom, " said the professorslowly. "I really need his help. You know, Tom, we would never havefound the city of Pelone if it had not been for you and your marvelouspowder. The conditions in the Copan valley are likely to be still moredifficult to overcome, and I feel that I risk failure without youryoung energy and your inventive mind to aid in the work and to suggestpossible means of attaining our object. Come, Tom, reconsider, anddecide to make the trip. "

"And my promise to go was dependent on Tom's agreement to accompanyus, " said Mr. Damon. 

"Come on!" urged the professor, much as one boy might urge another totake part in a ball game. "Don't let my rival get ahead of me. "

"I wouldn't like to see that, " Tom said slowly. "Who is he--any one Iknow?"

"I don't believe so, Tom. He's connected with a large, new collegethat has plenty of money to spend on explorations and research work. Beecher is his name--Fenimore Beecher. "

"Beecher!" exclaimed Tom, and there was such a change in his mannerthat his friends could not help noticing it. He jumped to his feet, his eyes snapping, and he looked eagerly and anxiously at ProfessorBumper. 

"Did you say his name was Fenimore Beecher?" Tom asked in a tense voice. 

"That's what it is--Professor Fenimore Beecher. He is really a learnedyoung man, and thoroughly in earnest, though I do not like his manner. But he is trying to get ahead of me, which may account for my feeling. "

Tom Swift did not answer. Instead he hurried from the room with amurmured apology. 

"I'll be back in about five minutes, " he said, as he went out. 

"Well, what's up now?" asked Mr. Damon of Ned, as the young inventordeparted. "What set him off that way?"

"The mention of Beecher's name, evidently. Though I never heard himmention such a person before. "

"Nor did I ever hear Professor Beecher speak of Tom, " said thebald-headed scientist. "Well, we'll just have to wait until----"

At that moment Tom came back into the room. 

"Gentlemen, " he said, "I have reconsidered my refusal to go to theCopan valley after the idol of gold. I'm going with you!"

"Good!" cried Professor Bumper. 

"Fine!" ejaculated Mr. Damon. "Bless my time-table! I thought you'dcome around, Tom Swift. "

"But what about your stabilizer?" asked Ned. 

"I was just talking to my father about it, " the young inventor replied. "He will be able to put the finishing touches on it. So I'll leave itwith him. As soon as I can get ready I'll go, since you say haste isnecessary, Professor Bumper. "

"It is, if we are to get ahead of Beecher. "

"Then we'll get ahead of him!" cried Tom. "I'm with you now from thestart to the finish. I'll show him what I can do!" he added, while Nedand the others wondered at the sudden change in their friend's manner. 

CHAPTER V

THE LITTLE GREEN GOD

"Tom how soon can we go?" asked Professor Bumper, as he began arranginghis papers, maps and documents ready to place them back in the valise. 

"Within a week, if you want to start that soon. "

"The sooner the better. A week will suit me. I don't know just whatBeecher's plans are, but, he may try to get on the ground first. Though, without boasting, I may say that he has not had as muchexperience as I have had, thanks to you, Tom, when you helped me findthe lost city of Pelone. "

"Well, I hope we'll be as successful this time, " murmured Tom. "Idon't want to see Beecher beat you. "

"I didn't know you knew him, Tom, " said the professor. 

"Oh, yes, I have met him, once, " and there was something in Tom'smanner, though he tried to speak indifferently, that made Ned believethere was more behind his chum's sudden change of determination thanhad yet appeared. 

"He never mentioned you, " went on Professor Bumper; "yet the last timeI saw him I said I was coming to see you, though I did not tell himwhy. "

"No, he wouldn't be likely to speak of me, " said Tom significantly. 

"Well, if that's all settled, I guess I'll go back home and pack up, "said Mr. Damon, making a move to depart. 

"There's no special rush, " Tom said. "We won't leave for a week. Ican't get ready in much less time than that. "

"Bless my socks! I know that, " ejaculated Mr. Damon. "But if I get mythings packed I can go to a hotel to stay while my wife is away. Shemight take a notion to come home unexpectedly, and, though she is adear, good soul, she doesn't altogether approve of my going off onthese wild trips with you, Tom Swift. But if I get all packed, andclear out, she can't find me and she can't hold me back. She isvisiting her mother now. I can send her a wire from Kurzon after I getthere. "

"I don't believe the telegraph there is working, " laughed ProfessorBumper. "But suit yourself. I must go back to New York to arrange forthe goods we'll have to take with us. In a week, Tom, we'll start. "

"You must stay to dinner, " Tom said. "You can't get a train nowanyhow, and father wants to meet you again. He's pretty well, considering his age. And he's much better I verily believe since Isaid I'd turn over to him the task of finishing the stabilizer. Helikes to work. "

"We'll stay and take the night train back, " agreed Mr. Damon. "It willbe like old times, Tom, " he went on, "traveling off together into thewilds. Central America is pretty wild, isn't it?" he asked, as if infear of being disappointed! on that score. 

"Oh, it's wild enough to suit any one, " answered Professor Bumper. 

"Well, now to settle a few details, " observed Tom. "Ned, what is thesituation as regards the financial affairs of my father and myself?Nothing will come to grief if we go away, will there?"

"I guess not, Tom. But are you going to take your father with you?"

"No, of course not. "

"But you spoke of 'we. '"

"I meant you and I are going. "

"Me, Tom?"

"Sure, you! I wouldn't think of leaving you behind. You want Nedalong, don't you, Professor?"

"Of course. It will be an ideal party--we four. We'll have to takenatives when we get to Honduras, and make up a mule pack-train for theinterior. I had some thoughts of asking you to take an airship along, but it might frighten the Indians, and I shall have to depend on themfor guides, as well as for porters. So it will be an old-fashionedexpedition, in a way. "

Mr. Swift came in at this point to meet his old friends. 

"The boy needs a little excitement, " he said. "He's been putteringover that stabilizer invention too long. I can finish the model forhim in a very short time. "

Professor Bumper told Mr. Swift something about the proposed trip, while Mr. Damon went out with Tom and Ned to one of the shops to lookat a new model aeroplane the young inventor had designed. 

There was a merry party around the table at dinner, though now and thenNed noticed that Tom had an abstracted and preoccupied air. 

"Thinking about the idol of gold?" asked Ned in a whisper to his chum, when they were about to leave the table. 

"The idol of gold? Oh, yes! Of course! It will be great if we canbring that back with us. " But the manner in which he said this made Nedfeel sure that Tom had had other thoughts, and that he had used alittle subterfuge in his answer. 

Ned was right, as he proved for himself a little later, when, Mr. Damonand the professor having gone home, the young financial secretary tookhis friend to a quiet corner and asked:

"What's the matter, Tom?"

"Matter? What do you mean?"

"I mean what made you make up your mind so quickly to go on thisexpedition when you heard Beecher was going?"

"Oh--er--well, you wouldn't want to see our old friend Professor Bumperleft, would you, after he had worked out the secret of the idol ofgold? You wouldn't want some young whipper-snapper to beat him in therace, would you, Ned?"

"No, of course not. "

"Neither would I. That's why I changed my mind. This Beecher isn'tgoing to get that idol if I can stop him!"

"You seem rather bitter against him. "

"Bitter? Oh, not at all. I simply don't want to see my friendsdisappointed. "

"Then Beecher isn't a friend of yours?"

"Oh, I've met him, that is all, " and Tom tried to speak indifferently. 

"Humph!" mused Ned, "there's more here than I dreamed of. I'm going toget at the bottom of it. "

But though Ned tried to pump Tom, he was not successful. The younginventor admitted knowing the youthful scientist, but that was all, Tomreiterating his determination not to let Professor Bumper be beaten inthe race for the idol of gold. 

"Let me see, " mused Ned, as he went home that evening. "Tom did notchange his mind until he heard Beecher's name mentioned. Now thisshows that Beecher had something to do with it. The only reason Tomdoesn't want Beecher to get this idol or find the buried city isbecause Professor Bumper is after it. And yet the professor is not anold or close friend of Tom's. They met only when Tom went to dig hisbig tunnel. There must be some other reason. "

Ned did some more thinking. Then he clapped his hands together, and asmile spread over his face. 

"I believe I have it!" he cried. "The little green god as compared tothe idol of gold! That's it. I'm going to make a call on my way home. "

This he did, stopping at the home of Mary Nestor, a pretty girl, who, rumor had it, was tacitly engaged to Tom. Mary was not at home, butMr. Nestor was, and for Ned's purpose this answered. 

"Well, well, glad to see you!" exclaimed Mary's father. "Isn't Tomwith you?" he asked a moment later, seeing that Ned was alone. 

"No, Tom isn't with me this evening, " Ned answered. "The fact is, he'sgetting ready to go off on another expedition, and I'm going with him. "

"You young men are always going somewhere, " remarked Mrs. Nestor. "Where is it to this time?"

"Some place in Central America, " Ned answered, not wishing to be tooparticular. He was wondering how he could find out what he wanted toknow, when Mary's mother unexpectedly gave him just the information hewas after. 

"Central America!" she exclaimed. "Why, Father, " and she looked at herhusband, "that's where Professor Beecher is going, isn't it?"

"Yes, I believe he did mention something about that. "

"Professor Beecher, the man who is an authority on Aztec ruins?" askedNed, taking a shot in the dark. 

"Yes, " said Mr. Nestor. "And a mighty fine young man he is, too. Iknew his father well. He was here on a visit not long ago, youngBeecher was, and he talked most entertainingly about his discoveries. You remember how interested Mary was, Mother?"

"Yes, she seemed to be, " said Mrs. Nestor. "Tom Swift dropped induring the course of the evening, " she added to Ned, "and Maryintroduced him to Professor Beecher. But I can't say that Tom was muchinterested in the professor's talk. "

"No?" questioned Ned. 

"No, not at all. But Tom did not stay long. He left just as Mary andthe professor were drawing a map so the professor could indicate wherehe had once made a big discovery. "

"I see, " murmured Ned. "Well, I suppose Tom must have been thinking ofsomething else at the time. "

"Very likely, " agreed Mr. Nestor. "But Tom missed a very profitabletalk. I was very much interested myself in what the professor told us, and so was Mary. She invited Mr. Beecher to come again. He takesafter his father in being very thorough in what he does. 

"Sometimes I think, " went on Mr. Nestor, "that Tom isn't quite steadyenough. He's thinking of so many things, perhaps, that he can't gethis mind down to the commonplace. I remember he once sent somethinghere in a box labeled 'dynamite. ' Though there was no explosive in it, it gave us a great fright. But Tom is a boy, in spite of his years. Professor Beecher seems much older. We all like him very much. "

"That's nice, " said Ned, as he took his departure. He had found outwhat he had come to learn. 

"I knew it!" Ned exclaimed as he walked home. "I knew something was inthe wind. The little green god of jealousy has Tom in his clutches. That's why my inventive friend was so anxious to go on this expeditionwhen he learned Beecher was to go. He wants to beat him. I guess theprofessor has plainly shown that he wouldn't like anything better thanto cut Tom out with Mary. Whew! that's something to think about!"

CHAPTER VI

UNPLEASANT NEWS

Ned Newton decided to keep to himself what he had heard at the Nestorhome. Not for the world would he let Tom Swift know of the situation. 

"That is, I won't let him know that I know, " said Ned to himself, "though he is probably as well aware of the situation as I am. But itsure is queer that this Professor Beecher should have taken such afancy to Mary, and that her father should regard him so well. That isnatural, I suppose. But I wonder how Mary herself feels about it. That is the part Tom would be most interested in. 

"No wonder Tom wants to get ahead of this young college chap, whoprobably thinks he's the whole show. If he can find the buried city, and get the idol of gold, it would be a big feather in his cap. 

"He'd have no end of honors heaped on him, and I suppose his hatwouldn't come within three sizes of fitting him. Then he'd stand inbetter than ever with Mr. Nestor. And, maybe, with Mary, too, though Ithink she is loyal to Tom. But one never can tell. 

"However, I'm glad I know about it. I'll do all I can to help Tom, without letting him know that I know. And if I can do anything to helpin finding that idol of gold for Professor Bumper, and, incidentally, Tom, I'll do it, " and he spoke aloud in his enthusiasm. 

Ned, who was walking along in the darkness, clapped his open hand downon Tom's magazine he was carrying home to read again, and the resultantnoise was a sharp crack. As it sounded a figure jumped from behind atree and called tensely:

"Hold on there!"

Ned stopped short, thinking he was to be the victim of a holdup, buthis fears were allayed when he beheld one of the police force ofShopton confronting him. 

"I heard what you said about gettin' the gold, " went on the officer. "I was walkin' along and I heard you talkin'. Where's your pal?"

"I haven't any, Mr. Newbold, " answered Ned with a laugh, as herecognized the man. 

"Oh, pshaw! It's Ned Newton!" exclaimed the disappointed officer. "Ithought you was talkin' to a confederate about gold, and figured maybeyou was goin' to rob the bank. "

"No, nothing like that, " answered Ned, still much amused. "I wastalking to myself about a trip Tom Swift and I are going to takeand----"

"Oh, that's all right, " responded the policeman. "I can understand it, if it had anything to do with Tom. He's a great boy. "

"Indeed he is, " agreed Ned, making a mental resolve not to be so publicwith his thoughts in the future. He chatted for a moment with theofficer, and then, bidding him good-night, walked on to his home, hismind in a whirl with conglomerate visions of buried cities, greatgrinning idols of gold, and rival professors seeking to be first at thegoal. 

The next few days were busy ones for Tom, Ned and, in fact, the wholeSwift household. Tom and his father had several consultations andconducted several experiments in regard to the new stabilizer, thecompletion of which was so earnestly desired. Mr. Swift was sure hecould carry the invention to a successful conclusion. 

Ned was engaged in putting the financial affairs of the Swift Companyin shape, so they would practically run themselves during his absence. Then, too, there was the packing of their baggage which must be seen to. 

Of course, the main details of the trip were left to Professor Bumper, who knew just what to do. He had told Tom and Ned that all they andMr. Damon would have to do would be to meet him at the pier in NewYork, where they would find all arrangements made. 

One day, near the end of the week (the beginning of the next being setfor the start) Eradicate came shuffling into the room where Tom wassorting out the possessions he desired to take with him, Ned assistinghim in the task. 

"Well, Rad, what is it?" asked Tom, with businesslike energy. 

"I done heah, Massa Tom, dat yo' all's gwine off on a long trip oncemo'. Am dat so?"

"Yes, that's so, Rad. "

"Well, den, I'se come to ast yo' whut I'd bettah take wif me. Shall Itook warm clothes or cool clothes?"

"Well, if you were going, Rad, " answered Tom with a smile, "you'd needcool clothes, for we're going to a sort of jungle-land. But I'm sorryto say you're not going this trip. "

"I---- I ain't gwine? Does yo' mean dat yo' all ain't gwine to takeme, Massa Tom?"

"That's it, Rad. It isn't any trip for you. "

"In certain not!" broke in the voice of Koku, the giant, who enteredwith a big trunk Tom had sent him for. "Master want strong man like abull. He take Koku!"

"Look heah!" spluttered Eradicate, and his eyes flashed. "Yo'--yo'giant yo'--yo' may be strong laik a bull, but ya' ain't got as muchsense as mah mule, Boomerang! Massa Tom don't want no sich pusson wifhim. He's gwine to take me. "

"He take me!" cried Koku, and his voice was a roar while he beat on hismighty chest with his huge fists. 

Tom, seeing that the dispute was likely to be bothersome, winked at Nedand began to speak. 

"I don't believe you'd like it there, Rad--not where we're going. It'sa bad country. Why the mosquitoes there bite holes in you--raise bumpson you as big as eggs. "

"Oh, good land!" ejaculated the old colored man. "Am dat so Massa Tom?"

"It sure is. Then there's another kind of bug that burrows under yourfingernails, and if you don't get 'em out, your fingers drop off. "

"Oh, good land, Massa Tom! Am dat a fact?"

"It sure is. I don't want to see those things happen to you, Rad. "

Slowly the old colored man shook his head. 

"I don't mahse'f, " he said. "I---- I guess I won't go. "

Eradicate did not stop to ask how Tom and Ned proposed to combat thesetwo species of insects. 

But there remained Koku to dispose of, and he stood smiling broadly asEradicate shuffled of. 

"Me no 'fraid bugs, " said the giant. 

"No, " said Tom, with a look at Ned, for he did not want to take the bigman on the trip for various reasons. "No, maybe not, Koku. Your skinis pretty tough. But I understand there are deep pools of water in theland where we are going, and in them lives a fish that has a hide likean alligator and a jaw like a shark. If you fall in it's all up withyou. "

"Dat true, Master Tom?" and Koku's voice trembled. 

"Well, I've never seen such a fish, I'm sure, but the natives tellabout it. "

Koku seemed to be considering the matter. Strange as it may seem, thegiant, though afraid of nothing human and brave when it came to ahand-to-claw argument with a wild animal, had a very great fear of thewater and the unseen life within it. Even a little fresh-water crab ina brook was enough to send him shrieking to shore. So when Tom told ofthis curious fish, which many natives of Central America firmly believein, the giant took thought with himself. Finally, he gave a sigh andsaid:

"Me stay home and keep bad mans out of master's shop. "

"Yes, I guess that's the best thing for you, " assented Tom with an airof relief. He and Ned had talked the matter over, and they had agreedthat the presence of such a big man as Koku, in an expedition going ona more or less secret mission, would attract too much attention. 

"Well, I guess that clears matters up, " said Tom, as he looked over acollection of rifles and small arms, to decide which to take. "Wewon't have them to worry about. "

"No, only Professor Beecher, " remarked Ned, with a sharp look at hischum. 

"Oh, we'll dispose of him all right!" asserted Tom boldly. "He hasn'thad any experience in business of this sort, and with that you andProfessor Bumper and Mr. Damon know we ought to have little trouble ingetting ahead of the young man. "

"Not to speak of your own aid, " added Ned. 

"Oh, I'll do what I can, of course, " said Tom, with an air ofindifference. But Ned knew his chum would work ceaselessly to help getthe idol of gold. 

Tom gave no sign that there was any complication in his affair withMary Nestor, and of course Ned did not tell anything of what he knewabout it. 

That night saw the preparations of Ned and Tom about completed. Therewere one or two matters yet to finish on Tom's part in relation to hisbusiness, but these offered no difficulties. 

The two chums were in the Swift home, talking over the prospectivetrip, when Mrs. Baggert, answering a ring at the front door, announcedthat Mr. Damon was outside. 

"Tell him to come in, " ordered Tom. 

"Bless my baggage check!" exclaimed the excitable man, as he shookhands with Tom and Ned and noted the packing evidences all about. "You're ready to go to the land of wonders. "

"The land of wonders?" repeated Ned. 

"Yes, that's what Professor Bumper calls the part of Honduras we'regoing to. And it must be wonderful, Tom. Think of whole cities, someof them containing idols and temples of gold, buried thirty and fortyfeet under the surface! Wonderful is hardly the name for it!"

"It'll be great!" cried Ned. "I suppose you're ready, Mr. Damon--youand the professor?"

"Yes. But, Tom, I have a bit of unpleasant news for you. "

"Unpleasant news?"

"Yes. You know Professor Bumper spoke of a rival--a man named Beecherwho is a member of the faculty of a new and wealthy college. "

"I heard him speak of him--yes, " and the way Tom said it no one wouldhave suspected that he had any personal interest in the matter. 

"He isn't going to give his secret away, " thought Ned. 

"Well, this Professor Beecher, you know, " went on Mr. Damon, "alsoknows about the idol of gold, and is trying to get ahead of ProfessorBumper in the search. "

"He did say something of it, but nothing was certain, " remarked Tom. 

"But it is certain!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Bless my toothpick, it'saltogether too certain!"

"How is that?" asked Tom. "Is Beecher certainly going to Honduras?"

"Yes, of course. But what is worse, he and his party will leave NewYork on the same steamer with us!"

CHAPTER VII

TOM HEARS SOMETHING

On hearing Mr. Damon's rather startling announcement, Tom and Nedlooked at one another. There seemed to be something back of the simplestatement--an ominous and portending "something. "

"On the same steamer with us, is he?" mused Tom. 

"How did you learn this?" asked Ned. 

"Just got a wire from Professor Bumper telling me. He asked me totelephone to you about it, as he was too busy to call up on the longdistance from New York. But instead of 'phoning I decided to come overmyself. "

"Glad you did, " said Tom, heartily. "Did Professor Bumper want us todo anything special, now that it is certain his rival will be so closeon his trail?"

"Yes, he asked me to warn you to be careful what you did and said inreference to the expedition. "

"Then does he fear something?" asked Ned. 

"Yes, in a way. I think he is very much afraid this young Beecher willnot only be first on the site of the underground city, but that he maybe the first to discover the idol of gold. It would be a great thingfor a young archaeologist like Beecher to accomplish a mission of thissort, and beat Professor Bumper in the race. "

"Do you think that's why Beecher decided to go on the same steamer weare to take?" asked Ned. 

"Yes, I do, " said Mr. Damon. "Though from what Professor Bumper said Iknow he regards Professor Beecher as a perfectly honorable man, as wellas a brilliant student. I do not believe Beecher or his party wouldstoop to anything dishonorable or underhand, though they would nothesitate, nor would we, to take advantage of every fair chance to winin the race. "

"No, I suppose that's right, " observed Tom; but there was a queer gleamin his eye, and his chum wondered if Tom did not have in mind theprospective race between himself and Fenimore Beecher for the regard ofMary Nestor. "We'll do our best to win, and any one is at liberty totravel on the same steamer we are to take, " added the young inventor, and his tone became more incisive. 

"It will be all the livelier with two expeditions after the same goldenidol, " remarked Ned. 

"Yes, I think we're in for some excitement, " observed Tom grimly. Buteven he did not realize all that lay before them ere they would reachKurzon. 

Mr. Damon, having delivered his message, and remarking that hispreparations for leaving were nearly completed, went back toWaterfield, from there to proceed to New York in a few days with Tomand Ned, to meet Professor Bumper. 

"Well, I guess we have everything in pretty good shape, " remarked Tomto his chum a day or so after the visit of Mr. Damon. "Everything ispacked, and as I have a few personal matters to attend to I think I'lltake the afternoon off. "

"Go to it!" laughed Ned, guessing a thing of two. "I've got a raft ofstuff myself to look after, but don't let that keep you. "

"If there is anything I can do, " began Tom, "don't hesitate to----"

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Ned. "I can do it all alone. It's some of thecompany's business, anyhow, and I'm paid for looking after that. "

"All right, then I'll cut along, " Tom said, and he wore a relieved air. 

"He's going to see Mary, " observed Ned with a grin, as he observed Tomhop into his trim little roadster, which under his orders, Koku hadpolished and cleaned until it looked as though it had just come fromthe factory. 

A little later the trim and speedy car drew up in front of the Nestorhome, and Tom bounded up on the front porch, his heart not altogetheras light as his feet. 

"No, I'm sorry, but Mary isn't in, " said Mrs. Nestor, answering hisinquiry after greeting him. 

"Not at home?"

"No, she went on a little visit to her cousin's at Fayetteville. Shesaid something about letting you know she was going. "

"She did drop me a card, " answered Tom, and, somehow he did not feel atall cheerful. "But I thought it wasn't until next week she was going. "

"That was her plan, Tom. But she changed it. Her cousin wired, askingher to advance the date, and this Mary did. There was something abouta former school chum who was also to be at Myra's house--Myra is Mary'scousin you know. "

"Yes, I know, " assented the young inventor. "And so Mary is gone. Howlong is she going to stay?"

"Oh, about two weeks. She wasn't quite certain. It depends on thekind of a time she has, I suppose. "

"Yes, I suppose so, " agreed Tom. "Well, if you write before I do youmight say I called, Mrs. Nestor. "

"I will, Tom. And I know Mary will be sorry she wasn't here to take aride with you; it's such a nice day, " and the lady smiled as she lookedat the speedy roadster. 

"Maybe--maybe you'd like to come for a spin?" asked Tom, halfdesperately. 

"No, thank you. I'm too old to be jounced around in one of those smallcars. "

"Nonsense! She rides as easily as a Pullman sleeper. "

"Well, I have to go to a Red Cross meeting, anyhow, so I can't come, Tom. Thank you, just the same. "

Tom did not drive back immediately to his home. He wanted to do a bitof thinking, and he believed he could do it best by himself. So it waslate afternoon when he again greeted Ned, who, meanwhile, had been keptvery busy. 

"Well?" called Tom's chum. 

"Um!" was the only answer, and Tom called Koku to put the car away inthe garage. 

"Something wrong, " mused Ned. 

The next three days were crowded with events and with work. Mr. Damoncame over frequently to consult with Tom and Ned, and finally the lastof their baggage had been packed, certain of Tom's inventions andimplements sent on by express to New York to be taken to Honduras, andthen our friends themselves followed to the metropolis. 

"Good-bye, Tom, " said his father. "Good-bye, and good luck! If youdon't get the idol of gold I'm sure you'll have experiences that willbe valuable to you. "

"We're going to get the idol of gold!" said Tom determinedly. 

"Look out for the bad bugs, " suggested Eradicate. 

"We will, " promised Ned. 

Tom's last act was to send a message to Mary Nestor, and then he, withNed and Mr. Damon, who blessed everything in sight from the gasoline inthe automobile to the blue sky overhead, started for the station. 

New York was reached without incident. The trio put up at the hotelwhere Professor Bumper was to meet them. 

"He hasn't arrived yet, " said Tom, after glancing over the names on thehotel register and not seeing Professor Bumper's among them. 

"Oh, he'll be here all right, " asserted Mr. Damon. "Bless my galvanicbattery! he sent me a telegram at one o'clock this morning saying he'dbe sure to meet us in New York. No fear of him not starting for theland of wonders. "

"There are some other professors registered, though, " observed Ned, ashe glanced at the book, noting the names of several scientists of whomhe and Tom had read. 

"Yes. I wonder what they're doing in New York, " replied Tom. "Theyare from New England. Maybe there's a convention going on. Well, we'll have to wait, that's all, until Professor Bumper comes. "

And during that wait Tom heard something that surprised him and causedhim no little worry. It was when Ned came back to his room, whichadjoined Tom's, that the young treasurer gave his chum the news. 

"I say, Tom!" Ned exclaimed. "Who do you think those professors are, whose names we saw on the register?"

"I haven't the least idea. "

"Why, they're of Beecher's party!"

"You don't mean it!"

"I surely do. "

"How do you know?"

"I happened to overhear two of them talking down in the lobby a whileago. They didn't make any secret of it. They spoke freely of goingwith Beecher to some ancient city in Honduras, to look for an idol ofgold. "

"They did? But where is Beecher?"

"He hasn't joined them yet. Their plans have been changed. Instead ofleaving on the same steamer we are to take in the morning they are tocome on a later one. The professors here are waiting for Beecher tocome. "

"Why isn't he here now?"

"Well, I heard one of the other scientists say that he had gone to aplace called Fayetteville, and will come on from there. "

"Fayetteville!" ejaculated Tom. "Yes. That isn't far from Shopton. "

"I know, " assented Tom. "I wonder--I wonder why he is going there?"

"I can tell you that, too. "

"You can? You're a regular detective. "

"No, I just happened to overhear it. Beecher is going to call on MaryNestor in Fayetteville, so his friends here said he told them, and hiscall has to do with an important matter--to him!" and Ned gazedcuriously at his chum. 

CHAPTER VIII

OFF FOR HONDURAS

Just what Tom's thoughts were, Ned, of course, could not guess. But bythe flush that showed under the tan of his chum's cheeks the youngfinancial secretary felt pretty certain that Tom was a bit apprehensiveof the outcome of Professor Beecher's call on Mary Nestor. 

"So he is going to see her about 'something important, ' Ned?"

"That's what some members of his party called it. "

"And they're waiting here for him to join them?"

"Yes. And it means waiting a week for another steamer. It must besomething pretty important, don't you think, to cause Beecher to riskthat delay in starting after the idol of gold?"

"Important? Yes, I suppose so, " assented Tom. "And yet even if hewaits for the next steamer he will get to Honduras nearly as soon as wedo. "

"How is that?"

"The next boat is a faster one. "

"Then why don't we take that? I hate dawdling along on a slowfreighter. "

"Well, for one thing it would hardly do to change now, when all ourgoods are on board. And besides, the captain of the _Relstab_, onwhich we are going to sail, is a friend of Professor Bumper's. "

"Well, I'm just as glad Beecher and his party aren't going with us, "resumed Ned, after a pause. "It might make trouble. "

"Oh, I'm ready for any trouble HE might make!" quickly exclaimed Tom. 

He meant trouble that might be developed in going to Honduras, andstarting the search for the lost city and the idol of gold. This kindof trouble Tom and his friends had experienced before, on other tripswhere rivals had sought to frustrate their ends. 

But, in his heart, though he said nothing to Ned about it, Tom wasworried. Much as he disliked to admit it to himself, he feared thevisit of Professor Beecher to Mary Nestor in Fayetteville had but onemeaning. 

"I wonder if he's going to propose to her, " thought Tom. "He has thefield all to himself now, and her father likes him. That's in hisfavor. I guess Mr. Nestor has never quite forgiven me for that mistakeabout the dynamite box, and that wasn't my fault. Then, too, theBeecher and Nestor families have been friends for years. Yes, hesurely has the inside edge on me, and if he gets her to throw meover---- Well, I won't give up without a fight!" and Tom mentallygirded himself for a battle of wits. 

"He's relying on the prestige he'll get out of this idol of gold if hisparty finds it, " thought on the young inventor. "But I'll help find itfirst. I'm glad to have a little start of him, anyhow, even if itisn't more than two days. Though if our vessel is held back much bystorms he may get on the ground first. However, that can't be helped. I'll do the best I can. "

These thoughts shot through Tom's mind even as Ned was asking hisquestions and making comments. Then the young inventor, shaking hisshoulders as though to rid them of some weight, remarked:

"Well, come on out and see the sights. It will be long before we lookon Broadway again. "

When the chums returned from their sightseeing excursion, they foundthat Professor Bumper had arrived. 

"Where's Professor Bumper?" asked Ned, the next day. 

"In his room, going over books, papers and maps to make sure he haseverything. "

"And Mr. Damon?"

Tom did not have to answer that last question. Into the apartment camebursting the excited individual himself. 

"Bless my overshoes!" he cried, "I've been looking everywhere for you!Come on, there's no time to lose!"

"What's the matter now?" asked Ned. "Is the hotel on fire?"

"Has anything happened to Professor Bumper?" Tom demanded, a wild ideaforming in his head that perhaps some one of the Beecher party hadtried to kidnap the discoverer of the lost city of Pelone. 

"Oh, everything is all right, " answered Mr. Damon. "But it's nearlytime for the show to start, and we don't want to be late. I havetickets. "

"For what?" asked Tom and Ned together. 

"The movies, " was the laughing reply. "Bless my loose ribs! but Iwouldn't miss him for anything. He's in a new play called 'Up in aBalloon Boys. ' It's great!" and Mr. Damon named a certain comic movingpicture star in whose horse-play Mr. Damon took a curious interest. Tom and Ned were glad enough to go, Tom that he might have a chance todo a certain amount of thinking, and Ned because he was still boyenough to like moving pictures. 

"I wonder, Tom, " said Mr. Damon, as they came out of the theater twohours later, all three chuckling at the remembrance of what they hadseen, "I wonder you never turned your inventive mind to the movies. "

"Maybe I will, some day, " said Tom. 

He spoke rather uncertainly. The truth of the matter was that he wasstill thinking deeply of the visit of Professor Beecher to Mary Nestor, and wondering what it portended. 

But if Tom's sleep was troubled that night he said nothing of it to hisfriends. He was up early the next morning, for they were to leave thatday, and there was still considerable to be done in seeing that theirbaggage and supplies were safely loaded, and in attending to the lastdetails of some business matters. 

While at the hotel they had several glimpses of the members of theBeecher party who were awaiting the arrival of the young professor whowas to lead them into the wilds of Honduras. But our friends did notseek the acquaintance of their rivals. The latter, likewise, remainedby themselves, though they knew doubtless that there was likely to be astrenuous race for the possession of the idol of gold, then, it waspresumed, buried deep in some forest-covered city. 

Professor Bumper had made his arrangements carefully. As he explainedto his friends, they would take the steamer from New York to PuertoCortes, one of the principal seaports of Honduras. This is a town ofabout three thousand inhabitants, with an excellent harbor and a bigpier along which vessels can tie up and discharge their cargoesdirectly into waiting cars. 

The preparations were finally completed. The party went aboard thesteamer, which was a large freight vessel, carrying a limited number ofpassengers, and late one afternoon swung down New York Bay. 

"Off for Honduras!" cried Ned gaily, as they passed the Statue ofLiberty. "I wonder what will happen before we see that little ladyagain. "

"Who knows?" asked Tom, shrugging his shoulders, Spanish fashion. Andthere came before him the vision of a certain "little lady, " about whomhe had been thinking deeply of late. 

CHAPTER IX

VAL JACINTO

"Rather tame, isn't it, Tom?"

"Well, Ned, it isn't exactly like going up in an airship, " and TomSwift who was gazing over the rail down into the deep blue water of theCaribbean Sea, over which their vessel was then steaming, looked at hischum beside him. 

"No, and your submarine voyage had it all over this one forexcitement, " went on Ned. "When I think of that----"

"Bless my sea legs!" interrupted Mr. Damon, overhearing theconversation. "Don't speak of THAT trip. My wife never forgave me forgoing on it. But I had a fine time, " he added with a twinkle of hiseyes. 

"Yes, that was quite a trip, " observed Tom, as his mind went back toit. "But this one isn't over yet remember. And I shouldn't besurprised if we had a little excitement very soon. "

"What do you mean?" asked Ned. 

Up to this time the voyage from New York down into the tropical seashad been anything but exciting. There were not many passengers besidesthemselves, and the weather had been fine. 

At first, used as they were to the actions of unscrupulous rivals intrying to thwart their efforts, Tom and Ned had been on the alert forany signs of hidden enemies on board the steamer. But aside from alittle curiosity when it became known that they were going to explorelittle-known portions of Honduras, the other passengers took hardly anyinterest in our travelers. 

It was thought best to keep secret the fact that they were going tosearch for a wonderful idol of gold. Not even the mule and ox-cartdrivers, whom they would hire to take them into the wilds of theinterior would be told of the real object of the search. It would begiven out that they were looking for interesting ruins of ancientcities, with a view to getting such antiquities as might be there. 

"What do you mean?" asked Ned again, when Tom did not answer himimmediately. "What's the excitement?"

"I think we're in for a storm, " was the reply. "The barometer isfalling and I see the crew going about making everything snug. So wemay have a little trouble toward this end of our trip. "

"Let it come!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "We're not afraid of trouble, Tom. Swift, are we?"

"No, to be sure we're not. And yet it looks as though the storm wouldbe a bad one. "

"Then I am going to see if my books and papers are ready, so I can getthem together in a hurry in case we have to take to the life-boats, "said Professor Bumper, coming on deck at that moment. "It won't do tolose them. If we didn't have the map we might not be able to find----"

"Ahem!" exclaimed Tom, with unnecessary emphasis it seemed. "I'll helpyou go over your papers, Professor, " he added, and with a wink and amotion of his hand, he enjoined silence on his friend. Ned lookedaround for a reason for this, and observed a man, evidently of Spanishextraction, passing them as he paced up and down the deck. 

"What's the matter?" asked the scientist in a whisper, as the man wenton. "Do you know him? Is he a----?"

"I don't know anything about him, " said Tom; "but it is best not tospeak of our trip before strangers. "

"You are right, Tom, " said Professor Bumper. "I'll be more careful. "

A storm was brewing, that was certain. A dull, sickly yellow began toobscure the sky, and the water, from a beautiful blue, turned a slatecolor and ran along the sides of the vessel with a hissing sound asthough the sullen waves would ask nothing better than to suck the craftdown into their depths. The wind, which had been freshening, now sangin louder tones as it hummed through the rigging and the funnel staysand bowled over the receiving conductors of the wireless. 

Sharp commands from the ship's officers hastened the work of the crewin making things snug, and life lines were strung along deck for thesafety of such of the passengers as might venture up when the blowbegan. 

The storm was not long in coming. The howling of the wind grew louder, flecks of foam began to separate themselves from the crests of thewaves, and the vessel pitched, rolled and tossed more violently. Atfirst Tom and his friends thought they were in for no more than anordinary blow, but as the storm progressed, and the passengers becameaware of the anxiety on the part of the officers and crew, the alarmspread among them. 

It really was a violent storm, approaching a hurricane in force, and atone time it seemed as though the craft, having been heeled far overunder a staggering wave that swept her decks, would not come back to aneven keel. 

There was a panic among some of the passengers, and a few excited menbehaved in a way that caused prompt action on the part of the firstofficer, who drove them back to the main cabin under threat of arevolver. For the men were determined to get to the lifeboats, and asmall craft would not have had a minute to live in such seas as wererunning. 

But the vessel proved herself sturdier than the timid ones had dared tohope, and she was soon running before the blast, going out of hercourse, it is true, but avoiding the danger among the many cays, orsmall islands, that dot the Caribbean Sea. 

There was nothing to do but to let the storm blow itself out, which itdid in two days. Then came a period of delightful weather. The cargohad shifted somewhat, which gave the steamer a rather undignified list. 

This, as well as the loss of a deckhand overboard, was the effect ofthe hurricane, and though the end of the trip came amid sunshine andsweet-scented tropical breezes, many could not forget the dangersthrough which they had passed. 

In due time Tom and his party found themselves safely housed in thesmall hotel at Puerto Cortes, their belongings stored in a convenientwarehouse and themselves, rather weary by reason of the stress ofweather, ready for the start into the interior wilds of Honduras. 

"How are we going to make the trip?" asked Ned, as they sat at supper, the first night after their arrival, eating of several dishes, thered-pepper condiments of which caused frequent trips to the waterpitcher. 

"We can go in two ways, and perhaps we shall find it to our advantageto use both means, " said Professor Bumper. "To get to this city ofKurzon, " he proceeded in a low voice, so that none of the others in thedining-room would hear them, "we will have to go either by mule back orboat to a point near Copan. As near as I can tell by the ancient maps, Kurzon is in the Copan valley. 

"Now the Chamelecon river seems to run to within a short distance ofthere, but there is no telling how far up it may be navigable. If wecan go by boat it will be much more comfortable. Travel by mules andox-carts is slow and sure, but the roads are very bad, as I have heardfrom friends who have made explorations in Honduras. 

"And, as I said, we may have to use both land and water travel to getus where we want to go. We can proceed as far as possible up theriver, and then take to the mules. "

"What about arranging for boats and animals?" asked Tom. "I shouldthink----"

He suddenly ceased talking and reached for the water, taking severallarge swallows. 

"Whew!" he exclaimed, when he could catch his breath. "That was a hotone. "

"What did you do?" asked Ned. 

"Bit into a nest of red pepper. Guess I'll have to tell that cook toscatter his hits. He's bunching 'em too much in my direction, " and Tomwiped the tears from his eyes. 

"To answer your question, " said Professor Bumper, "I will say that Ihave made partial arrangements for men and animals, and boats if it isfound feasible to use them. I've been in correspondence with one ofthe merchants here, and he promised to make arrangements for us. "

"When do we leave?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"As soon as possible. I am not going to risk anything by delay, " andit was evident the professor referred to his young rival whose arrivalmight be expected almost any time. 

As the party was about to leave the table, they were approached by atall, dignified Spaniard who bowed low, rather exaggeratedly low, Nedthought, and addressed them in fairly good English. 

"Your pardons, Senors, " he began, "but if it will please you to availyourself of the humble services of myself, I shall have great pleasurein guiding you into the interior. I have at my command both mules andboats. "

"How do you know we are going into the interior?" asked Tom, a bitsharply, for he did not like the assurance of the man. 

"Pardon, Senor. I saw that you are from the States. And those fromthe States do not come to Honduras except for two reasons. To traveland make explorations or to start trade, and professors do not usuallyengage in trade, " and he bowed to Professor Bumper. 

"I saw your name on the register, " he proceeded, "and it was notdifficult to guess your mission, " and he flashed a smile on the party, his white teeth showing brilliantly beneath his small, black moustache. 

"I make it my business to outfit traveling parties, either forbusiness, pleasure or scientific matters. I am, at your service, ValJacinto, " and he introduced himself with another low bow. 

For a moment Tom and his friends hardly knew how to accept this offer. It might be, as the man had said, that he was a professional tourconductor, like those who have charge of Egyptian donkey-boys andguides. Or might he not be a spy?

This occurred to Tom no less than to Professor Bumper. They looked atone another while Val Jacinto bowed again and murmured:

"At your service!"

"Can you provide means for taking us to the Copan valley?" asked theprofessor. "You are right in one respect. I am a scientist and Ipurpose doing some exploring near Copan. Can you get us there?"

"Most expensively--I mean, most expeditionlessly, " said Val Jacintoeagerly. "Pardon my unhappy English. I forget at times. The chargeswill be most moderate. I can send you by boat as far as the rivertravel is good, and then have mules and ox-carts in waiting. "

"How far is it?" asked Tom. 

"A hundred miles as the vulture flies, Senor, but much farther by riverand road. We shall be a week going. "

"A hundred miles in a week!" groaned Ned. "Say, Tom, if you had youraeroplane we'd be there in an hour. "

"Yes, but we haven't it. However, we're in no great rush. "

"But we must not lose time, " said Professor Bumper. "I shall consideryour offer, " he added to Val Jacinto. 

"Very good, Senor. I am sure you will be pleased with the humbleservice I may offer you, and my charges will be small. Adios, " and hebowed himself away. 

"What do you think of him?" asked Ned, as they went up to their roomsin the hotel, or rather one large room, containing several beds. 

"He's a pretty slick article, " said Mr. Damon. "Bless my check-book!but he spotted us at once, in spite of our secrecy. "

"I guess these guide purveyors are trained for that sort of thing, "observed the scientist. "I know my friends have often spoken of havinghad the same experience. However, I shall ask my friend, who is inbusiness here, about this Val Jacinto, and if I find him all right wemay engage him. "

Inquiries next morning brought the information, from the head of arubber exporting firm with whom the professor was acquainted, that theSpaniard was regularly engaged in transporting parties into theinterior, and was considered efficient, careful and as honest aspossible, considering the men he engaged as workers. 

"So we have decided to engage you, " Professor Bumper informed ValJacinto the afternoon following the meeting. 

"I am more than pleased, Senor. I shall take you into the wilds ofHonduras. At your service!" and he bowed low. 

"Humph! I don't just like the way our friend Val says that, " observedTom to Ned a little later. "I'd have been better pleased if he hadsaid he'd guide us into the wilds and out again. "

If Tom could have seen the crafty smile on the face of the Spaniard asthe man left the hotel, the young inventor might have felt even lessconfidence in the guide. 

CHAPTER X

IN THE WILDS

"All aboard! Step lively now! This boat makes no stops this side ofBoston!" cried Ned Newton gaily, as he got into one of the several treecanoes provided for the transportation of the party up the Chameleconriver, for the first stage of their journey into the wilds of Honduras. "All aboard! This reminds me of my old camping days, Tom. "

It brought those days back, in a measure, to Tom also. For there werea number of canoes filled with the goods of the party, while themembers themselves occupied a larger one with their personal baggage. Strong, half-naked Indian paddlers were in charge of the canoes whichwere of sturdy construction and light draft, since the river, like mosttropical streams, was of uncertain depths, choked here and there withsand bars or tropical growths. 

Finding that Val Jacinto was regularly engaged in the business oftaking explorers and mine prospectors into the interior, ProfessorBumper had engaged the man. He seemed to be efficient. At thepromised time he had the canoes and paddlers on hand and the goodssafely stowed away while one big craft was fitted up as comfortably aspossible for the men of the party. 

As Ned remarked, it did look like a camping party, for in the canoeswere tents, cooking utensils and, most important, mosquito canopies ofheavy netting. 

The insect pests of Honduras, as in all tropical countries, areannoying and dangerous. Therefore it was imperative to sleep undermosquito netting. 

On the advice of Val Jacinto, who was to accompany them, the travelerswere to go up the river about fifty miles. This was as far as it wouldbe convenient to use the canoes, the guide told Tom and his friends, and from there on the trip to the Copan valley would be made on thebacks of mules, which would carry most of the baggage and equipment. The heavier portions would be transported in ox-carts. 

As Professor Bumper expected to do considerable excavating in order tolocate the buried city, or cities, as the case might be, he had tocontract for a number of Indian diggers and laborers. These could behired in Copan, it was said. 

The plan, therefore, was to travel by canoes during the less heatedparts of the day, and tie up at night, making camp on shore in thenet-protected tents. As for the Indians, they did not seem to mind thebites of the insects. They sometimes made a smudge fire, Val Jacintohad said, but that was all. 

"Well, we haven't seen anything of Beecher and his friends, " remarkedthe young inventor as they were about to start. 

"No, he doesn't seem to have arrived, " agreed Professor Bumper. "We'llget ahead of him, and so much the better. 

"Well, are we all ready to start?" he continued, as he looked over thelittle flotilla which carried his party and his goods. 

"The sooner the better!" cried Tom, and Ned fancied his chum wasunusually eager. 

"I guess he wants to make good before Beecher gets the chance to showMary Nestor what he can do, " thought Ned. "Tom sure is after that idolof gold. "

"You may start, Senor Jacinto, " said the professor, and the guidecalled something in Indian dialect to the rowers. Lines were cast offand the boats moved out into the stream under the influence of thesturdy paddlers. 

"Well, this isn't so bad, " observed Ned, as he made himself comfortablein his canoe. "How about it, Tom?"

"Oh, no. But this is only the beginning. "

A canopy had been arranged over their boat to keep off the scorchingrays of the sun. The boat containing the exploring party and ValJacinto took the lead, the baggage craft following. At the place whereit flowed into the bay on which Puerto Cortes was built, the stream waswide and deep. 

The guide called something to the Indians, who increased their stroke. 

"I tell them to pull hard and that at the end of the day's journey theywill have much rest and refreshment, " he translated to Professor Bumperand the others. 

"Bless my ham sandwich, but they'll need plenty of some sort ofrefreshment, " said Mr. Damon, with a sigh. "I never knew it to be sohot. "

"Don't complain yet, " advised Tom, with a laugh. "The worst is yet tocome. "

It really was not unpleasant traveling, aside from the heat. And theyhad expected that, coming as they had to a tropical land. But, as Tomsaid, what lay before them might be worse. 

In a little while they had left behind them all signs of civilization. The river narrowed and flowed sluggishly between the banks which wereluxuriant with tropical growth. Now and then some lonely Indian hutcould be seen, and occasionally a craft propelled by a man who wastrying to gain a meager living from the rubber forest which hemmed inthe stream on either side. 

As the canoe containing the men was paddled along, there floated downbeside it what seemed to be a big, rough log. 

"I wonder if that is mahogany, " remarked Mr. Damon, reaching over totouch it. "Mahogany is one of the most valuable woods of Honduras, andif this is a log of that nature----

"Bless my watch chain!" he suddenly cried. "It's alive!"

And the "log" was indeed so, for there was a sudden flash of whiteteeth, a long red opening showed, and then came a click as an immensealligator, having opened and closed his mouth, sank out of sight in aswirl of water. 

Mr. Damon drew back so suddenly that he tilted the canoe, and the blackpaddlers looked around wonderingly. 

"Alligator, " explained Jacinto succinctly, in their tongue. 

"Ugh!" they grunted. 

"Bless my--bless my----" hesitated Mr. Damon, and for one of the veryfew times in his life his language failed him. 

"Are there many of them hereabouts?" asked Ned, looking back at theswirl left by the saurian. 

"Plenty, " said the guide, with a shrug of his shoulders. He seemed todo as much talking that way, and with his hands, as he did in speech. "The river is full of them. "

"Dangerous?" queried Tom. 

"Don't go in swimming, " was the significant advice. "Wait, I'll showyou, " and he called up the canoe just behind. 

In this canoe was a quantity of provisions. There was a chunk of meatamong other things, a gristly piece, seeing which Mr. Damon hadobjected to its being brought along, but the guide had said it would dofor fish bait. With a quick motion of his hand, as he sat in theawning-covered stern with Tom, Ned and the others, Jacinto sent thechunk of meat out into the muddy stream. 

Hardly a second later there was a rushing in the water as though asubmarine were about to come up. An ugly snout was raised, two rows ofkeen teeth snapped shut as a scissors-like jaw opened, and the meat wasgone. 

"See!" was the guide's remark, and something like a cold shiver of fearpassed over the white members of the party. "This water is not made inwhich to swim. Be careful!"

"We certainly shall, " agreed Tom. "They're fierce. "

"And always hungry, " observed Jacinto grimly. 

"And to think that I--that I nearly had my hand on it, " murmured Mr. Damon. "Ugh! Bless my eyeglasses!"

"The alligator nearly had your hand, " said the guide. "They can turnin the water like a flash, wherefore it is not wise to pat one on thetail lest it present its mouth instead. "

They paddled on up the river, the dusky Indians now and then breakingout into a chant that seemed to give their muscles new energy. Thesong, if song it was, passed from one boat to the other, and as thechant boomed forth the craft shot ahead more swiftly. 

They made a landing about noon, and lunch was served. Tom and hisfriends were hungry in spite of the heat. Moreover, they wereexperienced travelers and had learned not to fret over inconveniencesand discomforts. The Indians ate by themselves, two acting as servantsto Jacinto and the professor's party. 

As is usual in traveling in the tropics, a halt was made during theheated middle of the day. Then, as the afternoon shadows were waning, the party again took to the canoes and paddled on up the river. 

"Do you know of a good place to stop during the night?" asked ProfessorBumper of Jacinto. 

"Oh, yes; a most excellent place. It is where I always bringscientific parties I am guiding. You may rely on me. "

It was within an hour of dusk--none too much time to allow in which topitch camp in the tropics, where night follows day suddenly--when ahalt was called, as a turn of the river showed a little clearing on theedge of the forest-bound river. 

"We stay here for the night, " said Jacinto. "It is a good place. "

"It looks picturesque enough, " observed Mr. Damon. "But it is ratherwild. "

"We are a good distance from a settlement, " agreed the guide. "But onecan not explore--and find treasure in cities, " and he shrugged hisshoulders again. 

"Find treasure? What do you mean?" asked Tom quickly. "Do you thinkthat we----?"

"Pardon, Senor, " replied Jacinto softly. "I meant no offense. I thinkthat all you scientific parties will take treasure if you can find it. "

"We are looking for traces of the old Honduras civilization, " put inProfessor Bumper. 

"And doubtless you will find it, " was the somewhat too courteous answerof the guide. "Make camp quickly!" he called to the Indians in theirtongue. "You must soon get under the nets or you will be eaten alive!"he told Tom. "There are many mosquitoes here. "

The tents were set up, smudge fires built and supper quickly prepared. Dusk fell rapidly, and as Tom and Ned walked a little way down towardthe river before turning in under the mosquito canopies, the youngfinancial man said:

"Sort of lonesome and gloomy, isn't it, Tom?"

"Yes. But you didn't expect to find a moving picture show in the wildsof Honduras, did you?"

"No, and yet-- Look out! What's that?" suddenly cried Ned, as a greatsoft, black shadow seemed to sweep out of a clump of trees toward him. Involuntarily he clutched Tom's arm and pointed, his face showing fearin the fast-gathering darkness. 

CHAPTER XI

THE VAMPIRES

Tom Swift looked deliberately around. It was characteristic of himthat, though by nature he was prompt in action, he never acted sohurriedly as to obscure his judgment. So, though now Ned showed atrace of strange excitement, Tom was cool. 

"What is it?" asked the young inventor. "What's the matter? What didyou think you saw, Ned; another alligator?"

"Alligator? Nonsense! Up on shore? I saw a black shadow, and I didn'tTHINK I saw it, either. I really did. "

Tom laughed quietly. 

"A shadow!" he exclaimed. "Since when were you afraid of shadows, Ned?"

"I'm not afraid of ordinary shadows, " answered Ned, and in his voicethere was an uncertain tone. "I'm not afraid of my shadow or yours, Tom, or anybody's that I can see. But this wasn't any human shadow. It was as if a great big blob of wet darkness had been waved over yourhead. "

"That's a queer explanation, " Tom said in a low voice. "A great bigblob of wet darkness!"

"But that just describes it, " went on Ned, looking up and around. "Itwas just as if you were in some dark room, and some one waved a wetvelvet cloak over your head--spooky like! It didn't make a sound, butthere was a smell as if a den of some wild beast was near here. Iremember that odor from the time we went hunting with your electricrifle in the jungle, and got near the den in the rocks where the tigerslived. "

"Well, there is a wild beast smell all around here, " admitted Tom, sniffing the air. "It's the alligators in the river I guess. You knowthey have an odor of musk. "

"Do you mean to say you didn't feel that shadow flying over us justnow?" asked Ned. 

"Well, I felt something sail through the air, but I took it to be a bigbird. I didn't pay much attention. To tell you the truth I wasthinking about Beecher--wondering when he would get here, " added Tomquickly as if to forestall any question as to whether or not histhoughts had to do with Beecher in connection with Tom's affair of theheart. 

"Well it wasn't a bird--at least not a regular bird, " said Ned in a lowvoice, as once more he looked at the dark and gloomy jungle thatstretched back from the river and behind the little clearing where thecamp had been made. 

"Come on!" cried Tom, in what he tried to make a cheerful voice. "Thisis getting on your nerves, Ned, and I didn't know you had any. Let'sgo back and turn in. I'm dog-tired and the mosquitoes are beginning tofind that we're here. Let's get under the nets. Then the blackshadows won't get you. "

Not at all unwilling to leave so gloomy a scene, Ned, after a briefglance up and down the dark river, followed his chum. They foundProfessor Bumper and Mr. Damon in their tent, a separate one havingbeen set up for the two men adjoining that of the youths. 

"Bless my fountain pen!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, as he caught sight of Tomand Ned in the flickering light of the smudge fire between the twocanvas shelters. "We were just wondering what had become of you. "

"We were chasing shadows!" laughed Tom. "At least Ned was. But youlook cozy enough in there. "

It did, indeed, look cheerful in contrast to the damp and dark jungleall about. Professor Bumper, being an experienced traveler, knew howto provide for such comforts as were possible. Folding cots had beenopened for himself, Mr. Damon and the guide to sleep on, others, similar, being set up in the tent where Tom and Ned were to sleep. Inthe middle of the tent the professor had made a table of his own andMr. Damon's suit cases, and on this placed a small dry battery electriclight. He was making some notes, doubtless for a future book. Jacintowas going about the camp, seeing that the Indians were at their duties, though most of them had gone directly to sleep after supper. 

"Better get inside and under the nets, " advised Professor Bumper to Tomand Ned. "The mosquitoes here are the worst I ever saw. "

"We're beginning to believe that, " returned Ned, who was unusuallyquiet. "Come on, Tom. I can't stand it any longer. I'm itching in adozen places now from their bites. "

As Tom and Ned had no wish for a light, which would be sure to attractinsects, they entered their tent in the dark, and were soon stretchedout in comparative comfort. Tom was just on the edge of a deep sleepwhen he heard Ned murmur:

"I can't understand it!"

"What's that?" asked the young inventor. 

"I say I can't understand it. "

"Understand what?"

"That shadow. It was real and yet----"

"Oh, go to sleep!" advised Tom, and, turning over, he was soonbreathing heavily and regularly, indicating that he, at least, hadtaken his own advice. 

Ned, too, finally succumbed to the overpowering weariness of the firstday of travel, and he, too, slept, though it was an uneasy slumber, disturbed by a feeling as though some one were holding a heavy blackquilt over his head, preventing him from breathing. 

The feeling, sensation or dream--whatever it was--perhaps anightmare--became at last so real to Ned that he struggled himself intowakefulness. With an effort he sat up, uttering an inarticulate cry. To his surprise he was answered. Some one asked:

"What is the matter?"

"Who--who are you?" asked Ned quickly, trying to peer through thedarkness. 

"This is Jacinto--your guide, " was the soft answer. "I was walkingabout camp and, hearing you murmuring, I came to your tent. Isanything wrong?"

For a moment Ned did not answer. He listened and could tell by thecontinued heavy and regular breathing of his chum that Tom was stillasleep. 

"Are you in our tent?" asked Ned, at length:

"Yes, " answered Jacinto. "I came in to see what was the matter withyou. Are you ill?"

"No, of course not, " said Ned, a bit shortly. "I--I had a bad dream, that was all. All right now. "

"For that I am glad. Try to get all the sleep you can, for we muststart early to avoid the heat of the day, " and there was the sound ofthe guide leaving and arranging the folds of the mosquito net behindhim to keep out the night-flying insects. 

Once more Ned composed himself to sleep, and this time successfully, for he did not have any more unpleasant dreams. The quiet of thejungle settled down over the camp, at least the comparative quiet ofthe jungle, for there were always noises of some sort going on, fromthe fall of some rotten tree limb to the scream or growl of a wildbeast, while, now and again, from the river came the pig-like grunts ofthe alligators. 

It was about two o'clock in the morning, as they ascertained later, when the whole camp--white travelers and all--was suddenly awakened bya wild scream. It seemed to come from one of the natives, who calledout a certain word ever and over again. To Tom and Ned it sounded like:

"Oshtoo! Oshtoo! Oshtoo!"

"What's the matter?" cried Professor Bumper. 

"The vampires!" came the answering voice of Jacinto. "One of theIndians has been attacked by a big vampire bat! Look out, every one!It may be a raid by the dangerous creatures! Be careful!"

Notwithstanding this warning Ned stuck his head out of the tent. Thesame instant he was aware of a dark enfolding shadow passing over him, and, with a shudder of fear, he jumped back. 

CHAPTER XII

A FALSE FRIEND

"What is it? What's the matter?" cried Tom springing from his cot andhastening to the side of his chum in the tent. "What has happened, Ned?"

"I don't know, but Jacinto is yelling something about vampires!"

"Vampires?"

"Yes. Big bats. And he's warning us to be careful. I stuck my headout just now and I felt that same sort of shadow I felt this eveningwhen we were down near the river. "

"Nonsense!"

"I tell you I did!"

At that instant Tom flashed a pocket electric lamp he had taken frombeneath his pillow and in the gleam of it he and Ned saw flutteringabout the tent some dark, shadow-like form, at the sight of which Tom'schum cried:

"There it is! That's the shadow! Look out!" and he held up his handsinstinctively to shield his face. 

"Shadow!" yelled Tom, unconsciously adding to the din that seemed topervade every part of the camp. "That isn't a shadow. It's substance. It's a monster bat, and here goes for a strike at it!"

He caught up his camera tripod which was near his cot, and made a swingwith it at the creature that had flown into the tent through an openingit had made for itself. 

"Look out!" yelled Ned. "If it's a vampire it'll----"

"It won't do anything to me!" shouted Tom, as he struck the creature, knocking it into the corner of the tent with a thud that told it mustbe completely stunned, if not killed. "But what's it all about, anyhow?" Tom asked. "What's the row?"

From without the tent came the Indian cries of:

"Oshtoo! Oshtoo!"

Mingled with them were calls of Jacinto, partly in Spanish, partly inthe Indian tongue and partly in English. 

"It is a raid by vampire bats!" was all Tom and Ned could distinguish. "We shall have to light fires to keep them away, if we can succeed. Every one grab up a club and strike hard!"

"Come on!" cried Tom, getting on some clothes by the light of hisgleaming electric light which he had set on his cot. 

"You're not going out there, are you?" asked Ned. 

"I certainly am! If there's a fight I want to be in it, bats oranything else. Here, you have a light like mine. Flash it on, andhang it somewhere on yourself. Then get a club and come on. Thelights will blind the bats, and we can see to hit 'em!"

Tom's plan seemed to be a good one. His lamp and Ned's had small hookson them, so they could be carried in the upper coat pocket, showing agleam of light and leaving the hands free for use. 

Out of the tents rushed the young men to find Professor Bumper and Mr. Damon before them. The two men had clubs and were striking about inthe half darkness, for now the Indians had set several fires aglow. And in the gleams, constantly growing brighter as more fuel was piledon, the young inventor and his chum saw a weird sight. 

Circling and wheeling about in the camp clearing were many of the blackshadowy forms that had caused Ned such alarm. Great bats they were, and a dangerous species, if Jacinto was to be believed. 

The uncanny creatures flew in and out among the trees and tents, nowswooping low near the Indians or the travelers. At such times clubswould be used, often with the effect of killing or stunning the flyingpests. For a time it seemed as if the bats would fairly overwhelm thecamp, so many of them were there. But the increasing lights, and theattacks made by the Indians and the white travelers turned the tide ofbattle, and, with silent flappings of their soft, velvety wings, thebats flew back to the jungle whence they had emerged. 

"We are safe--for the present!" exclaimed Jacinto with a sigh of relief. 

"Do you think they will come back?" asked Tom. 

"They may--there is no telling. "

"Bless my speedometer!" cried Mr. Damon, "If those beasts orbirds--whatever they are--come back I'll go and hide in the river andtake my chances with the alligators!"

"The alligators aren't much worse, " asserted Jacinto with a visibleshiver. "These vampire bats sometimes depopulate a whole village. "

"Bless my shoe laces!" cried Mr. Damon. "You don't mean to say thatthe creatures can eat up a whole village?"

"Not quite. Though they might if they got the chance, " was the answerof the Spanish guide. "These vampire bats fly from place to place ingreat swarms, and they are so large and blood-thirsty that a few ofthem can kill a horse or an ox in a short time by sucking its blood. So when the villagers find they are visited by a colony of thesevampires they get out, taking their live stock with them, and stay incaves or in densely wooded places until the bats fly on. Then thevillagers come back. 

"It was only a small colony that visited us tonight or we would havehad more trouble. I do not think this lot will come back. We havekilled too many of them, " and he looked about on the ground where manyof the uncanny creatures were still twitching in the death struggle. 

"Come back again!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my skin! I hope not! I'vehad enough of bats--and mosquitoes, " he added, as he slapped at hisface and neck. 

Indeed the party of whites were set upon by the night insects to suchan extent that it was necessary to hurry back to the protection of thenets. 

Tom and Ned kicked outside the bat the former had killed in their tent, and then both went back to their cots. But it was some little timebefore they fell asleep. And they did not have much time to rest, foran early start must be made to avoid the terrible heat of the middle ofthe day. 

"Whew!" whistled Ned, as he and Tom arose in the gray dawn of themorning when Jacinto announced the breakfast which the Indian cook hadprepared. "That was some night! If this is a sample of the wilds ofHonduras, give me the tameness of Shopton. "

"Oh, we've gone through with worse than this, " laughed Tom. "It's allin the day's work. We've only got started. I guess we're a bit soft, Ned, though we had hard enough work in that tunnel-digging. "

After breakfast, while the Indians were making ready the canoes, Professor Bumper, who, in a previous visit to Central America, hadbecome interested in the subject, made a brief examination of some ofthe dead bats. They were exceptionally large, some almost as big ashawks, and were of the sub-family _Desmodidae_, the scientist said. 

"This is a true blood-sucking bat, " went on the professor. "This, " andhe pointed to the nose-leaves, "is the sucking apparatus. The batmakes an opening in the skin with its sharp teeth and proceeds toextract the blood. I can well believe two or three of them, attackinga steer or mule at once, could soon weaken it so the animal would die. "

"And a man, too?" asked Ned. 

"Well a man has hands with which to use weapons, but a helplessquadruped has not. Though if a sufficient number of these batsattacked a man at the same time, he would have small chance to escapealive. Their bites, too, may be poisonous for all I know. "

The Indians seemed glad to leave the "place of the bats, " as theycalled the camp site. Jacinto explained that the Indians believed avampire could kill them while they slept, and they were very muchafraid of the blood-sucking bats. There were many other species in thetropics, Professor Bumper explained, most of which lived on fruit or oninsects they caught. The blood-sucking bats were comparatively few, and the migratory sort fewer still. 

"Well, we're on our way once more, " remarked Tom as again they were inthe canoes being paddled up the river. "How much longer does yourwater trip take, Professor?"

"I hardly know, " and Professor Bumper looked to Jacinto to answer. 

"We go two more days in the canoes, " the guide answered, "and then weshall find the mules waiting for us at a place called Hidjio. Fromthen on we travel by land until--well until you get to the place whereyou are going. 

"I suppose you know where it is?" he added, nodding toward theprofessor. "I am leaving that part to you. "

"Oh, I have a map, showing where I want to begin some excavations, " wasthe answer. "We must first go to Copan and see what arrangements wecan make for laborers. After that--well, we shall trust to luck forwhat we shall find. "

"There are said to be many curious things, " went on Jacinto, speakingas though he had no interest. "You have mentioned buried cities. Haveyou thought what may be in them--great heathen temples, idols, perhaps?"

For a moment none of the professor's companions spoke. It was asthough Jacinto had tried to get some information. Finally thescientist said:

"Oh, yes, we may find an idol. I understand the ancient people, whowere here long before the Spaniards came, worshiped idols. But weshall take whatever antiquities we find. "

"Huh!" grunted Jacinto, and then he called to the paddlers to increasetheir strokes. 

The journey up the river was not very eventful. Many alligators wereseen, and Tom and Ned shot several with the electric rifle. Toward theclose of the third day's travel there was a cry from one of the rearboats, and an alarm of a man having fallen overboard was given. 

Tom turned in time to see the poor fellow's struggles, and at the sametime there was a swirl in the water and a black object shot forward. 

"An alligator is after him!" yelled Ned. 

"I see, " observed Tom calmly. "Hand me the rifle, Ned. "

Tom took quick aim and pulled the trigger. The explosive electricbullet went true to its mark, and the great animal turned over in adeath struggle. But the river was filled with them, and no sooner hadthe one nearest the unfortunate Indian been disposed of than anothermade a dash for the man. 

There was a wild scream of agony and then a dark arm shot up above thered foam. The waters seethed and bubbled as the alligators foughtunder it for possession of the paddler. Tom fired bullet after bulletfrom his wonderful rifle into the spot, but though he killed some ofthe alligators this did not save the man's life. His body was not seenagain, though search was made for it. 

The accident cast a little damper over the party, and there was afeeling of gloom among the Indians. Professor Bumper announced that hewould see to it that the man's family did not want, and this seemed togive general satisfaction, especially to a brother who was with theparty. 

Aside from being caught in a drenching storm and one or two minoraccidents, nothing else of moment marked the remainder of the riverjourney, and at the end of the third day the canoes pulled to shore anda night camp was made. 

"But where are the mules we are to use in traveling to-morrow?" askedthe professor of Jacinto. 

"In the next village. We shall march there in the morning. No use togo there at night when all is dark. "

"I suppose that is so. "

The Indians made camp as usual, the goods being brought from the canoesand piled up near the tents. Then night settled down. 

"Hello!" cried Tom, awakening the next morning to find the sunstreaming into his tent. "We must have overslept, Ned. We were tostart before old Sol got in his heavy work, but we haven't hadbreakfast yet. "

"I didn't hear any one call us, " remarked Ned. 

"Nor I. Wonder if we're the only lazy birds. " He looked from the tentin time to see Mr. Damon and the professor emerging. Then Tom noticedsomething queer. The canoes were not on the river bank. There was notan Indian in sight, and no evidence of Jacinto. 

"What's the matter?" asked the young inventor. "Have the others goneon ahead?"

"I rather think they've gone back, " was the professor's dry comment. 

"Gone back?"

"Yes. The Indians seem to have deserted us at the ending of this stageof our journey. "

"Bless my time-table!" cried Mr. Damon. "You don't say so! What doesit mean? What has becomes of our friend Jacinto?"

"I'm afraid he was rather a false friend, " was the professor's answer. "This is the note he left. He has gone and taken the canoes and allthe Indians with him, " and he held out a paper on which was somescribbled writing. 

CHAPTER XIII

FORWARD AGAIN

"What does it all mean?" asked Tom, seeing that the note was written inSpanish, a tongue which he could speak slightly but read indifferently. 

"This is some of Beecher's work, " was Professor Bumper's grim comment. "It seems that Jacinto was in his pay. "

"In his pay!" cried Mr. Damon. "Do you mean that Beecher deliberatelyhired Jacinto to betray us?"

"Well, no. Not that exactly. Here, I'll translate this note for you, "and the professor proceeded to read:

"Senors: I greatly regret the step I have to take, but I am agentleman, and, having given my word, I must keep it. No harm shallcome to you, I swear it on my honor!"

"Queer idea of honor he has!" commented Tom, grimly. 

Professor Bumper read on:

"Know then, that before I engaged myself to you I had been engaged byProfessor Beecher through a friend to guide him into the Copan valley, where he wants to make some explorations, for what I know not, savemaybe that it is for gold. I agreed, in case any rival expeditionscame to lead them astray if I could. 

"So, knowing from what you said that you were going to this place, Iengaged myself to you, planning to do what I have done. I greatlyregret it, as I have come to like you, but I had given my promise toProfessor Beecher's friend, that I would first lead him to the Copanvalley, and would keep others away until he had had a chance to do hisexploration. 

"So I have led you to this wilderness. It is far from the Copan, butyou are near an Indian village, and you will be able to get help in aweek or so. In the meanwhile you will not starve, as you have plentyof supplies. If you will travel northeast you will come again toPuerto Cortes in due season. As for the money I had from you, Ideposit it to your credit, Professor Beecher having made me anallowance for steering rival parties on the wrong trail. So I losenothing, and I save my honor. 

"I write this note as I am leaving in the night with the Indians. Iput some harmless sedative in your tea that you might sleep soundly, and not awaken until we were well on our way. Do not try to follow us, as the river will carry us swiftly away. And, let me add, there is nopersonal animosity on the part of Professor Beecher against you. Ishould have done to any rival expedition the same as I have done withyou. 

JACINTO. "

For a moment there was silence, and then Tom Swift burst out with:

"Well, of all the mean, contemptible tricks of a human skunk this isthe limit!"

"Bless my hairbrush, but he is a scoundrel!" ejaculated Mr. Damon, withgreat warmth. 

"I'd like to start after him the biggest alligator in the river, " wasNed's comment. 

Professor Bumper said nothing for several seconds. There was a strangelook on his face, and then he laughed shortly, as though the humor ofthe situation appealed to him. 

"Professor Beecher has more gumption than I gave him credit for, " hesaid. "It was a clever trick!"

"Trick!" cried Tom. 

"Yes. I can't exactly agree that it was the right thing to do, but he, or some friend acting for him, seems to have taken precautions that weare not to suffer or lose money. Beecher goes on the theory that allis fair in love and war, I suppose, and he may call this a sort ofscientific war. "

Ned wondered, as he looked at his chum, how much love there was in it. Clearly Beecher was determined to get that idol of gold. 

"Well, it can't be helped, and we must make the best of it, " said Tom, after a pause. 

"True. But now, boys, let's have breakfast, and then we'll make whatgoods we can't take with us as snug as possible, until we can send themule drivers after them, " went on Professor Bumper. 

"Send the mule drivers after them?" questioned Ned. "What do you meanto do?"

"Do? Why keep on, of course. You don't suppose I'm going to let alittle thing like this stand between me and the discovery of Kurzon andthe idol of gold, do you?"

"But, " began Mr. Damon, "I don't see how--"

"Oh, we'll find a way, " interrupted Tom. "It isn't the first time I'vebeen pretty well stranded on an expedition of this kind, and sometimesfrom the same cause--the actions of a rival. Now we'll turn the tableson the other fellows and see how they like it. The professor'sright--let's have breakfast. Jacinto seems to have told the truth. Nothing of ours is missing. "

Tom and Ned got the meal, and then a consultation was held as to whatwas best to be done. 

"We can't go on any further by water, that's sure, " said Tom. "In thefirst place the river is too shallow, and secondly we have no canoes. So the only thing is to go on foot through the jungle. "

"But how can we, and carry all this stuff?" asked Ned. 

"We needn't carry it!" cried Professor Bumper. "We'll leave it here, where it will be safe enough, and tramp on to the nearest Indianvillage. There we'll hire bearers to take our stuff on until we canget mules. I'm not going to turn back!"

"Good!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my rubber boots! but that's what Isay--keep on!"

"Oh, no! we'll never turn back, " agreed Tom. 

"But how can we manage it?" asked Ned. 

"We've just got to! And when you have to do a thing, it's a whole loteasier to do than if you just feel as though you ought to. So, livelyis the word!" cried Tom, in answer. 

"We'll pack up what we can carry and leave the rest, " added thescientist. 

Being an experienced traveler Professor Bumper had arranged his baggageso that it could be carried by porters if necessary. Everything couldbe put into small packages, including the tents and food supply. 

"There are four of us, " remarked Tom, "and if we can not pack enoughalong with us to enable us to get to the nearest village, we had bettergo back to civilization. I'm not afraid to try. "

"Nor I!" cried Mr. Damon. 

The baggage, stores and supplies that were to be left behind were madeas snug as possible, and so piled up that wild beasts could do theleast harm. Then a pack was made up for each one to carry. 

They would take weapons, of course, Tom Swift's electric rifle beingthe one he choose for himself. They expected to be able to shoot gameon their way, and this would provide them food in addition to theconcentrated supply they carried. Small tents, in sections, werecarried, there being two, one for Tom and Ned and one for Mr. Damon andthe professor. 

As far as could be learned from a casual inspection, Jacinto and hisdeserting Indians had taken back with them only a small quantity offood. They were traveling light and down stream, and could reach thetown much more quickly than they had come away from it. 

"That Beecher certainly was slick, " commented Professor Bumper whenthey were ready to start. "He must have known about what time I wouldarrive, and he had Jacinto waiting for us. I thought it was too goodto be true, to get an experienced guide like him so easily. But it wasall planned, and I was so engrossed in thinking of the ancienttreasures I hope to find that I never thought of a possible trick. Well, let's start!" and he led the way into the jungle, carrying hisheavy pack as lightly as did Tom. 

Professor Bumper had a general idea in which direction lay a number ofnative villages, and it was determined to head for them, blazing a paththrough the wilderness, so that the Indians could follow it back to thegoods left behind. 

It was with rather heavy hearts that the party set off, but Tom'sspirits could not long stay clouded, and the scientist was sogood-natured about the affair and seemed so eager to do the utmost torender Beecher's trick void, that the others fell into a lighter mood, and went on more cheerfully, though the way was rough and the packsheavy. 

They stopped at noon under a bower they made of palms, and, spreadingthe nets over them, got a little rest after a lunch. Then, when thesun was less hot, they started off again. 

"Forward is the word!" cried Ned cheerfully. "Forward!"'

They had not gone more than an hour on the second stage of their trampwhen Tom, who was in the lead, following the direction laid out by thecompass, suddenly stopped, and reached around for his electric rifle, which he was carrying at his back. 

"What is it?" asked Ned in a whisper. 

"I don't know, but it's some big animal there in the bushes, " was Tom'slow-voiced answer. "I'm ready for it. "

The rustling increased, and a form could be seen indistinctly. Tomaimed the deadly gun and stood ready to pull the trigger. 

Ned, tho had a side view into the underbrush, gave a sudden cry. 

"Don't shoot, Tom!" he yelled. "It's a man!"

CHAPTER XIV

A NEW GUIDE

In spite of Ned Newton's cry, Tom's finger pressed the switch-triggerof the electric rifle, for previous experience had taught him that itwas sometimes the best thing to awe the natives in out-of-the-waycorners of the earth. But the young inventor quickly elevated themuzzle, and the deadly missile went hissing through the air over thehead of a native Indian who, at that moment, stepped from the bush. 

The man, startled and alarmed, shrank back and was about to run intothe jungle whence he had emerged. Small wonder if he had, consideringthe reception he so unwittingly met with. But Tom, aware of thenecessity for making inquiries of one who knew that part of the jungle, quickly called to him. 

"Hold on!" he shouted. "Wait a minute. I didn't mean that. I thoughtat first you were a tapir or a tiger. No harm intended. I say, Professor, " Tom called back to the savant, "you'd better speak to himin his lingo, I can't manage it. He may be useful in guiding us tothat Indian village Jacinto told us of. "

This Professor Bumper did, being able to make himself understood in thequeer part-Spanish dialect used by the native Hondurians, though hecould not, of course, speak it as fluently as had Jacinto. 

Professor Bumper had made only a few remarks to the man who had sounexpectedly appeared out of the jungle when the scientist gave anexclamation of surprise at some of the answers made. 

"Bless my moving picture!" cried Mr. Damon. 

"What's the matter now? Is anything wrong? Does he refuse to help us?"

"No, it isn't that, " was the answer. "In fact he came here to help us. Tom, this is the brother of the Indian who fell overboard and who waseaten by the alligators. He says you were very kind to try to save hisbrother with your rifle, and for that reason he has come back to helpus. "

"Come back?" queried Tom. 

"Yes, he went off with the rest of the Indians when Jacinto desertedus, but he could not stand being a traitor, after you had tried to savehis brother's life. These Indians are queer people. They don't showmuch emotion, but they have deep feelings. This one says he willdevote himself to your service from now on. I believe we can count onhim. He is deeply grateful to you, Tom. "

"I'm glad of that for all our sakes. But what does he say aboutJacinto?"

The professor asked some more questions, receiving answers, and thentranslated them. 

"This Indian, whose name is Tolpec, says Jacinto is a fraud, " exclaimedProfessor Bumper. "He made all the Indians leave us in the night, though many of them were willing to stay and fill the contract they hadmade. But Jacinto would not let them, making them desert. Tolpec wentaway with the others, but because of what Tom had done he planned tocome back at the first chance and be our guide. Accordingly he jumpedashore from one of the canoes, and made his way to our camp. He gotthere, found it deserted and followed us, coming up just now. "

"Well I'm glad I didn't frighten him off with my gun, " remarked Tomgrimly. "So he agrees with us that Jacinto is a scoundrel, does he? Iguess he might as well classify Professor Beecher in the same way. "

"I am not quite so sure of that, " said Professor Bumper slowly. "I cannot believe Beecher would play such a trick as this, though someover-zealous friend of his might. "

"Oh, of course Beecher did it!" cried Tom. "He heard we were cominghere, figured out that we'd start ahead of him, and he wanted toside-track us. Well, he did it all right, " and Tom's voice was bitter. 

"He has only side-tracked us for a while, " announced Professor Bumperin cheerful tones. 

"What do you mean?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"I mean that this Indian comes just in the nick of time. He is wellacquainted with this part of the jungle, having lived here all hislife, and he offers to guide us to a place where we can get mules totransport ourselves and our baggage to Copan. "

"Fine!" cried Ned. "When can we start?"

Once more the professor and the native conversed in the strange tongue, and then Professor Bumper announced:

"He says it will be better for us to go back where we left our thingsand camp there. He will stay with us to-night and in the morning go onto the nearest Indian town and come back with porters and helpers. "

"I think that is good advice to follow, " put in Tom, "for we do needour goods; and if we reached the settlement ourselves, we would have tosend back for our things, with the uncertainty of getting them all. "

So it was agreed that they would make a forced march back through thejungle to where they had been deserted by Jacinto. There they wouldmake camp for the night, and until such time as Tolpec could returnwith a force of porters. 

It was not easy, that backward tramp through the jungle, especially asnight had fallen. But the new Indian guide could see like a cat, andled the party along paths they never could have found by themselves. The use of their pocket electric lights was a great help, and possiblyserved to ward off the attacks of jungle beasts, for as they trampedalong they could hear stealthy sounds in the underbush on either sideof the path, as though tigers were stalking them. For there was in thewoods an animal of the leopard family, called tiger or "tigre" by thenatives, that was exceedingly fierce and dangerous. But watchfulnessprevented any accident, and eventually the party reached the placewhere they had left their goods. Nothing had been disturbed, andfinally a fire was made, the tents set up and a light meal, with hottea served. 

"We'll get ahead of Beecher yet, " said Tom. 

"You seem as anxious as Professor Bumper, " observed Mr. Damon. 

"I guess I am, " admitted Tom. "I want to see that idol of gold in thepossession of our party. "

The night passed without incident, and then, telling his new friendsthat he would return as soon as possible with help, Tolpec, taking asmall supply of food with him, set out through the jungle again. 

As the green vines and creepers closed after him, and the explorerswere left alone with their possessions piled around them, Ned remarked:

"After all, I wonder if it was wise to let him go?"

"Why not?" asked Tom. 

"Well, maybe he only wanted to get us back here, and then he'll desert, too. Maybe that's what he's done now, making us lose two or three daysby inducing us to return, waiting for what will never happen--hisreturn with other natives. "

A silence followed Ned's intimation. 

CHAPTER XV

IN THE COILS

"Ned, do you really think Tolpec is going to desert us?" asked Tom. 

"Well, I don't know, " was the slowly given reply. "It's a possibility, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is, " broke in Professor Bumper. "But what if it is? We mightas well trust him, and if he proves true, as I believe he will, we'llbe so much better off. If he proves a traitor we'll only have lost afew days, for if he doesn't come back we can go on again in the way westarted. "

"But that's just it!" complained Tom. "We don't want to lose any timewith that Beecher chap on our trail. "

"I am not so very much concerned about him, " remarked Professor Bumper, dryly. 

"Why not?" snapped out Mr. Damon. 

"Well, because I think he'll have just about as hard work locating thehidden city, and finding the idol of gold, as we'll have. In otherwords it will be an even thing, unless he gets too far ahead of us, orkeeps us back, and I don't believe he can do that now. 

"So I thought it best to take a chance with this Indian. He wouldhardly have taken the trouble to come all the way back, and run therisks he did, just to delay us a few days. However, we'll soon know. Meanwhile, we'll take it easy and wait for the return of Tolpec and hisfriends. "

Though none of them liked to admit it, Ned's words had caused his threefriends some anxiety, and though they busied themselves about the campthere was an air of waiting impatiently for something to occur. Andwaiting is about the hardest work there is. 

But there was nothing for it but to wait, and it might be at least aweek, Professor Bumper said, before the Indian could return with aparty of porters and mules to move their baggage. 

"Yes, Tolpec has not only to locate the settlement, " Tom admitted, "buthe must persuade the natives to come back with him. He may havetrouble in that, especially if it is known that he has left Jacinto, who, I imagine, is a power among the tribes here. "

But there were only two things left to do--wait and hope. Thetravelers did both. Four days passed and there was no sign of Tolpec. Eagerly, and not a little anxiously, they watched the jungle path alongwhich he had disappeared. 

"Oh, come on!" exclaimed Tom one morning, when the day seemed a bitcooler than its predecessor. "Let's go for a hunt, or something! I'mtired of sitting around camp. "

"Bless my watch hands! So am I!" cried Mr. Damon. "Let's all go for atrip. It will do us good. "

"And perhaps I can get some specimens of interest, " added ProfessorBumper, who, in addition to being an archaeologist, was something of anaturalist. 

Accordingly, having made everything snug in camp, the party, Tom andNed equipped with electric rifles, and the professor with a butterflynet and specimen boxes, set forth. Mr. Damon said he would carry astout club as his weapon. 

The jungle, as usual, was teeming with life, but as Ned and Tom did notwish to kill wantonly they refrained from shooting until later in theday. For once it was dead, game did not keep well in that hot climate, and needed to be cooked almost immediately. 

"We'll try some shots on our back trip, " said the young inventor. 

Professor Bumper found plenty of his own particular kind of "game"which he caught in the net, transferring the specimens to the boxes hecarried. There were beautiful butterflies, moths and strange bugs inthe securing of which the scientist evinced great delight, though whenone beetle nipped him firmly and painfully on his thumb his involuntarycry of pain was as real as that of any other person. 

"But I didn't let him get away, " he said in triumph when he had droppedthe clawing insect into the cyanide bottle where death came painlessly. "It is well worth a sore thumb. "

They wandered on through the jungle, taking care not to get too farfrom their camp, for they did not want to lose their way, nor did theywant to be absent too long in case Tolpec and his native friends shouldreturn. 

"Well, it's about time we shot something, I think, " remarked Ned, whenthey had been out about two hours. "Let's try for some of these wildturkeys. They ought to go well roasted even if it isn't Thanksgiving. "

"I'm with you, " agreed Tom. "Let's see who has the best luck. Buttone down the charge in your rifle and use a smaller projectile, oryou'll have nothing but a bunch of feathers to show for your shot. Theguns are loaded for deer. "

The change was made, and once more the two young men started off, alittle ahead of Professor Bumper and Mr. Damon. Tom and Ned had notgone far, however, before they heard a strange cry from Mr. Damon. 

"Tom! Ned!" shouted the eccentric man, "Here's a monster after me! Comequick!"

"A tiger!" ejaculated Tom, as he began once more to change the chargein his rifle to a larger one, running back, meanwhile, in the directionof the sound of the voice. 

There were really no tigers in Honduras, the jaguar being called atiger by the natives, while the cougar is called a lion. The presenceof these animals, often dangerous to man, had been indicated aroundcamp, and it was possible that one had been bold enough to attack Mr. Damon, not through hunger, but because of being cornered. 

"Come on, Ned!" cried Tom. "He's in some sort of trouble!"

But when, a moment later, the young inventor burst through a fringe ofbushes and saw Mr. Damon standing in a little clearing, with upraisedclub, Tom could not repress a laugh. 

"Kill it, Tom! Kill it!" begged the eccentric man. "Bless my insurancepolicy, but it's a terrible beast!"

And so it was, at first glance. For it was a giant iguana, one of themost repulsive-looking of the lizards. Not unlike an alligator inshape, with spikes on its head and tail, with a warty, squattyridge-encrusted body, a big pouch beneath its chin, and long-toedclaws, it was enough to strike terror into the heart of almost any one. Even the smaller ones look dangerous, and this one, which was aboutfive feet long, looked capable of attacking a man and injuring him. Asa matter of fact the iguanas are harmless, their shape and coloringbeing designed to protect them. 

"Don't be afraid, Mr. Damon, " called Tom, still laughing. "It won'thurt you!"

"I'm not so positive of that. It won't let me pass. "

"Just take your club and poke it out of the way, " the young inventoradvised. "It's only waiting to be shoved. "

"Then you do it, Tom. Bless my looking glass, but I don't want to gonear it! If my wife could see me now she'd say it served me just right. "

Mr. Damon was not a coward, but the giant iguana was not pleasant tolook at. Tom, with the butt of his rifle, gave it a gentle shove, whereupon the creature scurried off through the brush as though glad tomake its escape unscathed. 

"I thought it was a new kind of alligator, " said Mr. Damon with a sighof relief. 

"Where is it?" asked Professor Bumper, coming up at this juncture. "Anew species of alligator? Let me see it!"

"It's too horrible, " said Mr. Damon. "I never want to see one again. It was worse than a vampire bat!"

Notwithstanding this, when he heard that it was one of the largestsized iguanas ever seen, the professor started through the jungle afterit. 

"We can't take it with us if we get it, " Tom called after his friend. 

"We might take the skin, " answered the professor. "I have a standingorder for such things from one of the museums I represent. I'd like toget it. Then they are often eaten. We can have a change of diet, yousee. "

"We'd better follow him, " said Tom to Ned. "We'll have to let theturkeys go for a while. He may get into trouble. Come on. "

Off they started through the jungle, trailing after the impetuousprofessor who was intent on capturing the iguana. The giant lizard'sprogress could be traced by the disturbance of the leaves andunderbrush, and the professor was following as closely as possible. 

So fast did he go that Ned, Tom and Mr. Damon, following, lost sight ofhim several times, and Tom finally called:

"Wait a minute. We'll all be lost if you keep this up. "

"I'll have him in another minute, " answered the professor. "I canalmost reach him now. Then---- Oh!"

His voice ended in a scream that seemed to be one of terror. So suddenwas the change that Tom and Ned, who were together, ahead of Mr. Damon, looked at one another in fear. 

"What has happened?" whispered Ned, pausing. 

"Don't stop to ask--come on!" shouted Tom. 

At that instant again came the voice of the savant. 

"Tom! Ned!" he gasped, rather than cried. 

"I'm caught in the coils! Quick--quick if you would save me!"

"In the coils!" repeated Ned. "What does he mean? Can the giantiguana----"

Tom Swift did not stop to answer. With his electric rifle inreadiness, he leaped forward through the jungle. 

CHAPTER XVI

A MEETING IN THE JUNGLE

Before Tom and Ned reached the place whence Professor Bumper hadcalled, they heard strange noises, other than the imploring voice oftheir friend. It seemed as though some great body was threshing aboutin the jungle, lashing the trees, bushes and leaves about, and when thetwo young men, followed by Mr. Damon, reached the scene they saw that, in a measure, this really accounted for what they heard. 

Something like a great whip was beating about close to two trees thatgrew near together. And then, when the storm of twigs, leaves anddirt, caused by the leaping, threshing thing ceased for a moment, theonlookers saw something that filled them with terror. 

Between the two trees, and seemingly bound to them by a great coiledrope, spotted and banded, was the body of Professor Bumper. His armswere pinioned to his sides and there was horror and terror on his face, that looked imploringly at the youths from above the topmost coil ofthose encircling him. 

"What is it?" cried Mr. Damon, as he ran pantingly up. "What hascaught him? Is it the giant iguana?"

"It's a snake--a great boa!" gasped Tom. "It has him in its coils. But it is wound around the trees, too. That alone prevents it fromcrushing the professor to death. 

"Ned, be ready with your rifle. Put in the heaviest charge, and watchyour chance to fire!"

The great, ugly head of the boa reared itself up from the coils whichit had, with the quickness of thought, thrown about the man between thetwo trees. This species of snake is not poisonous, and kills its preyby crushing it to death, making it into a pulpy mass, with scarcely abone left unbroken, after which it swallows its meal. The crushingpower of one of these boas, some of which reach a length of thirtyfeet, with a body as large around as that of a full-grown man, isenormous. 

"I'm going to fire!" suddenly cried Tom. He had seen his chance and hetook it. There was the faint report--the crack of the electricrifle--and the folds of the serpent seemed to relax. 

"I see a good chance now, " added Ned, who had taken the small chargefrom his weapon, replacing it with a heavier one. 

His rifle was also discharged in the direction of the snake, and Tomsaw that the hit was a good one, right through the ugly head of thereptile. 

"One other will be enough to make him loosen his coils!" cried Tom, ashe fired again, and such was the killing power of the electric bulletsthat the snake, though an immense one, and one that short ofdecapitation could have received many injuries without losing power, seemed to shrivel up. 

Its folds relaxed, and the coils of the great body fell in a heap atthe roots of the two trees, between which the scientist had beenstanding. 

Professor Bumper seemed to fall backward as the grip of the serpentrelaxed, but Tom, dropping his rifle, and calling to Ned to keep an eyeon the snake, leaped forward and caught his friend. 

"Are you hurt?" asked Tom, carrying the limp form over to a grassyplace. There was no answer, the savant's eyes were closed and hebreathed but faintly. 

Ned Newton fired two more electric bullets into the still writhing bodyof the boa. 

"I guess he's all in, " he called to Tom. 

"Bless my horseradish! And so our friend seems to be, " commented Mr. Damon. "Have you anything with which to revive him, Tom?"

"Yes. Some ammonia. See if you can find a little water. "

"I have some in my flask. "

Tom mixed a dose of the spirits which he carried with him, and this, forced between the pallid lips of the scientist, revived him. 

"What happened?" he asked faintly as he opened his eyes. "Oh, yes, Iremember, " he added slowly. "The boa----"

"Don't try to talk, " urged Tom. "You're all right. The snake is dead, or dying. Are you much hurt?"

Professor Bumper appeared to be considering. He moved first one limb, then another. He seemed to have the power over all his muscles. 

"I see how it happened, " he said, as he sat up, after taking a littlemore of the ammonia. "I was following the iguana, and when the biglizard came to a stop, in a little hollow place in the ground, at thefoot of those two trees, I leaned over to slip a noose of rope aboutits neck. Then I felt myself caught, as if in the hands of a giant, and bound fast between the two trees. "

"It was the big boa that whipped itself around you, as you leanedover, " explained Tom, as Ned came up to announce that the snake was nolonger dangerous. "But when it coiled around you it also coiled aroundthe two trees, you, fortunately slipping between them. Had it not beenthat their trunks took off some of the pressure of the coils youwouldn't have lasted a minute. "

"Well, I was pretty badly squeezed as it was, " remarked the professor. "I hardly had breath enough left to call to you. I tried to fight offthe serpent, but it was of no use. "

"I should say not!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my circus ring! one mightas well try to combat an elephant! But, my dear professor, are you allright now?"

"I think so--yes. Though I shall be lame and stiff for a few days, Ifear. I can hardly walk. "

Professor Bumper was indeed unable to go about much for a few daysafter his encounter with the great serpent. He stretched out in ahammock under trees in the camp clearing, and with his friends waitedfor the possible return of Tolpec and the porters. 

Ned and Tom made one or two short hunting trips, and on these occasionsthey kept a lookout in the direction the Indian had taken when he wentaway. 

"For he's sure to come back that way--if he comes at all, " declaredNed; "which I am beginning to doubt. "

"Well, he may not come, " agreed Tom, who was beginning to lose some ofhis first hope. "But he won't necessarily come from the same directionhe took. He may have had to go in an entirely different way to gethelp. We'll hope for the best. "

A week passed. Professor Bumper was able to be about, and Tom and Nednoticed that there was an anxious look on his face. Was he, too, beginning to despair?

"Well, this isn't hunting for golden idols very fast, " said Mr. Damon, the morning of the eighth day after their desertion by the faithlessJacinto. "What do you say, Professor Bumper; ought we not to start offon our own account?"

"We had better if Tolpec does not return today, " was the answer. 

They had eaten breakfast, had put their camp in order, and were aboutto have a consultation on what was best to do, when Tom suddenly calledto Ned, who was whistling:

"Hark!"

Through the jungle came a faint sound of singing--not a harmonious air, but the somewhat barbaric chant of the natives. 

"It is Tolpec coming back!" cried Mr. Damon. "Hurray! Now our troublesare over t Bless my meal ticket! Now we can start!"

"It may be Jacinto, " suggested Ned. 

"Nonsense! you old cold-water pitcher!" cried Tom. "It's Tolpec! I cansee him! He's a good scout all right!"

And then, walking at the head of a band of Indians who were weirdlychanting while behind them came a train of mules, was Tolpec, acheerful grin covering his honest, if homely, dark face. 

"Me come back!" he exclaimed in gutteral English, using about half ofhis foreign vocabulary. 

"I see you did, " answered Professor Bumper in the man's own tongue. "Glad to see you. Is everything all right?"

"All right, " was the answer. "These Indians will take you where youwant to go, and will not leave you as Jacinto did. "

"We'll start in the morning!" exclaimed the savant his own cheerfulself again, now that there was a prospect of going further into theinterior. "Tell the men to get something to eat, Tolpec. There isplenty for all. "

"Good!" grunted the new guide and soon the hungry Indians, who had comefar, were satisfying their hunger. 

As they ate Tolpec explained to Professor Bumper, who repeated it tothe youths and Mr. Damon, that it had been necessary to go farther thanhe had intended to get the porters and mules. But the Indians were afriendly tribe, of which he was a member, and could be depended on. 

There was a feast and a sort of celebration in camp that night. Tomand Ned shot two deer, and these formed the main part of the feast andthe Indians made merry about the fire until nearly midnight. They didnot seem to mind in the least the swarms of mosquitoes and other bugsthat flew about, attracted by the light. As for Tom Swift and hisfriends, their nets protected them. 

An early start was made the following morning. Such packages of goodsand supplies as could not well be carried by the Indians in their headstraps, were loaded on the backs of the pack-mules. Tolpec explainedthat on reaching the Indian village, where he had secured the porters, they could get some ox-carts which would be a convenience in travelinginto the interior toward the Copan valley. 

The march onward for the next two days was tiresome; but the IndiansTolpec had secured were as faithful and efficient as he had describedthem, and good progress was made. 

There were a few accidents. One native fell into a swiftly runningstream as they were fording it and lost a box containing somemuch-needed things. But as the man's life was saved Professor Bumpersaid it made up for the other loss. Another accident did not end soauspiciously. One of the bearers was bitten by a poisonous snake, andthough prompt measures were taken, the poison spread so rapidly thatthe man died. 

In due season the Indian village was reached, where, after a day spentin holding funeral services over the dead bearer, preparations weremade for proceeding farther. 

This time some of the bearers were left behind, and ox-carts weresubstituted for them, as it was possible to carry more goods this way. 

"And now we're really off for Copan!" exclaimed Professor Bumper onemorning, when the cavalcade, led by Tolpec in the capacity of headguide, started off. "I hope we have no more delays. "

"I hope not, either, " agreed Tom. "That Beecher may be there ahead ofus. "

Weary marches fell to their portion. There were mountains to climb, streams to ford or swim, sending the carts over on rudely made rafts. There were storms to endure, and the eternal heat to fight. 

But finally the party emerged from the lowlands of the coast and wentup in among the hills, where though the going was harder, the climatewas better. It was not so hot and moist. 

Not wishing to attract attention in Copan itself, Professor Bumper andhis party made a detour, and finally, after much consultation with Tomover the ancient maps, the scientist announced that he thought theywere in the vicinity of the buried city. 

"We will begin test excavations in the morning, " he said. 

The party was in camp, and preparations were made for spending thenight in the forest, when from among the trees there floated to theears of our friends a queer Indian chant. 

"Some one is coming, " said Tom to Ned. 

Almost as he spoke there filed into the clearing where the camp hadbeen set up, a cavalcade of white men, followed by Indians. And at thesight of one of the white men Tom Swift uttered a cry. 

"Professor Beecher!" gasped the young inventor. 

CHAPTER XVII

THE LOST MAP

The on-marching company of white men, with their Indian attendants, came to a halt on the edge of the clearing as they caught sight of thetents already set up there. The barbaric chant of the native bearersceased abruptly, and there was a look of surprise shown on the face ofProfessor Fenimore Beecher. For Professor Beecher it was, in the leadof the rival expedition. 

"Bless my shoe laces!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. 

"Is it really Beecher?" asked Ned, though he knew as well as Tom thatit was the young archaeologist. 

"It certainly is!" declared Tom. "And he has nerve to follow us soclosely!"

"Maybe he thinks we have nerve to get here ahead of him, " suggestedNed, smiling grimly. 

"Probably, " agreed Tom, with a short laugh. "Well, it evidentlysurprises him to find us here at all, after the mean trick he played onus to get Jacinto to lead us into the jungle and desert us. "

"That's right, " assented Ned. "Well, what's the next move?"

There seemed to be some doubt about this on the part of bothexpeditions. At the sight of Professor Beecher, Professor Bumper, whohad come out of his tent, hurriedly turned to Tom and asked him what hethought it best to do. 

"Do!" exclaimed the eccentric Mr. Damon, not giving Tom time to reply. "Why, stand your ground, of course! Bless my house and lot! but we'rehere first! For the matter of that, I suppose the jungle is free and wecan no more object to his coming: here than he can to our coming. First come, first served, I suppose is the law of the forest. "

Meanwhile the surprise occasioned by the unexpected meeting of theirrivals seemed to have spread something like consternation among thewhite members of the Beecher party. As for the natives they evidentlydid not care one way or the other. 

There was a hasty consultation among the professors accompanying Mr. Beecher, and then the latter himself advanced toward the tents of Tomand his friends and asked:

"How long have you been here?"

"I don't see that we are called upon to answer that question, " repliedProfessor Bumper stiffly. 

"Perhaps not, and yet----"

"There is no perhaps about it!" said Professor Bumper quickly. "I knowwhat your object is, as I presume you do mine. And, after what I mayterm your disgraceful and unsportsmanlike conduct toward me and myfriends, I prefer not to have anything further to do with you. We mustmeet as strangers hereafter. "

"Very well, " and Professor Beecher's voice was as cold anduncompromising as was his rival's. "Let it be as your wish. But Imust say I don't know what you mean by unsportsmanlike conduct. "

"An explanation would be wasted on you, " said Professor Bumper stiffly. "But in order that you may know I fully understand what you did I willsay that your efforts to thwart us through your tool Jacinto came tonothing. We are here ahead of you. "

"Jacinto!" cried Professor Beecher in real or simulated surprise. "Why, he was not my 'tool, ' as you term it. "

"Your denial is useless in the light of his confession, " assertedProfessor Bumper. 

"Confession?"

"Now look here!" exclaimed the older professor, "I do not propose tolower myself by quarreling with you. I know certainly what you andyour party tried to do to prevent us from getting here. But we got outof the trap you set for us, and we are on the ground first. Irecognize your right to make explorations as well as ourselves, and Ipresume you have not fallen so low that you will not recognize theunwritten law in a case of this kind--the law which says the right ofdiscovery belongs to the one who first makes it. "

"I shall certainly abide by such conduct as is usual under thecircumstances, " said Professor Beecher more stiffly than before. "Atthe same time I must deny having set a trap. And as for Jacinto----"

"It will be useless to discuss it further!" broke in Professor Bumper. 

"Then no more need be said, " retorted the younger man. "I shall giveorders to my friends, as well as to the natives, to keep away from yourcamp, and I shall expect you to do the same regarding mine. "

"I should have suggested the same thing myself, " came from Tom'sfriend, and the two rival scientists fairly glared at one another, theothers of both parties looking on with interest. 

Professor Bumper turned and walked defiantly back to his tent. Professor Beecher did the same thing. Then, after a short consultationamong the white members of the latter's organization, their tents wereset up in another clearing, removed and separated by a screen of treesand bushes from those of Tom Swift's friends. The natives of theBeecher party also withdrew a little way from those of ProfessorBumper's organization, and then preparations for spending the night inthe jungle went on in the rival headquarters. 

"Well, he certainly had nerve, to deny, practically, that he had setJacinto up to do what he did, " commented Tom. 

"I should say so!" agreed Ned. 

"How do you imagine he got here nearly as soon as we did, when he didnot start until later?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"He did not have the unfortunate experience of being deserted in thejungle, " replied Tom. "He probably had Jacinto, or some of thatunprincipled scoundrel's friends, show him a short route to Copan andhe came on from there. "

"Well, I did hope we might have the ground to ourselves, at least forthe preliminary explorations and excavations. But it is not to be. Myrival is here, " sighed Professor Bumper. 

"Don't let that discourage you!" exclaimed Tom. "We can fight all thebetter now the foe is in the open, and we know where he is. "

"Yes, Tom Swift, that is true, " agreed the scientist. "I am not goingto give up, but I shall have to change my plans a little. Perhaps youwill come into the tent with me, " and he nodded to Tom and Ned. "Iwant to talk over certain matters with you and Mr. Damon. "

"Pleased to, " assented the young inventor, and his financial secretarynodded. 

A little later, supper having been eaten, the camp made shipshape andthe natives settled down, Tom, Ned, Mr. Damon and Professor Bumperassembled in the tent of the scientist, where a dry battery lamp gavesufficient illumination to show a number of maps and papers scatteredover an improvised table. 

"Now, gentlemen, " said the professor, "I have called you here to goover my plans more in detail than I have hitherto done, now we are onthe ground. You know in a general way what I hope to accomplish, butthe time has come when I must be specific. 

"Aside from being on the spot, below which, or below the vicinitywhere, I believe, lies the lost city of Kurzon and, I hope, the idol ofgold, a situation has arisen--an unexpected situation, I may say--whichcalls for different action from that I had counted on. 

"I refer to the presence of my rival, Professor Beecher. I will notdwell now on what he has done. It is better to consider what he maydo. "

"That's right, " agreed Ned. "He may get up in the night, dig up thiscity and skip with that golden image before we know it. "

"Hardly, " grinned Tom. 

"No, " said Professor Bumper. "Excavating buried cities in the jungleof Honduras is not as simple as that. There is much work to be done. But accidents may happen, and in case one should occur to me, and I beunable to prosecute the search, I want one of you to do it. For thatreason I am going to show you the maps and ancient documents and pointout to you where I believe the lost city lies. Now, if you will giveme your attention, I'll proceed. "

The professor went over in detail the story of how he had found the olddocuments relating to the lost city of Kurzon, and of how, after muchlabor and research, he had located the city in the Copan valley. Thegreat idol of gold was one of the chief possessions of Kurzon, and itwas often referred to in the old papers; copies and translations ofwhich the professor had with him. 

"But this is the most valuable of all, " he said, as he opened anoiled-silk packet. "And before I show it to you, suppose you two youngmen take a look outside the tent. "

"What for?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"To make sure that no emissaries from the Beecher crowd are sneakingaround to overhear what we say, " was the somewhat bitter answer of thescientist. "I do not trust him, in spite of his attempted denial. "

Tom and Ned took a quick but thorough observation outside the tent. The blackness of the jungle night was in strange contrast to the lightthey had just left. 

"Doesn't seem to be any one around here, " remarked Ned, after waiting aminute or two. 

"No. All's quiet along the Potomac. Those Beecher natives are havingsome sort of a song-fest, though. "

In the distance, and from the direction of their rivals' camp, came theweird chant. 

"Well, as long as they stay there we'll be all right, " said Tom. "Comeon in. I'm anxious to hear what the professor has to say. "

"Everything's quiet, " reported Ned. 

"Then give me your attention, " begged the scientist. 

Carefully, as though about to exhibit some, precious jewel, he loosenedthe oiled-silk wrappings and showed a large map, on thin but toughpaper. 

"This is drawn from the old charts, " the professor explained. "Iworked on it many months, and it is the only copy in the world. If itwere to be destroyed I should have to go all the way back to New Yorkto make another copy. I have the original there in a safe depositvault. "

"Wouldn't it have been wise to make two copies?" asked Tom. 

"It would have only increased the risk. With one copy, and thatconstantly in my possession, I can be sure of my ground. Otherwisenot. That is why I am so careful of this. Now I will show you why Ibelieve we are about over the ancient city of Kurzon. "

"Over it!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my gunpowder! What do you mean?"and he looked down at the earthen floor of the tent as though expectingit to open and swallow him. 

"I mean that the city, like many others of Central and South America, is buried below the refuse of centuries, " went on the professor. "Verysoon, if we are fortunate, we shall be looking on the civilization ofhundreds of years ago--how long no one knows. 

"Considerable excavation has been done in Central America, " went onProfessor Bumper, "and certain ruins have been brought to light. Nearus are those of Copan, while toward the frontier are those of Quirigua, which are even better preserved than the former. We may visit them ifwe have time. But I have reason to believe that in this section ofCopan is a large city, the existence of which has not been made certainof by any one save myself--and, perhaps, Professor Beecher. 

"Certainly no part of it has seen the light of day for many centuries. It shall be our pleasure to uncover it, if possible, and secure theidol of gold. "

"How long ago do you think the city was buried?" asked Tom. 

"It would be hard to say. From the carvings and hieroglyphics I havestudied it would seem that the Mayan civilization lasted about fivehundred years, and that it began perhaps in the year A. D. Fivehundred. "

"That would mean, " said Mr. Damon, "that the ancient cities were inruins, buried, perhaps, long before Columbus discovered the new world. "

"Yes, " assented the professor. "Probably Kurzon, which we now seek, was buried deep for nearly five hundred years before Columbus landed atSan Salvadore. The specimens of writing and architecture heretoforedisclosed indicate that. But, as a matter of fact, it is very hard todecipher the Mayan pictographs. So far, little but the ability to readtheir calendars and numerical system is possessed by us, though we aregradually making headway. 

"Now this is the map of the district, and by the markings you can seewhere I hope to find what I seek. We shall begin digging here, " and hemade a small mark with a pencil on the map. 

"Of course, " the professor explained, "I may be wrong, and it will takesome time to discover the error if we make one. When a city is buriedthirty or forty feet deep beneath earth and great trees have grown overit, it is not easy to dig down to it. "

"How do you ever expect to find it?" asked Ned. 

"Well, we will sink shafts here and there. If we find carved stones, the remains of ancient pottery and weapons, parts of buildings orbuilding stones, we shall know we are on the right track, " was theanswer. "And now that I have shown you the map, and explained howvaluable it is, I will put it away again. We shall begin ourexcavations in the morning. "

"At what point?" asked Tom. 

"At a point I shall indicate after a further consultation of the map. I must see the configuration of the country by daylight to decide. Andnow let's get some rest. We have had a hard day. "

The two tents housing the four white members of the Bumper party wereclose together, and it was decided that the night would be divided intofour watches, to guard against possible treachery on the part of theBeecher crowd. 

"It seems an unkind precaution to take against a fellow scientist, "said Professor Bumper, "but I can not afford to take chances after whathas occurred. "

The others agreed with him, and though standing guard was not pleasantit was done. However the night passed without incident, and then camemorning and the excitement of getting breakfast, over which the Indiansmade merry. They did not like the cold and darkness, and alwayswelcomed the sun, no matter how hot. 

"And now, " cried Tom, when the meal was over, "let us begin the workthat has brought us here. "

"Yes, " agreed Professor Bumper, "I will consult the map, and start thediggers where I think the city lies, far below the surface. Now, gentlemen, if you will give me your attention----"

He was seeking through his outer coat pockets, after an ineffectualsearch in the inner one. A strange look came over his face. 

"What's the matter?" asked Tom. 

"The map--the map!" gasped the professor. "The map I was showing youlast night! The map that tells where we are to dig for the idol ofgold! It's gone!"

"The map gone?" gasped Mr. Damon. 

"I--I'm afraid so, " faltered the professor. "I put it away carefully, but now----"

He ceased speaking to make a further search in all his pockets. 

"Maybe you left it in another coat, " suggested Ned. 

"Or maybe some of the Beecher crowd took it!" snapped Tom. 

CHAPTER XVIII

"EL TIGRE!"

The four men gazed at one another. Consternation showed on the face ofProfessor Bumper, and was reflected, more or less, on the countenancesof his companions. 

"Are you sure the map is gone?" asked Tom. "I know how easy it is tomislay anything in a camp of this sort. I couldn't at first find mysafety razor this morning, and when I did locate it the hoe was in oneof my shoes. I'm sure a rat or some jungle animal must have dragged itthere. Now maybe they took your map, Professor. That oiled silk inwhich it was wrapped might have appealed to the taste of a rat or asnake. "

"It is no joking matter, " said Professor Bumper. "But I know youappreciate the seriousness of it as much as I do, Tom. But I had themap in the pocket of this coat, and now it is gone!"

"When did you put it there?" asked Ned. 

"This morning, just before I came to breakfast. "

"Oh, then you have had it since last night!" Tom ejaculated. 

"Yes, I slept with it under my clothes that I rolled up for a pillow, and when it was my turn to stand guard I took it with me. Then I putit back again and went to sleep. When I awoke and dressed I put thepacket in my pocket and ate breakfast. Now when I look for it--why, it's gone!"

"The map or the oiled-silk package?" asked Mr. Damon, who, once havingbeen a businessman, was sometimes a stickler for small points. 

"Both, " answered the professor. "I opened the silk to tie it moresmoothly, so it would not be such a lump in my pocket, and I made surethe map was inside. "

"Then the whole thing has been taken--or you have lost it, " suggestedNed. 

"I am not in the habit of losing valuable maps, " retorted thescientist. "And the pocket of my coat I had made deep, for the purposeof carrying the long map. It could not drop out. "

"Well, we mustn't overlook any possible chances, " suggested Tom. "Comeon now, we'll search every inch of the ground over which you traveledthis morning, Professor. "

"It MUST be found, " murmured the scientist. "Without it all our workwill go for naught. "

They all went into the tent where the professor and Mr. Damon had sleptwhen they were not on guard. The camp was a busy place, with theIndians finishing their morning meal, and getting ready for the work ofthe day. For word had been given out that there would be no more longperiods of travel. 

In consequence, efforts were being directed by the head men of thebearers to making a more permanent camp in the wilderness. Shelters ofpalm-thatched huts were being built, a site for cooking fires made, and, at the direction of Mr. Damon, to whom this part was entrusted, some sanitary regulations were insisted on. 

Leaving this busy scene, the four, with solemn faces, proceeded to thetent where it was hoped the map would be found. But though they wentthrough everything, and traced and retraced every place the professorcould remember having traversed about the canvas shelter, no signs ofthe important document could be found. 

"I don't believe I dropped it out of my pocket, " said the scientist, for perhaps the twentieth time. 

"Then it was taken, " declared Tom. 

"That's what I say!" chimed in Ned. "And by some of Beecher's party!"

"Easy, my boy, " cautioned Mr. Damon. "We don't want to makeaccusations we can't prove. "

"That is true, " agreed Professor Bumper. "But, though I am sorry tosay it of a fellow archaelogist, I can not help thinking Beecher hadsomething to do with the taking of my map. "

"But how could any of them get it?" asked Mr. Damon. "You say you hadthe map this morning, and certainly none of them has been in our campsince dawn, though of course it is possible that some of them sneakedin during the night. "

"It does seem a mystery how it could have been taken in open daylight, while we were about camp together, " said Tom. "But is the loss such agrave one, Professor Bumper?"

"Very grave. In fact I may say it is impossible to proceed with theexcavating without the map. "

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

"We must get it back!" declared Tom. 

"Yes, " agreed the scientist, "we can not work without it. As soon as Imake a little further search, to make sure it could not have dropped insome out-of-the-way place, I shall go over to Professor Beecher's campand demand that he give me back my property. "

"Suppose he says he hasn't taken it?" asked Tom. 

"Well, I'm sure he either took it personally, or one of his party did. And yet I can't understand how they could have come here without ourseeing them, " and the professor shook his head in puzzled despair. 

A more detailed search did not reveal the missing map, and Mr. Damonand his friend the scientist were on the point of departing for thecamp of their rivals, less than a mile away, when Tom had what reallyamounted to an inspiration. 

"Look here, Professor!" he cried. "Can you remember any of the detailsof your map--say, for instance, where we ought to begin excavating toget at the wonders of the underground city?"

"Well, Tom, I did intend to compare my map with the configuration ofthe country about here. There is a certain mountain which serves as alandmark and a guide for a starting point. I think that is it overthere, " and the scientist pointed to a distant snow-capped peak. 

The party had left the low and marshy land of the true jungle, and wereamong the foothills, though all about them was dense forest andunderbush, which, in reality, was as much a jungle as the lower plains, but was less wet. 

"The point where I believe we should start to dig, " said the professor, "is near the spot where the top of the mountain casts a shadow when thesun is one hour high. At least that is the direction given in the oldmanuscripts. So, though we can do little without the map, we mightmake a start by digging there. "

"No, not there!" exclaimed Tom. 

"Why not?"

"Because we don't want to let Beecher's crowd know that we are on thetrack of the idol of gold. "

"But they know anyhow, for they have the map, " commented Ned, puzzledby his chum's words. 

"Maybe not, " said Tom slowly. "I think this is a time for a big bluff. It may work and it may not. Beecher's crowd either has the map or theyhave not. If they have it they will lose no time in trying to find theright place to start digging and then they'll begin excavating. 

"Very good! If they do that we have a right to dig near the same place. But if they have not the map, which is possible, and if we start to digwhere the professor's memory tells him is the right spot, we'll onlygive them the tip, and they'll dig there also. "

"I'm sure they have the map, " the professor said. "But I believe yourplan is a good one, Tom. "

"Just what do you propose doing?" asked Ned. 

"Fooling 'em!" exclaimed Tom quickly. "We'll dig in some place remotefrom the spot where the mountain casts its shadow. They will think, ifthey haven't the map, that we are proceeding by it, and they'll dig, too. When they find nothing, as will also happen to us, they may goaway. 

"If, on the other hand, they have the map, and see us digging at a spotnot indicated on it, they will be puzzled, knowing we must have someidea of where the buried city lies. They will think the map is atfault, perhaps, and not make use of it. Then we can get it back. "

"Bless my hatband!" cried Mr. Damon. "I believe you're right, Tom. We'll dig in the wrong place to fool 'em. "

And this was done. Search for the precious map was given up for thetime being, and the professor and his friends set the natives to workdigging shafts in the ground, as though sinking them down to the levelof the buried city. 

But though this false work was prosecuted with vigor for several days, there was a feeling of despair among the Bumper party over the loss ofthe map. 

"If we could only get it back!" exclaimed the professor, again andagain. 

Meanwhile the Beecher party seemed inactive. True, some members of itdid come over to look on from a respectful distance at what the diggerswere doing. Some of the rival helpers, under the direction of the headof the expedition, also began sinking shafts. But they were not in thelocality remembered by Professor Bumper as being correct. 

"I can't imagine what they're up to, " he said. "If they have my mapthey would act differently, I should think. "

"Whatever they're up to, " answered Tom, "the time has come when we candig at the place where we can hope for results. " And the following dayshafts were started in the shadow of the mountain. 

Until some evidence should have been obtained by digging, as to thelocation beneath the surface of a buried city, there was nothing forthe travelers to do but wait. Turns were taken in directing theefforts of the diggers, and an occasional inspection was made of theshafts. 

"What do you expect to find first?" asked Tom of Professor Bumper oneday, when the latter was at the top of a shaft waiting for a bucketload of dirt to be hoisted up. 

"Potsherds and artifacts, " was the answer. 

"What sort of bugs are they?" asked Ned with a laugh. He and Tom wereabout to go hunting with their electric rifles. 

"Artifacts are things made by the Indians--or whatever members of therace who built the ancient cities were called--such as householdarticles, vases, ornaments, tools and so on. Anything made byartificial means is called an artifact. "

"And potsherds are things with those Chinese laundry ticket scratcheson them, " added Tom. 

"Exactly, " said the professor, laughing. "Though some of thestrange-appearing inscriptions give much valuable information. As soonas we find some of them--say a broken bit of pottery with hieroglyphicson--I will know I am on the right track. "

And while the scientist and Mr. Damon kept watch at the top of theshaft, Tom and Ned went out into the jungle to hunt. They had killedsome game, and were stalking a fine big deer, which would provide afeast for the natives, when suddenly the silence of the lonely forestwas broken by a piercing scream, followed by an agonized cry of"El tigre! El tigre!"

CHAPTER XIX

POISONED ARROWS

"Did you hear that, Tom?" asked Ned, in a hoarse whisper. 

"Surely, " was the cautious answer. "Keep still, and I'll try for ashot. "

"Better be quick, " advised Ned in a tense voice. "The chap who didthat yelling seems to be in trouble!"

And as Ned's voice trailed off into a whisper, again came the cry, thistime in frenzied pain. 

"El tigre! El tigre!" Then there was a jumble of words. 

"It's over this way!" and this time Ned shouted, seeing no need for lowvoices since the other was so loud. 

Tom looked to where Ned had parted the bushes alongside a jungle path. Through the opening the young inventor saw, in a little glade, thatwhich caused him to take a firmer grip on his electric rifle, and alsoa firmer grip on his nerves. 

Directly in front of him and Ned, and not more than a hundred yardsaway, was a great tawny and spotted jaguar--the "tigre" or tiger ofCentral America. The beast, with lashing tail, stood over an Indianupon whom it seemed to have sprung from some lair, beating theunfortunate man to the ground. Nor had he fallen scatheless, for therewas blood on the green leaves about him, and it was not the blood ofthe spotted beast. 

"Oh, Tom, can you--can you----" and Ned faltered. 

The young inventor understood the unspoken question. 

"I think I can make a shot of it without hitting the man, " he answered, never turning his head. "It's a question, though, if the beast won'tclaw him in the death struggle. It won't last long, however, if theelectric bullet goes to the right place, and I've got to take thechance. "

Cautiously Tom brought his weapon to bear. Quiet as Ned and he hadbeen after the discovery, the jaguar seemed to feel that something waswrong. Intent on his prey, for a time he had stood over it, gloating. Now the brute glanced uneasily from side to side, its tail nervouslytwitching, and it seemed trying to gain, by a sniffing of the air, someinformation as to the direction in which danger lay, for Tom and Nedhad stooped low, concealing themselves by a screen of leaves. 

The Indian, after his first frenzied outburst of fear, now lay quiet, as though fearing to move, moaning in pain. 

Suddenly the jaguar, attracted either by some slight movement on thepart of Ned or Tom, or perhaps by having winded them, turned his headquickly and gazed with cruel eyes straight at the spot where the twoyoung men stood behind the bushes. 

"He's seen us, " whispered Ned. 

"Yes, " assented Tom. "And it's a perfect shot. Hope I don't miss!"

It was not like Tom Swift to miss, nor did he on this occasion. Therewas a slight report from the electric rifle--a report not unlike thecrackle of the wireless--and the powerful projectile sped true to itsmark. 

Straight through the throat and chest under the uplifted jaw of thejaguar it went--through heart and lungs. Then with a great coughing, sighing snarl the beast reared up, gave a convulsive leap forwardtoward its newly discovered enemies, and fell dead in a limp heap, justbeyond the native over which it had been crouching before it deliveredthe death stroke, now never to fall. 

"You did it, Tom! You did it!" cried Ned, springing up from where hehad been kneeling to give his chum a better chance to shoot. "You didit, and saved the man's life!" And Ned would have rushed out toward thestill twitching body. 

"Just a minute!" interposed Tom. "Those beasts sometimes have as manylives as a cat. I'll give it one more for luck. " Another electricprojectile through the head of the jaguar produced no further effectthan to move the body slightly, and this proved conclusively that therewas no life left. It was safe to approach, which Tom and Ned did. 

Their first thought, after a glance at the jaguar, was for the Indian. It needed but a brief examination to show that he was not badly hurt. The jaguar had leaped on him from a low tree as he passed under it, asthe boys learned afterward, and had crushed the man to earth by theweight of the spotted body more than by a stroke of the paw. 

The American jaguar is not so formidable a beast as the native name oftiger would cause one to suppose, though they are sufficientlydangerous, and this one had rather badly clawed the Indian. Fortunately the scratches were on the fleshy parts of the arms andshoulders, where, though painful, they were not necessarily serious. 

"But if you hadn't shot just when you did, Tom, it would have been allup with him, " commented Ned. 

"Oh, well, I guess you'd have hit him if I hadn't, " returned the younginventor. "But let's see what we can do for this chap. "

The man sat up wonderingly--hardly able to believe that he had beensaved from the dreaded "tigre. " His wounds were bleeding ratherfreely, and as Tom and Ned carried with them a first-aid kit they nowbrought it into use. The wounds were bound up, the man was given waterto drink and then, as he was able to walk, Tom and Ned offered to helphim wherever he wanted to go. 

"Blessed if I can tell whether he's one of our Indians or whether hebelongs to the Beecher crowd, " remarked Tom. 

"Senor Beecher, " said the Indian, adding, in Spanish, that he lived inthe vicinity and had only lately been engaged by the young professorwho hoped to discover the idol of gold before Tom's scientific friendcould do so. 

Tom and Ned knew a little Spanish, and with that, and simple butexpressive signs on the part of the Indian, they learned his story. Hehad his palm-thatched hut not far from the Beecher camp, in a smallIndian village, and he, with others, had been hired on the arrival ofthe Beecher party to help with the excavations. These, for somereason, were delayed. 

"Delayed because they daren't use the map they stole from us, "commented Ned. 

"Maybe, " agreed Tom. 

The Indian, whose name, it developed, was Tal, as nearly as Tom and Nedcould master it, had left camp to go to visit his wife and child in thejungle hut, intending to return to the Beecher camp at night. But ashe passed through the forest the jaguar had dropped on him, bearing himto earth. 

"But you saved my life, Senor, " he said to Tom, dropping on one kneeand trying to kiss Tom's hand, which our hero avoided. "And now mylife is yours, " added the Indian. 

"Well, you'd better get home with it and take care of it, " said Tom. "I'll have Professor Bumper come over and dress your scratches in abetter and more careful way. The bandages we put on are onlytemporary. "

"My wife she make a poultice of leaves--they cure me, " said the Indian. 

"I guess that will be the best way, " observed Ned. "These natives candoctor themselves for some things, better than we can. "

"Well, we'll take him home, " suggested Tom. "He might keel over fromloss of blood. Come on, " he added to Tal, indicating his object. 

It was not far to the native's hut from the place where the jaguar hadbeen killed, and there Tom and Ned underwent another demonstration ofaffection as soon as those of Tal's immediate family and the othernatives understood what had happened. 

"I hate this business!" complained Tom, after having been knelt to bythe Indian's wife and child, who called him the "preserver" and otherendearing titles of the same kind. "Come on, let's hike back. "

But Indian hospitality, especially after a life has been saved, is notso simple as all that. 

"My life--my house--all that I own is yours, " said Tal in deepgratitude. "Take everything, " and he waved his hand to indicate allthe possessions in his humble hut. 

"Thanks, " answered Tom, "but I guess you need all you have. That's afine specimen of blow gun though, " he added, seeing one hanging on thewall. "I wouldn't mind having one like that. If you get well enoughto make me one, Tal, and some arrows to go with it, I'd like it for acuriosity to hang in my room at home. "

"The Senor shall have a dozen, " promised the Indian. 

"Look, Ned, " went on Tom, pointing to the native weapon. "I never sawone just like this. They use small arrows or darts, tipped with wildcotton, instead of feathers. "

"These the arrows, " explained Tal's wife, bringing a bundle from acorner of the one-room hut. As she held them out her husband gave acry of fear. 

"Poisoned arrows! Poisoned arrows!" he exclaimed. "One scratch and thesenors are dead men. Put them away!"

In fear the Indian wife prepared to obey, but as she did so Tom Swiftcaught sight of the package and uttered a strange cry. 

"Thundering hoptoads, Ned!" he exclaimed. "The poisoned arrows arewrapped in the piece of oiled silk that was around the professor'smissing map!"

CHAPTER XX

AN OLD LEGEND

Fascinated, Tom and Ned gazed at the package the Indian woman held outto them. Undoubtedly it was oiled silk on the outside, and through thealmost transparent covering could be seen the small arrows, or darts, used in the blow gun. 

"Where did you get that?" asked Tom, pointing to the bundle and gazingsternly at Tal. 

"What is the matter, Senor?" asked the Indian in turn. "Is it that youare afraid of the poisoned arrows? Be assured they will not harm youunless you are scratched by them. "

Tom and Ned found it difficult to comprehend all the rapid Spanishspoken by their host, but they managed to understand some, and hiseloquent gestures made up the rest. 

"We're not afraid, " Tom said, noting that the oiled skin well coveredthe dangerous darts. "But where did you get that?"

"I picked it up, after another Indian had thrown it away. He got it inyour camp, Senor. I will not lie to you. I did not steal. Valdezwent to your camp to steal--he is a bad Indian--and he brought backthis wrapping. It contained something he thought was gold, but it wasnot, so he----"

"Quick! Yes! Tell us!" demanded Tom eagerly. "What did he do with theprofessor's map that was in the oiled silk? Where is it?"

"Oh, Senors!" exclaimed the Indian woman, thinking perhaps her husbandwas about to be dealt harshly with when she heard Tom's excited voice. "Tal do no harm!"

"No, he did no harm, " went on Tom, in a reassuring tone. "But he cando a whole lot of good if he tells us what became of the map that wasin this oiled silk. Where is it?" he asked again. 

"Valdez burn it up, " answered Tal. 

"What, burned the professor's map?" cried Ned. 

"If that was in this yellow cloth--yes, " answered the injured man. "Valdez he is bad. He say to me he is going to your camp to see whathe can take. How he got this I know not, but he come back one morningwith the yellow package. I see him, but he make me promise not totell. But you save my life I tell you everything. 

"Valdez open the package; but it is not gold, though he think sobecause it is yellow, and the man with no hair on his head keep it inhis pocket close, so close, " and Tal hugged himself to indicate what hemeant. 

"That's Professor Bumper, " explained Ned. 

"How did Valdez get the map out of the professor's coat?" asked Tom. 

"Valdez he very much smart. When man with no hair on his head takecoat off for a minute to eat breakfast Valdez take yellow thing out ofpocket. "

"The Indian must have sneaked into camp when we were eating, " said Tom. "Those from Beecher's party and our workers look all alike to us. Wewouldn't know one from the other, and one of our rival's might slip in. "

"One evidently did, if this is really the piece of oiled silk that wasaround the professor's map, " said Ned. 

"It certainly is the same, " declared the young inventor. "See, thereis his name, " and he stretched out his hand to point. 

"Don't touch!" cried Tal. "Poisoned arrows snake poison--verydead-like and quick. "

"Don't worry, I won't touch, " said Tom grimly. "But go on. You sayValdez sneaked into our camp, took the oiled-silk package from the coatpocket of Professor Bumper and went back to his own camp with it, thinking it was gold. "

"Yes, " answered Tal, though it is doubtful if he understood all thatTom said, as it was half Spanish and half English. But the Indian knewa little English, too. "Valdez, when he find no gold is very mad. Only papers in the yellow silk-papers with queer marks on. Valdezthink it maybe a charm to work evil, so he burn them up--all up!"

"Burned that rare map!" gasped Tom. 

"All in fire, " went on Tal, indicating by his hands the play of flames. "Valdez throw away yellow silk, and I take for my arrows so rain notwash off poison. I give to you, if you like, with blow gun. "

"No, thank you, " answered Tom, in disappointed tones. "The oiled silkis of no use without the map, and that's gone. Whew! but this istough!" he said to his chum. "As long as it was only stolen there wasa chance to get it back, but if it's burned, the jig is up. "

"It looks so, " agreed Ned. "We'd better get back and tell theprofessor. It he can't get along without the map it's time he starteda movement toward getting another. So it wasn't Beecher, after all, who got it. "

"Evidently not, " assented Tom. "But I believe him capable of it. "

"You haven't much use for him, " remarked Ned. 

"Huh!" was all the answer given by his chum. 

"I am sorry, Senors, " went on Tal, "but I could not stop Valdez, andthe burning of the papers----"

"No, you could not help it, " interrupted the young inventor. "But itjust happens that it brings bad luck to us. You see, Tal, the papersin this yellow covering, told of an old buried city that thebald-headed professor--the-man-with-no-hair-on-his-head--is veryanxious to discover. It is somewhere under the ground, " and he wavedto the jungle all about them, pointing earthwards. 

"Paper Valdez burn tell of lost city?" asked Tal, his face lighting up. 

"Yes. But now, of course, we can't tell where to dig for it. "

The Indian turned to his wife and talked rapidly with her in their owndialect. She, too, seemed greatly excited, making quick gestures. Finally she ran out of the hut. 

"Where is she going?" asked Tom suspiciously. 

"To get her grandfather. He very old Indian. He know story of buriedcities under trees. Very old story--what you call legend, maybe. ButGoosal know. He tell same as his grandfather told him. You wait. Goosal come, and you listen. "

"Good, Ned!" suddenly cried Tom. "Maybe, we'll get on the track oflost Kurzon after all, through some ancient Indian legend. Maybe wewon't need the map!"

"It hardly seems possible, " said Ned slowly. "What can these Indiansknow of buried cities that were out of existence before Columbus camehere? Why, they haven't any written history. "

"No, and that may be just the reason they are more likely to be right, "returned Tom. "Legends handed down from one grandfather to another goback a good many hundred years. If they were written they might bedestroyed as the professor's map was. Somehow or other, though I can'ttell why, I begin to see daylight ahead of us. "

"I wish I did, " remarked Ned. 

"Here comes Goosal I think, " murmured Tom, and he pointed to an Indian, bent with the weight of years, who, led by Tal's wife, was slowlyapproaching the hut. 

CHAPTER XXI

THE CAVERN

"Now Goosal can tell you, " said Tal, evidently pleased that he had, ina measure, solved the problem caused by the burning of the professor'smap. "Goosal very old Indian. He know old stories--legends--very old. "

"Well, if he can tell us how to find the buried city of Kurzon andthe--the things in it, " said Tom, "he's all right!"

The aged Indian proceeded slowly toward the hut where the impatientyouths awaited him. 

"I know what you seek in the buried city, " remarked Tal. 

"Do you?" cried Tom, wondering if some one had indiscreetly spoken ofthe idol of gold. 

"Yes you want pieces of rock, with strange writings on them, oldweapons, broken pots. I know. I have helped white men before. "

"Yes, those are the things we want, " agreed Tom, with a glance at hischum. "That is--some of them. But does your wife's grandfather talkour language?"

"No, but I can tell you what he says. "

By this time the old man, led by "Mrs. Tal"--as the young men calledthe wife of the Indian they had helped--entered the hut. He seemednervous and shy, and glanced from Tom and Ned to his grandson-in-law, as the latter talked rapidly in the Indian dialect. Then Goosal madeanswer, but what it was all about the boys could not tell. 

"Goosal say, " translated Tal, "that he know a story of a very old cityaway down under ground. "

"Tell us about it!" urged Tom eagerly. 

But a difficulty very soon developed. Tal's intentions were good, buthe was not equal to the task of translating. Nor was the understandingof Tom and Ned of Spanish quite up to the mark. 

"Say, this is too much for me!" exclaimed Tom. "We are losing the mostvaluable part of this by not understanding what Goosal says, and whatTal translates. "

"What can we do?" asked Ned. 

"Get the professor here as soon as possible. He can manage thisdialect, and he'll get the information at first hand. If Goosal cantell where to begin excavating for the city he ought to tell theprofessor, not us. "

"That's right, " agreed Ned. "We'll bring the professor here as soon aswe can. "

Accordingly they stopped the somewhat difficult task of listening tothe translated story and told Tal, as well as they could, that theywould bring the "man-with-no-hair-on-his-head" to listen to the tale. 

This seemed to suit the Indians, all of whom in the small colonyappeared to be very grateful to Tom and Ned for having saved the lifeof Tal. 

"That was a good shot you made when you bowled over the jaguar, " saidNed, as the two young explorers started back to their camp. 

"Better than I realized, if it leads to the discovery of Kurzon and theidol of gold, " remarked Tom. 

"And to think we should come across the oiled-silk holding the poisonedarrows!" went on Ned. "That's the strangest part of the whole affair. If it hadn't been that you shot the jaguar this never would have comeabout. "

That Professor Bumper was astonished, and Mr. Damon likewise, when theyheard the story of Tom and Ned, is stating it mildly. 

"Come on!" exclaimed the scientist, as Tom finished, "we must see thisGoosal at once. If my map is destroyed, and it seems to be, this oldIndian may be our only hope. Where did he say the buried city was, Tom?"

"Oh, somewhere in this vicinity, as nearly as I could make out. Butyou'd better talk with him yourself. We didn't say anything about theidol of gold. "

"That's right. It's just as well to let the natives think we are onlyafter ordinary relics. "

"Bless my insurance policy!" gasped Mr. Damon. "It does not seempossible that we are on the right track. "

"Well, I think we are, from what little information Goosal gave us, "remarked Tom. "This buried city of his must be a wonderful place. "

"It is, if it is what I take it to be, " agreed the professor. "I toldyou I would bring you to a land of wonders, Tom Swift, and they havehardly begun yet. Come, I am anxious to talk to Goosal. "

In order that the Indians in the Bumper camp might not hear rumors ofthe new plan to locate the hidden city, and, at the same time, to keeprumors from spreading to the camp of the rivals, the scientist and hisfriends started a new shaft, and put a shift of men at work on it. 

"We'll pretend we are on the right track, and very busy, " said Tom. "That will fool Beecher. "

"Are you glad to know he did not take your map Professor Bumper?" askedMr. Damon. 

"Well, yes. It is hard to believe such things of a fellow scientist. "

"If he didn't take it he wanted to, " said Tom. "And he has done, orwill do, things as unsportsmanlike. "

"Oh, you are hardly fair, perhaps, Tom, " commented Ned. 

"Um!" was all the answer he received. 

With the Indians in camp busy on the excavation work, and havingascertained that similar work was going on in the Beecher outfit, Professor Bumper, with Mr. Damon and the young men, set off to visitthe Indian village and listen to Goosal's story. They passed the placewhere Tom had slain the jaguar, but nothing was left but the bones; theants, vultures and jungle animals having picked them clean in the night. 

On the arrival of Tom and his friends at the Indian's hut, Goosal told, in language which Professor Bumper could understand, the ancient legendof the buried city as he had had it from his grandfather. 

"But is that all you know about it, Goosal?" asked the savant. 

"No, Learned One. It is true most of what I have told you was told tome by my father and his father's father. But I--I myself--with theseeyes, have looked upon the lost city. "

"You have!" cried the professor, this time in English. "Where? When?Take us to it! How do you get here?"

"Through the cavern of the dead, " was the answer when the questionswere modified. 

"Bless my diamond ring!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, when Professor Bumpertranslated the reply. "What does he mean?"

And then, after some talk, this information came out. Years before, when Goosal was a young man, he had been taken by his grandfather on ajourney through the jungle. They stopped one day at the foot of a highmountain, and, clearing away the brush and stones at a certain place, an entrance to a great cavern was revealed. This, it appeared, was theIndian burial ground, and had been used for generations. 

Goosal, though in fear and trembling, was lead through it, and came toanother cavern, vaster than the first. And there he saw strange andwonderful sights, for it was the remains of a buried city, that hadonce been the home of a great and powerful tribe unlike theIndians--the ancient Mayas it would seem. 

"Can you take us to this cavern?" asked the professor. 

"Yes, " answered Goosal. "I will lead to it those who saved the life ofTal--them and their friends. I will take you to the lost city!"

"Good!" cried Mr. Damon, when this had been translated. "Now letBeecher try to play any more tricks on us! Ho! for the cavern and thelost city of Kurzon. "

"And the idol of gold, " said Tom Swift to himself. "I hope we can getit ahead of Beecher. Perhaps if I can help in that--Oh, well, here'shoping, that's all!" and a little smile curved his lips. 

Greatly excited by the strange news, but maintaining as calm an airoutwardly as possible, so as not to excite the Indians, Tom and hisfriends returned to camp to prepare for their trip. Goosal had saidthe cavern lay distant more than a two-days' journey into the jungle. 

CHAPTER XXII

THE STORM

"Now, " remarked Tom, once they were back again in their camp, "we mustgo about this trip to the cavern in a way that will cause no suspicionover there as to what our object is, " and he nodded in the direction ofthe quarters of his rival. 

"Do you mean to go off quietly?" asked Ned. 

"Yes. And to keep the work going on here, at these shafts, " put in thescientist, "so that if any of their spies happen to come here they willthink we still believe the buried city to be just below us. To thatend we must keep the Indians digging, though I am convinced now that itis useless. "

Accordingly preparations were made for an expedition into the jungleunder the leadership of Goosal. Tal had not sufficiently recoveredfrom the jaguar wounds to go with the party, but the old man, in spiteof his years, was hale and hearty and capable of withstanding hardships. 

One of the most intelligent of the Indians was put in charge of thedigging gangs as foreman, and told to keep them at work, and not to letthem stray. Tolpec, whose brother Tom had tried to save, proved atreasure. He agreed to remain behind and look after the interests ofhis friends, and see that none of their baggage or stores were taken. 

"Well, I guess we're as ready as we ever shall be, " remarked Tom, asthe cavalcade made ready to start. Mules carried the supplies thatwere to be taken into the jungle, and others of the sturdy animals wereto be ridden by the travelers. The trail was not an easy one, Goosalwarned them. 

Tom and his friends found it even worse than they had expected, for alltheir experience in jungle and mountain traveling. In places it wasnecessary to dismount and lead the mules along, sometimes pushing anddragging them. More than once the trail fairly hung on the edge ofsome almost bottomless gorge, and again it wound its way between greatwalls of rock, so poised that they appeared about to topple over andcrush the travelers. But they kept on with dogged patience, throughmany hardships. 

To add to their troubles they seemed to have entered the abode of thefiercest mosquitoes encountered since coming to Honduras. At times itwas necessary to ride along with hats covered with mosquito netting, and hands encased in gloves. 

They had taken plenty of condensed food with them, and they did notsuffer in this respect. Game, too, was plentiful and the electricrifles of Tom and Ned added to the larder. 

One night, after a somewhat sound sleep induced by hard travel on thetrail that day, Tom awoke to hear some one or something moving aboutamong their goods, which included their provisions. 

"Who's there?" asked the young inventor sharply, as he reached for hiselectric rifle. 

There was no answer, but a rattling of the pans. 

"Speak, or I'll fire!" Tom warned, adding this in such Spanish as hecould muster, for he thought it might be one of the Indians. No replycame, and then, seeing by the light of the stars a dark form moving infront of the tent occupied by himself and Ned, Tom fired. 

There was a combined grunt and squeal of pain, then a savage growl, andNed yelled:

"What's the matter, Tom?" for he had been awakened, and heard thecrackle of the electrical discharge. 

"I don't know, " Tom answered. "But I shot something--or somebody!"

"Maybe some of Beecher's crowd, " ventured his chum. But when they gottheir electric torches, and focused them on the inert, black object, itwas found to be a bear which had come to nose about the camp for daintymorsels. 

Bruin was quite dead, and as he was in prime condition there was afeast of bear meat at the following dinner. The white travelers foundit rather too strong for their palates, but the Indians reveled in it. 

It was shortly after noon the next day, when Goosal, after remarkingthat a storm seemed brewing, announced that they would be at theentrance to the cavern in another hour. 

"Good!" cried Professor Bumper. "At last we are near the buried city. "

"Don't be too sure, " advised Mr. Damon, "We may be disappointed. Though I hope not for your sake, my dear Professor. "

Goosal now took the lead, and the old Indian, traveling on foot, for hesaid he could better look for the old landmark that way than on theback of a mule, walked slowly along a rough cliff. 

"Here, somewhere, is the entrance to the cavern, " said the aged man. "It was many years ago that I was here--many years. But it seems asthough yesterday. It is little changed. "

Indeed little did change in that land of wonders. Only nature causedwhat alterations there were. The hand of man had long been absent. 

Slowly Goosal walked along the rocky trail, on one side a sheer rock, towering a hundred feet or more toward the sky. On the other side adeep gash leading to a great fertile valley below. 

Suddenly the old man paused, and looked about him as though uncertain. Then, more slowly still, he put out his hand and pulled at some bushesthat grew on a ledge of the rock. They came away, having no depth ofearth, and a small opening was disclosed. 

"It is here, " said Goosal quietly. "The entrance to the cavern thatleads to the burial place of the dead, and the city that is dead also. It is here. "

He stood aside while the others hurried forward. It took but a fewminutes to prove that he was right--at least as to the existence of thecavern--for the four men were soon peering into the opening. 

"Come on!" cried Tom, impetuously. 

"Wait a moment, " suggested the professor, "Sometimes the air in theseplaces is foul. We must test it. " But a torch one of the Indiansthrew in burned with a steady glow. That test was conclusive at least. They made ready to enter. 

Torches of a light bark, that glowed with a steady flame and littlesmoke, had been provided, as well as a good supply of electricdry-battery lamps, and the way into the cavern was thus well lighted. At first the Indians were afraid to enter, but a word or two fromGoosal reassured them, and they followed Professor Bumper, Tom, and theothers into the cavern. 

For several hundred feet there was nothing remarkable about the cave. It was like any other cavern of the mountains, though wonderful for thenumber of crystal formations on the root and walls--formations thatsparkled like a million diamonds in the flickering lights. 

"Talk about a wonderland!" cried Tom. "This is fairyland!"

A moment later, as Goosal walked on beside the professor and Tom, theaged Indian came to a pause, and, pointing ahead, murmured:

"The city of the dead!"

They saw the niches cut in the rock walls, niches that held thecountless bones of those who had died many, many years before. It wasa vast Indian grave. 

"Doubtless a wealth of material of historic interest here, " saidProfessor Bumper, flashing his torch on the skeletons. "But it willkeep. Where is the city you spoke of, Goosal?"

"Farther on, Senor. Follow me. "

Past the stone graves they went, deeper and deeper into the great cave. Their footsteps echoed and re-echoed. Suddenly Tom, who with Ned hadgone a little ahead, came to a sudden halt and said:

"Well, this may be a burial place sure enough, but I think I seesomething alive all right--if it isn't a ghost. "

He pointed ahead. Surely those were lights flickering and movingabout, and, yes, there were men carrying them. The Bumper party cameto a surprised halt. The other lights advanced, and then, to the greatastonishment of Professor Bumper and his friends, there confronted themin the cave several scientists of Professor Beecher's party and a scoreor more of Indians. Professor Hylop, who was known to ProfessorBumper, stepped forward and asked sharply:

"What are you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same thing, " was the retort. 

"You might, but you would not be answered, " came sharply. "We have aright here, having discovered this cavern, and we claim it under aconcession of the Honduras Government. I shall have to ask you towithdraw. "

"Do you mean leave here?" asked Mr Damon. 

"That is it, exactly. We first discovered this cave. We have beenconducting explorations in it for several days, and we wish nooutsiders. "

"Are you speaking for Professor Beecher?" asked Tom. 

"I am. But he is here in the cave, and will speak for himself if youdesire it. But I represent him, and I order you to leave. If you donot go peaceably we will use force. We have plenty of it, " and heglanced back at the Indians grouped behind him--scowling savage Indians. 

"We have no wish to intrude, " observed Professor Bumper, "and I fullyrecognize the right of prior discovery. But one member of our party(he did not say which one) was in this cave many years ago. He led usto it. "

"Ours is a government concession!" exclaimed Professor Hylop harshly. "We want no intruders! Go!" and he pointed toward the direction whenceTom's party had come. 

"Drive them out!" he ordered the Indians in Spanish, and with mutteredthreats the dark-skinned men advanced toward Tom and the others. 

"You need not use force, " said Professor Bumper. 

He and Professor Hylop had quarreled bitterly years before on somescientific matter, and the matter was afterward found to be wrong. Perhaps this made him vindictive. 

Tom stepped forward and started to protest, but Professor Bumperinterposed. 

"I guess there is no help for it but to go. It seems to be theirs byright of discovery and government concession, " he said, in disappointedtone. "Come friends"; and dejectedly they retraced their steps. 

Followed by the threatening Indians, the Bumper party made its way backto the entrance. They had hoped for great things, but if the caverngave access to the buried city--the ancient city of Kurzon on the chiefaltar of which stood the golden idol, Quitzel--it looked as though theywere never to enter it. 

"We'll have to get our Indians and drive those fellows out!" declaredTom. "I'm not going to be beaten this way--and by Beecher!"

"It is galling, " declared Professor Bumper. "Still he has right on hisside, and I must give in to priority, as I would expect him to. It isthe unwritten law. "

"Then we've failed!" cried Tom bitterly. 

"Not yet, " said Professor Bumper. "If I can not unearth that buriedcity I may find another in this wonderland. I shall not give up. "

"Hark! What's that noise?" asked Tom, as they approached the entranceto the cave. 

"Sounds like a great wind blowing, " commented Ned. 

It was. As they stood in the entrance they looked out to find a fiercestorm raging. The wind was sweeping down the rocky trail, the rain wasfalling in veritable bucketfuls from the overhanging cliff, anddeafening thunder and blinding lightning roared and flashed. 

"Surely you would not drive us out in this storm, " said ProfessorBumper to his former rival. 

"You can not stay in the cave! You must get out!" was the answer, as alouder crash of thunder than usual seemed to shake the very mountain. 

CHAPTER XXIII

ENTOMBED ALIVE

For an instant Tom and his friends paused at the entrance to thewonderful cavern, and looked at the raging storm. It seemed madness toventure out into it, yet they had been driven from the cave by thosewho had every right of discovery to say who, and who should not, partake of its hospitality. 

"We can't go out into that blow!" cried Ned. "It's enough to loosenthe very mountains!"

"Let's stay here and defy them!" murmured Tom. "If the--if what weseek--is here we have as good a right to it as they have. "

"We must go out, " said Professor Bumper simply. "I recognize the rightof my rival to dispossess us. "

"He may have the right, but it isn't human, " said Mr. Damon. "Bless myovershoes! If Beecher himself were here he wouldn't have the heart tosend us out in this storm. "

"I would not give him the satisfaction of appealing to him, " remarkedProfessor Bumper. "Come, we will go out. We have our ponchos, and weare not fair-weather explorers. If we can't get to the lost city oneway we will another. Come my friends. "

And despite the downpour, the deafening thunder and the lightning thatseemed ready to sear one's eyes, he walked out of the cave entrance, followed by Tom and the others. 

"Come on!" cried Tom, in a voice he tried to render confident, as theywent out into the terrible storm. "We'll beat 'em yet!"

The rain fell harder than ever. Small torrents were now rushing downthe trail, and it was only a question of a few minutes before the placewhere they stood would be a raging river, so quickly does the raincollect in the mountains and speed toward the valleys. 

"We must take to the forest!" cried Tom. "There'll be some shelterthere, and I don't like the way the geography of this place isbehaving. There may be a landslide at any moment. "

As he spoke he motioned upward through the mist of the rain to thesloping side of the mountain towering above them. Loose stones werebeginning to roll down, accompanied by patches of earth loosened by thewater. Some of the patches carried with them bunches of grass andsmall bushes. 

"Yes, it will be best to move into the jungle, " said the professor. "Goosal, you had better take the lead. "

It was wonderful to see how well the aged Indian bore up in spite ofhis years, and walked on ahead. They had left their mules tetheredsome distance back, in a sheltering clump of trees, and they hoped theanimals would be safe. 

The guide found a place where they could leave the trail, though goingdown a dangerous slope, and take to the forest. As carefully aspossible they descended this, the rain continuing to fall, the wind toblow, the lightning to sizzle all about them and the thunder to boom intheir ears. 

They went on until they were beneath the shelter of the thick junglegrowth of trees, which kept off some of the pelting drops. 

"This is better!" exclaimed Ned, shaking his poncho and getting rid ofsome of the water that had settled on it. 

"Bless my overcoat!" cried Mr. Damon. "We seem to have gotten out ofthe frying pan into the fire!"

"How?" asked Tom. "We are partly sheltered here, though had we stayedin the cave in spite of----"

A deafening crash interrupted him, and following the flash one of thegiant trees of the forest was seen to blaze up and then topple over. 

"Struck by lightning!" yelled Ned. 

"Yes; and it may happen to us!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "We were saferfrom the lightning in the open. Maybe----"

Again came an interruption, but this time a different one. The veryground beneath their feet seemed to be shaking and trembling. 

"What is it?" gasped Ned, while Goosal fell on his knees and beganfervently to pray. 

"It's an earthquake!" yelled Tom Swift. 

As he spoke there came another sound--the sound of a mass of earth inmotion. It came from the direction of the mountain trail they had justleft. They looked toward it and their horror-stricken eyes saw thewhole side of the mountain sliding down. 

Slowly at first the earth slid down, but constantly gathering force andspeed. In the face of this new disaster the rain seemed to have ceasedand the thunder and lightning to be less severe. It was as though oneforce of nature gave way to the other. 

"Look! Look!" gasped Ned. 

In silence, which was broken now only by a low and ominous rumble, moremenacing than had been the awful fury of the elements, the travelerslooked. 

Suddenly there was a quicker movement of seemingly one whole section ofthe mountain. Great rocks and trees, carried down by the appallingforce of the landslide were slipping over the trail, obliterating it asthough it had never existed. 

"There goes the entrance to the cavern!" cried Ned, and as the otherslooked to where he pointed they saw the hole in the side of themountain--the mouth of the cave that led to the lost city ofKurzon--completely covered by thousands of tons of earth and stones. 

"That's the end of them!" exclaimed Tom, as the rumble of theearthquake died away. 

"Of----" Ned stopped, his eyes staring. 

"Of Professor Beecher's party. They're entombed alive!"

CHAPTER XXIV

THE REVOLVING STONE

Stunned, not alone by the realization of the awfulness of the fate oftheir rivals, but also by the terrific storm and the effect of theearthquake and the landslide, Tom and his friends remained for a momentgazing toward the mouth of the cavern, now completely out of sight, buried by a mass of broken trees, tangled bushes, rocks and earth. Somewhere, far beyond that mass, was the Beecher party, held prisonersin the cave that formed the entrance to the buried city. 

Tom was the first to come to a realization of what was needed to bedone. 

"We must help them!" he exclaimed, and it was characteristic of himthat he harbored no enmity. 

"How?" asked Ned. 

"We must get a force of Indians and dig them out, " was the promptanswer. 

At Tom's vigorous words Professor Bumper's forces were energized intoaction, and he stated: "Fortunately we have plenty of excavating tools. We may be in time to save them. Come on! the storm seems to havepassed as suddenly as it came up, and the earthquake, which, after alldid not cover a wide area, seems to be over. We must start the work ofrescue at once. We must go back to camp and get all the help we canmuster. "

The storm, indeed, seemed to be over, but it was no easy matter to getback over the soggy, rain-soaked ground to the trail they had left totake shelter in the forest. Fortunately the earthquake had notinvolved that portion where they had left their mules, but most of thefrightened animals had broken loose, and it was some little time beforethey could all be caught. 

"It is no use to try to get back to camp tonight, " said Tom, when thelast of the pack and saddle animals had been corralled. "It is gettinglate and there is no telling the condition of the trail. We must stayhere until morning. "

"But what about them?" and Mr. Damon nodded in the direction of theentombed ones. 

"We can help them best by waiting until the beginning of a new day, "said the professor. "We shall need a large force, and we could notbring it up to-night. Besides, Tom is right, and if we tried to goalong the trail after dark, torn and disturbed as it is bound to be bythe rain, we might get into difficulties ourselves. No, we must camphere until morning and then go for help. "

They all decided finally this was best. The professor, too, pointedout that their rivals were in a large and roomy cave, not likely tosuffer from lack of air nor food or water, since they must havesupplies with them. 

"The only danger is that the cave has been crushed in, " added Tom; "butin that event we would be of no service to them anyhow. "

The night seemed very long, and it was a most uncomfortable one, because of the shock and exertions through which the party had passed. Added to this was the physical discomfort caused by the storm. 

But in time there was the light in the east that meant morning was athand, and with it came action. A hasty breakfast, cups of steamingcoffee forming a most welcome part, put them all in better condition, and once more they were on their way, heading back to the main campwhere they had left their force of Indians. 

"My!" exclaimed Tom, as they made their way slowly along, "it surelywas some storm! Look at those big trees uprooted over there. They'realmost as big as the giant redwoods of California, and yet they werebowled over as if they were tenpins. "

"I wonder if the wind did it or the earthquake, " ventured Mr. Damon. 

"No wind could do that, " declared Ned. "It must have been thelandslide caused by the earthquake. "

"The wind could do it if the ground was made soft by the rain; and thatwas probably what did it, " suggested Tom. 

"There is no harm in settling the point, " commented Professor Bumper. "It is not far off our trail, and will take only a few minutes to goover to the trees. I should like to get some photographs to accompanyan article that perhaps I shall write on the effects of sudden andsevere tropical storms. We will go to look at the overturned trees andthen we'll hurry on to camp to get the rescue party. "

The uprooted trees lay on one side of the mountain trail, perhaps amile from the mouth of the cave which had been covered over, entombingthe Beecher party. Leaving the mules in charge of one of the Indians, Professor Bumper and his friends, accompanied by Goosal, approached thefallen trees. As they neared them they saw that in falling the treeshad lifted with their roots a large mass of earth and imbedded rocksthat had clung to the twisted and gnarled fibers. This mass was aslarge as a house. 

"Look at the hole left when the roots pulled out!" cried Ned. "Why, it's like the crater of a small volcano!" he added. And, as they stoodon the edge of it looking curiously at the hole made, the others agreedwith Tom's chum. 

Professor Bumper was looking about, trying to ascertain if there wereany evidences of the earthquake in the vicinity, when Tom, who hadcautiously gone a little way down into the excavation caused by thefallen trees, uttered a cry of surprise. 

"Look!" he shouted. "Isn't that some sort of tunnel or undergroundpassage?" and he pointed to a square opening, perhaps seven feet highand nearly as broad, which extended, no one knew where, downward andonward from the side of the hole made by the uprooting of the trees. 

"It's an underground passage all right, " said Professor Bumper eagerly;"and not a natural one, either. That was fashioned by the hand of man, if I am any judge. It seems to go right under the mountain, too. Friends, we must explore this! It may be of the utmost importance!Come, we have our electric torches, and we shall need them, for it'svery dark in there, " and he peered into the passage in front of whichthey all stood now. It seemed to have been tunneled through the earth, the sides being lined by either slabs of stone, or walls made by a sortof concrete. 

"But what about the rescue work?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"I am not forgetting Professor Beecher and his friends, " answered thescientist. 

"Perhaps this may be a better means of rescuing them than by diggingthem out, which will take a week at least, " observed Tom. 

"This a better way?" asked Ned, pointing to the tunnel. 

"That's it, " confirmed the savant. "If you will notice it extends backin the direction of the cave from which we were driven. Now if thereis a buried city beneath all this jungle, this mountain of earth andstones, the accumulation of centuries, it is probably on the bottom ofsome vast cavern. It is my opinion that we were only in one end ofthat cavern, and this may be the entrance to another end of it. "

"Then, " asked Mr. Damon, "do you mean that we can enter here, get intothe cave that contains the buried city, or part of it, and find thereBeecher and his friends?"

"That's it. It is possible, and if we could it would save an immenselot of work, and probably be a surer way to save their lives than bydigging a tunnel through the landslide to find the mouth of the cavewhere we first entered. "

"It's a chance worth taking, " said Mr. Damon. "Of course it is achance. But then everything connected with this expedition is; so oneis no worse than another. As you say, we may find the entombed menmore easily this way than any other. "

"I wonder, " said Tom slowly, "if, by any chance, we shall find, throughthis passage, the lost city we are looking for. "

"And the idol of gold, " added Ned. 

"Goosal, do you know anything about this?" asked Professor Bumper. "Did you ever hear of another passage leading to the cave where you sawthe ancient city?"

"No, Learned One, though I have heard stories about there being manycities, or parts of a big one, beneath the mountain, and when it wasabove ground there were many entrances to it. "

"That settles it!" cried the professor in English, having talked toGoosal in Spanish. "We'll try this and see where it leads. "

They entered the stone-lined passage. In spite of the fact that it hadprobably been buried and concealed from light and air for centuries, asevidenced by the growth of the giant trees above it, the air was fresh. 

"And this is one reason, " said Tom, in commenting on this fact, "why Ibelieve it leads to some vast cavern which is connected in some fashionwith the outer air. Well, perhaps we shall soon make a discovery. "

Eagerly and anxiously the little party pressed forward by the light ofthe pocket electric lamps. They were obsessed by two thoughts--whatthey might find and the necessity for aiding in the rescue of theirrivals. 

On and on they went, the darkness illuminated only by the torches theycarried. But they noticed that the air was still fresh, and that agentle wind blew toward them. The passage was undoubtedly artificial, a tunnel made by the hands of men now long crumbled into dust. It hada slightly upward slope, and this, Professor Bumper said, indicatedthat it was bored upward and perhaps into the very heart of themountain somewhere in the interior of which was the Beecher party. 

Just how far they went they did not know, but it must have been morethan two miles. Yet they did not tire, for the way was smooth. 

Suddenly Tom, who, with Professor Bumper, was in the lead, uttered acry, as he held his torch above his head and flashed it about in acircle. 

"We're blocked!" he exclaimed. "We're up against a stone wall!"

It was but too true. Confronting them, and extending from side to sideacross the passage and from roof to floor, was a great rough stone. Immense and solid it seemed when they pushed on it in vain. 

"Nothing short of dynamite will move that, " said Ned in despair. "Thisis a blind lead. We'll have to go back. "

"But there must be something on the other side of that stone, " criedTom. "See, it is pierced with holes, and through them comes a currentof air. If we could only move the stone!"

"I believe it is an ancient door, " remarked Professor Bumper. 

Eagerly and frantically they tried to move it by their combined weight. The stone did not give the fraction of the breadth of a hair. 

"We'll have to go back and get some of your big tunnel blasting powder, Tom, " suggested Ned. 

As he spoke old Goosal glided forward. He had remained behind them inthe passage while they were trying to move the rock. Now he saidsomething in Spanish. 

"What does he mean?" asked Ned. 

"He asks that he be allowed to try, " translated Professor Bumper. "Sometimes, he says, there is a secret way of opening stone doors inthese underground caves. Let him try. "

Goosal seemed to be running his fingers lightly over the outer edge ofthe door. He was muttering to himself in his Indian tongue. 

Suddenly he uttered an exclamation, and, as he did so, there was anoise from the door itself. It was a grinding, scraping sound, arumble as though rocks were being rolled one against the other. 

Then the astonished eyes of the adventurers saw the great stone doorrevolve on its axis and swing to one side, leaving a passage openthrough which they could pass. Goosal had discovered the hiddenmechanism. 

What lay before them?

CHAPTER XXV

THE IDOL OF GOLD

"Forward! cried Tom Swift. 

"Where?" asked Mr Damon, hanging back for an instant. "Bless mycompass, Tom! do you know where you're going?"

"I haven't the least idea, but it must lead to something, or theancients who made this revolving stone door wouldn't have taken suchcare to block the passage. "

"Ask Goosal if he knows anything about it, " suggested Mr. Damon to theprofessor. 

"He says he never was here before, " translated the savant, "but yearsago, when he went into the hidden city by the cave we left yesterday, he saw doors like this which opened this way. "

"Then we're on the right track!" cried Tom. "If this is the same kindof door, it must lead to the same place. Ho for Kurzon and the idol ofgold!"

As they passed through the stone door, Tom and Professor Bumper triedto get some idea of the mechanism by which it worked. But they foundthis impossible, it being hidden within the stone itself or in theadjoining walls. But, in order that it might not close of itself andentomb them, the portal was blocked open with stones found in thepassage. 

"It's always well to have a line of retreat open, " said Tom. "There'sno telling what may lie beyond us. "

For a time there seemed to be nothing more than the same passage alongwhich they had come. Then the passage suddenly widened, like the largeend of a square funnel. Upward and outward the stone walls swept, andthey saw dimly before them, in the light of their torches, a vastcavern, seemingly formed by the falling in of mountains, which, intoppling over, had met overhead in a sort of rough arch, thusprotecting, in a great measure, that which lay beneath them. 

Goosal, who had brought with him some of the fiber bark torches, set abundle of them aflame. As they flared up, a wondrous sight wasrevealed to Tom Swift and his friends. 

Stretching out before them, as though they stood at the end of anelevated street and gazed down on it, was a city--a large city, withstreets, houses, open squares, temples, statues, fountains, dry forcenturies--a buried and forgotten city--a city in ruins--a city of thedead, now dry as dust, but still a city, or, rather, the strangelypreserved remains of one. 

"Look!" whispered Tom. A louder voice just then, would have seemed asacrilege. "Look!"

"Is it what we are looking for?" asked Ned in a low voice. 

"I believe it is, " replied the professor. "It is the lost city ofKurzon, or one just like it. And now if we can find the idol of goldour search will be ended--at least the major part of it. "

"Where did you expect to find the idol?" asked Tom. 

"It should be in the main temple. Come, we will walk in the ancientstreets--streets where no feet but ours have trod in many centuries. Come!"

In eager silence they pressed on through this newly discoveredwonderland. For it was a wonderful city, or had been. Though much ofit was in ruins, probably caused by an earthquake or an eruption from avolcano, the central portion, covered as it was by the overtopplingmountains that formed the arching roof, was well preserved. 

There were rude but beautiful stone buildings. There were archways;temples; public squares; and images, not at all beautiful, for theyseemed to be of man-monsters--doubtless ancient gods. There weresmoothly paved streets; wondrously carved fountains, some in ruins, allnow as dry as bone, but which must have been places of beauty whereyouths and maidens gathered in the ancient days. 

Of the ancient population there was not a trace left. Tom and hisfriends penetrated some of the houses, but not so much as a bone or aheap of mouldering dust showed where the remains of the people were. Either they had fled at the approaching doom of the city and wereburied elsewhere, or some strange fire or other force of nature hadconsumed and obliterated them. 

"What a wealth of historic information I shall find here!" murmuredProfessor Bumper, as he caught sight of many inscriptions in strangecharacters on the walls and buildings. "I shall never get to the endof them. "

"But what about the idol of gold?" asked Mr. Damon, "Do you thinkyou'll find that?"

"We must hurry on to the temple over there, " said the scientist, indicating a building further along. 

"And then we must see about rescuing your rivals, Professor, " put inTom. 

"Yes, Tom. But fortunately we are on the ground here before them, "agreed the professor. 

Undoubtedly it was the chief temple, or place of worship, of thelong-dead race which the explorers now entered. It was a buildingbeautiful in its barbaric style, and yet simple. There were massivewalls, and a great inner court, at the end of which seemed to be somesort of altar. And then, as they lighted fresh torches, and pressedforward with them and their electric lights, they saw that which causeda cry of satisfaction to burst from all of them. 

"The idol of gold!"

Yes, there it squatted, an ugly, misshapen, figure, a cross between atoad and a gila monster, half man, half beast, with big redeyes--rubies probably--that gleamed in the repulsive golden face. Andthe whole figure, weighing many pounds, seemed to be of SOLID GOLD!

Eagerly the others followed Professor Bumper up the altar steps to thevery throne of the golden idol. The scientist touched it, tried toraise it and make sure of its solidity and material. 

"This is it!" he cried. "It is the idol of gold! I have found We havefound it, for it belongs to all of us!"

"Hurray!" cried Tom Swift, and Ned and Mr. Damon joined in the cry. 

There was no need for silence or caution now; and yet, as they stoodabout the squat and ugly figure, which, in spite of its hideousness, was worth a fortune intrinsically and as an antique, they heard fromthe direction of the stone passage a noise. 

"What is it?" asked Tom Swift. 

There was a murmur of voices. 

"Indians!" cried Professor Bumper, recognizing the language--a mixtureof Spanish and Indian. 

The cave was illuminated by the glare of other torches which seemed torush forward. A moment later it was seen that they were being carriedby a number of Indians. 

"Friends, " murmured Goosal, using the Spanish term, "Amigos. "

"They are our own Indians!" cried Tom Swift. "I see Tolpec!" and hepointed to the native who had deserted from Jacinto's force to helpthem. 

"How did they get here?" asked Professor Bumper. 

This was quickly told. In their camp, where, under the leadership ofTolpec they had been left to do the excavating, the natives had heard, seen and felt the effects of the storm and the earthquake, though itdid little damage in their vicinity. But they became alarmed for thesafety of the professor and his party and, at Tolpec's suggestion, setoff in search of them. 

The Indians had seen, passing along the trail, the uprooted trees, andhad noted the footsteps of the explorers going down to the stonepassage. It was easy for them to determine that Tom and his friendshad gone in, since the marks of their boots were plainly in evidence inthe soft soil. 

None of the Indians was as much wrought up over the discovery of Kurzonand the idol as were the white adventurers. The gold, of course, meantsomething to the natives, but they were indifferent to the wonders ofthe underground city. Perhaps they had heard too many legendsconcerning such things to be impressed. 

"That statue is yours--all yours, " said old Goosal when he had talkedwith his relatives and friends among the natives. "They all say whatyou find you keep, and we will help you keep it. "

"That's good, " murmured Professor Bumper. "There was some doubt in mymind as to our right to this, but after all, the natives who live inthis land are the original owners, and if they pass title to us it isclear. That settles the last difficulty. "

"Except that of getting the idol out, " said Mr. Damon. 

"Oh, we'll accomplish that!" cried Tom. 

"I can hardly believe my good luck, " declared Professor Bumper. "Ishall write a whole book on this idol alone and then----"

Once more came an interruption. This time it was from anotherdirection, but it was of the same character--an approaching band oftorch-bearers. They were Indians, too, but leading them were a numberof whites. 

And at their head was no less personage than Professor Beecher himself. 

For a moment, as the three parties stood together in the ancienttemple, in the glare of many torches, no one spoke. Then ProfessorBumper found his voice. 

"We are glad to see you, " he said to his rival. "That is glad to seeyou alive, for we saw the landslide bury you. And we were coming todig you out. We thought this cave--the cave of the buried city--wouldlead us to you easier than by digging through the slide. We have justdiscovered this idol, " and he put his hand on the grim golden image. 

"Oh, you have discovered it, have you?" asked Professor Beecher, andhis voice was bitter. 

"Yes, not ten minutes ago. The natives have kindly acknowledged myright to it under the law of priority. I am sorry but----"

With a look of disgust and chagrined disappointment on his face, Professor Beecher turned to the other scientists and said:

"Let us go. We are too late. He has what I came after. "

"Well, it is the fortune of war--and discovery, " put in Mr. Hardy, oneof the party who seemed the least ill-natured. "Your luck might havebeen ours, Professor Bumper. I congratulate you. "

"Thank you! Are you sure your party is all right--not in need ofassistance? How did you get out of the place you were buried?"

"Thank you! We do not require any help. It was good of you to think ofus. But we got out the way we came in. We did not enter the tunnel asyou did, but came in through another entrance which was not closed bythe landslide. Then we made a turn through a gateway in a tunnelconnecting with ours--a gateway which seems to have been opened by theearthquake--and we came here, just now. 

"Too late, I see, to claim the discovery of the idol of gold, " went onMr. Hardy. "But I trust you will be generous, and allow us to makeobservations of the buildings and other relics. "

"As much as you please, and with the greatest pleasure in the world, "was the prompt answer of Professor Bumper. "All I lay sole claim to isthe golden idol. You are at liberty to take whatever else you find inKurzon and to make what observations you like. "

"That is generous of you, and quite in contrast to--er--to the conductof our leader. I trust he may awaken to a sense of the injustice hedid you. "

But Professor Beecher was not there to hear this. He had stalked awayin anger. 

"Humph!" grunted Tom. Then he continued: "That story about agovernment concession was all a fake, Professor, else he'd have put upa fight now. Contemptible sneak!"

In fact the story of Tom Swift's trip to the underground land ofwonders is ended, for with the discovery of the idol of gold the mainobject of the expedition was accomplished. But their adventures werenot over by any means, though there is not room in this volume torecord them. 

Suffice it to say that means were at once taken to get the golden imageout of the cave of the ancient city. It was not accomplished withouthard work, for the gold was heavy, and Professor Bumper would not, naturally, consent to the shaving off of so much as an ear or part ofthe flat nose, to say nothing of one of the half dozen extra arms andlegs with which the ugly idol was furnished. 

Finally it was safely taken out of the cave, and along the stonepassage to the opening formed by the overthrown trees, and thence on tocamp. 

And at the camp a surprise awaited Tom. 

Some long-delayed mail had been forwarded from the nearest place ofcivilization and there were letters for all, including several for ourhero. One in particular he picked out first and read eagerly. 

"Well, is every little thing all right, Tom?" asked Ned, as he saw acheerful grin spread itself over his chum's face. 

"I should say it is, and then some! Look here, Ned. This is a letterfrom----"

"I know. Mary Nestor. Go on. "

"How'd you guess?"

"Oh, I'm a mind-reader. "

"Huh! Well, you know she was away when I went to call to say good-bye, and I was a little afraid Beecher had got an inside edge on me. "

"Had he?"

"No, but he tried hard enough. He went to see Mary in Fayetteville, just as you heard, before he came on to join his party, but he didn'tpay much of a visit to her. "

"No?"

"No. Mary told him he'd better hurry along to Central America, orwherever it was he intended going, as she didn't care for him as muchas he flattered himself she did. "

"Good!" cried Ned. "Shake, old man. I'm glad!"

They shook hands. 

"Well, what's the matter? Didn't you read all of her letter?" askedNed when he saw his chum once more perusing the epistle. 

"No. There's a postscript here. "

"'Sorry I couldn't see you before you left. It was a mistake, but whenyou come back----'"

"Oh, that part isn't any of your affair!" and, blushing under his tan, Tom thrust the letter into his pocket and strode away, while Nedlaughed happily. 

With the idol of gold safe in their possession, Professor Bumper'sparty could devote their time to making other explorations in theburied city. This they did, as is testified to by a long list of booksand magazine articles since turned out by the scientist, dealingstrictly with archaeological subjects, touching on the ancient Mayanrace and its civilization, with particular reference to their system ofcomputing time. 

Professor Beecher, young and foolish, would not consent to delve intothe riches of the ancient city, being too much chagrined over the lossof the idol. It seems he had really promised to give a part of it toMary Nestor. But he never got the chance. 

His colleagues, after their first disappointment at being beaten, joined forces with Professor Bumper in exploring the old city, and mademany valuable discoveries. 

In one point Professor Bumper had done his rival an injustice. Thatwas in thinking Professor Beecher was responsible for the treachery ofJacinto. That was due to the plotter's own work. It was true thatProfessor Beecher had tentatively engaged Jacinto, and had sent word tohim to keep other explorers away from the vicinity of the ancient cityif possible; but Jacinto, who did not return Professor Bumper's money, as he had promised, had acted treacherously in order to enrich himself. Professor Beecher had nothing to do with that, nor had he with thetaking of the map, as has been seen, the loss of which, after all, wasa blessing in disguise, for Kurzon would never have been located byfollowing the directions given there, as it was very inaccurate. 

In another point it was demonstrated that the old documents were atfault. This was in reference to the golden idol having been overthrownand another set up in its place, an act which had caused thedestruction of Kurzon. 

It is true that the city was destroyed, or rather, buried, but thiscatastrophe was probably brought about by an earthquake. And anothergreat idol, one of clay, was found, perhaps a rival of Quitzel, but itwas this clay image which was thrown down and broken, and not thegolden one. 

Perhaps an effort had been made, just before the burying of the city, to change idols and the system of worship, but Quitzel seemed to haveheld his own. The old manuscripts were not very reliable, it wasfound, except in general. 

"Well, I guess this will hold Beecher for a while, " said Tom, the nightof the arrival of Mary's letter, and after he had written one inanswer, which was dispatched by a runner to the nearest place whencemail could be forwarded. 

"Yes, luck seems to favor you, " replied Ned. "You've had a hand in thediscovery of the idol of gold, and----"

"Yes. And I discovered something else I wasn't quite sure of, "interrupted Tom, as he felt to make sure he had a certain letter safein his pocket. 

It was several weeks later that the explorations of Kurzon came to anend--a temporary end, for the rainy season set in, when the tropics areunsuitable for white men. Tom, Professor Bumper, Ned and Mr. Damon setsail for the United States, the valuable idol of gold safe on board. 

And there, with their vessel plowing the blue waters of the CaribbeanSea, we will take leave of Tom Swift and his friends.