Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders
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Victor Appleton >> Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders
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Between them Koku and Eradicate had managed
to make a pitcher of the beverage, though
Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, told Tom afterward
that the two had a quarrel in the kitchen
as to who should squeeze the lemons, the giant
insisting that he had the better right to "punch"
them.
"So, not to go into too many details," went on
the professor, "I'll just give you a brief outline
of this story of the idol of gold.
"Honduras, as you of course know, is a
republic of Central America, and it gets its name
from something that happened on the fourth
voyage of Columbus. He and his men had had
days of weary sailing and had sought in vain
for shallow water in which they might come to
an anchorage. Finally they reached the point
now known as Cape Gracias-a-Dios, and when
they let the anchor go, and found that in a short
time it came to rest on the floor of the ocean,
some one of the sailors--perhaps Columbus himself--
is said to have remarked:
"`Thank the Lord, we have left the deep
waters (honduras)' that being the Spanish word
for unfathomable depths. So Honduras it was
called, and has been to this day.
"It is a queer land with many traces of an
ancient civilization, a civilization which I
believe dates back farther than some in the far
East. On the sculptured stones in the Copan
valley there are characters which seem to
resemble very ancient writing, but this pictographic
writing is largely untranslatable.
"Honduras, I might add, is about the size of
our state of Ohio. It is rather an elevated table-
land, though there are stretches of tropical
forest, but it is not so tropical a country as many
suppose it to be. There is much gold scattered
throughout Honduras, though of late it has not
been found in large quantities.
"In the old days, however, before the Spaniards
came, it was plentiful, so much, so that the
natives made idols of it. And it is one of the
largest of these idols--by name Quitzel--that I
am going to seek."
"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, except that it
is somewhere in an ancient and buried city
known as Kurzon. If I knew exactly where
it was there wouldn't be much fun in going after
it. And if it was known to others it would have
been taken away long ago.
"No, we've got to hunt for the idol of gold
in this land of wonders where I hope soon to be.
Later on I'll show you the documents that put
me on the track of this idol. Enough now to
show you an old map I found, or, rather, a copy
of it, and some of the papers that tell of the idol,"
and he spread out his packet of papers on the
table in front of him, his eyes shining with
excitement and pleasure. Mr. Damon, too, leaned
eagerly forward.
"So, Tom Swift," went on the professor, "I
come to you for help in this matter. I want
you to aid me in organizing an expedition to go
to Honduras after the idol of gold. Will you?"
"I'll help you, of course," said Tom. "You
may use any of my inventions you choose--my
airships, my motor boats and submarines, even
my giant cannon if you think you can take it
with you. And as for the money part, Ned will
arrange that for you. But as for going with you
myself, it is out of the question. I can't. No
Honduras for me!"
CHAPTER IX
FENIMORE BEECHER
Had Tom Swift's giant cannon been discharged
somewhere in the vicinity of his home it could
have caused but little more astonishment to
Mr. Damon and Professor Bumper than did the
simple announcement of the young inventor.
The professor seemed to shrink back in his chair,
collapsing like an automobile tire when the air
is let out. As for Mr. Damon he jumped up and
cried:
"Bless my----!"
But that is as far as he got--at least just then.
He did not seem to know what to bless, but he
looked as though he would have liked to include
most of the universe.
"Surely you don't mean it, Tom Swift,"
gasped Professor Bumper at length. "Won't
you come with us?"
"No," said Tom, slowly. "Really I can't go.
I'm working on an invention of a new aeroplane
stabilizer, and if I go now it will be just at a
time when I am within striking distance of success.
And the stabilizer is very much needed."
"If it's a question of making a profit on it,
Tom," began Mr. Damon, "I can let you have
some money until----"
"Oh, no! It isn't the money!" cried Tom.
"Don't think that for a moment. You see the
European war has called for the use of a large
number of aeroplanes, and as the pilots of them
frequently have to fight, and so can not give their
whole attention to the machines, some form of
automatic stabilizer is needed to prevent them
turning turtle, or going off at a wrong tangent.
"So I have been working out a sort of
modified gyroscope, and it seems to answer the
purpose. I have already received advance orders
for a number of my devices from abroad, and as
they are destined to save lives I feel that I ought
to keep on with my work.
"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 not mention 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 as was the little bald-
headed scientist. "You never saw such an idol
of gold as this. What's its name?" and he
looked questioningly at the professor.
"Quitzel the idol is called," supplied Professor
Bumper. "And it is supposed to be in a
buried city named Kurzon, somewhere in the
Sierra de Merendon range of mountains, in the
vicinity of the Copan valley. Copan is a city,
or maybe we'll find it only a town when we get
there, and it is not far from the borders of
Guatemala.
"Tom, if I could show you the translations I
have made of the ancient documents, referring
to this idol and the wonderful city over which
it kept guard, I'm sure you'd come with us."
"Please don't tempt me," Tom said with a
laugh. "I'm only too anxious to go, and if it
wasn't for the stabilizer I'd be with you in a
minute. But---- Well, you'll have to get along
without me. Maybe I can join you later."
"What's this about the idol keeping guard
over the ancient city?" asked Ned, for he was
interested in strange stories.
"It seems," explained the professor, "that in
the early days there was a strange race of people,
inhabiting Central America, with a somewhat
high civilization, only traces of which remained
when the Spaniards came.
"But these traces, and such hieroglyphics, or,
to be more exact pictographs, as I have been able
to decipher from the old documents, tell of one
country, or perhaps it was only a city, over which
this great golden idol of Quitzel presided.
"There is in some of these papers a description
of the idol, which is not exactly a beauty,
judged from modern standards. But the main
fact is that it is made of solid gold, and may
weigh anywhere from one to two tons."
"Two tons of gold!" cried New Newton. "Why,
if that's the case it would be worth----" and
he fell to doing a sum in mental arithmetic.
"I am not so concerned about the monetary
value of the statue as I am about its antiquity,"
went on Professor Bumper. "There are other
statues in this buried city of Kurzon, and though
they may not be so valuable they will give me
a wealth of material for my research work."
"How do you know there are other statues?"
asked Mr. Damon.
"Because my documents tell me so. It was
because the people made other idols, in opposition,
as it were, to Quitzel, that their city or
country was destroyed. At least that is the
legend. Quitzel, so the story goes, wanted to be
the chief god, and when the image of a rival was
set up in the temple near him, he toppled over
in anger, and part of the temple went with him,
the whole place being buried in ruins. All the
inhabitants were killed, and trace of the ancient
city was lost forever. No, I hope not forever,
for I expect to find it."
"If all the people were killed, and the city
buried, how did the story of Quitzel become
known?" asked Mr. Damon.
"One only of the priests in the temple of
Quitzel escaped and set down part of the tale," said
the professor. "It is his narrative, or one based
on it, that I have given you."
"And now, what I want to do, is to go and
make a search for this buried city. I have fairly
good directions as to how it may be reached.
We will have little difficulty in getting to
Honduras, as there are fruit steamers frequently
sailing. Of course going into the interior--to the
Copan valley--is going to be harder. But an
expedition from a large college was recently
there and succeeded, after much labor, in ex-
cavating part of a buried city. Whether or not
it was Kurzon I am unable to say.
"But if there was one ancient city there must
be more. So I want to make an attempt. And
I counted on you, Tom. You have had considerable
experience in strange quarters of the earth,
and you're just the one to help me. I don't
need money, for I have interested a certain
millionaire, and my own college will put up part
of the funds."
"Oh, it isn't a question of money," said Tom.
"It's time."
"That's just what it is with me!" exclaimed
Professor Bumper. "I haven't any time to lose.
My rivals may, even now, be on their way to Honduras!"
"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
to get ahead of me in this matter. He is younger
than I am, and youth is a 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
are afraid to tackle a trip through a tropical
wilderness," and he playfully 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 say something, 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 holding back a number
of persons just because you don't want to go."
"I certainly wouldn't like to go without Tom,"
said the professor slowly. "I really need his
help. You know, Tom, we would never have
found the city of Pelone if it had not been for
you and your marvelous powder. The conditions
in the Copan valley are likely to be still
more difficult to overcome, and I feel that I risk
failure without your young energy and your
inventive mind to aid in the work and to suggest
possible means of attaining our object. Come,
Tom, reconsider, and decide to make the trip."
"And my promise to go was dependent on
Tom's agreement to accompany us," said Mr.
Damon
"Come on!" urged the professor, much as one boy
might urge another to take part in a ball game.
"Don't let my rival get ahead of me."
"I wouldn't like to see that," Tom said slowly.
"Who is he--any one I know?"
"I don't believe so, Tom. He's connected
with a large, new college that has plenty of
money to spend on explorations and research
work. Beecher is his name--Fenimore Beecher."
"Beecher!" exclaimed Tom, and there was
such a change in his manner that his friends
could not help noticing it. He jumped to his
feet, his eyes snapping, and he looked eagerly
and anxiously at Professor Bumper.
"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 learned young man, and
thoroughly in earnest, though I do not like his
manner. But he is trying to get ahead of me,
which may account for my feeling."
Tom Swift did not answer. Instead he hurried
from the room with a murmured 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 inventor departed. "What
set him off that way?"
"The mention of Beecher's name, evidently.
Though I never heard him mention such a person
before."
"Nor did I ever hear Professor Beecher speak
of Tom," said the bald-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 the Copan 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'd come 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
it with him. As soon as I can get ready I'll go,
since you say haste is necessary, 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 the start to the finish.
I'll show him what I can do!" he added, while
Ned and the others wondered at the sudden
change in their friend's manner.
CHAPTER V
THE LITTLE GREEN GOD
"Tom how soon can we go?" asked Professor
Bumper, as he began arranging his papers, maps
and documents ready to place them back in the
valise.
"Within a week, if you want to start that
soon."
"The sooner the better. A week will suit me.
I don't know just what Beecher's plans are, but,
he may try to get on the ground first. Though,
without boasting, I may say that he has not had
as much experience as I have had, thanks to
you, Tom, when you helped me find the lost city
of Pelone."
"Well, I hope we'll be as successful this time,"
murmured Tom. "I don'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's manner, though he tried
to speak indifferently, that made Ned believe
there was more behind his chum's sudden change
of determination than had yet appeared.
"He never mentioned you," went on Professor
Bumper; "yet the last time I saw him I said I
was coming to see you, though I did not tell
him why."
"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. I can't get ready in
much less time than that."
"Bless my socks! I know that," ejaculated Mr.
Damon. "But if I get my things packed I can
go to a hotel to stay while my wife is away. She
might take a notion to come home unexpectedly,
and, though she is a dear, good soul, she doesn't
altogether approve of my going off on these wild
trips with you, Tom Swift. But if I get all
packed, and clear out, she can't find me and she
can't hold me back. She is visiting her mother
now. I can send her a wire from Kurzon after
I get there."
"I don't believe the telegraph there is work-
ing," laughed Professor Bumper. "But suit
yourself. I must go back to New York to arrange
for the goods we'll have to take with us.
In a week, Tom, we'll start."
"You must stay to dinner," Tom said. "You
can't get a train now anyhow, and father wants
to meet you again. He's pretty well, considering
his age. And he's much better I verily
believe since I said I'd turn over to him the task
of finishing the stabilizer. He likes to work."
"We'll stay and take the night train back,"
agreed Mr. Damon. "It will be like old times,
Tom," he went on, "traveling off together into
the wilds. Central America is pretty wild, isn't
it?" he asked, as if in fear of being disappointed!
on that score.
"Oh, it's wild enough to suit any one,"
answered Professor Bumper.
"Well, now to settle a few details," observed
Tom. "Ned, what is the situation as regards the
financial affairs of my father and myself? Nothing
will come to grief if we go away, will there?"
"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 Ned along, don't you, Professor?"
"Of course. It will be an ideal party--we
four. We'll have to take natives when we get
to Honduras, and make up a mule pack-train for
the interior. I had some thoughts of asking
you to take an airship along, but it might frighten
the Indians, and I shall have to depend on
them for guides, as well as for porters. So it
will be an old-fashioned expedition, in a way."
Mr. Swift came in at this point to meet his old
friends.
"The boy needs a little excitement," he said.
"He's been puttering over that stabilizer invention
too long. I can finish the model for him
in a very short time."
Professor Bumper told Mr. Swift something
about the proposed trip, while Mr. Damon went
out with Tom and Ned to one of the shops to
look at a new model aeroplane the young inventor
had designed.
There was a merry party around the table at
dinner, though now and then Ned 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 can bring that back with us."
But the manner in which he said this made Ned
feel sure that Tom had had other thoughts,
and that he had used a little subterfuge in his
answer.
Ned was right, as he proved for himself a little
later, when, Mr. Damon and the professor having
gone home, the young financial secretary
took his friend to a quiet corner and asked:
"What's the matter, Tom?"
"Matter? What do you mean?"
"I mean what made you make up your mind
so quickly to go on this expedition when you
heard Beecher was going?"
"Oh--er--well, you wouldn't want to see our
old friend Professor Bumper left, would you,
after he had worked out the secret of the idol
of gold? You wouldn't want some young
whipper-snapper to beat him in the race, would
you, Ned?"
"No, of course not."
"Neither would I. That's why I changed my
mind. This Beecher isn't going 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 friends disappointed."
"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 to get at the bottom of it."
But though Ned tried to pump Tom, he was
not successful. The young inventor admitted
knowing the youthful scientist, but that was all,
Tom reiterating his determination not to let Professor
Bumper be beaten in the race for the idol
of gold.
"Let me see," mused Ned, as he went home
that evening. "Tom did not change his mind
until he heard Beecher's name mentioned. Now
this shows that Beecher had something to do
with it. The only reason Tom doesn't want
Beecher to get this idol or find the buried city
is because Professor Bumper is after it. And
yet the professor is not an old or close friend
of Tom's. They met only when Tom went to
dig his big tunnel. There must be some other
reason."
Ned did some more thinking. Then he
clapped his hands together, and a smile spread
over his face.
"I believe I have it!" he cried. "The little
green god as compared to the idol of gold!
That's it. I'm going to make a call on my way home."
This he did, stopping at the home of Mary
Nestor, a pretty girl, who, rumor had it, was
tacitly engaged to Tom. Mary was not at home,
but Mr. Nestor was, and for Ned's purpose this
answered.
"Well, well, glad to see you!" exclaimed
Mary's father. "Isn't Tom with you?" he asked
a moment later, seeing that Ned was alone.
"No, Tom isn't with me this evening," Ned
answered. "The fact is, he's getting ready to
go off on another expedition, and I'm going with him."
"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 too particular. He
was wondering how he could find out what he
wanted to know, when Mary's mother unexpectedly
gave him just the information he was after.
"Central America!" she exclaimed. "Why,
Father," and she looked at her husband, "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 author-
ity on Aztec ruins?" asked Ned, taking a shot in
the dark.
"Yes," said Mr. Nestor. "And a mighty fine
young man he is, too. I knew his father well.
He was here on a visit not long ago, young
Beecher was, and he talked most entertainingly
about his discoveries. You remember how
interested Mary was, Mother?"
"Yes, she seemed to be," said Mrs. Nestor.
"Tom Swift dropped in during the course of
the evening," she added to Ned, "and Mary
introduced him to Professor Beecher. But I can't
say that Tom was much interested in the
professor's talk."
"No?" questioned Ned.
"No, not at all. But Tom did not stay long.
He left just as Mary and the professor were
drawing a map so the professor could indicate
where he had once made a big discovery."
"I see," murmured Ned. "Well, I suppose
Tom must have been thinking of something else
at the time."
"Very likely," agreed Mr. Nestor. "But Tom
missed a very profitable talk. I was very much
interested myself in what the professor told us,
and so was Mary. She invited Mr. Beecher to
come again. He takes after his father in being
very thorough in what he does.
"Sometimes I think," went on Mr. Nestor, "that
Tom isn't quite steady enough. He's thinking
of so many things, perhaps, that he can't get his
mind down to the commonplace. I remember he
once sent something here in a box labeled
`dynamite.' Though there was no explosive in it,
it gave us a great fright. But Tom is a boy, in
spite of his years. Professor Beecher seems
much older. We all like him very much."
"That's nice," said Ned, as he took his
departure. He had found out what he had come
to learn.
"I knew it!" Ned exclaimed as he walked
home. "I knew something was in the wind.
The little green god of jealousy has Tom in his
clutches. That's why my inventive friend was
so anxious to go on this expedition when he
learned Beecher was to go. He wants to beat
him. I guess the professor has plainly shown
that he wouldn't like anything better than to
cut Tom out with Mary. Whew! that's something
to think about!"
CHAPTER VI
UNPLEASANT NEWS
Ned Newton decided to keep to himself what
he had heard at the Nestor home. Not for the
world would he let Tom Swift know of the
situation.
"That is, I won't let him know that I know,"
said Ned to himself, "though he is probably as
well aware of the situation as I am. But it sure
is queer that this Professor Beecher should have
taken such a fancy to Mary, and that her father
should regard him so well. That is natural,
I suppose. But I wonder how Mary herself
feels about it. That is the part Tom would
be most interested in.
"No wonder Tom wants to get ahead of this
young college chap, who probably thinks he's
the whole show. If he can find the buried city,
and get the idol of gold, it would be a big
feather in his cap.
"He'd have no end of honors heaped on him,
and I suppose his hat wouldn't come within
three sizes of fitting him. Then he'd stand in
better than ever with Mr. Nestor. And, maybe,
with Mary, too, though I think she is loyal
to Tom. But one never can tell.
"However, I'm glad I know about it. I'll
do all I can to help Tom, without letting him
know that I know. And if I can do anything
to help in finding that idol of gold for Professor
Bumper, and, incidentally, Tom, I'll do it," and
he spoke aloud in his enthusiasm.
Ned, who was walking along in the darkness,
clapped his open hand down on Tom's magazine
he was carrying home to read again, and
the resultant noise was a sharp crack. As it
sounded a figure jumped from behind a tree
and called tensely:
"Hold on there!"
Ned stopped short, thinking he was to be
the victim of a holdup, but his fears were
allayed when he beheld one of the police force of
Shopton confronting him.
"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 he recognized the man.
"Oh, pshaw! It's Ned Newton!" exclaimed
the disappointed officer. "I thought you was
talkin' to a confederate about gold, and figured
maybe you was goin' to rob the bank."
"No, nothing like that," answered Ned, still
much amused. "I was talking to myself about
a trip Tom Swift and I are going to take
and----"
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