The Motor Boys in Mexico; Or, The Secret of the Buried City

by Clarence Young

  Then the two Mexican brigands began creeping toward the room where theprofessor and the boys were sleeping.

  CHAPTER XXI.

  NODDY HAS A TUMBLE.

  When Vasco and Noddy, foiled in their attempt to kidnap Bob, retreatedthrough the forest, they went into camp with their crowd in no verypleasant frame of mind. The Mexicans whom Vasco had hired to assist himwere angry at being foiled, and they talked of deserting.

  "Go on, if you want to," said Vasco, carelessly rolling a cigarette; "somuch the more gold for us when the rich man ransoms his son."

  This was enough to excite the greed of the men, who talked no more ofgoing away.

  The next day, after a consultation, Noddy and Vasco decided to continueon the trail of the boys and the professor. They pursued the sametactics they had previous to the interrupted kidnapping, and werecareful not to get too close to those they were trailing.

  All was not harmonious among the members of the band with which Noddyhad surrounded himself. The men had frequent quarrels, especially whenthey were playing cards, which they seemed to do when they were notsmoking cigarettes.

  After dinner one day the Mexicans appeared to be much amused as theyplayed their game. They laughed and shouted and seemed to be talking ofthe automobile, for Noddy had brought his machine up to the camp of thehorsemen.

  "What are they talking about?" asked Noddy of Vasco.

  "They are making a wager that the one who loses the game must ride, allby himself, in the automobile," replied Bilette.

  "But I don't want them to do that," said Noddy. "They don't know how torun the car."

  "That's the trouble," went on Vasco. "No one wants to lose, for they'reall afraid to operate the machine. But if one of them tries to do it,you'd better let him, if you don't want to get into trouble."

  With a shout of laughter the men arose from where they had been playingthe game. They seemed to be railing at one chap, who looked at the autoas if he feared it might blow up and kill him.

  "You're in for it," remarked Vasco. "Whatever you do don't make a fuss."

  With a somewhat sheepish air a young Mexican, one of Vasco's crowd, camenear the auto. He made a sign that he wanted to take Noddy's place. Thelatter frowned and spoke in English, only a word or two of which thenative understood.

  "You shan't have this machine," spoke Noddy. "It's mine, and if you tryto run it you'll break it."

  But the Mexican paid no heed. He came close up to Noddy, grabbed him bythe collar and hauled him from the car. Noddy was the only one in it atthat time, Berry, Dalsett and Pender having gone off a short distance.

  "Let go of me!" cried Noddy, trying to draw a small revolver he carried.

  The Mexican only grunted and retained his grip.

  "If you don't let me alone I'll fire!" exclaimed the youth. He had hisrevolver out, and the Mexican, seeing this, allowed his temper to coola bit. But there was an angry look in his eyes that meant trouble forNoddy.

  "Now you fellows quit this gambling," commanded Vasco. "We'll have hardwork ahead of us in a little while, and we don't want any foolishness.Leave Noddy alone. Don't you know if any one tries to run that machinethat hasn't been introduced to it, the engine will blow up!"

  "_Diablo!_" exclaimed the Mexican who had lost at cards and who wasabout to attempt to operate the auto. "I will let it alone!"

  Quiet was restored, but the bad feeling was only smoothed over. It wasliable to break out again at any time. The main object of the crowd wasnot lost sight of, however, and every hour they drew nearer the trail ofthose of whom they were in pursuit.

  As it grew dusk, on the day of the quarrel over the auto, Noddy andVasco, with their followers, came to a small clearing. They decided tostop and have supper.

  "If I'm not mistaken, the other auto has been here within a short time,"remarked Vasco, pointing to marks in the sandy road. "And there seem tobe footprints leading over there through the underbrush."

  He followed the trail, and came to the place where, a short time before,Professor Snodgrass had battled with the cocoanut-throwing monkeys.

  "Looks as if some one was going to start in the wholesale business,"went on the Mexican, glancing at the pile of nuts the simians had piledup.

  "Do you think we are close to them?" asked Noddy, for, since theexperience of the afternoon, he was anxious to get the kidnapping over,and be rid of the Mexicans.

  "They have been here very recently," said Vasco.

  "How can you tell?" asked Noddy.

  "See where the oil has dripped from their machine," replied Bilette,pointing to a little puddle of the lubricant in the road. "It has notyet had time to soak away, showing that it must have been there but ashort time, since in this sand it would not remain long on top."

  "Shall we go on after them or camp for the night?" asked Noddy,following a somewhat lengthy pause.

  "Keep on," replied Vasco. "No telling when we may get another chance.Get the boy when we can. We'll have to do a little night traveling, butwhat of it?"

  Noddy assented. He spent some time after supper in oiling up the autoand getting the lamps filled, for darkness was coming on. Then, allbeing in readiness, Noddy started off, the horsemen keeping close to him.

  For a few miles no one in the party spoke. The auto puffed slowly along,the horsemen managing to keep up to it.

  "How do we know we're on the right road?" asked Noddy at length. "We mayhave gone astray in the darkness."

  Tom Dalsett took a lantern and made a careful survey of the highway. Hecame back presently.

  "We're all right," he said. "There are auto tracks just ahead of us. Wemay come up to them any minute now."

  Once more Noddy's auto, which he had stopped to let Dalsett out, startedup. The pace was swift and silent. But as they penetrated farther andfarther into the depths of the forest there was no sign of the boys andthe professor, who, by this time, were in the underground city.

  "I don't believe we'll find them," spoke Jack Pender. "Let's camp nowand take up the trail in the morning, when you can see better."

  "No; we must keep on," said Vasco, firmly. "It is to-night or never. Ican't hold my men together any longer than that."

  Off into the darkness puffed the auto. The men on horseback followed it,the whole party keeping close together, for several jaguars were seennear the path, having been driven from their usual haunts because of thescarcity of game.

  Every one was on the alert, watching for any signs of the travelers theywere pursuing. Every now and then some one would get out and examine theroad to see if the auto marks were still to be seen. They were there,and led straight on to the hidden city.

  It was some time past midnight and the machine was going over a goodpatch of road, when Jack Pender, who was seated beside Noddy, suddenlygrabbed the steersman's arm.

  "What's that ahead in the road?" asked Jack.

  "I don't see anything," replied Noddy. "It's your imagination. What doesit look like?"

  "Like a big black shadow, bigger and blacker than any around here. Can'tyou see it now? There it is! Stop the machine, quick!"

  Noddy, peering through the gloom, saw what seemed to be a patch ofshadows. He gave the levers quick yanks, jammed down the brakes andtried to bring the machine to a stop.

  But he was too late. With a plunge the car sank through the earth andrushed along the inclined plane down which Jerry and his friends hadcoasted a few hours before. There were wild cries of fear, mingled withthe shrill neighing of horses, for some of the riders and their steedsalso went down the trap that had been laid.

  The auto remained upright and shot along the floor of the tunnel towhich it had fallen, undergoing the same experience as had the machineof Jerry and his friends.

  Then, with a crash that resounded through the confines of the ancientcity, Noddy and his machine and all who were in it brought up againstthe massive door closing the tunnel, which portal Jerry had swung shutafter he and his friends had passed through. Following the crash therecame an ominous silen
ce.

  CHAPTER XXII.

  FACE TO FACE.

  "Hark! What was that?" whispered San Lucia to Murado.

  The two old brigands paused in their stealthy march upon their sleepingvictims, as the sound of the crash Noddy's auto made came faintly totheir ears.

  "How should I know?" asked Murado, but he seemed alarmed.

  "It sounded in the tunnel," went on San Lucia. "Some one is coming!Quick! Let us hide! Another night will do for our work."

  Thereupon the two old villains, alarmed by the terror of the noisecaused by they knew not what, hesitated and then fled as silently asthey had advanced. For the time the lives of the boys and the professorhad been saved.

  San Lucia and Murado went to their hiding place in the old temple, thebuilding being so large and rambling that it would have hidden a scoreof men with ease. It may be added here that they did not dare to touchmany things in the ancient city, thinking them bewitched.

  All unmindful of the danger which had menaced them, our travelers slepton, nothing disturbing them, and they did not hear the noise made byNoddy's tumble, though they were not far from the mouth of the tunnel.

  "I say!" called Bob, sitting up and looking at his watch in a sunbeamthat came through a broken window. "I say, are you fellows going tosleep all day? It's nearly eight o'clock, and I want some breakfast."

  "Oh, of course it's something to eat as soon as you open your eyes!"exclaimed Jerry. "I should think you would take something to bed withyou, Chunky, and put it under your pillow so you could eat in the nightwhenever you felt hungry."

  "That's all right," snapped Bob, "but I notice we don't have to call youtwice to come to your meals."

  "Is it morning?" called the professor from his cot.

  "Long ago," replied Bob, who was dressing. "I wonder if the folks thatlived in this temple ever washed. I'd like to strike a bathroom aboutnow."

  "Hark! I hear something!" exclaimed the professor.

  They all listened intently.

  "It's running water," said the naturalist, "and close by. Perhapsthere's a wash-room in this temple."

  "I'm going to see what's behind this door," said Bob, pointing to aportal none of them had noticed in the darkness. He pushed it open andwent inside. The next instant he uttered a joyful cry:

  "Come here, fellows! It's a plunge bath!"

  Then they heard him spring in and splash about. Jerry and Ned soonfollowed, and the professor came a little later. It was a regularswimming-tank, stone-lined and sunk into the floor. The water came inthrough a sort of stone trough.

  "These old chaps knew something about life, after all," observed Ned, ashe climbed out and proceeded to dry himself.

  "They were probably a bit like the Romans," remarked the professor, "andfond of bathing. But something has given me an appetite, and I wouldn'tobject to breakfast."

  The others were of the same mind, and soon Ned had the gasolene stoveset up and was preparing a meal. Bob attended to the brewing of thecoffee instead of chocolate, and the aroma of the beverage filled theold temple with an appetizing odor.

  "What are we going to do to-day?" asked Jerry, when they had finishedthe meal and were sitting comfortably on some low stools that had beendiscovered in the room where they slept.

  "We must explore the city in all directions," said the professor. "Thereare many marvelous things here, and I have not begun to find them yet.It will take weeks and weeks."

  "Are we going to stay here all that while?" asked Bob, somewhatdubiously.

  "I'd like to," answered the naturalist. "But we can get a good load ofspecimens and relics, run up north and come back for more. This place isa regular treasure-trove."

  Clearing away the remains of the breakfast, and looking over the auto tosee that it had suffered no damage in the recent experience, the boysand the professor left the temple and strolled out into the desertedcity. They did not know that their every movement was watched by theglittering eyes of San Lucia and Murado, who were hidden in an upperpart of the temple whence they could look down on their intended victimsfrom a small, concealed gallery.

  By full daylight the ancient city was even more wonderful than it hadappeared in the waning light of the previous afternoon. In the days ofits glory it was evident it had been a beautiful place.

  The travelers entered some of the better-preserved houses. They foundthe rooms filled with fine furniture, of a rude but simple and pleasingcharacter, some of the articles being well preserved.

  One house they visited seemed to have belonged to some rich man, for itwas filled with things that once had been of great beauty.

  "There is something that should interest me!" exclaimed the professor,as he caught sight of a small cabinet on the wall. "That must containcurios."

  He found his supposition right, and fairly reveled in the objects thatwere treasures to him, but not worth much to any one else. There wereancient coins, rings and other articles of jewelry and hundreds of bugs,beetles and minerals.

  "Whoever lived here was a wise and learned man," observed the naturalist."I shall take his whole collection back with me, since it is going toruin here, and it belongs to no one."

  "There will be no room for any of us in the auto if you keep oncollecting things," observed Jerry.

  But this seemed to make no difference to the professor. He went right oncollecting as if he had a freight car at his disposal.

  The travelers continued on their way, exploring the different buildingshere and there.

  "I'm tired," announced Bob, suddenly. "You fellows can go on, if youwant to, but I'm going to sit down and take a rest."

  He found a comfortable place in the shade, where a stone ledge was builtagainst the side of a ruined house, and sat down. Jerry and Ned followedhis example, for they, too, were leg-weary.

  "I'll just take a look through this one place, and then we'll go backand have dinner," said the professor.

  He entered the structure, against which the boys were sitting. It wasa small, one-storied affair, and did not look as if it would containanything of value. The naturalist had not been inside five minutesbefore the boys heard him calling, in excited tones:

  "Come quick, boys!"

  They ran in, to behold Professor Snodgrass with his arm stuck in a holein the wall. He seemed to be pulling at something.

  "What is it?" cried Jerry.

  "A gila monster," replied the professor. "I saw him and I got him."

  "It looks as if he had you," answered Ned.

  "He tried to get away, but I grabbed him by the tail as he was going inhis hole," went on the naturalist. "Now he's got his claws dug down inthe dirt and I can't pull him out. Come out of there, my beauty!" hecried, addressing his remarks to the hidden gila monster. "Come out, mypet!"

  Then, with a sudden yank the professor succeeded in drawing the animalfrom its burrow. It was a repulsive-looking creature of the lizardvariety, and as the professor held it up by the tail it wiggled andtried to escape.

  "Now I have you, my little darling!" the naturalist cried, popping hisprize into his collecting-box.

  "That would never take a prize at a beauty show," observed Ned. "Iwouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole."

  "Well, this has been a most profitable day," went on the collector, as,with the boys, he turned toward their residence in the old temple. "Imust come back this afternoon for the cabinet of curios."

  Without further incident, save that nearly every step of the homewardjourney the professor stopped to pick up some relic, the travelersreached the temple.

  "Here goes for another bath!" cried Bob, running toward the room wherethe plunge was. "I'm nearly melted by the heat."

  "I'm with you!" said Jerry.

  Suddenly they heard the professor's voice calling them.

  "I wonder what in the world is the matter now?" said Jerry.

  He and Bob hurried outside where they had left the naturalist and Ned.They found the pair gazing down the street toward the tunnel entrance.

  And as t
hey gazed they saw the big door swing slowly open, while fromthe passage came Noddy Nixon, Vasco Bilette and the others of theircrowd. A low cry of surprise broke from Noddy as he stood face to facewith the very persons he and Vasco were seeking.

  CHAPTER XXIII.

  BOB IS KIDNAPPED.

  For a minute or two the unexpected encounter so astonished all concernedthat no one spoke. Noddy seemed ill at ease from meeting his formeracquaintances, but Vasco Bilette smiled in an evil way. Chance hadthrown in his path the very person he wanted. Tom Dalsett was the firstto speak.

  "Well, we meet again," he said, with an attempt at cheerfulness. "How doyou all do?"

  "I don't know that we're any the better for seeing you," remarkedProfessor Snodgrass, who was plain-spoken at times.

  "Oh, but I assure you it's a sight for sore eyes to get a glimpse of youonce more," went on Tom. "Besides, this is a free city, you know, evenif it is an old, underground one; and we have as much right here as youhave."

  "True enough," broke in Jerry. "But you may as well know, first as last,that we're done fooling with you and your gang, Noddy Nixon. If youannoy us again there's going to be trouble!"

  Noddy did not reply. He seemed anxious to get away, but Dalsett andVasco urged him to stay, and they had secured quite an influence overthe youth.

  "We must have come in by the same passage you did," went on Dalsett."You left it open behind you. We were wandering around in the darktunnel until we discovered this door a little while ago. Lucky, wasn'tit?"