Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders; Or, The Underground Search for the Idol of Gold

by Victor Appleton

  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.