There was no way of finding out, however, until Tom had a chance to talk to Ned, and at present the young scientist was eagerly listening to 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’s true it means a big thing, I can understand that. What’s that? No, I couldn’t make a promise like that. I’m sorry, but—”
Then the person at the other end of the wire must have plunged into something very interesting and absorbing, for Tom did not again interrupt 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 the activities of the firm made up of himself and his son. But his inventions were still used, many of them being vital to the business and trade of this country.
Tom and his father lived in the village of Shopton, New York, and their factories covered many acres of ground. Those who wish to read of the earliest activities of Tom in the inventive line are referred to the initial volume, “Tom Swift and His Motor Cycle.” From then on he and his father had many and exciting adventures. In a motor boat, an airship, and a submarine respectively the young inventor had gone through 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 to strike his fancy.
Besides Tom and his father, the Swift household was made up of Eradicate Sampson, a colored man-of-all-work, who, with his mule Boomerang, did what he could to keep the grounds around the house in order. There was also Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, Tom’s mother being dead. Mr. Damon, living in a neighboring town, was a frequent visitor in the Swift home.
Mary Nestor, a girl of Shopton, might also be mentioned. She and Tom were 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 young people themselves were ready to have a certain fact announced.
From one activity to another had Tom Swift gone, now constructing some important invention for himself, as among others, when he made the photo-telephone, or developed a great searchlight which he presented to the Government for use in detecting smugglers on the border.
The book immediately preceding this is called “Tom Swift and His Big, Tunnel,” and deals with the efforts of the young inventor to help a firm of contractors penetrate a mountain in Peru. How this was done and how, incidentally, the lost city of Pelone was discovered, bringing joy to the heart of Professor Swyington Bumper, will be found fully set forth in the book.
Tom had been back from the Peru trip for some months, when we again find him interested in some of the work of Professor Bumper, as set forth 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 of the instrument, into the transmitter of which he had said only a few words.
“All right,” Tom finally answered, as he hung the receiver up, “I’ll be here,” and then he turned to Ned, whose curiosity had been growing with the telephone talk, and remarked:
“That certainly was wonderful!”
“What was?” asked Ned. “Do you think I’m a mind reader to be able to guess?”
“No, indeed! I beg your pardon. I’ll tell you at once. But I couldn’t break away. It was too important. To whom do you think I was talking just then?”
“I can imagine almost any one, seeing I know something of what you have done. It might be almost anybody from some person you met up in the caves 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 interesting article about the idol of gold,” and he motioned to the magazine Ned held 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 Central America—to the Copan valley, to be exact—to look for this somewhat mythical idol of gold. Incidentally the professor will gather in any other 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 for half 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. The Professor stopped off there on his way from Boston, where he has been lecturing 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 spouts a whole lot of that bone-dry stuff about the ancient Mayan civilization and their antiquities, with side lights on how the old-time Indians used to scalp their enemies, I’m going to the moving pictures! I’m willing to be your financial manager, Tom Swift, but please don’t ask me 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 to talk, he says.”
“What about?”
“He’s going to try to induce me to join his expedition to the Copan valley.”
“Do you feel inclined to go?”
“No, Ned, I do not. I’ve got too many other irons in the fire. I shall have to give the professor a polite but firm refusal.”
“Well, maybe you’re right, Tom; and yet that idol of gold—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 it if you don’t go with the professor.”
“I don’t see how I can go, Ned. But come over and meet the delightful gentleman when he arrives. I expect him day after tomorrow.”
“I’ll be here,” promised Ned; and then he went downtown to attend to some matters connected with his new duties, which were much less irksome than those he had had when he had been in the bank.
“Well, Tom, have you heard any more about your friend?” asked Ned, two days later, as he came to the Swift home with some papers needing the signature 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’ll be here all right. He’s very punctual. Did you see anything of my giant Koku as you came in?”
“Yes, he and Eradicate were having an argument about who should move a heavy 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 very faithful. He and Koku never seem to get along well together.”
Koku was an immense man, a veritable giant, one of two whom Tom had brought back with him after an exciting trip to a strange land. The giant’s strength was very useful to the young inventor.
“Now Tom, about this business of leasing to the English Government the right to manufacture that new explosive of yours,” began Ned, plunging into the business at hand. “I think if you stick out a little you can get 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 to Tom Swift perfectly well by myself, and while I appreciate your courtesy I do not want to trouble you.”
“No, don’t come, Mrs. Baggert,” added another voice. “Bless my hat band, I think I know my way about the house by this time!”
“Mr. Damon!” ejaculated Ned.
“An
d Professor Bumper is with him,” added Tom. “Come in!” he cried, opening the hall door, to confront a bald-headed man who stood peering at our hero with bright snapping eyes, like those of some big bird spying out the land from afar. “Come in, Professor Bumper; and you too, Mr. Damon!”
CHAPTER III
BLESSINGS AND ENTHUSIASM
Greetings and inquiries as to health having been passed, not without numerous blessings on the part of Mr. Damon, the little party gathered in the library of the home of Tom Swift sat down and looked at one another.
On Professor Bumper’s face there was, plainly to be seen, a look of expectation, and it seemed to be shared by Mr. Damon, who seemed eager to burst into enthusiastic talk. On the other hand Tom Swift appeared a bit indifferent.
Ned himself admitted that he was frankly curious. The story of the big idol of gold had occupied his thoughts for many hours.
“Well, I’m glad to see you both,” said Tom again. “You got here all right, I see, Professor Bumper. But I didn’t expect you to meet and bring Mr. Damon with you.”
“I met him on the train,” explained the author of the book on the lost city of Pelone, as well as books on other antiquities. “I had no expectation of seeing him, and we were both surprised when we met on the express.”
“It stopped at Waterfield, Tom,” explained Mr. Damon, “which it doesn’t usually do, being an aristocratic sort of train, not given even to hesitating at our humble little town. There were some passengers to get off, which caused the flier to stop, I suppose. And, as I wanted to 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,” went on 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 some books to the floor.
Koku, the giant, who was in the hall, opened the door and in his imperfect 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 the petulant voice of Eradicate.
“No, Rad, I don’t need anything,” Tom said. “Though you might make a pitcher of lemonade. It’s rather warm.”
“Right away, Massa Tom! Right away!” cried the old colored man, eager to 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 do all 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, bless my fountain pen, it’s the most wonderful story I ever heard of! You’ve read Professor Bumper’s article, of course. He told me you had. I read 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 in buried cities, ride down raging torrents on a raft, fall over a cliff maybe and be rescued. Why, it makes me feel quite young again!” and Mr. Damon arose, to pace excitedly up and down the room.
Up to this time Professor Bumper had said very little. He had sat still in his chair listening to Mr. Damon. But now that the latter had ceased, at least for a time, Tom and Ned looked toward the scientist.
“I understand, Tom,” he said, “that you read my article in the magazine, about the possibility of locating some of the lost and buried cities 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. “I did not give all the details in that article. I will tell you some of them. I have brought copies of the documents with me,” and he opened a small valise and took out several bundles tied with pink tape.
“As Mr. Damon said,” he went on while arranging his papers, “he met me on the train, and he was so taken by the story of the idol of gold that he 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 of course Tom Swift will go. Now let me tell you something more than I could impart over the telephone.
“Soon after I called you up, Tom—and it was quite a coincidence that it should have been at a time when you had just finished my magazine article. Soon after that, as I was saying, I arranged to come on to Shopton. 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 and experimental end, and money matters, too, and as Ned had had considerable 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,” returned Ned.
“Well, I guess you earn your salary,” laughed Tom. “But now, Professor Bumper, let’s hear from you. Is there anything more about this idol of gold that you can tell us?”
“Plenty, Tom, plenty. I could talk all day, and not get to the end of the story. But a lot of it would be scientific detail that might be too dry for you in spite of this excellent lemonade.”
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 tableland, 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.
&
nbsp; “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 IV
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.”
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