CHAPTER XVII
THE RUINED TEMPLE
Though Tom had his portable balloon in shape for comparatively quickassembling it was several days, after they went into permanent camp,before it was in condition for use.
The Mexicans were not of much help for several reasons. Some of themwere ignorant men, and were very superstitious, and would havenothing to do with the "Air Fiend" as they called it. In consequenceTom, Ned, Mr. Damon and Eradicate had to do most of the work. ButTom and Ned were a host in themselves, and Mr. Damon was a greathelp, though he often stopped to bless something, to the no smallastonishment of the Mexicans, one of whom innocently asked Tom ifthis eccentric man was not "a sort of priest in his own country, forhe called down so many blessings?"
"Bless my pen wiper!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, when Tom had told him. "Imust break myself of that habit. Bless my--" and then he stoppedand laughed, and went on with the work of helping to install themotor.
Another reason why some of the Mexicans were of little service wasbecause they were so lazy. They preferred to sit in the shade andsmoke innumerable cigarettes, or sleep. Then, too, some of them hadto go out after some small game with which that part of the countryabounded, for though there was plenty of tinned food, fresh meat wasmuch more appreciated.
But Tom and Ned labored long and hard, and in about a week aftermaking camp they had assembled the dirigible balloon in which theyhoped to set out to locate the plain of the ruined temple, and alsothe entrance to the underground city of gold.
"Well, I'll start making the gas to-morrow," decided Tom, in theirtent one night, after a hard day's work. "Then we'll give theballoon a tryout and see how she behaves in this part of the world.The motor is all right, we're sure of that much," for they had giventhe engine a test several days before.
"Which way are we going to head?" asked Ned.
"North, I think," answered Tom.
"But I thought you said that the temple was west--"
"Don't you see my game?" went on the young inventor quickly, and ina low voice, for several times of late he had surprised some of theMexicans sneaking about the tent. "As soon as we start off Delazesis going to follow us."
"Follow us?" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my shoe horn, what do youmean?"
"I mean that he still suspects that we are after gold, and he isgoing to do his best to get on our trail. Of course he can't followus through the air, but he'll note in what direction we start and assoon as we are out of sight he and his men will hit the trail in thesame direction."
"What, and leave the camp?" asked Ned.
"Yes, though they'll probably skip off with some of our supplies.That's why I'm going to take along an unusually large supply. We maynot come back to this camp at all. In fact, it won't be much useafter Delazes and his crowd clean it out and leave."
"And you really think they'll do that, Tom?" asked his chum.
"I'm almost sure of it, from the way the Mexicans have been actinglately. Delazes has been hinting around trying to surprise me intosaying which direction we're going to take. But I've been careful.The sight of that golden image aroused him and his men. They'rehungry for gold, and they'd do away with us in a minute if theythought they could find what we're looking for and get it withoutus. But our secret is ours yet, I'm glad to say. If only the balloonbehaves we ought soon to be in the--"
"Hark!" exclaimed Ned, holding up a warning hand. They heard arustling outside the tent, and one side bulged in, as if some onewas leaning against it.
"Some one's listening," whispered Ned.
Tom nodded. The next moment he drew his heavy automatic revolver andremarked in loud tones:
"My gun needs cleaning. I'm going to empty it through the tent wherethat bulge is--look out, Ned."
The bulge against the canvas disappeared as if by magic, and thesound of some one crawling or creeping away could be heard outside.Tom laughed.
"You see how it is," he said. "We can't even think aloud."
"Bless my collar button; who was it?" asked Mr. Damon.
"Some of Delazes's men--or himself," replied the young inventor."But I guess I scared him."
"Maybe it was Andy Foger," suggested Ned with a smile.
"No, I guess we've lost track of him and his father," spoke Tom."I've kept watch of the back trail as much as I could, and haven'tseen them following us. Of course they may pick up our trail laterand come here, and they may join forces with the Mexicans. But Idon't know that they can bother us, once we're off in the balloon."
To Tom's disappointment, the next day proved stormy, a heavy rainfalling, so it was impossible to test the balloon with the gas. Thecamp was a disconsolate and dreary place, and even Eradicate,usually so jolly, was cross and out of sorts.
For three days the rain kept up, and Tom and Ned thought they wouldnever see the last of it, but on the fourth morning the sun shone,wet garments and shoes were dried out, tents were opened to the warmwind and everyone was in better spirits. Tom and his chum at onceset about making gas for the big bag, their operations being closelywatched by the Mexicans.
As I have explained before, Tom had the secret of making a verypowerful gas from comparatively simple ingredients, and themachinery for this was not complicated. So powerful was it that thebag of the dirigible balloon did not need to be as large as usual, adistinct saving in space.
In a short time the bag began to distend and then the balloon tookshape and form. The bag was of the usual cigar shape, divided intomany compartments so that the puncture of one would not empty outall the vapor.
Below the bag was a car or cabin made of light wood. It was allenclosed and contained besides the motor, storage tanks forgasolene, oil and other things, sleeping berths, a tiny kitchen, apilot house, and a room to be used for a living apartment.Everything was very compact, and there was not half the room therewas in some of Tom Swift's other airships. But then the party didnot expect to make long voyages.
They could take along a good supply of canned and also compressedfood, much of which was in tablet or capsule form, and of coursethey would take their weapons, and ammunition.
"And I hope you'll leave room for plenty of gold," said Ned in awhisper to Tom, as they completed arrangements for the gas test.
"I guess we can manage to store all that we can get out of theunderground city," replied his chum. "I'm going to find a place forthe big gold statue if we can manage to lift it."
"Say, we'll be millionaires all right!" exulted Ned.
Though much still remained to be done on the balloon, it was soon inshape for an efficient test, and that afternoon Tom, Ned and Mr.Damon went up in it to the no small wonder, fear and delight of theMexicans. Some, who had never seen an air craft before, fell ontheir knees and prayed. Others shouted, and when Tom started themotor, and showed how he could control his aircraft, there wereyells of amazement.
"She'll do!" cried the young inventor, as he let out some gas andcame down.
Thereupon followed busy days, stocking the airship for the trip todiscover the ruined temple. Food and supplies were put aboard, sparegarments, all their weapons and ammunition, and then Tom paidDelazes and his men, giving them a month's wages in advance, for hetold them to wait in camp that long.
"But they won't," the young inventor predicted to Ned.
There was nothing more to be done. All that they could do, to insuresuccess had been completed. From now on they were in the hands offate.
"All aboard!" cried Tom, as he motioned for Eradicate to take hisplace in the car. Mr. Damon and Ned followed, and then the younginventor himself. He shook hands with Delazes, though he did notlike the man.
"Good bye," said Tom. "We may be back before the month is up. If weare not, go back to Tampico."
"Si, senor," answered the contractor, bowing mockingly.
Tom turned the lever that sent more gas into the bag. The balloonshot up. The young gold-seeker was about to throw on the motor, whenDelazes waved his hand to the little party.
"Bon voyage!" he cal
led. "I hope you will find the city of gold!"
"Bless my soul!" cried Mr. Damon. "He knows our secret!"
"He's only guessing at it," replied Tom calmly. "He's welcome tofollow us--if he can."
Up shot the aircraft, the propellers whirling around like blades oflight. Up and up, higher and higher, and then forward, while downbelow the Mexicans yelled and swung their hats.
Straight for the north Tom headed his craft, so as to throw theeagerly watching ones off the track. He intended to circle aroundand go west when out of sight.
And then the very thing Tom had predicted came to pass. The balloonwas scarcely half a mile high when, as the young inventor lookeddown, he uttered a cry.
"See!" he said. "They're breaking camp to follow us."
And it was so. Riding along in one of the lightest ox carts wasDelazes, his eyes fixed on the balloon overhead, while behind himcame his followers.
"They're following us," said Tom, "but they're going to get sadlyleft."
In an hour Tom knew his balloon would not be visible to theMexicans, and at the end of that time he pointed for the west. Andthen, flying low so as to use the trees as a screen, but going atgood speed. Tom and his friends were well on their way to the cityof gold.
"We must keep a good lookout down below," said Tom, when everythingwas in working order. "We don't want to fly over the plain of theruined temple."
"We may in the night," suggested Ned.
"No night flying this time," said his chum. "We'll only move alongdaytimes. We'll camp at night."
For three days they sailed along, sometimes over vast level plainson which grazed wild cattle, again over impenetrable jungles whichthey could never have gotten through in their ox carts. They crossedrivers and many small lakes, stopping each night on the ground, theairship securely anchored to trees. Tom could make the lifting gason board so what was wasted by each descent was not missed.
One day it rained, and they did not fly, spending rather a lonelyand miserable twelve hours in the car. Another time a powerful windblew them many miles out of their course. But they got back on it,and kept flying to the west.
"We must strike it soon," murmured Tom one day.
"Maybe we're too far to the north or south," suggested Ned.
"Then we'll have to beat back and forth until we get right," wasTom's reply. "For I'm going to locate that ruined temple."
They ate breakfast and dinner high in the air, Eradicate preparingthe meals in the tiny kitchen. Ever did they keep looking downwardfor a sight of a great plain, with a ruined temple in the midst ofit.
In this way a week passed, the balloon beating back and forth to theNorth or South, and they were beginning to weary of the search, andeven Tom, optimistic as he was, began to think he would never findwhat he sought.
It was toward the close of day, and the young inventor was lookingfor a good place to land. He was flying over a range of low hills,hoping the thick forest would soon come to an end when, as hecrossed the last of the range of small mountains, he gave a cry,that drew the attention of Ned and Mr. Damon.
"What is it?" demanded his chum.
"Look!" said Tom. "There is the great plain!"
Ned gazed, and saw, spread out below them a vast level plateau. Butthis was not all he saw, for there, about in the centre, was a massof something--something that showed white in the rays of the settingsun.
"Bless my chimney!" cried Mr. Damon. "That's some sort of abuilding."
"The ruined temple," said Tom softly. "We've found it at last," andhe headed the balloon for it and put on full speed.
Tom Swift in the City of Gold; Or, Marvelous Adventures Underground Page 17