Tom Swift and His Big Tunnel; Or, The Hidden City of the Andes

at th

. "Is there anything wrong with South America-Peru? I know they have lots of revolutions

k his head. "It isn't a

t's something. As soon as I mention Peru, Tom, you and Mr. Titus eye

d. "But go on, Mr. Damon. Finish what y

lesale drug concern, hoping to make some money, but now, on account of the trouble down

that mean?"

es in a certain tropical section. But there has been a change in the government in the district where our men were working, and

. Titus. "That is where the coincidence comes in. It is stra

aimed Mr. Damon. "I know him of old,

not ask him to go to South America for us. I only wanted to get some superior explosive for my brother, who is in charge of dr

wder he used in it to send a projectile such a distance. The cannon is now mounted as on

ventor nodde

d in your big cannon," the contractor went on, "I wro

uilding a short railroad line to connect two others. If this is done it will mean that the products of Peru-quinine bark, coffee, cocoa

in an estimate. There was some trouble with a rival firm, which also bid, but we secured the cont

y the native Indians of Peru, have been tunneling the

of snag?"

d of Mesozoic beds, volcanic ashes and lava of comparatively recent date. Near the coast the lower hills are composed of crystalline rocks, syenite and granite, with, here and there, a stra

rn chain of the Andes above Lima, while in the Oroya Valley we find carbonaceous sandstones. Some

repared to meet them, and we figured on a certain percentage of them. Up to the present time we have met with just about what we

he terms used. Mr. Damon did not, however, and when Mr. Titus rolled off some

meter! Bless my

mass of volcanic rock which is so hard that our best diamond drills are dulled in a short time, and

ess, compared to the energy of his men and the blasting, that he wrote to me, explaining matt

or whatever you call it-Mr. Swift, or tell us where we can

ng constructed. He showed where the two railroad lines were, and where the new route would bring them toget

you come to Peru yourself? That would suit us immensely, for you could be right on the ground. And you could carry out y

together that it seems sort of natural for us to 'team it.' I have never been to Peru,

o make considerable, even if we were the lowest bidders. We can afford to pay you well-that is, we shall be able to if we can complete the bore on time. That is what is both

om exclaimed. "I am not so

ntractor asked. "It's po

ll have the right effect on volcanic rock is h

antime, here is a description of it. I can read you that"; and, taking a let

e listened. "It seems to be

ain!" cried Mr. Da

explained. "It is brittle, black in color, and the natives of the Admiralty Islands use

ar-drums!" gasped Mr

he found the priests cutting the hearts from their living victims with knives made from this volcanic glass-like rock,

" admitted

kind of explosive. That used for my giant cannon woul

t?" asked Mr. Titus eagerly. "We will pay you well

one stone, and come with

en the tunnel contractor, who was looking from the l

gain! Once mor

of a face at one of the low library windows-a face that had