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

r, as he began arranging his papers, maps and d

if you want to s

may try to get on the ground first. Though, without boasting, I may say that he has not had as mu

ul this time," murmured Tom. "I do

knew him, Tom," s

though he tried to speak indifferently, that made Ned believe there was mo

er; "yet the last time I saw him I said I was co

kely to speak of me,"

s I'll go back home and pack up," sa

"We won't leave for a week. I can't g

come home unexpectedly, and, though she is a dear, good soul, she doesn't altogether approve of my going off on these wild trips with you, Tom Swift. But if I g

Bumper. "But suit yourself. I must go back to New York to arrange fo

meet you again. He's pretty well, considering his age. And he's much better I verily belie

times, Tom," he went on, "traveling off together into the wilds. Central America is

to suit any one," answ

s the situation as regards the financial affairs of my father a

are you going to take

f cour

spoke o

ou and I a

, T

leaving you behind. You want N

-train for the interior. I had some thoughts of asking you to take an airship along, but it might frighten the Indians, an

at this point to m

een puttering over that stabilizer invention too long

p, while Mr. Damon went out with Tom and Ned to one of the shops

dinner, though now and then Ned noticed th

ked Ned in a whisper to his chum, whe

ack with us." But the manner in which he said this made Ned feel sure that Tom

, Mr. Damon and the professor having gone home, the young fi

the matt

What do y

ind so quickly to go on this expedit

would you, after he had worked out the secret of the idol of gold? You would

f cour

ed my mind. This Beecher isn't going

ther bitter

I simply don't want to se

isn't a frie

is all," and Tom tried

e here than I dreamed of. I'm go

tted knowing the youthful scientist, but that was all, Tom reiterating his deter

er had something to do with it. The only reason Tom doesn't want Beecher to get this idol or find the buried city is because Professor Bumper is after

he clapped his hands together,

reen god as compared to the idol of gold! That

, who, rumor had it, was tacitly engaged to Tom. Mary was not a

ry's father. "Isn't Tom with you?" he asked

red. "The fact is, he's getting ready to go off

somewhere," remarked Mrs. Nest

icular. He was wondering how he could find out what he wanted to know, wh

er," and she looked at her husband, "that's

e did mention som

an authority on Aztec ruins?" ask

well. He was here on a visit not long ago, young Beecher was, and he talked most

urse of the evening," she added to Ned, "and Mary introduced him to Professor

uestion

s Mary and the professor were drawing a map so the profess

uppose Tom must have been thinkin

uch interested myself in what the professor told us, and so was Mary. She invited Mr.

t his mind down to the commonplace. I remember he once sent something here in a box labeled 'dynamite.' Though there was no explosive in

took his departure. He had foun

That's why my inventive friend was so anxious to go on this expedition when he learned Beecher was to go. He wants to beat him. I guess t