CHAPTER VI
UNPLEASANT NEWS
Ned Newton decided to keep to himself what he had heard at the Nestorhome. Not for the world would he let Tom Swift know of the situation.
"That is, I won't let him know that I know," said Ned to himself,"though he is probably as well aware of the situation as I am. But itsure is queer that this Professor Beecher should have taken such afancy to Mary, and that her father should regard him so well. That isnatural, I suppose. But I wonder how Mary herself feels about it.That is the part Tom would be most interested in.
"No wonder Tom wants to get ahead of this young college chap, whoprobably thinks he's the whole show. If he can find the buried city,and get the idol of gold, it would be a big feather in his cap.
"He'd have no end of honors heaped on him, and I suppose his hatwouldn't come within three sizes of fitting him. Then he'd stand inbetter than ever with Mr. Nestor. And, maybe, with Mary, too, though Ithink she is loyal to Tom. But one never can tell.
"However, I'm glad I know about it. I'll do all I can to help Tom,without letting him know that I know. And if I can do anything to helpin finding that idol of gold for Professor Bumper, and, incidentally,Tom, I'll do it," and he spoke aloud in his enthusiasm.
Ned, who was walking along in the darkness, clapped his open hand downon Tom's magazine he was carrying home to read again, and the resultantnoise was a sharp crack. As it sounded a figure jumped from behind atree and called tensely:
"Hold on there!"
Ned stopped short, thinking he was to be the victim of a holdup, buthis fears were allayed when he beheld one of the police force ofShopton confronting him.
"I heard what you said about gettin' the gold," went on the officer."I was walkin' along and I heard you talkin'. Where's your pal?"
"I haven't any, Mr. Newbold," answered Ned with a laugh, as herecognized the man.
"Oh, pshaw! It's Ned Newton!" exclaimed the disappointed officer. "Ithought you was talkin' to a confederate about gold, and figured maybeyou was goin' to rob the bank."
"No, nothing like that," answered Ned, still much amused. "I wastalking to myself about a trip Tom Swift and I are going to takeand----"
"Oh, that's all right," responded the policeman. "I can understand it,if it had anything to do with Tom. He's a great boy."
"Indeed he is," agreed Ned, making a mental resolve not to be so publicwith his thoughts in the future. He chatted for a moment with theofficer, and then, bidding him good-night, walked on to his home, hismind in a whirl with conglomerate visions of buried cities, greatgrinning idols of gold, and rival professors seeking to be first at thegoal.
The next few days were busy ones for Tom, Ned and, in fact, the wholeSwift household. Tom and his father had several consultations andconducted several experiments in regard to the new stabilizer, thecompletion of which was so earnestly desired. Mr. Swift was sure hecould carry the invention to a successful conclusion.
Ned was engaged in putting the financial affairs of the Swift Companyin shape, so they would practically run themselves during his absence.Then, too, there was the packing of their baggage which must be seen to.
Of course, the main details of the trip were left to Professor Bumper,who knew just what to do. He had told Tom and Ned that all they andMr. Damon would have to do would be to meet him at the pier in NewYork, where they would find all arrangements made.
One day, near the end of the week (the beginning of the next being setfor the start) Eradicate came shuffling into the room where Tom wassorting out the possessions he desired to take with him, Ned assistinghim in the task.
"Well, Rad, what is it?" asked Tom, with businesslike energy.
"I done heah, Massa Tom, dat yo' all's gwine off on a long trip oncemo'. Am dat so?"
"Yes, that's so, Rad."
"Well, den, I'se come to ast yo' whut I'd bettah take wif me. Shall Itook warm clothes or cool clothes?"
"Well, if you were going, Rad," answered Tom with a smile, "you'd needcool clothes, for we're going to a sort of jungle-land. But I'm sorryto say you're not going this trip."
"I---- I ain't gwine? Does yo' mean dat yo' all ain't gwine to takeme, Massa Tom?"
"That's it, Rad. It isn't any trip for you."
"Is certain not!" broke in the voice of Koku, the giant, who enteredwith a big trunk Tom had sent him for. "Master want strong man like abull. He take Koku!"
"Look heah!" spluttered Eradicate, and his eyes flashed. "Yo'--yo'giant yo'--yo' may be strong laik a bull, but ya' ain't got as muchsense as mah mule, Boomerang! Massa Tom don't want no sich pusson wifhim. He's gwine to take me."
"He take me!" cried Koku, and his voice was a roar while he beat on hismighty chest with his huge fists.
Tom, seeing that the dispute was likely to be bothersome, winked at Nedand began to speak.
"I don't believe you'd like it there, Rad--not where we're going. It'sa bad country. Why the mosquitoes there bite holes in you--raise bumpson you as big as eggs."
"Oh, good land!" ejaculated the old colored man. "Am dat so Massa Tom?"
"It sure is. Then there's another kind of bug that burrows under yourfingernails, and if you don't get 'em out, your fingers drop off."
"Oh, good land, Massa Tom! Am dat a fact?"
"It sure is. I don't want to see those things happen to you, Rad."
Slowly the old colored man shook his head.
"I don't mahse'f," he said. "I---- I guess I won't go."
Eradicate did not stop to ask how Tom and Ned proposed to combat thesetwo species of insects.
But there remained Koku to dispose of, and he stood smiling broadly asEradicate shuffled off.
"Me no 'fraid bugs," said the giant.
"No," said Tom, with a look at Ned, for he did not want to take the bigman on the trip for various reasons. "No, maybe not, Koku. Your skinis pretty tough. But I understand there are deep pools of water in theland where we are going, and in them lives a fish that has a hide likean alligator and a jaw like a shark. If you fall in it's all up withyou."
"Dat true, Master Tom?" and Koku's voice trembled.
"Well, I've never seen such a fish, I'm sure, but the natives tellabout it."
Koku seemed to be considering the matter. Strange as it may seem, thegiant, though afraid of nothing human and brave when it came to ahand-to-claw argument with a wild animal, had a very great fear of thewater and the unseen life within it. Even a little fresh-water crab ina brook was enough to send him shrieking to shore. So when Tom told ofthis curious fish, which many natives of Central America firmly believein, the giant took thought with himself. Finally, he gave a sigh andsaid:
"Me stay home and keep bad mans out of master's shop."
"Yes, I guess that's the best thing for you," assented Tom with an airof relief. He and Ned had talked the matter over, and they had agreedthat the presence of such a big man as Koku, in an expedition going ona more or less secret mission, would attract too much attention.
"Well, I guess that clears matters up," said Tom, as he looked over acollection of rifles and small arms, to decide which to take. "Wewon't have them to worry about."
"No, only Professor Beecher," remarked Ned, with a sharp look at hischum.
"Oh, we'll dispose of him all right!" asserted Tom boldly. "He hasn'thad any experience in business of this sort, and with what you andProfessor Bumper and Mr. Damon know we ought to have little trouble ingetting ahead of the young man."
"Not to speak of your own aid," added Ned.
"Oh, I'll do what I can, of course," said Tom, with an air ofindifference. But Ned knew his chum would work ceaselessly to help getthe idol of gold.
Tom gave no sign that there was any complication in his affair withMary Nestor, and of course Ned did not tell anything of what he knewabout it.
That night saw the preparations of Ned and Tom about completed. Therewere one or two matters yet to finish on Tom's part in relation to hisbusiness, but these offered no
difficulties.
The two chums were in the Swift home, talking over the prospectivetrip, when Mrs. Baggert, answering a ring at the front door, announcedthat Mr. Damon was outside.
"Tell him to come in," ordered Tom.
"Bless my baggage check!" exclaimed the excitable man, as he shookhands with Tom and Ned and noted the packing evidences all about."You're ready to go to the land of wonders."
"The land of wonders?" repeated Ned.
"Yes, that's what Professor Bumper calls the part of Honduras we'regoing to. And it must be wonderful, Tom. Think of whole cities, someof them containing idols and temples of gold, buried thirty and fortyfeet under the surface! Wonderful is hardly the name for it!"
"It'll be great!" cried Ned. "I suppose you're ready, Mr. Damon--youand the professor?"
"Yes. But, Tom, I have a bit of unpleasant news for you."
"Unpleasant news?"
"Yes. You know Professor Bumper spoke of a rival--a man named Beecherwho is a member of the faculty of a new and wealthy college."
"I heard him speak of him--yes," and the way Tom said it no one wouldhave suspected that he had any personal interest in the matter.
"He isn't going to give his secret away," thought Ned.
"Well, this Professor Beecher, you know," went on Mr. Damon, "alsoknows about the idol of gold, and is trying to get ahead of ProfessorBumper in the search."
"He did say something of it, but nothing was certain," remarked Tom.
"But it is certain!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Bless my toothpick, it'saltogether too certain!"
"How is that?" asked Tom. "Is Beecher certainly going to Honduras?"
"Yes, of course. But what is worse, he and his party will leave NewYork on the same steamer with us!"
Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders; Or, The Underground Search for the Idol of Gold Page 6
