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

by Victor Appleton

  Chapter XI

  In the Andes

  Professor Swyington Bumper seemed to live in a region all by himself.Though he was on board the Bellaconda, he might just as well have beenin an airship, or riding along on the back of a donkey, as far as hisknowledge, or recognition, of his surroundings went. He seemed to bethinking thoughts far, far away, and he was never without abook--either a bound volume or a note-book. In the former he buried hishawk-like nose, and Tom, looking over his shoulder once, saw that thebook was printed in curious characters, which, later, he learned wereSanskrit. If he had a note-book the bald-headed professor wascontinually jotting down memoranda in it.

  "I can hardly think of him as a conspirator against us," said Tom toMr. Titus.

  "After you have been in the contracting business as long as I haveyou'll distrust every one," was the answer. "Waddington isn't onboard, or I'd distrust him. That Spaniard, Senor Pinto, seems to be outof consideration, and there only remains the professor. We must watchhim."

  But Professor Bumper proved to be above suspicion. Carefully guardedinquiries made of the captain, the purser and other ships' officers,brought out the fact that he was well known to all of them, havingtraveled on the line before.

  "He is making a search for something, but he won't say what it is," thecaptain said. "At first we thought it was gold or jewels, for he goesaway off into the Andes Mountains, where both gold and jewels have beenfound. He never looks for treasure, though, for though some of hisparty have made rather rich discoveries, he takes no interest in them."

  "What is he after then?" asked Mr. Titus.

  "No one knows, and he won't tell. But whatever it is he has never foundit yet. Always, when he comes back, unsuccessful, from a trip to theinterior and goes back North with us, he will remark that he has notthe right directions. That he must seek again.

  "Back he comes next season, as full of hope as before, but only to bedisappointed. Each time he goes to a new place in the mountains wherehe digs and delves, so members of the parties he hires tell me, butwith no success. He carries with him something in a small iron box,and, whatever this is, he consults it from time to time. It may bedirections for finding whatever he is after. But there seems to besomething wrong."

  "This is quite a mystery," remarked Tom.

  "It certainly is. But Professor Bumper is a fine man. I have known himfor years."

  "This seems to dispose of the theory that he planted the bomb, and thathe is one of the plotters in the pay of Blakeson & Grinder," said Mr.Titus, when he and Tom were alone.

  "Yes, I guess it does. But who can have done it?"

  That was a question neither could answer.

  Tom had a theory, which he did not disclose to Mr. Titus, that, afterall, the somewhat mysterious Senor Pinto might, in some way, be mixedup in the bomb attempt. But a close questioning of the steward on dutynear the foreigner's cabin at the time disclosed the fact that Pintohad been ill in his berth all that day.

  "Well, unless the bomb fell from some passing airship, I don't see howit got on deck," said Tom with a shake of his head. "And I'm sure noairship passed over us."

  They had kept the matter secret, not telling even Mr. Damon, for theyfeared the eccentric man would make a fuss and alarm the whole vessel.So Mr. Damon, occasionally blessing his necktie or his shoe laces,played chess with his elderly gentleman friend and was perfectly happy.

  That Professor Bumper not only had kept his promise about notmentioning the bomb, but that he had forgotten all about it, wasevident a day or two after the happening. Tom and Mr. Titus passed himon deck, and bowed cordially. The professor returned the salutation,but looked at the two in a puzzled sort of fashion.

  "I beg your pardon," he remarked, "but your faces are familiar, thoughI cannot recall your names. Haven't I seen you before?"

  "You have," said Tom, with a smile. "You saved our lives from a bombthe other day."

  "Oh, yes! So I did! So I did!" exclaimed Professor Bumper. "I feltsure I had seen you before. Are you all right?"

  "Yes. There haven't been any more bombs thrown at us," the contractorsaid. "By the way, Professor Bumper, I understand you are quite atraveler in the Andes, in the vicinity of Lima."

  "Yes, I have been there," admitted the bald-headed scientist in guardedtones.

  "Well, I am digging a tunnel in that vicinity," went on Mr. Titus, "andif you ever get near Rimac, where the first cutting is made, I wish youwould come and see me--Tom too, as he is associated with me."

  "Rimac-Rimac," murmured the professor, looking sharply at thecontractor. "Digging a tunnel there? Why are you doing that?" and heseemed to resent the idea.

  "Why, the Peruvian government engaged me to do it to connect the tworailroad lines," was the answer. "Do you know anything about the place?"

  "Not so much as I hope to later on," was the unexpected answer. "As ithappens I am going to Rimac, and I may visit your tunnel."

  "I wish you would," returned Mr. Titus.

  Later on, in their stateroom, the contractor remarked to the younginventor:

  "Sort of queer; isn't it?"

  "What?" asked Tom. "His not remembering us?"

  "No, though that was odd. But I suppose he is forgetful, or pretends tobe. I mean it's queer he is going to Rimac."

  "What do you mean?" asked Tom.

  "Well, I don't know exactly what I mean," went on the tunnelcontractor, "but our tunnel happens to start at Rimac, which is a smalltown at the base of the mountains."

  "Maybe the professor is a geologist," suggested Tom, "and he may wantto get some samples of that hard rock."

  "Maybe," admitted Mr. Titus. "But I shall keep my eyes on him all thesame. I'm not going to have any strangers, who happen to be around whenbombs drop near us, get into my tunnel."

  "I think you're wrong to doubt Professor Bumper," Tom said.

  A few days after this, when Tom and Mr. Titus were casually discussingthe weather on deck and wondering how much longer it would be beforethey reached Callao, Mr. Damon, who had been playing numberless gamesof chess, came up for a breath of air.

  "Mr. Damon," called Tom, "come over here and meet a friend of ours,Professor Bumper," and he was about to introduce them, for the two, asfar as Tom knew, had not yet met. But no sooner had the professor andMr. Damon caught sight of each other than there was a look of mutualrecognition.

  "Bless my fountain pen!" cried the eccentric man. "If it isn't my oldfriend!"

  "Mr. Damon!" cried the professor. "I am delighted to see you again. Idid not know you were on board!"

  "Nor I you. Bless my apple dumpling! Are you still after those Peruvianantiquities?"

  "I am, Mr. Damon. But I did not know you were acquainted with Mr.Swift."

  "Oh, Tom and I are old friends."

  "Professor Bumper saved the lives of Mr. Titus and myself," said Tom,"or at least he saved us from severe injury by a bomb."

  "Pray do not mention it, my friends," put in the professor, casually."It was nothing."

  Of course he did not mean it just that way.

  Then, naturally, Mr. Damon had to be told all about the bomb for thefirst time, and his wonder was great. He blessed everything he couldthink of.

  "And to think it should be my old friend, Professor Bumper, who savedyou," said the odd man to Tom and Mr. Titus later that day.

  "Do you know him well?" asked Mr. Titus.

  "Very well indeed. Our drug concern sells him many chemicals for hisexperiments."

  "Well, if you know him I guess he can't be what I thought he was," thecontractor went on. "I'm glad to know it. Why is he going to the Andes?"

  "Oh, for many years he has been interested in collecting Peruvianantiquities. He has a certain theory in regard to something or otherabout their ancient civilization, but just what it is I have, at thismoment, forgotten. Only I know you can thoroughly trust ProfessorBumper, for a finer man never lived, though he is a bit absent-mindedat times. But you will like him very much."

  Thus the last lin
gering doubt of Professor Bumper was removed. Mr.Damon told something of how the scientist had been honored by degreesfrom many colleges and was regarded as an authority on Peruvian matters.

  But who had placed the bomb on deck remained a mystery.

  In due time Callao, the seaport of Lima, was reached and our friendsdisembarked. Tom saw to the unloading of the explosive, which was to besent direct to the tunnel at Rimac. Mr. Titus, Tom and Mr. Damon wouldremain in Lima a day or so.

  Professor Bumper disembarked with our friends, and stopped at the samehotel. Tom kept a lookout for Senor Pinto, but did not see him, andconcluded that the Spaniard was ill, and would be carried ashore on astretcher, perhaps.

  Lima, the principal city and capital of Peru, proved an interestingplace. It was about eight miles inland and was built on an arid plainabout five hundred feet above sea level. Yet, though it was on whatmight be termed a desert, the place, by means of irrigation, had beenmade into a beauty spot.

  Tom found the older part of the city was laid out with mathematicalregularity, each street crossing the other at right angles. But in thenew portions there was not this adherence to straightness.

  "Bless my transfer! Why, they have electric cars here!" exclaimed Mr.Damon, catching sight of one on the line between Callao and the capital.

  "What did you think they'd have?" asked Mr. Titus, "elephants orcamels?"

  "I--I didn't just know," was the answer.

  "Oh, you'll find a deal of civilization here," the contractor said. "Ofcourse much of the population is negro or Indian, but they are oftenrich and able to buy what they want. There is a population of over150,000, and there are two steam railroads between Callao and Lima,while there is one running into the interior for 130 miles, crossingthe Andes at an elevation of over three miles. It is a branch of thatroad, together with a branch of the one running to Ancon, that I am toconnect with a tunnel."

  Tom found some beautiful churches and cathedrals in Lima, and spentsome time visiting them. He and Mr. Damon also visited, in theoutskirts, the tobacco, cocoa and other factories.

  Three days after reaching the capital, Mr. Titus having attended tosome necessary business while Mr. Damon set on foot matters connectedwith his affairs, it was decided to strike inland to Rimac, and to trythe effect of Tom Swift's explosive on the tunnel.

  The journey was to be made in part by rail, though the last stages ofit were over a rough mountain trail, with llamas for beasts of burden,while our friends rode mules.

  As Tom, Mr. Damon, Koku, and Mr. Titus were going to the railroadstation they saw Professor Bumper also leaving the hotel.

  "I believe our roads lie together for a time," said the bald-headedscientist, "and, if you have no objections, I will accompany you."

  "Come, and welcome!" exclaimed Mr. Titus, all his suspicions now gone.

  "And it may be that you will be able to help me," the scientist went on.

  "Help you--how?" asked Tom.

  "I will tell you when we reach the Andes," was the mysterious answer.

  It was a day later when they left the train at a small station, andstruck off into the foothills of the great Andes Mountains, where thetunnel was started, that the professor again mentioned his object.

  "Friends," he said, as he gazed up at the towering cliffs and crags, "Iam searching for the lost city of Pelone, located somewhere in thesemountains. Will you help me to find it?"