CHAPTER VII
TOM HEARS SOMETHING
On hearing Mr. Damon's rather startling announcement, Tom and Nedlooked at one another. There seemed to be something back of the simplestatement--an ominous and portending "something."
"On the same steamer with us, is he?" mused Tom.
"How did you learn this?" asked Ned.
"Just got a wire from Professor Bumper telling me. He asked me totelephone to you about it, as he was too busy to call up on the longdistance from New York. But instead of 'phoning I decided to come overmyself."
"Glad you did," said Tom, heartily. "Did Professor Bumper want us todo anything special, now that it is certain his rival will be so closeon his trail?"
"Yes, he asked me to warn you to be careful what you did and said inreference to the expedition."
"Then does he fear something?" asked Ned.
"Yes, in a way. I think he is very much afraid this young Beecher willnot only be first on the site of the underground city, but that he maybe the first to discover the idol of gold. It would be a great thingfor a young archaeologist like Beecher to accomplish a mission of thissort, and beat Professor Bumper in the race."
"Do you think that's why Beecher decided to go on the same steamer weare to take?" asked Ned.
"Yes, I do," said Mr. Damon. "Though from what Professor Bumper said Iknow he regards Professor Beecher as a perfectly honorable man, as wellas a brilliant student. I do not believe Beecher or his party wouldstoop to anything dishonorable or underhand, though they would nothesitate, nor would we, to take advantage of every fair chance to winin the race."
"No, I suppose that's right," observed Tom; but there was a queer gleamin his eye, and his chum wondered if Tom did not have in mind theprospective race between himself and Fenimore Beecher for the regard ofMary Nestor. "We'll do our best to win, and any one is at liberty totravel on the same steamer we are to take," added the young inventor,and his tone became more incisive.
"It will be all the livelier with two expeditions after the same goldenidol," remarked Ned.
"Yes, I think we're in for some excitement," observed Tom grimly. Buteven he did not realize all that lay before them ere they would reachKurzon.
Mr. Damon, having delivered his message, and remarking that hispreparations for leaving were nearly completed, went back toWaterfield, from there to proceed to New York in a few days with Tomand Ned, to meet Professor Bumper.
"Well, I guess we have everything in pretty good shape," remarked Tomto his chum a day or so after the visit of Mr. Damon. "Everything ispacked, and as I have a few personal matters to attend to I think I'lltake the afternoon off."
"Go to it!" laughed Ned, guessing a thing of two. "I've got a raft ofstuff myself to look after, but don't let that keep you."
"If there is anything I can do," began Tom, "don't hesitate to----"
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Ned. "I can do it all alone. It's some of thecompany's business, anyhow, and I'm paid for looking after that."
"All right, then I'll cut along," Tom said, and he wore a relieved air.
"He's going to see Mary," observed Ned with a grin, as he observed Tomhop into his trim little roadster, which under his orders, Koku hadpolished and cleaned until it looked as though it had just come fromthe factory.
A little later the trim and speedy car drew up in front of the Nestorhome, and Tom bounded up on the front porch, his heart not altogetheras light as his feet.
"No, I'm sorry, but Mary isn't in," said Mrs. Nestor, answering hisinquiry after greeting him.
"Not at home?"
"No, she went on a little visit to her cousin's at Fayetteville. Shesaid something about letting you know she was going."
"She did drop me a card," answered Tom, and, somehow he did not feel atall cheerful. "But I thought it wasn't until next week she was going."
"That was her plan, Tom. But she changed it. Her cousin wired, askingher to advance the date, and this Mary did. There was something abouta former school chum who was also to be at Myra's house--Myra is Mary'scousin you know."
"Yes, I know," assented the young inventor. "And so Mary is gone. Howlong is she going to stay?"
"Oh, about two weeks. She wasn't quite certain. It depends on thekind of a time she has, I suppose."
"Yes, I suppose so," agreed Tom. "Well, if you write before I do youmight say I called, Mrs. Nestor."
"I will, Tom. And I know Mary will be sorry she wasn't here to take aride with you; it's such a nice day," and the lady smiled as she lookedat the speedy roadster.
"Maybe--maybe you'd like to come for a spin?" asked Tom, halfdesperately.
"No, thank you. I'm too old to be jounced around in one of those smallcars."
"Nonsense! She rides as easily as a Pullman sleeper."
"Well, I have to go to a Red Cross meeting, anyhow, so I can't come,Tom. Thank you, just the same."
Tom did not drive back immediately to his home. He wanted to do a bitof thinking, and he believed he could do it best by himself. So it waslate afternoon when he again greeted Ned, who, meanwhile, had been keptvery busy.
"Well?" called Tom's chum.
"Um!" was the only answer, and Tom called Koku to put the car away inthe garage.
"Something wrong," mused Ned.
The next three days were crowded with events and with work. Mr. Damoncame over frequently to consult with Tom and Ned, and finally the lastof their baggage had been packed, certain of Tom's inventions andimplements sent on by express to New York to be taken to Honduras, andthen our friends themselves followed to the metropolis.
"Good-bye, Tom," said his father. "Good-bye, and good luck! If youdon't get the idol of gold I'm sure you'll have experiences that willbe valuable to you."
"We're going to get the idol of gold!" said Tom determinedly.
"Look out for the bad bugs," suggested Eradicate.
"We will," promised Ned.
Tom's last act was to send a message to Mary Nestor, and then he, withNed and Mr. Damon, who blessed everything in sight from the gasoline inthe automobile to the blue sky overhead, started for the station.
New York was reached without incident. The trio put up at the hotelwhere Professor Bumper was to meet them.
"He hasn't arrived yet," said Tom, after glancing over the names on thehotel register and not seeing Professor Bumper's among them.
"Oh, he'll be here all right," asserted Mr. Damon. "Bless my galvanicbattery! he sent me a telegram at one o'clock this morning saying he'dbe sure to meet us in New York. No fear of him not starting for theland of wonders."
"There are some other professors registered, though," observed Ned, ashe glanced at the book, noting the names of several scientists of whomhe and Tom had read.
"Yes. I wonder what they're doing in New York," replied Tom. "Theyare from New England. Maybe there's a convention going on. Well,we'll have to wait, that's all, until Professor Bumper comes."
And during that wait Tom heard something that surprised him and causedhim no little worry. It was when Ned came back to his room, whichadjoined Tom's, that the young treasurer gave his chum the news.
"I say, Tom!" Ned exclaimed. "Who do you think those professors are,whose names we saw on the register?"
"I haven't the least idea."
"Why, they're of Beecher's party!"
"You don't mean it!"
"I surely do."
"How do you know?"
"I happened to overhear two of them talking down in the lobby a whileago. They didn't make any secret of it. They spoke freely of goingwith Beecher to some ancient city in Honduras, to look for an idol ofgold."
"They did? But where is Beecher?"
"He hasn't joined them yet. Their plans have been changed. Instead ofleaving on the same steamer we are to take in the morning they are tocome on a later one. The professors here are waiting for Beecher tocome."
"Why isn't he here now?"
"Well, I heard one of the other scient
ists say that he had gone to aplace called Fayetteville, and will come on from there."
"Fayetteville!" ejaculated Tom.
"Yes. That isn't far from Shopton."
"I know," assented Tom. "I wonder--I wonder why he is going there?"
"I can tell you that, too."
"You can? You're a regular detective."
"No, I just happened to overhear it. Beecher is going to call on MaryNestor in Fayetteville, so his friends here said he told them, and hiscall has to do with an important matter--to him!" and Ned gazedcuriously at his chum.