CHAPTER VIII
OFF FOR HONDURAS
Just what Tom's thoughts were, Ned, of course, could not guess. But bythe flush that showed under the tan of his chum's cheeks the youngfinancial secretary felt pretty certain that Tom was a bit apprehensiveof the outcome of Professor Beecher's call on Mary Nestor.
"So he is going to see her about 'something important,' Ned?"
"That's what some members of his party called it."
"And they're waiting here for him to join them?"
"Yes. And it means waiting a week for another steamer. It must besomething pretty important, don't you think, to cause Beecher to riskthat delay in starting after the idol of gold?"
"Important? Yes, I suppose so," assented Tom. "And yet even if hewaits for the next steamer he will get to Honduras nearly as soon as wedo."
"How is that?"
"The next boat is a faster one."
"Then why don't we take that? I hate dawdling along on a slowfreighter."
"Well, for one thing it would hardly do to change now, when all ourgoods are on board. And besides, the captain of the _Relstab_, onwhich we are going to sail, is a friend of Professor Bumper's."
"Well, I'm just as glad Beecher and his party aren't going with us,"resumed Ned, after a pause. "It might make trouble."
"Oh, I'm ready for any trouble HE might make!" quickly exclaimed Tom.
He meant trouble that might be developed in going to Honduras, andstarting the search for the lost city and the idol of gold. This kindof trouble Tom and his friends had experienced before, on other tripswhere rivals had sought to frustrate their ends.
But, in his heart, though he said nothing to Ned about it, Tom wasworried. Much as he disliked to admit it to himself, he feared thevisit of Professor Beecher to Mary Nestor in Fayetteville had but onemeaning.
"I wonder if he's going to propose to her," thought Tom. "He has thefield all to himself now, and her father likes him. That's in hisfavor. I guess Mr. Nestor has never quite forgiven me for that mistakeabout the dynamite box, and that wasn't my fault. Then, too, theBeecher and Nestor families have been friends for years. Yes, hesurely has the inside edge on me, and if he gets her to throw meover---- Well, I won't give up without a fight!" and Tom mentallygirded himself for a battle of wits.
"He's relying on the prestige he'll get out of this idol of gold if hisparty finds it," thought on the young inventor. "But I'll help find itfirst. I'm glad to have a little start of him, anyhow, even if itisn't more than two days. Though if our vessel is held back much bystorms he may get on the ground first. However, that can't be helped.I'll do the best I can."
These thoughts shot through Tom's mind even as Ned was asking hisquestions and making comments. Then the young inventor, shaking hisshoulders as though to rid them of some weight, remarked:
"Well, come on out and see the sights. It will be long before we lookon Broadway again."
When the chums returned from their sightseeing excursion, they foundthat Professor Bumper had arrived.
"Where's Professor Bumper?" asked Ned, the next day.
"In his room, going over books, papers and maps to make sure he haseverything."
"And Mr. Damon?"
Tom did not have to answer that last question. Into the apartment camebursting the excited individual himself.
"Bless my overshoes!" he cried, "I've been looking everywhere for you!Come on, there's no time to lose!"
"What's the matter now?" asked Ned. "Is the hotel on fire?"
"Has anything happened to Professor Bumper?" Tom demanded, a wild ideaforming in his head that perhaps some one of the Beecher party hadtried to kidnap the discoverer of the lost city of Pelone.
"Oh, everything is all right," answered Mr. Damon. "But it's nearlytime for the show to start, and we don't want to be late. I havetickets."
"For what?" asked Tom and Ned together.
"The movies," was the laughing reply. "Bless my loose ribs! but Iwouldn't miss him for anything. He's in a new play called 'Up in aBalloon Boys.' It's great!" and Mr. Damon named a certain comic movingpicture star in whose horse-play Mr. Damon took a curious interest.Tom and Ned were glad enough to go, Tom that he might have a chance todo a certain amount of thinking, and Ned because he was still boyenough to like moving pictures.
"I wonder, Tom," said Mr. Damon, as they came out of the theater twohours later, all three chuckling at the remembrance of what they hadseen, "I wonder you never turned your inventive mind to the movies."
"Maybe I will, some day," said Tom.
He spoke rather uncertainly. The truth of the matter was that he wasstill thinking deeply of the visit of Professor Beecher to Mary Nestor,and wondering what it portended.
But if Tom's sleep was troubled that night he said nothing of it to hisfriends. He was up early the next morning, for they were to leave thatday, and there was still considerable to be done in seeing that theirbaggage and supplies were safely loaded, and in attending to the lastdetails of some business matters.
While at the hotel they had several glimpses of the members of theBeecher party who were awaiting the arrival of the young professor whowas to lead them into the wilds of Honduras. But our friends did notseek the acquaintance of their rivals. The latter, likewise, remainedby themselves, though they knew doubtless that there was likely to be astrenuous race for the possession of the idol of gold, then, it waspresumed, buried deep in some forest-covered city.
Professor Bumper had made his arrangements carefully. As he explainedto his friends, they would take the steamer from New York to PuertoCortes, one of the principal seaports of Honduras. This is a town ofabout three thousand inhabitants, with an excellent harbor and a bigpier along which vessels can tie up and discharge their cargoesdirectly into waiting cars.
The preparations were finally completed. The party went aboard thesteamer, which was a large freight vessel, carrying a limited number ofpassengers, and late one afternoon swung down New York Bay.
"Off for Honduras!" cried Ned gaily, as they passed the Statue ofLiberty. "I wonder what will happen before we see that little ladyagain."
"Who knows?" asked Tom, shrugging his shoulders, Spanish fashion. Andthere came before him the vision of a certain "little lady," about whomhe had been thinking deeply of late.