第14章

"No, she went on a little visit to her cousin's at Fayetteville.She said something about letting you know she was going.""She did drop me a card," answered Tom, and, somehow he did not feel at all 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, asking her to advance the date, and this Mary did.There was something about a former school chum who was also to be at Myra's house--Myra is Mary's cousin you know.""Yes, I know," assented the young inventor."And so Mary is gone.How long is she going to stay?""Oh, about two weeks.She wasn't quite certain.It depends on the kind of a time she has, I suppose.""Yes, I suppose so," agreed Tom."Well, if you write before I do you might say I called, Mrs.Nestor.""I will, Tom.And I know Mary will be sorry she wasn't here to take a ride with you; it's such a nice day," and the lady smiled as she looked at the speedy roadster.

"Maybe--maybe you'd like to come for a spin?" asked Tom, half desperately.

"No, thank you.I'm too old to be jounced around in one of those small cars.""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 bit of thinking, and he believed he could do it best by himself.So it was late afternoon when he again greeted Ned, who, meanwhile, had been kept very busy.

"Well?" called Tom's chum.

"Um!" was the only answer, and Tom called Koku to put the car away in the garage.

"Something wrong," mused Ned.

The next three days were crowded with events and with work.Mr.Damon came over frequently to consult with Tom and Ned, and finally the last of their baggage had been packed, certain of Tom's inventions andimplements sent on by express to New York to be taken to Honduras, and then our friends themselves followed to the metropolis.

"Good-bye, Tom," said his father."Good- bye, and good luck! If you don't get the idol of gold I'm sure you'll have experiences that will be 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, with Ned and Mr.Damon, who blessed everything in sight from the gasoline in the automobile to the blue sky overhead, started for the station.

New York was reached without incident.The trio put up at the hotel where Professor Bumper was to meet them.

"He hasn't arrived yet," said Tom, after glancing over the names on the hotel register and not seeing Professor Bumper's among them.

"Oh, he'll be here all right," asserted Mr.Damon."Bless my galvanic battery! he sent me a telegram at one o'clock this morning saying he'd be sure to meet us in New York.No fear of him not starting for the land of wonders.""There are some other professors registered, though," observed Ned, as he glanced at the book, noting the names of several scientists of whom he and Tom had read.

"Yes.I wonder what they're doing in New York," replied Tom."They are 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 caused him no little worry.It was when Ned came back to his room, which adjoined 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 while ago.They didn't make any secret of it.They spoke freely of going with Beecher to some ancient city in Honduras, to look for an idol of gold.""They did?But where is Beecher?"

"He hasn't joined them yet.Their plans have been changed.Instead of leaving on the same steamer we are to take in the morning they are to come on a later one.The professors here are waiting for Beecher to come.""Why isn't he here now?"

"Well, I heard one of the other scientists say that he had gone to a place 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 Mary Nestor in Fayetteville, so his friends here said he told them, and his call has to do with an important matter--to him!" and Ned gazed curiously at his chum.