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〃What！ Is he going to lecture here？〃 cried Ned。 〃If he is； and spouts a
whole lot of that bone…dry stuff about the ancient Mayan civilization and
their antiquities； with side lights on how the old…time Indians used to scalp
their enemies； I'm going to the moving pictures！ I'm willing to be your
financial manager； Tom Swift； but please don't ask me to be a high…brow。
I wasn't built for that。〃
〃Nor I； Ned。 The professor isn't going to lecture。 He's only going to
talk； he says。〃
〃What about？〃
〃He's going to try to induce me to join his expedition to the Copan
valley。〃
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〃Do you feel inclined to go？〃
〃No； Ned； I do not。 I've got too many other irons in the fire。 I shall
have to give the professor a polite but firm refusal。〃
〃Well； maybe you're right； Tom； and yet that idol of goldGOLD
weighing how many pounds did you say？〃
〃Oh； you're thinking of its money value； Ned； old man！〃
〃Yes； I'd like to see what a big chunk of gold like that would bring。 It
must be quite a nugget。 But I'm not likely to get a glimpse of it if you don't
go with the professor。〃
〃I don't see how I can go； Ned。 But come over and meet the
delightful gentleman when he arrives。 I expect him day after to…
morrow。〃
〃I'll be here；〃 promised Ned； and then he went downtown to attend to
some matters con… nected with his new duties； which were much less
irksome than those he had had when he had been in the bank。
〃Well； Tom； have you heard any more about your friend？〃 asked Ned；
two days later； as he came to the Swift home with some papers needing the
signature of the young inventor and his father。
〃You mean？〃
〃Professor Bumper。〃
〃No； I haven't heard from him since he telephoned。 But I guess he'll
be here all right。 He's very punctual。 Did you see anything of my giant
Koku as you came in？〃
〃Yes； he and Eradicate were having an argument about who should
move a heavy casting from one of the shops。 Rad wanted to do it all
alone； but Koku said he was like a baby now。〃
〃Poor Rad is getting old；〃 said Tom with a sigh。 〃But he has been
very faithful。 He and Koku never seem to get along well together。〃
Koku was an immense man； a veritable giant； one of two whom Tom
had brought back with him after an exciting trip to a strange land。 The
giant's strength was very useful to the young inventor。
〃Now Tom； about this business of leasing to the English Government
the right to manufac… ture that new explosive of yours；〃 began Ned；
plunging into the business at hand。 〃I think if you stick out a little you
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TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
can get a better royalty price。〃
〃But I don't want to gouge 'em； Ned。 I'm satisfied with a fair profit。
The trouble with you is you think too much of money。 Now〃
At that moment a voice was heard in the hall of the house saying：
〃Now； my dear lady； don't trouble yourself。 I can find my way in to
Tom Swift perfectly well by myself； and while I appreciate your courtesy I
do not want to trouble you。〃
〃No； don't come； Mrs。 Baggert；〃 added another voice。 〃Bless my hat
band； I think I know my way about the house by this time！〃
〃Mr。 Damon！〃 ejaculated Ned。
〃And Professor Bumper is with him；〃 added Tom。 〃Come in！〃 he
cried； opening the hall door； to confront a bald…headed man who stood
peering at our hero with bright snapping eyes； like those of some big bird
spying out the land from afar。 〃Come in； Professor Bumper； and you too；
Mr。 Damon！〃
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TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
CHAPTER III
BLESSINGS AND ENTHUSIASM
Greetings and inquiries as to health having been passed； not without
numerous blessings on the part of Mr。 Damon； the little party gathered in
the library of the home of Tom Swift sat down and looked at one another。
On Professor Bumper's face there was； plainly to be seen； a look of
expectation； and it seemed to be shared by Mr。 Damon； who seemed eager
to burst into enthusiastic talk。 On the other hand Tom Swift appeared a
bit indifferent。
Ned himself admitted that he was frankly curious。 The story of the
big idol of gold had occupied his thoughts for many hours。
〃Well； I'm glad to see you both；〃 said Tom again。 〃You got here all
right； I see； Professor Bumper。 But I didn't expect you to meet and bring
Mr。 Damon with you。〃
〃I met him on the train；〃 explained the author of the book on the lost
city of Pelone； as well as books on other antiquities。 〃I had no
expectation of seeing him； and we were both surprised when we met on
the express。〃
〃It stopped at Waterfield； Tom；〃 explained Mr。 Damon； 〃which it
doesn't usually do； being an aristocratic sort of train； not given even to
hesitating at our humble little town。 There were some passengers to get
off； which caused the flier to stop； I suppose。 And； as I wanted to come
over to see you； I got aboard。〃
〃Glad you did；〃 voiced Tom。
〃Then I happened to see Professor Bumper a few seats ahead of me；〃
went on Mr。 Damon； 〃and； bless my scarfpin！ he was coming to see you
also。〃
〃Well； I'm doubly glad；〃 answered Tom。
〃So here we are；〃 went on Mr。 Damon； 〃and you've simply got to come；
Tom Swift。 You must go with us！〃 and Mr。 Damon； in his enthusiasm；
banged his fist down on the table with such force that he knocked some
books to the floor。
Koku； the giant； who was in the hall； opened the door and in his
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imperfect English asked：
〃Master Tom knock for him bigs man？〃
〃No；〃 answered Tom with a smile； 〃I didn't knock or call you； Koku。
Some books fell； that is all。〃
〃Massa Tom done called fo' me； dat's what he done！〃 broke in the
petulant voice of Eradicate。
〃No； Rad； I don't need anything；〃 Tom said。 〃Though you might make
a pitcher of lemonade。 It's rather warm。〃
〃Right away； Massa Tom！ Right away！〃 cried the old colored man；
eager to be of service。
〃Me help； too！〃 rumbled Koku； in his deep voice。 〃Me punch de
lemons！〃 and away he hurried after Eradicate； fearful lest the old servant
do all the honors。
〃Same old Rad and Koku；〃 observed Mr。 Damon with a smile。 〃But
now； Tom； while they're making the lemonade； let's get down to business。
You're going with us； of course！〃
〃Where？〃 asked Tom； more from habit than because he did not know。
〃Where？ Why to Honduras； of course！ After the idol of gold！ Why；
bless my fountain pen； it's the most wonderful story I ever heard of！
You've read Professor Bumper's article； of course。 He told me you had。
I read it on the train coming over。 He also told me about it； and Well；
I'm going with him； Tom Swift。
〃And think of all the adventures that may befall us！ We'll get lost in
buried cities； ride down raging torrents on a raft； fall over a cliff maybe
and be rescued。 Why； it makes me feel quite young again！〃 and Mr。
Damon arose； to pace excitedly up and down the room。
Up to this time Professor Bumper had said very little。 He had sat still
in his chair listening to Mr。 Damon。 But now that the latter had ceased；
at least for a time； Tom and Ned looked toward the scientist。
〃I understand； Tom；〃 he said； 〃that you read my article in the magazine；
about the possibility of locating some of the lost and buried cities of
Honduras？〃
〃Yes； Ned and I each read it。 It was quite wonderful。〃
〃And yet there are more wonders to tell；〃 went on the professor。 〃I