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〃That's what I want to know！〃 exclaimed Tim。
〃Are you sure they didn't come out the mouth of the tunnel？〃 asked
Job Titus。
〃Positive；〃 asserted Tom。 I was there all the while； rigging up the
fires。〃
〃We'll call the roll； and check up；〃 decided Job Titus。 〃Get Serato to
help。〃
The Indian foreman had not been in the tunnel with the last shift of
men； having left them to Tim Sullivan to get out in time。 The Indian
foreman was called from his supper in the shack where he had his
headquarters； and the roll of workmen was called。
Ten men were missing； and when this fact became known there were
uneasy looks among the others。
〃Well；〃 said Mr。 Titus； after a pause。 〃The men are either in the tunnel
or out of it。 If they're in we don't dare set off the blast； and if they're out
they'll show up； sooner or later； for supper。 I never knew any of 'em to
miss a meal。〃
〃If such a thing were possible；〃 said Walter Titus； 〃I would say that our
rivals had a hand in this； and had induced our men to bolt in order to
cripple our force。 But we haven't seen any of Blakeson & Grinder's
emissaries about； and； if they were； how could they get the ten men out of
the tunnel without our Seeing them？ It's impossible！〃
〃Well； what did happen then？〃 asked Tom。
〃I'm inclined to think that the men came out and neither you； nor any
one else； saw them。 They ran away for reasons of their own。 We'll take
another look in the morning； and then set off the blast。〃
And this was done。 There being no trace of the men in the tunnel it
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was deemed safe to explode the charges。 This was done； a great amount of
rock being loosened。
The laborers hung back when the orders were given to go in and clean
up。 There were mutterings among them。
〃What's the matter？〃 asked Job Titus。
〃Them afraid；〃 answered Serato。 〃Them say devil in tunnel eat um up！
No go in。〃
〃They won't go in； eh？〃 cried Tim Sullivan。 〃Well； they will thot！ If
there's a divil inside there's a worse one outside； an' thot's me！ Git in there
now； ye black…livered spalapeens！〃 and catching up a big club the
Irishman made a rush for the hesitating laborers。 With a howl they rushed
into the tunnel； and were soon loading rock into the dump cars。
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CHAPTER XVI
On the Watch
The mystery of the disappearance of the ten menfor mystery it was
remained； and as no side opening or passage could be found within the
tunnel； it came to be the generally accepted explanation that the laborers
had come out unobserved； and； for reasons of their own； had run away。
This habit on the part of the Peruvian workers was not unusual。 In fact；
the Titus brothers had to maintain a sort of permanent employment agency
in Lima to replace the deserters。 But they were used to this。 The difference
was that the Indians used to vanish from camp at night； and invariably
after pay…day。
〃And that's the only reason I have a slight doubt that they walked out
of the tunnel；〃 said Job Titus。 〃There was money due em。〃
〃They never came out of the front entrance of the tunnel；〃 said Tom。
〃Of that I'm positive。〃
But there was no way of proving his assertion。
The third blast； while not as successful as the second in the amount of
rock loosened； was better than the first； and made a big advance in the
tunnel progress。 Tom was beginning to understand the nature of the
mountain into which the big shaft was being driven and he learned how
better to apply the force of his explosive。
That was the work which he had charge ofthe placing of the giant
powder so it would do the most effective work。 Then； when the fumes
from the blast had cleared away； in would surge the workmen to clear
away the debris。
Under the direction of Mr。 Swift； left at Shopton to oversee the
manufacture of the explosive； new shipments came on promptly to Lima；
and were brought out to the tunnel on the backs of mules； or in the case of
small quantities； on the llamas。 But the latter brutes will not carry a heavy
load； lying down and refusing to get up if they are overburdened； whereas
one has yet to find a mule's limit。 After his first success in getting the
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natives to take a more active interest in the gathering of the cinchona bark；
Mr。 Damon found it rather easy； for the story of Tom's electric rifle and
how it had killed the mad dog spread among the tribes； and Mr。 Damon
had but to announce that the 〃lightning shooter；〃 as Tom was called； was a
friend of the drug concern to bring about the desired results。 Mr。 Damon；
by paying a sort of bribe； disguised under the name 〃tax；〃 secured the help
of Peruvian officials so he had no trouble on that score。
Koku was in his element。 He liked a wild life and Peru was much more
like the country of giants where Tom had found him； than any place the
big man had since visited。 Koku had great strength and wanted to use it；
and after a week or so of idleness he persuaded Tom to let him go in the
tunnel to work。
The giant was made a sort of foreman under Tim； and the two became
great friends。 The only trouble with Koku was that he would do a thing
himself instead of letting his men do it； as； of course； all proper foremen
should do。 If the giant saw two or three of the Indians trying to lift a big
rock into the little dump cars； and failing because of its great weight； he
would good…naturedly thrust them aside； pick up the big stone in his
mighty arms； and deposit it in its place。
And once when an unusually big load had been put in a car； and the
mule attached found it impossible to pull it out to the tunnel mouth； Koku
unhitched the creature and； slipping the harness around his waist； walked
out； dragging the load as easily as if pulling a child on a sled。
Professor Bumper kept on with his search for the lost city of Pelone。
Back and forth he wandered among the wild Andes Mountains； now
hopeful that he was on the right trail； and again in despair。 Tom and Mr。
Damon went with him once more for a week； and though they enjoyed the
trip； for the professor was a delightful companion； there were no results。
But the scientist would not give up。
Tom Swift was kept busy looking after the shipments of the explosive；
and arranging for the blasts。 He had letters from Ned Newton in which
news of Shopton was given； and Mr。 Swift wrote occasionally。 But the
mails in the wilderness of the Andes were few and far between。
Tom wrote a letter of explanation to Mr。 Nestor； in addition to the
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wireless he had sent regarding the box labeled dynamite； but he got no
answer。 Nor were his letters to Mary answered。
〃I wonder what's wrong？〃 Tom mused。 〃It can't be that they think I did
that on purpose。 And even if Mr。 Nestor is angry at me for something that
wasn't my fault； Mary ought to write。〃
But she did not； and Tom grew a bit despondent as the days went by
and no word came。
〃I suppose they might be offended because I left Rad to do up that
package instead of attending to it myself；〃 thought Tom。 〃Well； I did make
a mistake there； but I didn't mean to。 I never thought about Eradicate's not
reading。 I'll make him go to night school as soon as I get back。 But maybe
I'll never get another chance to send Mary anything。 If I do； I'll not let Rad
deliver itthat's sure。〃
The feeling of alarm engendered among the Indians by the
disappearance of their ten fellow…workers seemed to have disappeared。
There were rumors that some of the mysterious ten had been seen in
distant villages and settlements； but the Ti