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distant villages and settlements； but the Titus brothers could not confirm
this。
〃I don't think anything serious happened to them； anyhow；〃 said Job
Titus one day。 〃And I should hate to think our work was responsible for
harm to any one。〃
〃Your rivals don't seem to be doing much to hamper you；〃 observed
Tom。 〃I guess Waddington gave up。
〃I won't be too sure of that；〃 said Mr。 Titus。
〃Why； what has happened？〃 Tom asked。
〃Well； nothing down herethat is； directlybut we are meeting with
trouble on the financial end。 The Peruvian government is holding back
payments。〃
〃Why is that？〃
〃They claim we are not as far advanced as we ought to be。〃
〃Aren't you？〃
〃Practically； yes。 There was no set limit of work to be done for the
intermediate payments。 We bonded ourselves to have the tunnel done at a
certain date。
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〃If we fail； we lose a large sum； and if we get it done ahead of time we
get a big premium。 There was no question as to completing a certain
amount of footage before we received certain payments。 But Senor
Belasdo； the government representative； claims that we will not be done in
time； and therefore he is holding back money due us。 I'm sure the rival
contractors have set him up to this； because he was always decent to us
before。
〃Another matter； too； makes me suspicious。 We have tried to raise
money in New York to tide us over while the government is holding up
our funds here。 But our New York office is meeting with difficulties。 They
report there is a story current to the effect that we are going to fail； and
while that isn't so； you know how hard it is to borrow money in the face of
such rumors。 We are doing all we can to fight them； of course； and maybe
we'll beat out our rivals yet。
〃But that isn't all。 I'm sure some one is on the ground here trying to
make trouble among our workers。 I never knew so many men to leave； one
after another。 It's keeping the employment agency in Lima busy supplying
us with new workers。 And so many of them are unskilled。 They aren't able
to do half the work of the old men； and poor Tim Sullivan is in despair。〃
〃You think some one here is causing dissensions and desertions among
your men？〃
〃I'm sure of it！ I've tried to ferret out who it is； but the spy； for such he
must be； keeps his identity well hidden。〃
Tom thought for a moment。 Then he said：
〃Mr。 Titus； with your permission； I'll see if I can find out about this for
you。〃
〃Find out what； Tom？〃
〃What is causing the men to leave。 I don't believe it's the scare about
the ten missing ones。〃
〃Nor do I。 That's past and gone。 But how are you going to get at the
bottom of it？〃
〃By keeping watch。 I've got nothing to do now for the next week。
〃We've just set off a big blast； and I've got the powder for the following
one all ready。 The men will be busy for some time getting out the broken
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rock。 Now what I propose to do is to go in the tunnel and work among
them until I can learn something。
〃I can understand the language pretty well now； though I can't speak
much of it。 I'll go in the tunnel every day and find out what's going on。〃
〃But you'll be known； and if one of our men； or one who we suppose is
one； turns out to be a spy； he'll be very cautious while you're in there。〃
〃He won't know me；〃 Tom said。 〃This is how I'll work it。 I'll go off
with Professor Bumper the next time he starts on one of his weekly
expeditions into the woods。 But I won't go far until I turn around and come
back。 I'll adopt some sort of disguise； and I'll apply to you for work。 You
can tell Tim to put me on。 You might let him into the secret； but no one
else。〃
A few days later Tom was seen departing with Professor Bumper into
the interior； presumably to help look for the lost city。 Mr。 Damon was
away from camp on business connected with the drug concern； and Koku；
to his delight； had been given charge of a stationary hoisting engine
outside the tunnel； so he would not come in contact with Tom。 It was not
thought wise to take the giant into the secret。
Then one day； shortly after Professor Bumper and Tom had
disappeared into the forest； a ragged and unkempt white man applied at
the tunnel camp for work。 There was just the barest wink as he accosted
Mr。 Titus； who winked in turn； and then the new man was handed over to
Tim Sullivan； as a sort of helper。
And so Tom Swift began his watch。
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CHAPTER XVII
The Condor
Left to himself； with only the rather silent gang of Peruvian Indians as
company； Tom Swift looked about him。 There was not much active work
to be done； only to see that the Indians filled the dump cars evenly full； so
none of the broken rock would spill over the side and litter the tramway。
Then； too； he had to keep the Indians up to the mark working； for these
men were no different from any other； and they were just as inclined to
〃loaf on the job〃 when the eye of the 〃boss〃 was turned away。
They did not talk much； murmuring among themselves now and then；
and little of what they said was intelligible to Tom。 But he knew enough of
the language to give them orders； the main one of which was：
〃Hurry up！〃
Now； having seen to it that the gang of which he was in temporary
charge was busily engaged； Tom had a chance to look about him。 The
tunnel was not new to him。 Much of his time in the past month had been
spent in its black depths； illuminated； more or less； by the string of
incandescent lights。
〃What I want to find；〃 mused Tom； as he walked to and fro； 〃is the
place where those Indians disappeared。 For I'm positive they got away
through some hole in this tunnel。 They never came out the main entrance。〃
Tom held to this view in spite of the fact that nearly every one else
believed the contrarythat the men had left by the tunnel mouth； near
which Tom happened to be alone at the time。
Now； left to himself； with merely nominal duties； and so disguised that
none of the workmen would know him for the trim young inventor who
oversaw the preparing of the blast charges； Tom Swift walked to and fro；
looking for some carefully hidden passage or shaft by means of which the
men had got away。
〃For it must be well hidden to have escaped observation so long；〃 Tom
decided。 〃And it must be a natural shaft； or hole； for we are boring into
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native rock； and it isn't likely that these Indians ever tried to make a tunnel
here。 There must be some natural fissure communicating with the outside
of the mountain； in a place where no one would see the men coming out。〃
But though Tom believed this it was another matter to demonstrate his
belief。 In the intervals of seeing that the natives properly loaded the dump
cars； and removed as much of the debris as possible； Tom looked carefully
along the walls and roof of the tunnel thus far excavated。
There were cracks and fissures； it is true； but they were all superficial
ones； as Tom ascertained by poking a long pole up into them。
〃No getting out that way；〃 he said； as he met with failure after failure。
Once； while thus engaged； he saw Serato； the Indian foreman looking
narrowly at him； and Serato said something in his own language which
Tom could not understand。 But just then along came Tim Sullivan； who；
grasping the situation； exclaimed：
〃Thot's all roight； now； Serri； me lad！〃 for thus he contracted the
Indian's name。 〃Thot's a new helper I have； a broth of a bye； an' yez kin
kape yer hands off him。 He's takin' orders from me！〃
〃Um！〃 grunted the Indian。 〃Wha for he fish in tunnel roof？〃 for Tom's
pole was one like those the Indians used when； on off d