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Sullivan hurrying into the office of the two brothers。 The Irishman seemed
excited。
〃I hope there hasn't been another premature blast；〃 mused Tom。 〃But if
there had been I think I'd have heard it。〃
He hastened out to see Job and Walter Titus in excited conversation
with Tim。
〃They didn't come out； an' thot's all there is to it；〃 the foreman was
saying。 〃I sint thim in mesilf； and they worked until it was time t' set off th'
blast。 I wint t' get th' fuse； an' I was goin' t' send th' black imps out of
danger； whinwhistthey was gone whin I got backfifteen of 'ern this
time！〃
〃Do you mean that fifteen more of our men have vanished as the first
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ten did？〃 asked Job Titus。
〃That's what I mean；〃 asserted the Irishman。
〃It can't be！〃 declared Walter。
〃Look for yersilf！〃 returned Tim。 〃They're not in th' tunnel！〃
〃And they didn't come out？〃
〃Ask th' time…keeper；〃 and Tim motioned to a young Englishman who；
since the other disappearance； had been stationed at the mouth of the
tunnel to keep a record of who went in and came out。
〃No； sir！ Nobody kime hout； sir！〃 the Englishman declared。 〃Hi 'aven't
been away frim 'ere； sir； not since hi wint on duty； sir。 An' no one kime out；
no； sir！〃
〃We've got to stop this！〃 declared Job Titus。
〃I should say so！〃 agreed his brother。
With Tom and Tim the Titus brothers went into the tunnel。 It was
deserted； and not a trace of the men could be found。 Their tools were
where they had been dropped； but of the men not a sign。
〃There must be some secret way out；〃 declared Tom。
〃Then we'll find it；〃 asserted the brothers。
Work on the tunnel was stopped for a day； and； keeping out all natives；
the contractors； with Tom and such white men as they had in their employ；
went over every foot of roof； sides and floor in the big shaft。 But not a
crack or fissure； large enough to permit the passage of a child； much less a
man； could be found。
〃Well； I give up！〃 cried Walter Titus in despair。 〃There must be
witchcraft at work here！〃
〃Nonsense！〃 exclaimed his brother。 〃It's more likely the craft of
Blakeson & Grinder； with Waddington helping them。〃
〃Well； if a human agency made these twenty…five men disappear；
prove it！〃 insisted Walter。
His brother did not know what to say。
〃Well； go on with the work；〃 was Job's final conclusion。 〃We'll have
one of the white men constantly in the tunnel after this whenever a gang is
working。 We won't leave the natives alone even long enough to go to get a
fuse。 They'll be under constant supervision。〃
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The tunnel was opened for work； but there were no workers。 The
morning after the investigation； when the starting whistle blew there was
no line of Indians ready to file into the big； black hole。 The huts where
they slept were deserted。 A strange silence brooded over the tunnel camp。
〃Where are the men； Serato？〃 asked Tom of the Indian foreman。
〃Men um gone。 No work any more。 What you call a hit。〃
〃You mean a strike？〃 asked Tom。
〃Surestrikehitall um same。 No more workum 'fraid！〃
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CHAPTER XIX
A Woman Tells
〃Well； if this isn't the limit！〃 cried Torn Swift。 〃As if we didn't have
trouble enough without a strike on our hands！〃
〃I should say yes！〃 chimed in Job Titus。
〃Do you mean that the men won't work any more？〃 asked his brother
of the native foreman。
〃Sure； no more workum much 'fraid big devil in tunnel carry um off
an' eat um。〃
〃Well； I don't know that I blame 'em for being a bit frightened；〃
commented Job。 〃It is a queer proceeding how twenty…five men can
disappear like that。 Where have the men gone； Serato？〃
〃Gone home。 No more work。 Go on hitstrikesame like white men。〃
〃They waited until pay day to go on strike；〃 commented the
bookkeeper； a youth about Tom's age。
This was true。 The men had been paid off the day before； and usually
on such occasions many of them remained away； celebrating in the nearest
village。 But this time all had left； and evidently did not intend to come
back。
〃We'll have to get a new gang；〃 said Job。 〃And it's going to delay us
just at the wrong time。 Well； there's no help for it。 Get busy； Serato。 You
and Tim go and see how many men you can gather。 Tell them we'll give
them a sol a week more if they do good work。 （A sol is the standard silver
coin of Peru； and is worth in United States gold about fifty cents。）
〃Half a dollar a day more will look mighty big to them；〃 went on the
contractor。 〃Get the men； Serato； and we'll raise your wages two sols a
week。〃
The eyes of the Indian gleamed； and he went off； saying。
〃Um try； but men much 'fraid。'
Whether Serato used his best arguments could not； of course； be
learned； but he came back at the close of the day； unaccompanied by any
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workers； and he shook his head despondently。
〃Indians no come for one sol； mebby not for two；〃 he said。 〃I no can
git。〃
〃Then I'll try！〃 cried Job。 〃I'll get the workers。 I'll make our old ones
come back； for they'll be the best。〃
Accompanied by his brother and Tom he went to the various Indian
villages； including the one whence most of the men now on strike had
come。 The fifteen missing ones were not found； though； as before； their
relatives； and； in some cases； their families； did not seem alarmed。 But the
men who had gone on strike were found lolling about their cabins and huts；
smoking and taking their ease； and no amount of persuasion could induce
them to return。
Some of them said they had worked long enough and were tired；
needing a rest。 Others declared they had money enough and did not want
more。 Even two more sols a week would not induce them to return。
And many were frankly afraid。 They said so； declaring that if they
went back to the tunnel some unknown devil might carry them off under
the earth。
Job Titus and his brother； who could speak the language fairly well；
tried to argue against this。 They declared the tunnel was perfectly safe。 But
one native worker； who had been the best in the gang； asked：
〃Where um men go？〃
The contractors could not answer。
〃It's a trick；〃 declared Walter。 〃Our rivals have induced the men to go
on strike in order to hamper us with the work so they'll get the job。〃
But the closest inquiry failed to prove this statement。 If Blakeson &
Grinder； or any of their agents； had a hand in the strike they covered their
operations well。 Though diligent inquiry was made； no trace of
Waddington； or any other tool； could be found。
Tom； who had some sort of suspicion of the bearded man on the
steamer； tried to find him； even taking a trip in to Lima； but without avail。
The tunnel work was at a standstill； for there was little use in setting
off blasts if there were no men to remove the resulting piles of debris。 So；
though Tom was ready with some specially powerful explosive； he could
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not use it。
Efforts were made to get laborers from another section of the country；
but without effect。 The contractors heard of a big force of Italians who had
finished work on a railroad about a hundred miles away； and they were
offered places in the tunnel。 But they would not come。
〃Well； we may as well give up；〃 said Walter； despondently； to his
brother one day。 〃We'll never get the tunnel done on time now。〃
〃We still have a margin of safety；〃 declared