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With a mighty effort he broke the hold of Lamos' arms。 Then stooping
suddenly he seized his rival about the middle； and with a tremendous
heave； in which his muscles stood out in great bunches while his very
bones seemed to crack； Koku raised Lamos high in the air。 Up over his
head he raised that mass of muscle； bone and flesh； squirming and
wriggling； trying in vain to save itself。
Up and up Koku raised Lamos as the murmur of those watching grew
to a shout of amazement and terror。 Never had the like been seen in that
land for generations。 Up and up one giant raised the other。 Then calling
out something in his native tongue Koku hurled the other from him； clear
across the tunnel and up against the opposite rocky wall。 The murmuring
died to frightened whispers as Lamos fell in a shapeless heap on the floor。
〃Ah！〃 breathed Koku； stretching himself； and extending his brawny
arms。 〃Fight all over； Master。〃
〃Yes； so it seems； Koku；〃 said Tom； solemnly； 〃but you have killed
him。 Shame on you！〃 and he spoke bitterly。
Job Titus had hurried over to the fallen giant。
〃He isn't dead；〃 he called； 〃but I guess he won't wrestle or fight any
more。 He's badly crippled。〃
〃And him no more try to blow up tunnel； either；〃 said Koku in his
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hoarse voice。 〃Me fix： him！ No more him take powder； and make tunnel
all bust。〃
〃What do you mean； Koku？〃 asked Tom。 〃Is that why you fought him？
Did he try to wreck the tunnel？〃
〃So him done； Master。 But Koku seeKoku stop。 Then um fight。〃
〃Be jabbers an' I wouldn't wonder but what he was right！〃 cried Tim
Sullivan； excitedly。 〃I did see that beggar。〃 and he pointed to Lamos； who
was slowly crawling away； 〃at the chist where I kape th' powder； but I
thought nothin' of it at th' time。 What did he try t' do； Koku？〃
Then the giant explained in his own language； Tom Swift translating；
for Koku spoke English but indifferently well。
〃Koku says；〃 rendered Torn； 〃that he saw Lamos trying to put a big
charge of powder up in the place where the balanced rock fits in the secret
opening of the tunnel roof。 The charge was all ready to fire； and if the
giant had set it off he might have brought down the roof of the tunnel and
so choked it up that we'd have been months cleaning it out。 Koku saw him
and stopped him； and then the fight began。 We only saw the end。〃
〃Bless my shoe string！〃 gasped Mr。 Damon。 〃And a terrible end it was。
Will Lamos die？〃
〃I don't think so；〃 answered Job Titus。 〃But he will be a cripple for life。
Not only would he have wrecked the tunnel； but he would have killed
many of our men had he set off that blast。 Koku saved them； though it
seems too bad he had to fight to do it。〃
An investigation showed that Koku spoke truly。 The charge； all ready
to set off； was found where he had knocked it from the hand of Lamos。
And so Tom's giant saved the day。 Lamos was sent back to his own village；
a broken and humbled giant。 And to this day； in that part of Peru； the great
struggle between Koku and Lamos is spoken of with awe where Indians
gather about their council fires； and they tell their children of the Titanic
fight。
〃It was part of the plot；〃 said Job Titus when the usual blast had been
set off that day； with not very good results。 〃This giant was sent to us by
our rivals。 They wanted him to hamper our work； for they see we have a
chance to finish on time。 I think that foreman； Serato； is in the plot。 He
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brought Lamos here。 We'll fire him！〃
This was done； though the Indian protested his innocence。 But he
could not be trusted。
〃We can't take any chances；〃 said Job Titus。 〃Our time is too nearly up。
In fact I'm afraid we won't finish on time as it is。 There is too much of that
hard rock to cut through。〃
〃There's only one thing to do；〃 said Tom； after an investigation。 〃As
you say； there is more of that hard rock than we calculated on。 To try to
blast and take it out in the ordinary way will be useless。 We must try
desperate means。〃
〃What is that？〃 asked Walter Titus。
〃We must set off the biggest blast we can with safety。 We'll bore a lot
of extra holes； and put in double charges of the explosive。 I'll add some
ingredients to it that will make it stronger。 It's our last chance。 Either we'll
blow the tunnel all to pieces； or we'll loosen enough rock to make
sufficient progress so we can finish on time。 What do you say？ Shall we
take the chance？〃
The Titus brothers looked at one another。 Failure stared them in the
face。 Unless they completed the tunnel very soon they would lose all the
money they had sunk in it。
〃Take the chance！〃 exclaimed Job。 〃It's sink or swim anyhow。 Set off
the big blast； Tom。〃
〃All right。 We'll get ready for it as soon as we can。〃
That day preparations were made for setting off a great charge of the
powerful explosive。 The work was hurried as fast as was consistent with
safety； but even then progress was rather slow。 Precautions had to be taken；
and the guards about the tunnel were doubled。 For it was feared that some
word of what was about to be done would reach the rival firm； who might
try desperate means to prevent the completion of the work。
There was plenty of the explosive on hand； for Mr。 Swift had sent Tom
a large shipment。 All this while no word had come from Mr。 Nestor； and
Tom was beginning to think that his prospective father…in…law was very
angry with him。 Nor had Mary written。
Professor Bumper came and went as he pleased； but his quest was
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regarded as hopeless now。 Tom and his friends had little time for the bald…
headed scientist； for they were too much interested in the success of the
big blast。
〃Well； we'll set her off to…morrow；〃 Tom said one night； after a hard
day's work。 〃The rocky wall is honeycombed with explosive。 If all goes
well we ought to bring down enough rock to keep the gangs busy night
and day。〃
Everything was in readiness。 What would the morrow bring success
or failure？
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CHAPTER XXIV
The Hidden City
Gathered beyond the mouth of the tunnel； far enough away so that the
wind of the great blast would not bowl them over like ten pins； stood Tom
Swift and his friends。 In his hand Tom held the battery box； the setting of
the switch in which would complete the electrical circuit and set off the
hundreds of pounds of explosive buried deep in the hard rock。
〃Are all the men out？〃 asked the young inventor of Tim Sullivan； who
had charge of this important matter。 Tim was in sole charge as foreman
now； having picked up enough of the Indian language to get along without
an interpreter。
〃All out； sor；〃 Tim responded。 〃Yez kin fire whin ready； Mr。 Swift。〃
It was a portentous moment。 No wonder Tom Swift hesitated。 In a
sense he and his friends； the contractors； had staked their all on a single
throw。 If this blast failed it was not likely that another would succeed；
even if ther should be time to prepare one。
The time limit had almost expired； and there was still a half mile of
hard rock between the last heading and the farther end of the big tunnel。 If
the blast succeeded enough rock might be brought down to enable the
work to go on； by using a night and day shift of men。 Then； too； there was
the chance that the hard strata of rock would come to an end and softer
stone； or easily…dug dirt； be encountered。
〃Well； we may as well have it over with；〃 said Tom in a low voice。
Every one was very quiettensely quiet。
The young inventor looked up to see Professor Bumper observing him。
〃Why； Professor！〃 Tom exclaimed； 〃I thought you had gone off to the
mountains again； looking for the lost city。〃