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mountains again； looking for the lost city。〃 〃I am going； Tom； very soon。
I thought I would stop and see the effect of your big blast。 This is my last
trip。 If I do not find the hidden city of Pelone this time； I am going to give
up。〃
〃Give up！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃Bless my fountain pen！〃
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〃Oh； not altogether；〃 went on the bald…headed scientist。 〃I mean I will
give up searching in this part of Peru； and go elsewhere。 But I will never
completely give up the search； for I am sure the hidden city exists
somewhere under these mountains；〃 and he looked off toward the snow…
covered peaks of the Andes。
Tom looked at the battery box。 He drew a long breath； and said：
〃Here she goes！〃
There was a contraction of his hand as he pressed the switch over； and
then； for perhaps a half second； nothing happened。 Just for an instant Tom
feared something had gone wrong that the electric current had failed； or
that the wires had become disconnectedperhaps through some action of
the plotting rivals。
And then； gently at first； but with increasing intensity； the solid ground
on which they were all standing seemed to rock and sway； to heave itself
up； and then sink down。
〃Bless my〃 began Mr。 Damon； but he got no further； for a mighty
gust of wind swept out of the tunnel； and blew off his hat。 That gust was
but a gentle breeze； though； compared to what followed。 For there came
such a rush of air that it almost blew over those standing near the opening
of the great shaft driven under the mountain。 There was a roar as of
Niagara； a howling as in the Cave of the Winds； and they all bent to the
blast。
Then followed a dull； rumbling roar； not as loud as might have been
expected； but awful in its intensity。 Deep down under the very foundations
of the earth it seemed to rumble。
〃Run！ Run back！〃 cried Tom Swift。 〃There's a back…draft and the
powder gas is poisonous。 Stoop down and run back！〃
They understood what he meant。 The vapor from the powder was
deadly if breathed in a confined space。 Even in the open it gave one a
terrible headache。 And Tom could see floating out of the tunnel the first
wisps of smoke from the fired explosive。 It was lighter than air； and would
rise。 Hence the necessity； as in a smoke…filled room； of keeping low down
where the air is purer。
They all rushed back； stooping low。 Mr。 Damon stumbled and fell； but
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Koku picked him up and； tucking him under one arm； as he might have
done a child； the giant followed Tom to a place of safety。
〃Well； Tom； it went off all right；〃 said Mr。 Job Titus； as they stood
among the shacks of the workmen and watched the smoke pouring out of
the tunnel mouth。
〃Yes； it went off。 But did it do the work？ That's what we've got to find
out。〃
They waited impatiently for the deadly vapor to clear out of the tunnel。
It was more than an hour before they dared venture in； and then it was
with smarting eyes and puckered throats。 But the atmosphere was quickly
clearing。
〃Switch on the lights；〃 cried Tom to Tim； for the illuminating current
had been cut off when the blast was fired。 〃Let's see what we've brought
down。〃
Following the eager young inventor came the contractors； some of the
white workers； Mr。 Damon and Professor Bumper。 The little scientist said
he would like to see the effect of the big blast。
Along they stumbled over pieces of rock； large and small。
〃Some force to it；〃 observed Job Titus； as he observed pieces of rock
close to the mouth of the tunnel。 〃If it only exerted the force the other way；
against the face of the rock； as well as back this way； we'll be all right。〃
〃The greater force was in the opposite direction；〃 Tom said。
A big search…light had been got ready to flash on the place where the
blast had been set off。 This was to enable them to see how much rock had
been torn away。 And； as they reached the place where the flint…like wall
had been； they saw a strange sight。
〃Bless my strawberry short…cake！〃 gasped Mr。 Damon。 〃What a hole！〃
〃It is a bole；〃 admitted Tom； in a low voice。 〃A bigger hole than I
dared hope for。〃
For a great cave； seemingly； had been blown in the face of the rock
wall that had hindered the progress of the tunnel。 A great black void
confronted them。
〃Shift the light over this way；〃 called Tom to Walter Titus； who was
operating it。 〃I can't see anything。〃
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The great beam of light flashed into the void； and then a murmur of
awe came from every throat。
For there； revealed in the powerful electrical rays； was what seemed to
be a long tunnel； high and wide； as smooth as a paved street。 And on either
side of it were what appeared to be buildings； some low； others taller。 And；
branching off from the main tunnel； or street； were other passages； also
lined with buildings； some of which had crumbled to ruins。
〃Bless my dictionary！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃What is it？〃
Professor Bumper had crawled forward over the mass of broken rock。
He gazed as if fascinated at what the searchlight showed； and then he
cried：
〃I have found it！ I have found it！ The hidden city of Pelone！〃
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CHAPTER XXV
Success
Had it not been for Tom Swift； the excited professor would have
rushed pellmell over the jagged pile of rocks into the great cave which had
been opened by the blast； the cave in which the scientist declared was the
lost city for which he had been searching。 But the young inventor grasped
Mr。 Bumper by the arm。
〃Better wait a bit；〃 Tom suggested。 〃There may be powder gas in there。
Some of it must have blown forward。〃
〃I don't care！〃 excitedly cried the professor。 〃That is the hidden city！
I'm sure of it！ I have found it at last！ I must go in and examine it！〃
〃There'll be plenty of time；〃 said Tom。 〃It isn't going to run away。 Wait
until I make a test Tim； hand me one of those torches。〃
Some torches of a very inflammable wood were used to test for the
presence of the deadly smoke…gas。 Lighting one of these； Tom tossed it
into the big excavation。
It fell to the stone floorto the stone street to be more exactand；
flaring up brightly； further revealed the rows of houses as they stood； silent
and uninhabited。
〃It's all right；〃 Tom announced。 〃There's no danger so long as the torch
burns。 You can go on； Professor。〃
And Professor Bumper rushed forward； scrambling over the pile of
blasted rock； followed by Tom and the others。 Some of the debris from the
explosion had fallen into the cave； and was scattered for some distance
along the main street of what had been Pelone。 But beyond that the way
was clear。
〃Yes； it is Pelone；〃 cried Professor Bumper。 〃See！〃
He pointed to inscriptions in queer characters over the doorway of
some of the houses； but he alone could read them。
〃I have found Pelone！〃 he kept repeating over and over again。
And that is just what had happened。 That last great blast Tom Swift
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had set off had broken down the rock wall that hid the lost city from view。
There it was； buried deep down under the mountain； where it had been
covered from sight ages ago by some mighty earthquake or landslide；
perhaps both。 And the earth and rocks had fallen over the main portion of
the city of Pelone in such a wayin such an arch formationthat the
greater part of it was preserved from the pressure of the mountain above it。
The outlying portions were crushed into dust by the awful pressure of
the mountainmillions of tons of ston