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appeal to Mr。 Swift at the same time。〃
〃Well； Tom's a valuable helper！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon。 〃I know him
of old； for I've been on many a trip with him。〃
〃This is the first time I have had the pleasure of meeting him；〃
resumed the tunnel contractor； 〃but I have heard of him。 I did not ask him
to go to South America for us。 I only wanted to get some superior
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explosive for my brother； who is in charge of driving the railroad tunnel
through a spur of the Andes。 I look after matters up North here； but I may
have to go to Peru myself。
〃As I told Mr。 Swift； I had read of his invention of the giant cannon
and the special powder he used in it to send a projectile such a distance。
The cannon is now mounted as one of the pieces of ordnance for the
defense of the Panama Canal； is it not？〃 he asked Tom。
The young inventor nodded in assent。
〃Having heard of you； and the wonderful explosive used in your big
cannon；〃 the contractor went on； 〃I wrote to my brother that I would try
and get some for him。
〃You see；〃 he resumed； 〃this is the situation。 Back in the Andes
Mountains； a couple of hundred miles east of Lima； the government is
building a short railroad line to connect two others。 If this is done it will
mean that the products of Peruquinine bark； coffee； cocoa； sugar； rubber；
incense and gold can more easily be transported。 But to connect the two
railroad lines a big tunnel must be constructed。
〃My brother and I make a specialty of such work； and when we saw
bids advertised for； our firm put in an estimate。 There was some trouble
with a rival firm； which also bid； but we secured the contract； and bound
ourselves to have the tunnel finished within a certain time； or forfeit a
large sum。
〃That was over a year ago。 Since then our men； aided by the native
Indians of Peru； have been tunneling the mountain； until； about a month
back； we struck a snag。〃
〃What sort of snag？〃 Tom asked。
〃A snag in the shape of extra hard rock；〃 replied the tunnel contractor。
〃Briefly； Paleozoic rocks make up the eastern part of the Andean
Mountains in Peru； while the western range is formed of Mesozoic beds；
volcanic ashes and lava of comparatively recent date。 Near the coast the
lower hills are composed of crystalline rocks； syenite and granite； with；
here and there； a strata of sandstone or limestone。 These are； undoubtedly；
relics of the lower Cretaceous age； and we； or rather； my brother； states
that he has found them covered with marine Tertiary deposits。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
〃Now this Mesozoic band varies greatly。 Porphyritic tuffs and massive
limestone compose the western chain of the Andes above Lima； while in
the Oroya Valley we find carbonaceous sandstones。 Some of the tuffs may
be of the Jurassic age； though the Cretaceous period is also largely
represented。
〃Now while these different masses of rock formation offer hard
enough problems to the tunnel digger； still we are more or less prepared to
meet them； and we figured on a certain percentage of them。 Up to the
present time we have met with just about what we expected； but what we
did not expect was something we came upon when the tunnel had been
driven three miles into the mountain。〃
〃What did you find？〃 asked Tom； who knew enough about geology to
understand the terms used。 Mr。 Damon did not； however； and when Mr。
Titus rolled off some of the technical words； the drug investor softly
murmured such expressions as
〃Bless my thermometer！ Bless my porous plaster！〃
〃We found；〃 resumed Mr。 Titus； 〃after we bad bored for a considerable
distance into the mountain； a mass of volcanic rock which is so hard that
our best diamond drills are dulled in a short time； and the explosives we
use merely shatter the face of the cutting； and give us hardly any progress
at all。
〃It was after several trials； and when my brother found that he was
making scarcely any progress； compared to the energy of his men and the
blasting； that he wrote to me； explaining matters。 I at once thought of you；
Tom Swift； and your powerful explosive； for I had read about it。
〃Now then； will you sell us some of your powderexplosive or
whatever you call itMr。 Swift； or tell us where we can get it？ We need it
soon； for we are losing valuable time。〃
Mr。 Titus paused to draw on a piece of paper a rough map of Peru； and
the district where the tunnel was being constructed。 He showed where the
two railroad lines were； and where the new route would bring them
together； the tunnel eliminating a big grade up which it would have been
impossible to haul trains of any weight。
〃What do you say； Mr。 Swift？〃 the contractor concluded。 〃Will you let
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
us have some of your powder？ Or； better still； will you come to Peru
yourself？ That would suit us immensely； for you could be right on the
ground。 And you could carry out your plan of going with your friend
here；〃 and Mr。 Titus nodded toward Mr。 Damon。 〃That is； if you were
thinking of going。〃
〃Well； I was thinking of it；〃 Tom admitted。 〃Mr。 Damon and I have
been on so many trips together that it seems sort of natural for us to 'team
it。' I have never been to Peru； and I should like to see the country。 There is
only one matter though； that bothers me。〃
〃What is it？〃 asked Mr。 Titus quickly。 〃If it is a question of money
dismiss it from your mind。 The Peruvian government is paying a large sum
for this tunnel； and we stand to make considerable； even if we were the
lowest bidders。 We can afford to pay you wellthat is； we shall be able to
if we can complete the bore on time。 That is what is bothering me now
the unexpected strata of hard rock we have met with； which seems
impossible to blast。 But I feel sure we can do it with the explosive used in
your giant cannon。〃
〃That is just the point！〃 Tom exclaimed。 〃I am not so sure my
explosive would do。〃
〃Why not？〃 the tunnel contractor asked。 〃It's powerful enough； isn't
it？〃
〃Yes； it is powerful enough； but whether it will have the right effect on
volcanic rock is hard to say。 I should like to see a rock sample。〃
〃I can telegraph to have some sent here to you；〃 said Mr。 Titus eagerly。
〃Meantime； here is a description of it。 I can read you that〃； and； taking a
letter from his pocket； he read to Tom a geological description of the hard
rock。
〃Hum！ Yes；〃 mused Tom； as he listened。 〃It seems to be of the nature
of obsidian。〃
〃Bless my watch chain！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃What's that？〃
〃Obsidian is a volcanic rocka sort of combination of glass and flint
for hardness；〃 Tom explained。 〃It is brittle； black in color； and the natives
of the Admiralty Islands use it for tipping their spears with which they slay
victims for their cannibalistic feasts。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
〃Bless mybless my ear…drums！〃 gasped Mr。 Damon。 〃Cannibals！〃
〃Obsidian was also used by the ancient Mexicans to make knives and
daggers；〃 Tom went on。 〃When Cortez conquered Mexico he found the
priests cutting the hearts from their living victims with knives made from
this volcanic glass… like rock； known as obsidian。 It may be that your
brother has met with a vein of that in the tunnel；〃 Tom said to the
contractor。
〃Possibly；〃 admitted Mr。 Titus。
〃In that case；〃 Tom stated； 〃I may have to use a new kind of explosive。
That used for my giant cannon would merely crumble the hard rock for a
short distance。〃
〃Then will you accept the contract； and help us out？〃 asked Mr。 Titus
eagerly。 〃We will pay you well。 Will you come to Peru and look over the
ground？〃
〃And kill two birds