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〃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 stonebut where the natural arch had
formed the weight was kept off the buildings； most of which were as
perfect as they had been before the cataclysm came。
The buildings were of stone block construction； mostly only one story
in height； though some were two。 They were simply made； somewhat after
the fashion of the Aztecs。 A look into some of them by the light of portable
electric lamps showed that the houses were furnished with some degree of
taste and luxury。 There were traces of an ancient civilization。
But of the inhabitants； there was not a trace。 either they had fled before
the earthquake or the volcanic eruption had engulfed the city； or the
countless centuries had turned their very bones to dust。
〃Oh； what a find！ What a find！〃 murmured Professor Bumper。 〃I shall
be famous！ And so will you； Tom Swift。 For it was your blast that revealed
the lost city of Pelone。 Your name will be honored by every archeological
society in the world； and all will be eager to make you an honorary
member。〃
〃That's all very nice；〃 said Tom； 〃but what pleases me better is that this
tunnel is a success。〃
〃Success！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃I should call it a failure； Tom Swift。
Why； you've run smack into an old city； and you'll have either to curve the
tunnel to one side； or start a new one。〃
〃Nothing of the sort！〃 laughed Tom。 〃Don't you see？ The tunnel comes
right up to the main street of Pelone。 And the street is as straight as a die；
and just the width and height of the tunnel。 All we will have to do will be
to keep on blasting away； where the main street comes to an end； and our
tunnel will be finished。 The street is over half a mile long； I should judge；
and we'll save all that blasting。 The tunnel will be finished in time！〃
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〃So it will！〃 cried Job Titus。 〃We can use the main street of the hidden
city as part of the tunnel。〃
〃Use the street all you like；〃 said Mr。 Bumper。 〃but leave the houses to
me。 They are a perfect mine of ancient lore and information。 At last I have
found it！ The ancient； hidden city of Pelone； spoken of on the Peruvian
tablets； of gold。〃
The story of the discoveries the scientist made in Pelone is an
enthralling one。 But this is a story of Tom Swift and his big tunnel； and no
place for telling of the archeological discoveries。
Suffice it to say that Professor Bumper； though be found no gold； for
which the contractors hoped； made many curious finds in the ancient
houses。 He came upon traces of a strange civilization； though he could
find no record of what had caused the burial of Pelone beneath the
mountains。 He wrote many books about his discovery； giving Tom Swift
due credit for uncovering the place with the mighty blast。 Other scientists
came in flocks； and for a time Pelone was almost as busy a place as it had
been originally。
Even when the tunnel was completed and trains ran through it； the
scientists kept on with their work of classifying what they found。 An
underground station was built on the main street of the old city； and
visitors often wandered through the ancient houses； wherein was the bone…
dust of the dead and gone people。
But to go back to the story of Tom Swift。 Tom's surmise was right。 He
and the contractors were able to use the main street of Pelone as part of
their tunnel； and a good half mile of blasting through solid rock was saved。
The flint came to an end at the extremity of Pelone； and the last part of the
tunnel had only to be dug through sand…stone and soft dirt； an easy
undertaking。
So the big bore was finished on timeahead of time in fact； and Titus
Brothers received from Senor Belasdo； the Peruvian representative； a large
bonus of money； in which Tom Swift shared。
〃So our rivals didn't balk us after all；〃 said Walter Titus； 〃though they
tried mighty hard。〃
The big tunnel was finishedat least Tom Swift's work on it。 All that
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remained to do was to clear away the debris and lay the connecting rails。
Tom and Mr。 Damon prepared to go back home。 The latter's work was
done。 As for Professor Bumper； nothing could take him from Pelone。 He
said he was going to live there； and； practically； he did。
Tom； Koku and Mr。 Damon returned to Lima； thence to go to Callao to
take the steamer for San Francisco。 One day the manager of the hotel
spoke to them。
〃You are Americans； are you not？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 answered Tom。 〃Why？〃
〃Because there is another American here。 He is friendless and alone；
and he is dying。 He has no friends； he says。 Perhaps〃
〃Of course we'll do what we can for him；〃 said Tom； impulsively。
〃Where is he？〃
With Mr。 Damon he entered the room where the dying man lay。 He had
caught a fever； the hotel manager said； and could not recover。 Tom；
catching sight of the sufferer； cried：
〃The bearded man！ Waddington！〃
He had recognized the mysterious person who had been on the
Bellaconda； and the man whose face had stared at him through the secret
shaft of the tunnel。
〃Yes； the 'bearded man' now；〃 said the sufferer in a hoa