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Tom did not drive back immediately to his home。 He wanted to do a
bit of thinking； and he believed he could do it best by himself。 So it was
late afternoon when he again greeted Ned； who； meanwhile； had been kept
very busy。
〃Well？〃 called Tom's chum。
〃Um！〃 was the only answer； and Tom called Koku to put the car away
in the garage。
〃Something wrong；〃 mused Ned。
The next three days were crowded with events and with work。 Mr。
Damon came over frequently to consult with Tom and Ned； and finally the
last of their baggage had been packed； certain of Tom's inventions and
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TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
implements sent on by express to New York to be taken to Honduras； and
then our friends themselves followed to the metropolis。
〃Good…bye； Tom；〃 said his father。 〃Good… bye； and good luck！ If you
don't get the idol of gold I'm sure you'll have experiences that will be
valuable to you。〃
〃We're going to get the idol of gold！〃 said Tom determinedly。
〃Look out for the bad bugs；〃 suggested Eradicate。
〃We will；〃 promised Ned。
Tom's last act was to send a message to Mary Nestor； and then he； with
Ned and Mr。 Damon； who blessed everything in sight from the gasoline in
the automobile to the blue sky overhead； started for the station。
New York was reached without incident。 The trio put up at the hotel
where Professor Bumper was to meet them。
〃He hasn't arrived yet；〃 said Tom； after glancing over the names on the
hotel register and not seeing Professor Bumper's among them。
〃Oh； he'll be here all right；〃 asserted Mr。 Damon。 〃Bless my galvanic
battery！ he sent me a telegram at one o'clock this morning saying he'd be
sure to meet us in New York。 No fear of him not starting for the land of
wonders。〃
〃There are some other professors registered； though；〃 observed Ned； as
he glanced at the book； noting the names of several scientists of whom he
and Tom had read。
〃Yes。 I wonder what they're doing in New York；〃 replied Tom。
〃They are from New England。 Maybe there's a convention going on。
Well； we'll have to wait； that's all； until Professor Bumper comes。〃
And during that wait Tom heard something that surprised him and
caused him no little worry。 It was when Ned came back to his room；
which adjoined Tom's； that the young treasurer gave his chum the news。
〃I say； Tom！〃 Ned exclaimed。 〃Who do you think those professors
are； whose names we saw on the register？〃
〃I haven't the least idea。〃
〃Why； they're of Beecher's party！〃
〃You don't mean it！〃
〃I surely do。〃
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TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
〃How do you know？〃
〃I happened to overhear two of them talking down in the lobby a while
ago。 They didn't make any secret of it。 They spoke freely of going with
Beecher to some ancient city in Honduras； to look for an idol of gold。〃
〃They did？ But where is Beecher？〃
〃He hasn't joined them yet。 Their plans have been changed。 Instead
of leaving on the same steamer we are to take in the morning they are to
come on a later one。 The professors here are waiting for Beecher to
come。〃
〃Why isn't he here now？〃
〃Well； I heard one of the other scientists say that he had gone to a
place called Fayetteville； and will come on from there。〃
〃Fayetteville！〃 ejaculated Tom。 〃Yes。 That isn't far from Shopton。〃
〃I know；〃 assented Tom。 〃I wonderI wonder why he is going
there？〃
〃I can tell you that； too。〃
〃You can？ You're a regular detective。〃
〃No； I just happened to overhear it。 Beecher is going to call on Mary
Nestor in Fayetteville； so his friends here said he told them； and his call
has to do with an important matterto him！〃 and Ned gazed curiously at
his chum。
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TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
CHAPTER VIII
OFF FOR HONDURAS
Just what Tom's thoughts were； Ned； of course； could not guess。
But by the flush that showed under the tan of his chum's cheeks the young
financial secretary felt pretty certain that Tom was a bit apprehensive of
the outcome of Professor Beecher's call on Mary Nestor。
〃So he is going to see her about ‘something important；' Ned？〃
〃That's what some members of his party called it。〃
〃And they're waiting here for him to join them？〃
〃Yes。 And it means waiting a week for another steamer。 It must be
something pretty important； don't you think； to cause Beecher to risk that
delay in starting after the idol of gold？〃
〃Important？ Yes； I suppose so；〃 assented Tom。 〃And yet even if he
waits for the next steamer he will get to Honduras nearly as soon as we
do。〃
〃How is that？〃
〃The next boat is a faster one。〃
〃Then why don't we take that？ I hate dawdling along on a slow
freighter。〃
〃Well； for one thing it would hardly do to change now； when all our
goods are on board。 And besides； the captain of the _Relstab_； on which
we are going to sail； is a friend of Professor Bumper's。〃
〃Well； I'm just as glad Beecher and his party aren't going with us；〃
resumed Ned； after a pause。 〃It might make trouble。〃
〃Oh； I'm ready for any trouble HE might make！〃 quickly exclaimed
Tom。
He meant trouble that might be developed in going to Honduras； and
starting the search for the lost city and the idol of gold。 This kind of
trouble Tom and his friends had experienced before； on other trips where
rivals had sought to frustrate their ends。
But； in his heart； though he said nothing to Ned about it； Tom was
worried。 Much as he disliked to admit it to himself； he feared the visit of
Professor Beecher to Mary Nestor in Fayetteville had but one meaning。
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TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
〃I wonder if he's going to propose to her；〃 thought Tom。 〃He has the
field all to himself now； and her father likes him。 That's in his favor。 I