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Eradicate Sampson； a colored man…of…all…work； who； with his mule
Boomerang； did what he could to keep the grounds around the house in
order。 There was also Mrs。 Baggert； the housekeeper； Tom's mother
being dead。 Mr。 Damon； living in a neighboring town； was a frequent
visitor in the Swift home。
Mary Nestor； a girl of Shopton； might also be mentioned。 She and
Tom were more than just good friends。 Tom had an idea that some day…
…。 But there； I promised not to tell that part； at least until the young
people themselves were ready to have a certain fact announced。
From one activity to another had Tom Swift gone； now constructing
some important invention for himself； as among others； when he made the
photo…telephone； or developed a great searchlight which he presented to
the Government for use in detecting smugglers on the border。
The book immediately preceding this is called 〃Tom Swift and His Bit；
Tunnel；〃 and deals with the efforts of the young inventor to help a firm of
contractors penetrate a mountain in Peru。 How this was done and how；
incidental… ly； the lost city of Pelone was discovered； bringing joy to the
heart of Professor Swyington Bumper； will be found fully set forth in the
book。
Tom had been back from the Peru trip for some months； when we
again find him interested in some of the work of Professor Bumper； as set
forth in the magazine mentioned。
〃Well； he certainly is having some conversation；〃 reflected Ned； as；
after more than five minutes； Tom's ear was still at the receiver of the
instrument； into the transmitter of which he had said only a few words。
〃All right；〃 Tom finally answered； as he hung the receiver up； 〃I'll be
here；〃 and then he turned to Ned； whose curiosity had been growing with
the telephone talk； and remarked：
〃That certainly was wonderful！〃
〃What was？〃 asked Ned。 〃Do you think I'm a mind reader to be able
to guess？〃
〃No； indeed！ I beg your pardon。 I'll tell you at once。 But I couldn't
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TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
break away。 It was too important。 To whom do you think I was talking
just then？〃
〃I can imagine almost any one； seeing I know something of what you
have done。 It might be almost anybody from some person you met up in
the caves of ice to a red pygmy from the wilds of Africa。〃
〃I'm afraid neither of them would be quite up to telephone talk yet；〃
laughed Tom。 〃No； this was the gentleman who wrote that interesting
article about the idol of gold；〃 and he motioned to the magazine Ned held
in his hand。
〃You don't mean Professor Bumper！〃
〃That's just whom I do mean。〃
〃What did he want？ Where did he call from？〃
〃He wants me to help organize an expedition to go to Central America…
…to the Copan valley； to be exactto look for this somewhat mythical idol
of gold。 Incidentally the professor will gather in any other antiques of
more or less value； if he can find any； and he hopes； even if he doesn't find
the idol； to get enough historical material for half a dozen books； to say
nothing of magazine articles。〃
〃Where did he call from； did you say？〃
〃I didn't say。 But it was a long…distance call from New York。 The
Professor stopped off there on his way from Boston； where he has been
lecturing before some society。 And now he's coming here to see me；〃
finished Tom。
〃What！ Is he going to lecture here？〃 cried Ned。 〃If he is； and spouts a
whole lot of that bone…dry stuff about the ancient Mayan civilization and
their antiquities； with side lights on how the old…time Indians used to scalp
their enemies； I'm going to the moving pictures！ I'm willing to be your
financial manager； Tom Swift； but please don't ask me to be a high…brow。
I wasn't built for that。〃
〃Nor I； Ned。 The professor isn't going to lecture。 He's only going to
talk； he says。〃
〃What about？〃
〃He's going to try to induce me to join his expedition to the Copan
valley。〃
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TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
〃Do you feel inclined to go？〃
〃No； Ned； I do not。 I've got too many other irons in the fire。 I shall
have to give the professor a polite but firm refusal。〃
〃Well； maybe you're right； Tom； and yet that idol of goldGOLD
weighing how many pounds did you say？〃
〃Oh； you're thinking of its money value； Ned； old man！〃
〃Yes； I'd like to see what a big chunk of gold like that would bring。 It
must be quite a nugget。 But I'm not likely to get a glimpse of it if you don't
go with the professor。〃
〃I don't see how I can go； Ned。 But come over and meet the
delightful gentleman when he arrives。 I expect him day after to…
morrow。〃
〃I'll be here；〃 promised Ned； and then he went downtown to attend to
some matters con… nected with his new duties； which were much less
irksome than those he had had when he had been in the bank。
〃Well； Tom； have you heard any more about your friend？〃 asked Ned；
two days later； as he came to the Swift home with some papers needing the
signature of the young inventor and his father。
〃You mean？〃
〃Professor Bumper。〃
〃No； I haven't heard from him since he telephoned。 But I guess he'll
be here all right。 He's very punctual。 Did you see anything of my giant
Koku as you came in？〃
〃Yes； he and Eradicate were having an argument about who should
move a heavy casting from one of the shops。 Rad wanted to do it all
alone； but Koku said he was like a baby now。〃
〃Poor Rad is getting old；〃 said Tom with a sigh。 〃But he has been
very faithful。 He and Koku never seem to get along well together。〃
Koku was an immense man； a veritable giant； one of two whom Tom
had brought back with him after an exciting trip to a strange land。 The
giant's strength was very useful to the young inventor。
〃Now Tom； about this business of leasing to the English Government
the right to manufac… ture that new explosive of yours；〃 began Ned；
plunging into the business at hand。