"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."
"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 gold--GOLD--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.
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