"
"These the arrows," explained Tal's wife,
bringing a bundle from a corner of the one-room
hut. As she held them out her husband gave a
cry of fear.
"Poisoned arrows! Poisoned arrows!" he exclaimed.
"One scratch and the senors are dead men. Put them away!"
In fear the Indian wife prepared to obey, but
as she did so Tom Swift caught sight of the package
and uttered a strange cry.
"Thundering hoptoads, Ned!" he exclaimed.
"The poisoned arrows are wrapped in the piece of oiled
silk that was around the professor's missing map!"
CHAPTER XX
AN OLD LEGEND
Fascinated, Tom and Ned gazed at the package
the Indian woman held out to them. Undoubtedly
it was oiled silk on the outside, and through
the almost transparent covering could be seen
the small arrows, or darts, used in the blow gun.
"Where did you get that?" asked Tom, pointing
to the bundle and gazing sternly at Tal.
"What is the matter, Senor?" asked the Indian in turn.
"Is it that you are afraid of the poisoned arrows?
Be assured they will not harm you unless
you are scratched by them."
Tom and Ned found it difficult to comprehend
all the rapid Spanish spoken by their host, but
they managed to understand some, and his
eloquent gestures made up the rest.
"We're not afraid," Tom said, noting that the
oiled skin well covered the dangerous darts. "But
where did you get that?"
"I picked it up, after another Indian had thrown
it away. He got it in your camp, Senor.
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