They were Indians, too, but leading
them were a number of whites.
And at their head was no less personage than
Professor Beecher himself.
For a moment, as the three parties stood
together in the ancient temple, in the glare of
many torches, no one spoke. Then Professor
Bumper found his voice.
"We are glad to see you," he said to his rival.
"That is glad to see you alive, for we saw the
landslide bury you. And we were coming to
dig you out. We thought this cave--the cave of
the buried city--would lead us to you easier than
by digging through the slide. We have just
discovered this idol," and he put his hand on the
grim golden image.
"Oh, you have discovered it, have you?" asked
Professor Beecher, and his voice was bitter.
"Yes, not ten minutes ago. The natives have
kindly acknowledged my right to it under the law
of priority. I am sorry but----"
With a look of disgust and chagrined
disappointment on his face, Professor Beecher turned
to the other scientists and said:
"Let us go. We are too late. He has what
I came after."
"Well, it is the fortune of war--and discovery,"
put in Mr. Hardy, one of the party who seemed
the least ill-natured. "Your luck might have
been ours, Professor Bumper. I congratulate
you."
"Thank you! Are you sure your party is all
right--not in need of assistance? How did you
get out of the place you were buried?"
"Thank you! We do not require any help. It
was good of you to think of us.
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