Suffice it to say that means were at once taken
to get the golden image out of the cave of the
ancient city. It was not accomplished without
hard work, for the gold was heavy, and Professor
Bumper would not, naturally, consent to
the shaving off of so much as an ear or part of
the flat nose, to say nothing of one of the half
dozen extra arms and legs with which the ugly
idol was furnished.
Finally it was safely taken out of the cave,
and along the stone passage to the opening
formed by the overthrown trees, and thence on
to camp.
And at the camp a surprise awaited Tom.
Some long-delayed mail had been forwarded
from the nearest place of civilization and there
were letters for all, including several for our hero.
One in particular he picked out first and read
eagerly.
"Well, is every little thing all right, Tom?"
asked Ned, as he saw a cheerful grin spread itself
over his chum's face.
"I should say it is, and then some! Look
here, Ned. This is a letter from----"
"I know. Mary Nestor. Go on."
"How'd you guess?"
"Oh, I'm a mind-reader."
"Huh! Well, you know she was away when
I went to call to say good-bye, and I was a little
afraid Beecher had got an inside edge on me."
"Had he?"
"No, but he tried hard enough. He went to
see Mary in Fayetteville, just as you heard, be-
fore he came on to join his party, but he didn't
pay much of a visit to her."
"No?"
"No. Mary told him he'd better hurry along
to Central America, or wherever it was he
intended going, as she didn't care for him as much
as he flattered himself she did.
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