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an easy tone。 〃Explosives are out of my line； but I guessed it was rather
dangerous to let this go off。 Have you any idea how it got here？〃
〃Not in the least；〃 said Tom。 〃But some one must have placed it here；
or dropped it behind us。〃
〃Would any one have an object in doing such a thing？〃 the professor
asked。
Tom and Mr。 Titus looked at one another。
〃Waddington！〃 murmured the contractor。 〃If he were on board I should
say he might have done it to get us out of the way； though I would not go
so far as to say he meant to kill us。 It may be this bomb has only a light
charge in it； and he only meant to cripple us。〃
〃We'll find out about that；〃 said Tom。 〃I'll open it。〃
〃Better be careful；〃 urged Mr。 Titus。
〃I will；〃 the young inventor promised。 〃I beg your pardon；〃 he went on
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to Professor Bumper。 〃We have been talking about something of which
you know nothing。 Briefly； there is a certain man who is trying to interfere
in some work in which Mr。 Titus and I are interested； and we think； if he
were on board； he might have placed this bomb where it would injure us。〃
〃Is he here？〃 asked the professor。
〃No。 And that is what makes it all the more strange；〃 said Mr。 Titus。
〃At one time I thought he was here； but I was mistaken。〃
Tom took the now harmless bomb to his stateroom； and there； after
taking the infernal machine apart； he discovered that it was not as
dangerous as he had at first believed。
The bomb contained no missiles； and though it held a quantity of
explosive； it was of a slow burning kind。 Had it gone off it would have
sent out a sheet of flame that would have severely burned him and Mr。
Titus； but unless complications had set in death would not have resulted。
〃They just wanted to disable us；〃 said the contractor。 〃That was their
game。 Tom； who did it？〃
〃I don't know。 Did you ever see this Professor Bumper before？〃
〃I never did。〃
〃And did it strike you as curious that he should happen to be so near at
hand when the bomb fell behind us？〃
〃I hadn't thought of that；〃 admitted the contractor。 〃Do you mean that
he might have dropped it himself？〃
〃Well； I wouldn't go so far as to say that；〃 replied Tom； slowly。 〃But I
think it would be a good idea to find out all we can of Professor
Swyington Bumper。〃
〃I agree with you； Tom。 We'll investigate him。〃
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CHAPTER XI
In the Andes
Professor Swyington Bumper seemed to live in a region all by himself。
Though he was on board the Bellaconda； he might just as well have been
in an airship； or riding along on the back of a donkey； as far as his
knowledge； or recognition； of his surroundings went。 He seemed to be
thinking thoughts far； far away； and he was never without a bookeither a
bound volume or a note…book。 In the former he buried his hawk…like nose；
and Tom； looking over his shoulder once； saw that the book was printed in
curious characters； which； later； he learned were Sanskrit。 If he had a note…
book the bald…headed professor was continually jotting down memoranda
in it。
〃I can hardly think of him as a conspirator against us；〃 said Tom to Mr。
Titus。
〃After you have been in the contracting business as long as I have
you'll distrust every one；〃 was the answer。 〃Waddington isn't on board； or
I'd distrust him。 That Spaniard； Senor Pinto。 seems to be out of
consideration； and there only remains the professor。 We must watch him。〃
But Professor Bumper proved to be above suspicion。 Carefully
guarded inquiries made of the captain； the purser and other ships' officers；
brought out the fact that he was well known to all of them； having traveled
on the line before。
〃He is making a search for something； but he won't say what it is；〃 the
captain said。 〃At first we thought it was gold or jewels； for he goes away
off into the Andes Mountains； where both gold and jewels have been
found。 He never looks for treasure； though； for though some of his party
have made rather rich discoveries； he takes no interest in them。〃
〃What is he after then？〃 asked Mr。 Titus。
〃No one knows； and he won't tell。 But whatever it is he has never
found it yet。 Always； when he comes back； unsuccessful； from a trip to the
interior and goes back North with us； he will remark that he has not the
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right directions。 That he must seek again。
〃Back he comes next season； as full of hope as before； but only to be
disappointed。 Each time he goes to a new place in the mountains where he
digs and delves； so members of the parties he hires tell me； but with no
success。 He carries with him something in a small iron box； and； whatever
this is； he consults it from time to time。 It may be directions for finding
whatever he is after。 But there seems to be something wrong。〃
〃This is quite a mystery；〃 remarked Tom。
〃It certainly is。 But Professor Bumper is a fine man。 I have known him
for years。〃
〃This seems to dispose of the theory that he planted the bomb； and that
he is one of the plotters in the pay of Blakeson & Grinder；〃 said Mr。 Titus；
when he and Tom were alone。
〃Yes； I guess it does。 But who can have done it？〃
That was a question neither could answer。
Tom had a theory； which he did not disclose to Mr。 Titus； that； after all；
the somewhat mysterious Senor Pinto might； in some way； be mixed up in
the bomb attempt。 But a close questioning of the steward on duty near the
foreigner's cabin at the time disclosed the fact that Pinto had been ill in his
berth all that day。
〃Well； unless the bomb fell from some passing airship； I don't see how
it got on deck；〃 said Tom with a shake of his head。 〃And I'm sure no
airship passed over us。〃
They had kept the matter secret； not telling even Mr。 Damon； for they
feared the eccentric man would make a fuss and alarm the whole vessel。
So Mr。 Damon； occasionally blessing his necktie or his shoe laces； played
chess with his elderly gentleman friend and was perfectly happy。
That Professor Bumper not only had kept his promise about not
mentioning the bomb； but that he had forgotten all about it； was evident a
day or two after the happening。 Tom and Mr。 Titus passed him on deck；
and bowed cordially。 The professor returned the salutation； but looked at
the two in a puzzled sort of fashion。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 he remarked； 〃but your faces are familiar； though
I cannot recall your names。 Haven't I seen you before？〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
〃You have；〃 said Tom； with a smile。 〃You saved our lives from a bomb
the other day。〃
〃Oh； yes！ So I did！ So I did！〃 exclaimed Professor Bumper。 〃I felt sure
I had seen you before。 Are you all right？〃
〃Yes。 There haven't been any more bombs thrown at us；〃 the contractor
said。 〃By the way； Professor Bumper； I understand you are quite a traveler
in the Andes； in the vicinity of Lima。〃
〃Yes； I have been there；〃 admitted the bald…headed scientist in guarded
tones。
〃Well； I am digging a tunnel in that vicinity；〃 went on Mr。 Titus； 〃and
if you ever get near Rimac； where the first cutting is made； I wish you
would come and see meTom too； as he is associated with me。〃
〃Rimac…Rimac；〃 murmured the professor； looking sharply at the
contractor。 〃Digging a tunnel there？ Why are you doing that？〃 and he
seemed to resent the idea。
〃Why； the Peruvian government engaged me to do it to connect the
two railroad lines；〃 was the answer。 〃Do you know anything about the
place？〃
〃Not so much as I hope to later on；〃 was the unexpected answer。 〃As it
happens I am going to Rimac； and I may visit your tunnel。〃
〃I wish you would；〃 returned Mr。 Titus。
Later on； in their stateroom； the contractor remarked to the