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〃Four minutes！〃 exclaimed Job。 〃That's queer； and they're the regular
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ten minute length。 I wonder what this means。
He took up another fuse； and examined it closely。
〃Why！〃 he cried。 〃These aren't our fuses at all。 They're another make；
and much more rapid in burning。 No wonder you've been having
premature blasts。 They go off in about half the time they should。〃
〃I can't understhand thot！〃 said Tim； thoughtfully。 〃I keep all the fuses
locked up； and only take thim out when I need thim。〃
〃Then somebody has been at your box； Tim； and they took out our
regular fuses and put in these quicker ones。 It's a game to make trouble for
us among our men； and to damage the tunnel。〃
〃Bless my rubber boots！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃Who would do a thing
like that？〃
〃Our rivals； perhaps； though I do not like to accuse any man on such
small evidence；〃 said Walter。 〃But we must adopt new measures。〃
〃And be very careful of the fuses；〃 said Job。
〃Thot's what I will！〃 declared Tim。 〃I'll put th' supply in a new place。
No wonder there was blasts before th' min could git out th' way！ Bad cess
t' th' imps thot did this！〃 and he banged his big fist down on the table。
Since the trouble began a guard had been always posted around the
tunnel entrance and surrounding buildings； and this night the patrol was
doubled。 Tom； Mr。 Damon and the two Titus brothers sat up quite late；
talking over plans and ideas。
Professor Bumper went to bed early； as he said he was going to set off
before sunrise to make a search for the lost city。
〃I regard him as more or less of a visionary；〃 said Mr。 Job Titus； 〃but
he seems a harmless gentleman； and we'll do all we can to help him。〃
〃Surely；〃 agreed his brother。
The night was not marked by any disturbance； and after breakfast；
Tom； under the guidance of the Titus brothers； looked over the tunnel with
a view to making his first experiment with the new explosive。
The tunnel was being driven straight into the face of one of the smaller
ranges of the Andes Mountains。 It was to be four miles in length； and
when it emerged on the other side it would enable trains to make
connections between the two railroads； thus tapping a rich and fertile
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country。
On the site of the tunnel； which was two days' mule travel east from
Rimac； the Titus brothers had assembled their heavy machinery。 They had
brought some of their own men； including Tim Sullivan； with them； but
the other labor was that of Peruvian Indians； with a native foreman； Serato；
over them。
There were engines； boilers； dynamos； motors； diamond drills； steam
shovels and a miniature railway； with mules as the motive power。 A small
village had sprung up at the tunnel mouth； and there was a general store；
besides many buildings for the sleeping and eating quarters of the laborers；
as well as places where the white men could live。 Their quarters were
some distance from the native section。
Powder； supplies； in fact everything save what game could be obtained
in the forest； or what grains or fruits were brought in by natives living near
by； had to be brought over the rough trail。 But Titus Brothers had a large
experience in engineering matters in wild and desolate countries； and they
knew how to be as comfortable as possible。
Mr。 Damon learned that one of the districts whence his company had
been in the habit of getting quinine was distant a day's journey over the
mountain； so he decided to make the trip； with a native guide； and see if he
could get at the bottom of the difficulty in forwarding shipments。
This was a few days after the arrival of our friends。 Meanwhile； Tom
had been shown all through the tunnel by the Titus Brothers and had had
his first sight of the hard cliff of rock which seemed to be a veritable stone
wall in the way of progressor at least such progress as was satisfactory to
the contractors。
〃Well； we'll try what some of my explosive will do；〃 said Tom； when
he had finished the examination。 〃I don't claim it will be as successful as
the sample blast we set off at Shopton； but we'll do our best。〃
Holes were drilled in the face of the rock； and several charges of the
new explosive tamped in。 Wires were attached to the fuses； which were of
a new kind； and warning was given to clear the tunnel。 The wires ran out
to the mouth of the horizontal shaft and Tom； holding the switch in his
hand made ready to set off the blast。
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〃Are they all out？〃 he asked Tim Sullivan； who had emerged； herding
the Indian laborers before him。 Tim insisted on being the last man to seek
safety when an explosion was to take place。
〃All ready； sor；〃 answered the foreman。
〃Here she goes！〃 cried Tom； as his fingers closed the circuit。
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CHAPTER XIV
Mysterious Disappearances
There was a dull； muffled report； a sort of rumbling that seemed to
extend away down under the earth and then echo back again until the
ground near the mouth of the tunnel； where the party was standing；
appeared to rock and heave。 There followed a cloud of yellow； heavy
smoke which made one choke and gasp； and Tom； seeing it； cried：
〃Down！ Down； everybody！ There's a back draft； and if you breathe any
of that powder vapor you'll have a fearful headache！ Get down； until the
smoke rises！〃
The tunnel contractors and their men understood the danger； for they
had handled explosives before。 It is a well…known fact that the fumes of
dynamite and other giant powders will often produce severe headaches；
and even illness。 Tom's explosive contained a certain percentage of
dynamite； and he knew its ill effects。 Stretched prone； or crouching on the
ground； there was little danger； as the fumes； being lighter than air； rose。
The yellow haze soon drifted away； and it was safe to rise。
〃Well； I wonder how much rock your explosive tore loose for us；
Tom；〃 observed Job Titus； as he looked at the thin； yellowish cloud of
smoke that was still lazily drifting from the tunnel。
〃Can't tell until we go in and take a look；〃 replied the young inventor。
〃It won't be safe to go in for a while yet； though。 That smoke will hang in
there a long time。 I didn't think there'd be a back draft。〃
〃There is； for we've often had the same trouble with our shots；〃 Walter
Titus said。 〃I can't account for it unless there is some opening in the shaft；
connecting with the outer air； which admits a wind that drives the smoke
out of the mouth； instead of forward into the blast hole。 It's a queer thing
and we haven't been able to get at the bottom of it。〃
〃That's right；〃 agreed his brother。 〃We've looked for some opening； or
natural shaft； but haven't been able to find it。 Sometimes we shoot off a
charge and everything goes well； the smoke disappears in a few minutes。
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Again it will all blow out this way and we lose half a day waiting for the
air to clear。 There's a hidden shaft； or natural chimney； I'm sure； but we
can't find it。〃
〃Thot blast didn't make much racket；〃 commented Tim Sullivan。 〃I
doubt thot much rock come down。 An' thot's not sayin' anythin' ag'in yer
powder； lad；〃 he went on to Tom。
〃Oh； that's all right；〃 Tom Swift replied； with a laugh。 〃My explosive
doesn't work by sound。 It has lots of power； but it doesn't produce much
concussion。〃
〃We've often made more noise with our blasts；〃 confirmed Job Titus；
〃but I can't say much for our results。〃
They were all anxious； Tom included； to hurry into the tunnel to see
how much rock had been loosened by the blast； but it was not safe to
venture in until the fumes had been allowed to