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〃Um！〃 grunted the Indian。 〃Wha for he fish in tunnel roof？〃 for Tom's
pole was one like those the Indians used when； on off days； they emulated
Izaak Walton。
〃Fishin' is it！〃 exclaimed Tim。 〃Begorra 'tis flyin' fish he's after I'm
thinkin'。 Lave him alone though； Serri！ I'm his boss！〃
〃Um！〃 grunted the Indian again； as he moved off into the farther
darkness。
〃Be careful； Tom；〃 whispered the Irishman； when the native had gone。
〃These black imps is mighty suspicious。 Maybe thot fellah had a hand in
th' disappearances hisself。〃
〃Maybe；〃 admitted Tom。 〃He may get a percentage on all new hands
that are hired。〃
Tom kept on with his search； always hoping he might find some
hidden means of getting out of the tunnel。 But as the days went by； and he
discovered nothing； he began to despair。
〃The queer thing about it；〃 mused Tom； 〃is what has become of the ten
men。 Even if they did find some secret means of leaving； what has become
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of them？ They couldn't completely disappear； and they have families and
relatives that would make some sort of fuss if they were out of sight
completely this long。 I wonder if any inquiries have been made about
them？〃
When Tom came off duty he asked the Titus brothers whether or not
any of the relatives of the missing men had come to seek news about them。
None had。
〃Then；〃 said Tom； 〃you can depend on it the men are all right； and
their relatives know it。 I wonder how it would do to make inquiries at that
end？ Question some of the relatives。〃
〃Bless my hat hand！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon； who was at the
conference。 〃I never thought of that。 I'll do it for you。〃
The odd man had gotten his quinine gathering business well under way
now； and he had some spare time。 So； with an interpreter who could be
trusted； he went to the native village whence had come nearly all of the ten
missing men。 But though Mr。 Damon found some of their relatives； the
latter； with shrugs of their shoulders； declared they had seen nothing of the
ones sought。
〃And they didn't seem to worry much； either；〃 reported Mr。 Damon。
〃Then we can depend on it；〃 remarked Tom； 〃that the men are all right
and their relatives know it。 There's some conspiracy here。〃
So it seemed。 But who was at the bottom of it？
〃I can't figure out where Blakeson & Grinder come in；〃 said Job Titus。
〃They would have an object in crippling us； but they seem to be working
from the financial end； trying to make us fail there。 I haven't seen any of
their sneaking agents around here lately； and as for Waddington he seems
to have stayed up North。〃
Tom resumed his vigil in the tunnel； poking here and there； but with
little success。 His week was about up； and he would soon have to resume
his character as powder expert； for the debris was nearly all cleaned up；
and another blast would have to be fired shortly。
〃Well； I'm stumped！〃 Tom admitted； the day when he was to come on
duty for the last time as a pretended foreman。 〃I've hunted all over； and I
can't find any secret passage。〃
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It was warm in the tunnel； and Tom； having seen one train of the dump
cars loaded； sat down to rest on an elevated ledge of rock； where he had
made a sort of easy chair for himself； with empty cement bags for
cushions。
The heat； his weariness and the monotonous clank…clank of a water
pump near by； and the equally monotonous thump of the lumps of rocks in
the cars made Tom drowsy。 Almost before he knew it he was asleep。
What suddenly awakened him he could not tell。 Perhaps it was some
influence on the brain cells； as when a vivid dream causes us to start up
from slumber； or it may have been a voice。 For certainly Tom heard a
voice； he declared afterward。
As he roused up he found himself staring at the rocky wall of the
tunnel。 And yet the wall seemed to have an opening in it and in the
opening； as if it were in the frame of a picture； appeared the face Tom had
seen at his library the day Job Titus called on himthe face of
Waddington！
Tom sat up so quickly that he hit his head sharply on a projecting rock
spur； and； for the moment he 〃saw stars。〃 And with the appearance of these
twinkling points of light the face of Waddington seemed to fade away； as
might a vision in a dream。
〃Bless my salt mackerel； as Mr。 Damon would say！〃 cried Tom。 〃What
have I discovered？〃
He rubbed his head where he had struck it； and then passed his hand
before his eyes； to make sure he was awake。 But the vision； if vision it was；
had vanished； and he saw only the bare rock wall。 However； the echo of
the voice remained in his ears； and； looking down toward the tunnel floor
Tom saw Serato； the Indian foreman。
〃Were you speaking to me？〃 asked Tom； for the man understood and
spoke English fairly well。
〃No； sar。 I not know you there！〃 and the fore man seemed startled at
seeing Tom。 Clearly he was in a fright。
〃You were speaking！〃 insisted Tom。
〃No； sar！〃 The man shook his head。
〃To some one up there！〃 went on the young inventor； waving his hand
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toward the spot where he had seen the face in the rock。
〃Me speak to roof？ No； sar！〃 Serato laughed。
Tom did not know what to believe。
〃You hear me tell um lazy man to much hurry；〃 the Indian went on。
〃Me not know you sleep there； sar！〃
〃Oh； all right；〃 Tom said； recollecting that he must keep up his
disguise。 〃Maybe I was dreaming。〃
〃Yes； sar；〃 and the foreman hurried on； with a backward glance over
his shoulder。
〃Now was I dreaming or not？〃 thought Tom。 〃I'm going to have a look
at that place though； where I saw Waddington's face。 Or did I imagine it？〃
He got a long pole and a powerful flash lamp； and when he had a
chance； unobserved； he poked around in the vicinity where he had seen the
face。
But there was only solid rock。
〃It must have been a dream；〃 Tom concluded。 〃I've been thinking too
much about this business。 I'll have to give up。 I can't solve the mystery of
the missing men。〃
The next day； much disappointed； he resumed his own character as
explosive expert； and prepared for another blast。 The net result of his
watch was that he became suspicious of Serato； and so informed the Titus
Brothers。
〃Oh； but you're mistaken；〃 said Job 〃We have had him for years； on
other contracts in Peru； and we trust him。〃
〃Well； I don't；〃 Tom said； but he had to let it go at that。
Another blast was set off； but it was not very successful。
〃The rock seems to be getting harder the farther in we go；〃 commented
Walter Titus。 〃We're not up to where we ought to be。〃
〃I'll have to look into it；〃 answered Tom。 〃I may have to change the
powder mixture。 Guess I'll go up the mountain a way； and see if there are
any outcroppings of rock there that would give me an idea of what lies
underneath。〃
Accordingly； while the men in the tunnel were clearing away the rock
loosened by the blast； Tom； one day； taking his electric rifle with him；
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went up the mountain under which the big bore ran。
He located； by computation； the spot beneath which the end of the
tunnel then was； and began collecting samples of the outcropping ledge。
He wanted to analyze these pieces of stone later。 Koku was with him； and；
giving the giant a bag of stones to carry； Tom walked on rather idly。
It was a wild and desolate region in which he found himself on the
side of the mountain。 Beyond him stretched towering and snow…clad peaks；
and high in the air were small specks； which he knew to be condors；
watching with their eager eyes for their offal food。
As Tom and Koku made their way along the mountain trail they came