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brother one day。 〃We'll never get the tunnel done on time now。〃
〃We still have a margin of safety；〃 declared job。 〃If we could get the
men inside of a couple of weeks； and if Tom's new powder rips out more
rock； we'll finish in time。〃
〃Yes； but there are too many ifs。 We may as well admit we've failed。〃
〃I'll never do that！〃
〃What will you do？〃
But Job did not know。
〃If we could git a gang of min from the ould sodth' kind I used t'
work wit in N'Yark；〃 said Tim Sullivan； 〃I'd show yez whot could be done！
We'd make th' rock fly！〃
But that efficient labor was out of the question now。 The tunnel camp
was a deserted place。
〃Come on； Koku； we'll go hunting；〃 said Tom one day。 〃There's no use
hanging around here； and some venison wouldn't go bad on the table。〃
〃I'll come； too；〃 said Mr。 Damon。 〃I haven't anything to do。〃
The Titus brothers had gone to a distant village； on the forlorn hope of
getting laborers； so Tom was left to his own devices； and he decided to go
hunting with his electric rifle。
The taruco； or native deer； had been plentiful in the vicinity of the
tunnel until the presence of so many men and the frequent blasts had
driven them farther off； and it was not until after a tramp of several miles
that Tom saw one。 Then； after stalking it a little way； he managed to kill it
with the electric rifle。
Koku hoisted the animal to his big shoulders； and； as this would
provide meat enough for some time； Tom started back for camp。
As he and Mr。 Damon； with Koku in the rear； passed through a little
clearing； they saw； on the far side； a native hut。 And from it rushed a
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woman； who approached Tom； casting herself on her knees； while she
pressed his free hand to her head。
〃Bless my scarf pin！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon。 〃What does this mean；
Tom？〃
〃Oh； this is the mother of the child I saved from the condor；〃 said Tom。
〃Every time she sees me she thanks me all over again。 How is the baby？〃
he asked in the Indian tongue； for he was a fair master of it by now。
〃The baby is well。 Will the mighty hunter permit himself to enter my
miserable hovel and partake of some milk and cakes？〃
〃What do you say； Mr。 Damon？〃 Tom asked。 〃She's clean and neat；
and she makes a drink of goat's milk that isn't bad。 She bakes some kind of
meal cakes that are good； too。 I'm hungry。〃
〃All right； Tom； I'll do as you say。〃
A little later they were partaking of a rude； but none the less welcome；
lunch in the woman's hut； while the baby whose life Tom had saved cooed
in the rough log cradle。
〃Say； Masni；〃 asked Tom； addressing the woman by name； 〃don't you
know where we can get some men to work the tunnel？〃 Of course Tom
spoke the Indian language； and he had to adapt himself to the
comprehension of Masni。
〃Men no work tunnel？〃 she inquired。
〃No； they've all skipped outvamoosed。 Afraid of some spirit。〃
The woman looked around； as though in fear。 Then she approached
Tom closely and whispered：
〃No spirit in tunnelbad man！〃
〃What！〃 cried Tom； almost jumping off his stool。 〃What do you mean；
Masni？〃
〃Me tell mighty hunter；〃 she went on； lowering her voice still more。
〃My man he no want to tell； he 'fraid； but I tell。 Mighty hunter save
Vashni；〃 and she looked toward the baby。 〃Me help friends of mighty
hunter。 Bad man in tunnel no spirit！
〃Men go。 Spirit no take umbad man take um。〃
〃Where are they now？〃 asked Tom。 〃Jove； if I could find them the
secret would be solved！〃
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The woman looked fearfully around the hut and then whispered：
〃You comeme show！〃
〃Bless my toothbrush！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃What is going to happen；
Tom Swift？〃
〃I don't know；〃 was the answer； 〃but something sure is in the wind。 I
guess I shot better than I knew when I killed that condor。〃
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CHAPTER XX
Despair
Calling to a girl of about thirteen years to look after her baby； Masni
slipped along up a rough mountain trail； motioning to Tom； Mr。 Damon
and Koku to follow。 Or rather； the woman gave the sign to Tom； ignoring
the others； who； naturally； would not be left behind。 Masni seemed to have
eyes for no one but the young inventor； and the manner in which she
looked at him showed the deep gratitude she felt toward him for having
saved her baby from the great condor。
〃Come；〃 she said； in her strange Indian tongue； which Tom could
interpret well enough for himself now。
〃But where are we going； Masni？〃 he asked。 〃This isn't the way to the
tunnel。〃
〃Me know。 Not go to tunnel now；〃 was her answer。 〃Me show you
men。〃
〃But which men do you mean； Masni？〃 inquired Tom。 〃The lost men；
or the bad ones； who are making trouble for us？ Which men do you
mean？〃
Masni only shook her head； and murmured： 〃Me show。〃
Probably Tom's attempt to talk her language was not sufficiently clear
to her。
〃My manhe good man；〃 she said； coming to a pause on the rough
trail after a climb which was not easy。
〃Yes； I know he is；〃 Tom said。 〃But he went on a strike with the others；
Masni。 He no work。 He go on a 'hit；' as Serato calls it；〃 and Tom laughed。
〃My man he good manbut he 'fraid；〃 said the wife。 〃He want to tell
you of bad mans； but he 'fraid。 You save my baby； I no 'fraid。 I tell。〃
〃Oh； I see；〃 said Tom。 〃Your husband would have given away the
secret； only he's afraid of the bad men。 He likes me； too？〃
〃Sure！〃 Masni exclaimed。 〃He want tell； but 'fraid。 He go 'way； I tell。〃
Tom was not quite sure what it all meant； but it seemed that after his
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slaying of the condor both parents were so filled with gratitude that they
wanted to reveal some secret about the tunnel； only Masni's husband was
afraid。 She； however； had been braver。
〃Something is going to happen；〃 said Tom Swift。 〃I feel it in my
bones！〃
〃Bless my porous plaster！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃I hope it isn't anything
serious。〃
〃We'll see；〃 Tom went on。
They resumed their journey up the mountain trail。 It wound in and out
in a region none of them had before visited。 Though it could not be far
from the tunnel； it was almost a strange country to Tom。
Suddenly Masni stopped in a narrow gorge where the walls of rock
rose high on either hand。 She seemed looking for something。 Her sharp；
black eyes scanned the cliff and then with an exclamation of satisfaction
she approached a certain place。 With a quick motion she pulled aside a
mass of tangled vines； and disclosed a path leading down through a V
shaped crack in the cliff。
〃Mans down there；〃 she said。 〃You go look。〃
For a moment Tom hesitated。 Was this a trap？ If he and his friends
entered this narrow and dark opening might not the Indian woman roll
down some rock back of them； cutting off forever the way of escape？
Tom turned and looked at Masni。 Then he was ashamed of his
suspicion； for the honest black face； smiling at him； showed no trace of
guile。
〃You goyou see lost men；〃 the woman urged。
〃Come on！〃 cried Tom。 〃I believe we're on the track of the mystery！〃
He led the way； followed by Mr。 Damon； while Koku came next and
then Masni。 It could be no trap since she entered it herself。
The path widened； but not much。 There was only room for one to walk
at a time。 The trail twisted and turned； and Tom was wondering how far it
led； when； from behind him； came the cry of the woman：
〃Watch nowno fall down。〃
Tom halted around a sharp turn； and stood transfixed at the sight which
met his gaze