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Tom halted around a sharp turn； and stood transfixed at the sight which
met his gaze。 He found himself looking out through a crack in the face of a
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sheer stone cliff that went straight down for a hundred feet or more to a
green…carpeted valley。
Tom was standing in a narrow cleft of rockthe same rock through
which they had made their way。 And at the foot of the cliff was a little
encampment of Indians。 There were a dozen huts； and wandering about
them； or sitting in the shade； were a score or more of Indians。
〃There men from tunnel；〃 said Masni； and； as he looked； wondering；
Tom saw some of the workers he knew。 One especially； was a laborer who
walked with a peculiar limp。
〃The missing men！〃 gasped the young inventor。
〃Bless my almanac！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃Where？〃
〃Here；〃 answered Tom。 〃If you squeeze past me you can see them。〃
Mr。 Damon did so。
〃How did they get here？〃 asked the odd man； as he looked down in the
little valley where the missing ones were sequestered。
〃That's what we've got to find out；〃 Tom said。 〃At any rate here they
are； and they seem to be enjoying life while we've been worrying as to
what had become of them。 How did they get here； Masni？〃
〃Me show you。 Come。〃
〃Wait until I take another look；〃 said Tom。
〃Be careful they don't see you；〃 cautioned Mr； Damon。
〃They can't very well。 The cleft is screened by bushes。〃
Tom looked down once more on the group of men who had so
mysteriously disappeared。 The little valley stretched out away from the
face of the cliff； through which； by means of the crack； or cleft in it； Tom
and the others had come。 Tom looked down the wall of rock。 It was as
smooth as the side of a building； and offered no means of getting down or
up。 Doubtless there was an easier entrance to the valley on the other side。
It was like looking down into some vast hall through an upper window or
from a balcony。
〃And those men have been in hiding； or been hidden here； ever since
they disappeared from the tunnel；〃 said Mr。 Damon。
〃It doesn't look as though they were detained by force；〃 Tom remarked。
〃I think they are being paid to stay away。 How did they get here； Masni？〃
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〃Me show you。 Come！〃
They went back along the trail that led through the split in the rock；
until they had come to the place where the natural curtain of vines
concealed the entrance。 Tom took particular notice of this place so he
would know it again。
Then Masni led them over the mountain； and this time Tom saw that
they were approaching the tunnel。 He recognized some places where he
had taken samples of rock from the outcropping to test the strength of his
explosive。
Reaching a certain wild and desolate place； Masni made a signal of
caution。 She seemed to be listening intently。 Then； as if satisfied there was
no danger； she parted some bushes and glided in； motioning the others to
follow。
〃Now I wonder what's up；〃 Tom mused。
He and the others were soon informed。
Masni stopped in front of a pile of brush。 With a few vigorous motions
of her arms she swept it aside and revealed a smooth slab of rock。 In the
centre was what seemed to be a block of metal Masni placed her foot on
this and pressed heavily。
And those watching saw a strange thing。
The slab of rock tilted to one side； as if on a pivot； revealing a square
opening which seemed to lead through solid stone。 And at the far end of
the opening Tom Swift saw a glimmer of light
Stooping down； he looked through the hole thus strangely opened and
what he saw caused him to cry out in wonder。
〃It's the tunnel！〃 he cried。 〃I can look right clown into the tunnel。 It's
the incandescent lights I see。 I can look right at the ledge of rock where I
kept watch that day； and where I sawwhere I saw the face of
Waddington！〃 he cried。 〃It wasn't a dream after all。 This is a shaft
connecting with the tunnel。 We didn't discover it because this rock fits
right in the opening in the roof。 It must have been there all the while； and
some blast brought it to light。 Is this how the men got out； or were taken
out of the tunnel； Masni？〃 Tom asked。
〃This how；〃 said the Indian woman。 〃See； here rope！〃
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She pawed aside a mound of earth； and disclosed a rope buried there； a
rope knotted at intervals。 This； let down through the hole in the roof of the
tunnel； provided a means of escape； and in such a manner that the
disappearance of the men was most mysterious。
〃I see how it is！〃 cried Tom。 〃Some one interested； Waddington
probably； who knew about this old secret shaft going down into the earth；
used it as soon as our blasting was opened that far。 They got the men out
this way； and hid them in the secret valley。〃
〃But what for？〃 cried Mr。 Damon。
〃To cripple us！ To cause the strike by making our other workers afraid
of some evil spirit！ The men were taken away secretly； and； doubtless；
have been kept in idleness ever sincepaid to stay away so the mystery
would be all the deeper。 Our rivals finding they couldn't stop us in any
other way have taken our laborers away from us。〃
〃Bless my meal ticket！ It does look like that！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。
〃Of course that's the secret！〃 cried Tom。 〃Blakeson & Grinder； or some
of their toolsprobably the bearded man or Waddingtonfound out about
this shaft which led down into our tunnel。 They induced the first ten men
to quit； and when Tim went to get the fuse the rope was let down； and the
men climbed up here； one after the other。 Those Indians can climb like
cats。 Once the ten were out the shaft was closed with the rock； and the ten
men taken off to the valley to be secreted there。
〃The same was done with the next fifteen； and； I suppose； if the strike
hadn't come； more of our workers would have been induced to leave in
this way。 They're probably being better paid than when earning their
wages； and their relatives must know where they are； and also be given a
bonus to keep still。 No wonder they didn't make a fuss。
〃And no wonder we couldn't find any opening in the tunnel roof。 This
rock must fit in as smoothly as a secret drawer in the kind of old desk
where missing wills are found in stories。〃
〃You say you saw Waddington； or the bearded man？〃 asked Mr。
Damon。
〃At the time；〃 replied Tom； 〃I thought it was a dream。 Now I know it
wasn't。 He must have opened the shaft just as I awakened from a doze。 He
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saw me and closed it again。 He may have been getting ready then to take
off more of our men； so as to scare the others。 Well； we've found out the
trick。〃
〃And what are you going to do next？〃 asked Mr。 Dam~n。
〃Get those missing men back。 That will break the hoodoo； and the
others will come back to work。 Then we'll get on the trail of Wadding ton；
or Blakeson & Grinder； and put a stop to this business。 We know their
secret now。〃
〃You mean to get the men out of the secret valley； Tom？〃
〃Yes。 There must be some other way into it than down the rock where
we were。 How about it； Masni？〃 and he inquired as to the valley。 The
Indian woman gave Tom to understand that there was another entrance。
〃Well； close up this shaft now before some one sees us at itthe
bearded man； for example；〃 Tom suggested。 He took another look down
into the tunnel； which was now deserted on account of the strike； and then
Masni pressed on the mechanism that worked the stone。 She showed Tom
how to do it。
〃Just a counter…balanced rock operating on the same principle as does
a window；〃 Tom explained； after a brief examination。 〃Probably some of
the old In