"Look here, Professor!" he cried."Can you remember any of the details of your map--say, for instance, where we ought to begin excavating to get at the wonders of the underground city?""Well, Tom, I did intend to compare my map with the configuration of the country about here.There is a certain mountain which serves as a landmark and a guide for a starting point.I think that is it over there," and the scientist pointed to a distant snow-capped peak.
The party had left the low and marshy land of the true jungle, and were among the foothills, though all about them was dense forest and underbush, which, in reality, was as much a jungle as the lower plains, but was less wet.
"The point where I believe we should start to dig," said the professor, "is near the spot where the top of the mountain casts a shadow when the sun is one hour high.At least that is the direction given in the old manuscripts.So, though we can do little without the map, we might make a start by digging there.""No, not there!" exclaimed Tom.
"Why not?"
"Because we don't want to let Beecher's crowd know that we are on the track of the idol of gold.""But they know anyhow, for they have the map," commented Ned, puzzled by his chum's words.
"Maybe not," said Tom slowly."I think this is a time for a big bluff.It may work and it may not.Beecher's crowd either has the map or they have not.If they have it they will lose no time in trying to find the right place to start digging and then they'll begin excavating.
"Very good! If they do that we have a right to dig near the same place.But if they have not the map, which is possible, and if we start to dig where the professor's memory tells him is the right spot, we'll only give them the tip, and they'll dig there also.""I'm sure they have the map," the professor said."But I believe your plan is a good one, Tom.""Just what do you propose doing?" asked Ned.
"Fooling 'em!" exclaimed Tom quickly."We'll dig in some place remote from the spot where the mountain casts its shadow.They will think, if they haven't the map, that we are proceeding by it, and they'll dig, too.When they find nothing, as will also happen to us, they may go away.
"If, on the other hand, they have the map, and see us digging at a spot not indicated on it, they will be puzzled, knowing we must have some idea of where the buried city lies.They will think the map is at fault, perhaps, and not make use of it.Then we can get it back.""Bless my hatband!" cried Mr.Damon."I believe you're right, Tom.We'll dig in the wrong place to fool 'em."And this was done.Search for the precious map was given up for the time being, and the professor and his friends set the natives to work digging shafts in the ground, as though sinking them down to the level of the buried city.
But though this false work was prosecuted with vigor for several days, there was a feeling of despair among the Bumper party over the loss of the map.
"If we could only get it back!" exclaimed the professor, again and again.
Meanwhile the Beecher party seemed inactive.True, some members of it did come over to look on from a respectful distance at what the diggers were doing.Some of the rival helpers, under the direction of the head of the expedition, also began sinking shafts.But they were not in the locality remembered by Professor Bumper as being correct.
"I can't imagine what they're up to," he said."If they have my map they would act differently, I should think.""Whatever they're up to," answered Tom, "the time has come when we can dig at the place where we can hope for results." And the following day shafts were started in the shadow of the mountain.
Until some evidence should have been obtained by digging, as to the location beneath the surface of a buried city, there was nothing for the travelers to do but wait.Turns were taken in directing the efforts of the diggers, and an occasional inspection was made of the shafts.
"What do you expect to find first?" asked Tom of Professor Bumper one day, when the latter was at the top of a shaft waiting for a bucket load of dirt to be hoisted up.
"Potsherds and artifacts," was the answer.
"What sort of bugs are they?" asked Ned with a laugh.He and Tom were about to go hunting with their electric rifles.
"Artifacts are things made by the Indians--or whatever members of the race who built the ancient cities were called--such as household articles, vases, ornaments, tools and so on.Anything made by artificial means is called an artifact.""And potsherds are things with those Chinese laundry ticket scratches on them," added Tom.
"Exactly," said the professor, laughing."Though some of the strange- appearing inscriptions give much valuable information.As soon as we find some of them--say a broken bit of pottery with hieroglyphics on--I will know I am on the right track."And while the scientist and Mr.Damon kept watch at the top of the shaft, Tom and Ned went out into the jungle to hunt.They had killedsome game, and were stalking a fine big deer, which would provide a feast for the natives, when suddenly the silence of the lonely forest was broken by a piercing scream, followed by an agonized cry of"El tigre! El tigre!"
