“Something wrong,” mused Ned.

The next three days were crowded with events and with work.  Mr. Damon came over frequently to consult with Tom and Ned, and finally the last of their baggage had been packed, certain of Tom’s inventions and implements sent on by express to New York to be taken to Honduras, and then our friends themselves followed to the metropolis.

“Good-bye, Tom,” said his father.  “Good-bye, and good luck!  If you don’t get the idol of gold I’m sure you’ll have experiences that will be valuable to you.”

“We’re going to get the idol of gold!” said Tom determinedly.

“Look out for the bad bugs,” suggested Eradicate.

“We will,” promised Ned.

Tom’s last act was to send a message to Mary Nestor, and then he, with Ned and Mr. Damon, who blessed everything in sight from the gasoline in the automobile to the blue sky overhead, started for the station.

New York was reached without incident.  The trio put up at the hotel where Professor Bumper was to meet them.

“He hasn’t arrived yet,” said Tom, after glancing over the names on the hotel register and not seeing Professor Bumper’s among them.

“Oh, he’ll be here all right,” asserted Mr. Damon.  “Bless my galvanic battery! he sent me a telegram at one o’clock this morning saying he’d be sure to meet us in New York.  No fear of him not starting for the land of wonders.”

“There are some other professors registered, though,” observed Ned, as he glanced at the book, noting the names of several scientists of whom he and Tom had read.

“Yes.  I wonder what they’re doing in New
York,” replied Tom.  “They are from New
England.  Maybe there’s a convention going on. 
Well, we’ll have to wait, that’s all, until
Professor Bumper comes.”

And during that wait Tom heard something that surprised him and caused him no little worry.  It was when Ned came back to his room, which adjoined Tom’s, that the young treasurer gave his chum the news.

“I say, Tom!” Ned exclaimed.  “Who do you think those professors are, whose names we saw on the register?”

“I haven’t the least idea.”

“Why, they’re of Beecher’s party!”

“You don’t mean it!”

“I surely do.”

“How do you know?”

“I happened to overhear two of them talking down in the lobby a while ago.  They didn’t make any secret of it.  They spoke freely of going with Beecher to some ancient city in Honduras, to look for an idol of gold.”

“They did?  But where is Beecher?”

“He hasn’t joined them yet.  Their plans have been changed.  Instead of leaving on the same steamer we are to take in the morning they are to come on a later one.  The professors here are waiting for Beecher to come.”

“Why isn’t he here now?”

“Well, I heard one of the other scientists say that he had gone to a place called Fayetteville, and will come on from there.”