“He’s relying on the prestige he’ll get out of this idol of gold if his party finds it,” thought on the young inventor.  “But I’ll help find it first.  I’m glad to have a little start of him, anyhow, even if it isn’t more than two days.  Though if our vessel is held back much by storms he may get on the ground first.  However, that can’t be helped.  I’ll do the best I can.”

These thoughts shot through Tom’s mind even as Ned was asking his questions and making comments.  Then the young inventor, shaking his shoulders as though to rid them of some weight, remarked: 

“Well, come on out and see the sights.  It will be long before we look on Broadway again.”

When the chums returned from their sightseeing excursion, they found that Professor Bumper had arrived.

“Where’s Professor Bumper?” asked Ned, the next day.

“In his room, going over books, papers and maps to make sure he has everything.”

“And Mr. Damon?”

Tom did not have to answer that last question.  Into the apartment came bursting the excited individual himself.

“Bless my overshoes!” he cried, “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!  Come on, there’s no time to lose!”

“What’s the matter now?” asked Ned.  “Is the hotel on fire?”

“Has anything happened to Professor Bumper?” Tom demanded, a wild idea forming in his head that perhaps some one of the Beecher party had tried to kidnap the discoverer of the lost city of Pelone.

“Oh, everything is all right,” answered Mr. Damon.  “But it’s nearly time for the show to start, and we don’t want to be late.  I have tickets.”

“For what?” asked Tom and Ned together.

“The movies,” was the laughing reply.  “Bless my loose ribs! but I wouldn’t miss him for anything.  He’s in a new play called `Up in a Balloon Boys.’  It’s great!” and Mr. Damon named a certain comic moving picture star in whose horse-play Mr. Damon took a curious interest.  Tom and Ned were glad enough to go, Tom that he might have a chance to do a certain amount of thinking, and Ned because he was still boy enough to like moving pictures.

“I wonder, Tom,” said Mr. Damon, as they came out of the theater two hours later, all three chuckling at the remembrance of what they had seen, “I wonder you never turned your inventive mind to the movies.”

“Maybe I will, some day,” said Tom.

He spoke rather uncertainly.  The truth of the matter was that he was still thinking deeply of the visit of Professor Beecher to Mary Nestor, and wondering what it portended.

But if Tom’s sleep was troubled that night he said nothing of it to his friends.  He was up early the next morning, for they were to leave that day, and there was still considerable to be done in seeing that their baggage and supplies were safely loaded, and in attending to the last details of some business matters.