tom swift in the land of wonders(汤姆·史威夫特-奇境)-第33章
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〃Ours is a government concession！〃 exclaimed Professor Hylop
harshly。 〃We want no intruders！ Go！〃 and he pointed toward the
direction whence Tom's party had come。
〃Drive them out！〃 he ordered the Indians in Spanish； and with
muttered threats the dark… skinned men advanced toward Tom and the
others。
〃You need not use force；〃 said Professor Bumper。
He and Professor Hylop had quarreled bitterly years before on some
scientific matter； and the matter was afterward found to be wrong。
Perhaps this made him vindictive。
Tom stepped forward and started to protest； but Professor Bumper
interposed。
〃I guess there is no help for it but to go。 It seems to be theirs by right
of discovery and government concession；〃 he said； in disappointed tone。
〃Come friends〃； and dejectedly they retraced their steps。
Followed by the threatening Indians； the Bumper party made its way
back to the entrance。 They had hoped for great things； but if the cavern
gave access to the buried citythe ancient city of Kurzon on the chief altar
of which stood the golden idol； Quitzelit looked as though they were
never to enter it。
〃We'll have to get our Indians and drive those fellows out！〃 declared
Tom。 〃I'm not going to be beaten this wayand by Beecher！〃
〃It is galling；〃 declared Professor Bumper。 〃Still he has right on his
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side； and I must give in to priority； as I would expect him to。 It is the
unwritten law。〃
〃Then we've failed！〃 cried Tom bitterly。
〃Not yet；〃 said Professor Bumper。 〃If I can not unearth that buried
city I may find another in this wonderland。 I shall not give up。〃
〃Hark！ What's that noise？〃 asked Tom； as they approached the
entrance to the cave。
〃Sounds like a great wind blowing；〃 commented Ned。
It was。 As they stood in the entrance they looked out to find a fierce
storm raging。 The wind was sweeping down the rocky trail； the rain was
falling in veritable bucketfuls from the overhanging cliff； and deafening
thunder and blinding lightning roared and flashed。
〃Surely you would not drive us out in this storm；〃 said Professor
Bumper to his former rival。
〃You can not stay in the cave！ You must get out！〃 was the answer； as a
louder crash of thunder than usual seemed to shake the very mountain。
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CHAPTER XXIII
ENTOMBED ALIVE
For an instant Tom and his friends paused at the entrance to the
wonderful cavern； and looked at the raging storm。 It seemed madness to
venture out into it； yet they had been driven from the cave by those who
had every right of discovery to say who； and who should not； partake of its
hospitality。
〃We can't go out into that blow！〃 cried Ned。 〃It's enough to loosen the
very mountains！〃
〃Let's stay here and defy them！〃 murmured Tom。 〃If theif what we
seekis here we have as good a right to it as they have。〃
〃We must go out；〃 said Professor Bumper simply。 〃I recognize the
right of my rival to dispossess us。〃
〃He may have the right； but it isn't human；〃 said Mr。 Damon。 〃Bless
my overshoes！ If Beecher himself were here he wouldn't have the heart to
send us out in this storm。〃
〃I would not give him the satisfaction of appealing to him；〃 remarked
Professor Bumper。 〃Come； we will go out。 We have our ponchos； and we
are not fair…weather explorers。 If we can't get to the lost city one way we
will another。 Come my friends。〃
And despite the downpour； the deafening thunder and the lightning
that seemed ready to sear one's eyes； he walked out of the cave entrance；
followed by Tom and the others。
〃Come on！〃 cried Tom； in a voice he tried to render confident； as they
went out into the terrible storm。 〃We'll beat 'em yet！〃
The rain fell harder than ever。 Small torrents were now rushing down
the trail； and it was only a question of a few minutes before the place
where they stood would be a raging river； so quickly does the rain collect
in the mountains and speed toward the valleys。
〃We must take to the forest！〃 cried Tom。 〃There'll be some shelter
there； and I don't like the way the geography of this place is behaving。
There may be a landslide at any moment。〃
As he spoke he motioned upward through the mist of the rain to the
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sloping side of the mountain towering above them。 Loose stones were
beginning to roll down； accompanied by patches of earth loosened by the
water。 Some of the patches carried with them bunches of grass and small
bushes。
〃Yes； it will be best to move into the jungle；〃 said the professor。
〃Goosal； you had better take the lead。〃
It was wonderful to see how well the aged Indian bore up in spite of
his years； and walked on ahead。 They had left their mules tethered some
distance back； in a sheltering clump of trees； and they hoped the animals
would be safe。
The guide found a place where they could leave the trail； though going
down a dangerous slope； and take to the forest。 As carefully as possible
they descended this； the rain continuing to fall； the wind to blow； the
lightning to sizzle all about them and the thunder to boom in their ears。
They went on until they were beneath the shelter of the thick jungle
growth of trees； which kept off some of the pelting drops。
〃This is better！〃 exclaimed Ned； shaking his poncho and getting rid of
some of the water that had settled on it。
〃Bless my overcoat！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃We seem to have gotten out
of the frying pan into the fire！〃
〃How？〃 asked Tom。 〃We are partly sheltered here； though had we
stayed in the cave in spite of〃
A deafening crash interrupted him； and following the flash one of the
giant trees of the forest was seen to blaze up and then topple over。
〃Struck by lightning！〃 yelled Ned。
〃Yes； and it may happen to us！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon。 〃We were
safer from the lightning in the open。 Maybe〃
Again came an interruption； but this time a different one。 The very
ground beneath their feet seemed to be shaking and trembling。
〃What is it？〃 gasped Ned； while Goosal fell on his knees and began
fervently to pray。
〃It's an earthquake！〃 yelled Tom Swift。
As he spoke there came another soundthe sound of a mass of earth in
motion。 It came from the direction of the mountain trail they had just left。
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They looked toward it and their horror… stricken eyes saw the whole side
of the mountain sliding down。
Slowly at first the earth slid down； but constantly gathering force and
speed。 In the face of this new disaster the rain seemed to
