tom swift in the land of wonders(汤姆·史威夫特-奇境)-第31节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the trees。 I should like to get some photographs to accompany an article
that perhaps I shall write on the effects of sudden and severe tropical
storms。 We will go to look at the overturned trees and then we'll hurry on
121
… Page 122…
TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
to camp to get the rescue party。〃
The uprooted trees lay on one side of the mountain trail； perhaps a
mile from the mouth of the cave which had been covered over； entombing
the Beecher party。 Leaving the mules in charge of one of the Indians；
Professor Bumper and his friends； accompanied by Goosal； approached
the fallen trees。 As they neared them they saw that in falling the trees
had lifted with their roots a large mass of earth and imbedded rocks that
had clung to the twisted and gnarled fibers。 This mass was as large as a
house。
〃Look at the hole left when the roots pulled out！〃 cried Ned。 〃Why；
it's like the crater of a small volcano！〃 he added。 And； as they stood on
the edge of it looking curiously at the hole made； the others agreed with
Tom's chum。
Professor Bumper was looking about； trying to ascertain if there were
any evidences of the earthquake in the vicinity； when Tom； who had
cautiously gone a little way down into the excavation caused by the fallen
trees； uttered a cry of surprise。
〃Look！〃 he shouted。 〃Isn't that some sort of tunnel or underground
passage？〃 and he pointed to a square opening； perhaps seven feet high and
nearly as broad； which extended； no one knew where； downward and
onward from the side of the hole made by the uprooting of the trees。
〃It's an underground passage all right；〃 said Professor Bumper eagerly；
〃and not a natural one； either。 That was fashioned by the hand of man； if
I am any judge。 It seems to go right under the mountain； too。 Friends；
we must explore this！ It may be of the utmost importance！ Come； we have
our electric torches； and we shall need them； for it's very dark in there；〃
and he peered into the passage in front of which they all stood now。 It
seemed to have been tunneled through the earth； the sides being lined by
either slabs of stone； or walls made by a sort of concrete。
〃But what about the rescue work？〃 asked Mr。 Damon。
〃I am not forgetting Professor Beecher and his friends；〃 answered the
scientist。
〃Perhaps this may be a better means of rescuing them than by digging
them out； which will take a week at least；〃 observed Tom。
122
… Page 123…
TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
〃This a better way？〃 asked Ned； pointing to the tunnel。
〃That's it；〃 confirmed the savant。 〃If you will notice it extends back
in the direction of the cave from which we were driven。 Now if there is a
buried city beneath all this jungle； this mountain of earth and stones； the
accumulation of centuries； it is probably on the bottom of some vast
cavern。 It is my opinion that we were only in one end of that cavern； and
this may be the entrance to another end of it。〃
〃Then；〃 asked Mr。 Damon； 〃do you mean that we can enter here； get
into the cave that contains the buried city； or part of it； and find there
Beecher and his friends？〃
〃That's it。 It is possible； and if we could it would save an immense
lot of work； and probably be a surer way to save their lives than by
digging a tunnel through the landslide to find the mouth of the cave where
we first entered。〃
〃It's a chance worth taking；〃 said Mr。 Damon。 〃Of course it is a chance。
But then everything connected with this expedition is； so one is no worse
than another。 As you say； we may find the entombed men more easily
this way than any other。〃
〃I wonder；〃 said Tom slowly； 〃if； by any chance； we shall find； through
this passage； the lost city we are looking for。〃
〃And the idol of gold；〃 added Ned。
〃Goosal； do you know anything about this？〃 asked Professor Bumper。
〃Did you ever hear of another passage leading to the cave where you saw
the ancient city？〃
〃No； Learned One； though I have heard stories about there being many
cities； or parts of a big one； beneath the mountain； and when it was above
ground there were many entrances to it。〃
〃That settles it！〃 cried the professor in English； having talked to
Goosal in Spanish。 〃We'll try this and see where it leads。〃
They entered the stone…lined passage。 In spite of the fact that it had
probably been buried and concealed from light and air for centuries； as
evidenced by the growth of the giant trees above it； the air was fresh。
〃And this is one reason；〃 said Tom； in commenting on this fact； 〃why I
believe it leads to some vast cavern which is connected in some fashion
123
… Page 124…
TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
with the outer air。 Well； perhaps we shall soon make a discovery。〃
Eagerly and anxiously the little party pressed forward by the light of
the pocket electric lamps。 They were obsessed by two thoughtswhat they
might find and the necessity for aiding in the rescue of their rivals。
On and on they went； the darkness illuminated only by the torches they
carried。 But they noticed that the air was still fresh； and that a gentle
wind blew toward them。 The passage was undoubtedly artificial； a
tunnel made by the hands of men now long crumbled into dust。 It had a
slightly upward slope； and this； Professor Bumper said； indicated that it
was bored upward and perhaps into the very heart of the mountain
somewhere in the interior of which was the Beecher party。
Just how far they went they did not know； but it must have been more
than two miles。 Yet they did not tire； for the way was smooth。
Suddenly Tom； who； with Professor Bumper； was in the lead； uttered a
cry； as he held his torch above his head and flashed it about in a circle。
〃We're blocked！〃 he exclaimed。 〃We're up against a stone wall！〃
It was but too true。 Confronting them； and extending from side to
side across the passage and from roof to floor； was a great rough stone。
Immense and solid it seemed when they pushed on it in vain。
〃Nothing short of dynamite will move that；〃 said Ned in despair。
〃This is a blind lead。 We'll have to go back。〃
〃But there must be something on the other side of that stone；〃 cried
Tom。 〃See； it is pierced with holes； and through them comes a current of
air。 If we could only move the stone！〃
〃I believe it is an ancient door；〃 remarked Professor Bumper。
Eagerly and frantically they tried to move it by their combined weight。
The stone did not give the fraction of the breadth of a hair。
〃We'll have to go back and get some of your big tunnel blasting
powder； Tom；〃 suggested Ned。
As he spoke old Goosal glided forward。 He had remained behind
them in the passage while they were trying to move the rock。 Now he
said something in Spanish。
〃What does he mean？〃 asked Ned。
〃He asks that he be allowed to try；〃 translated Professor Bumper。
124
… Page 125…
TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
〃Sometimes； he says； there is a secret way of opening stone doors in these
underground caves。 Let him try。〃
Goosal seemed to be running his fingers lightly over the outer edge of
the door。 He was muttering to himself in his Indian tongue。
Suddenly he uttered an exclamation； and； as he did so； there was a
noise from the door itself。 It was a grinding； scraping sound； a rumble as
though rocks were being rolled one against the other。
Then the astonished eyes of the adventurers saw the great stone door
revolve on its axis and swing to one side； leaving a passage open through
which they could pass。 Goosal had discovered the hidden mechanism。
What lay before them？
125
… Page 126…
