Appleton, Victor – Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders

Tom was the first to come to a realization of what was needed to be done.

“We must help them!” he exclaimed, and it was characteristic of him that he harbored no enmity.

“How?” asked Ned.

“We must get a force of Indians and dig them out,” was the prompt answer.

At Tom’s vigorous words Professor Bumper’s

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forces were energized into action, and he stated: “Fortunately we have plenty of excavating tools. We may be in time to save them. Come on! the storm seems to have passed as suddenly as it came up, and the earthquake, which, after all did not cover a wide area, seems to be over. We must start the work of rescue at once. We must go back to camp and get all the help we can muster.”

The storm, indeed, seemed to be over, but it was no easy matter to get back over the soggy, rain-soaked ground to the trail they had left to take shelter in the forest. Fortunately the earthquake had not involved that portion where they had left their mules, but most of the frightened animals had broken loose, and it was some little time before they could all be caught.

“It is no use to try to get back to camp tonight,” said Tom, when the last of the pack and saddle animals had been corraled.{sic} “It is getting late and there is no telling the condition of the trail. We must stay here until morning.”

“But what about them?” and Mr. Damon nodded in the direction of the entombed ones.

“We can help them best by waiting until the beginning of a new day,” said the professor. “We shall need a large force, and we could not bring it up tonight. Besides, Tom is right, and if we