“Oh, no! It isn’t the money!” cried Tom. “Don’t think that for a moment. You see the European war has called for the use of a large number of aeroplanes, and as the pilots of them frequently have to fight, and so can not give their whole attention to the machines, some form of automatic stabilizer is needed to prevent them turning turtle, or going off at a wrong tangent.
“So I have been working out a sort of modified gyroscope, and it seems to answer the purpose. I have already received advance orders for a number of my devices from abroad, and as they are destined to save lives I feel that I ought to keep on with my work.
“I’d like to go, don’t misunderstand me, but I can’t go at this time. It is out of the question. If you wait a year, or maybe six months — — ”
“No, it is impossible to wait, Tom,” declared Professor Bumper.
“Is it so important then to hurry?” asked Mr. Damon. “You did not mention that to me, Professor Bumper.”
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“No, I did not have time. There are so many ends to my concerns. But, Tom Swift, you simply must go!”
“I can’t, my dear professor, much as I should like to.”
“But, Tom, think of it!” cried Mr. Damon, who was as much excited as was the little baldheaded scientist. “You never saw such an idol of gold as this. What’s its name?” and he looked questioningly at the professor.
“Quitzel the idol is called,” supplied Professor Bumper. “And it is supposed to be in a buried city named Kurzon, somewhere in the Sierra de Merendon range of mountains, in the vicinity of the Copan valley. Copan is a city, or maybe we’ll find it only a town when we get there, and it is not far from the borders of Guatemala.
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