“I’d like to start after him the biggest alligator in the river,” was Ned’s comment.
Professor Bumper said nothing for several seconds. There was a strange look on his face, and then he laughed shortly, as though the humor of the situation appealed to him.
“Professor Beecher has more gumption than I gave him credit for,” he said. “It was a clever trick!”
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“Trick!” cried Tom.
“Yes. I can’t exactly agree that it was the right thing to do, but he, or some friend acting for him, seems to have taken precautions that we are not to suffer or lose money. Beecher goes on the theory that all is fair in love and war, I suppose, and he may call this a sort of scientific war.”
Ned wondered, as he looked at his chum, how much love there was in it. Clearly Beecher was determined to get that idol of gold.
“Well, it can’t be helped, and we must make the best of it,” said Tom, after a pause.
“True. But now, boys, let’s have breakfast, and then we’ll make what goods we can’t take with us as snug as possible, until we can send the mule drivers after them,” went on Professor Bumper.
“Send the mule drivers after them?” questioned Ned. “What do you mean to do?”
“Do? Why keep on, of course. You don’t suppose I’m going to let a little thing like this stand between me and the discovery of Kurzon and the idol of gold, do you?”
“But,” began Mr. Damon, “I don’t see how — ”
“Oh, we’ll find a way,” interrupted Tom. “It isn’t the first time I’ve been pretty well stranded on an expedition of this kind, and sometimes