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believed the contrarythat the men had left by the tunnel mouth； near
which Tom happened to be alone at the time。
Now； left to himself； with merely nominal duties； and so disguised that
none of the workmen would know him for the trim young inventor who
oversaw the preparing of the blast charges； Tom Swift walked to and fro；
looking for some carefully hidden passage or shaft by means of which the
men had got away。
〃For it must be well hidden to have escaped observation so long；〃 Tom
decided。 〃And it must be a natural shaft； or hole； for we are boring into
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native rock； and it isn't likely that these Indians ever tried to make a tunnel
here。 There must be some natural fissure communicating with the outside
of the mountain； in a place where no one would see the men coming out。〃
But though Tom believed this it was another matter to demonstrate his
belief。 In the intervals of seeing that the natives properly loaded the dump
cars； and removed as much of the debris as possible； Tom looked carefully
along the walls and roof of the tunnel thus far excavated。
There were cracks and fissures； it is true； but they were all superficial
ones； as Tom ascertained by poking a long pole up into them。
〃No getting out that way；〃 he said； as he met with failure after failure。
Once； while thus engaged； he saw Serato； the Indian foreman looking
narrowly at him； and Serato said something in his own language which
Tom could not understand。 But just then along came Tim Sullivan； who；
grasping the situation； exclaimed：
〃Thot's all roight； now； Serri； me lad！〃 for thus he contracted the
Indian's name。 〃Thot's a new helper I have； a broth of a bye； an' yez kin
kape yer hands off him。 He's takin' orders from me！〃
〃Um！〃 grunted the Indian。 〃Wha for he fish in tunnel roof？〃 for Tom's
pole was one like those the Indians used when； on off days； they emulated
Izaak Walton。
〃Fishin' is it！〃 exclaimed Tim。 〃Begorra 'tis flyin' fish he's after I'm
thinkin'。 Lave him alone though； Serri！ I'm his boss！〃
〃Um！〃 grunted the Indian again； as he moved off into the farther
darkness。
〃Be careful； Tom；〃 whispered the Irishman； when the native had gone。
〃These black imps is mighty suspicious。 Maybe thot fellah had a hand in
th' disappearances hisself。〃
〃Maybe；〃 admitted Tom。 〃He may get a percentage on all new hands
that are hired。〃
Tom kept on with his search； always hoping he might find some
hidden means of getting out of the tunnel。 But as the days went by； and he
discovered nothing； he began to despair。
〃The queer thing about it；〃 mused Tom； 〃is what has become of the ten
men。 Even if they did find some secret means of leaving； what has become
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of them？ They couldn't completely disappear； and they have families and
relatives that would make some sort of fuss if they were out of sight
completely this long。 I wonder if any inquiries have been made about
them？〃
When Tom came off duty he asked the Titus brothers whether or not
any of the relatives of the missing men had come to seek news about them。
None had。
〃Then；〃 said Tom； 〃you can depend on it the men are all right； and
their relatives know it。 I wonder how it would do to make inquiries at that
end？ Question some of the relatives。〃
〃Bless my hat hand！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon； who was at the
conference。 〃I never thought of that。 I'll do it for you。〃
The odd man had gotten his quinine gathering business well under way
now； and he had some spare time。 So； with an interpreter who could be
trusted； he went to the native village whence had come nearly all of the ten
missing men。 But though Mr。 Damon found some of their relatives； the
latter； with shrugs of their shoulders； declared they had seen nothing of the
ones sought。
〃And they didn't seem to worry much； either；〃 reported Mr。 Damon。
〃Then we can depend on it；〃 remarked Tom； 〃that the men are all right
and their relatives know it。 There's some conspiracy here。〃
So it seemed。 But who was at the bottom of it？
〃I can't figure out where Blakeson & Grinder come in；〃 said Job Titus。
〃They would have an object in crippling us； but they seem to be working
from the financial end； trying to make us fail there。 I haven't seen any of
their sneaking agents around here lately； and as for Waddington he seems
to have stayed up North。〃
Tom resumed his vigil in the tunnel； poking here and there； but with
little success。 His week was about up； and he would soon have to resume
his character as powder expert； for the debris was nearly all cleaned up；
and another blast would have to be fired shortly。
〃Well； I'm stumped！〃 Tom admitted； the day when he was to come on
duty for the last time as a pretended foreman。 〃I've hunted all over； and I
can't find any secret passage。〃
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It was warm in the tunnel； and Tom； having seen one train of the dump
cars loaded； sat down to rest on an elevated ledge of rock； where he had
made a sort of easy chair for himself； with empty cement bags for
cushions。
The heat； his weariness and the monotonous clank…clank of a water
pump near by； and the equally monotonous thump of the lumps of rocks in
the cars made Tom drowsy。 Almost before he knew it he was asleep。
What suddenly awakened him he could not tell。 Perhaps it was some
influence on the brain cells； as when a vivid dream causes us to start up
from slumber； or it may have been a voice。 For certainly Tom heard a
voice； he declared afterward。
As he roused up he found himself staring at the rocky wall of the
tunnel。 And yet the wall seemed to have an opening in it and in the
opening； as if it were in the frame of a picture； appeared the face Tom had
seen at his library the day Job Titus called on himthe face of
Waddington！
Tom sat up so quickly that he hit his head sharply on a projecting rock
spur； and； for the moment he 〃saw stars。〃 And with the appearance of these
twinkling points of light the face of Waddington seemed to fade away； as
might a vision in a dream。
〃Bless my sal