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〃My manhe good man；〃 she said； coming to a pause on the rough
trail after a climb which was not easy。
〃Yes； I know he is；〃 Tom said。 〃But he went on a strike with the others；
Masni。 He no work。 He go on a 'hit；' as Serato calls it；〃 and Tom laughed。
〃My man he good manbut he 'fraid；〃 said the wife。 〃He want to tell
you of bad mans； but he 'fraid。 You save my baby； I no 'fraid。 I tell。〃
〃Oh； I see；〃 said Tom。 〃Your husband would have given away the
secret； only he's afraid of the bad men。 He likes me； too？〃
〃Sure！〃 Masni exclaimed。 〃He want tell； but 'fraid。 He go 'way； I tell。〃
Tom was not quite sure what it all meant； but it seemed that after his
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slaying of the condor both parents were so filled with gratitude that they
wanted to reveal some secret about the tunnel； only Masni's husband was
afraid。 She； however； had been braver。
〃Something is going to happen；〃 said Tom Swift。 〃I feel it in my
bones！〃
〃Bless my porous plaster！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃I hope it isn't anything
serious。〃
〃We'll see；〃 Tom went on。
They resumed their journey up the mountain trail。 It wound in and out
in a region none of them had before visited。 Though it could not be far
from the tunnel； it was almost a strange country to Tom。
Suddenly Masni stopped in a narrow gorge where the walls of rock
rose high on either hand。 She seemed looking for something。 Her sharp；
black eyes scanned the cliff and then with an exclamation of satisfaction
she approached a certain place。 With a quick motion she pulled aside a
mass of tangled vines； and disclosed a path leading down through a V
shaped crack in the cliff。
〃Mans down there；〃 she said。 〃You go look。〃
For a moment Tom hesitated。 Was this a trap？ If he and his friends
entered this narrow and dark opening might not the Indian woman roll
down some rock back of them； cutting off forever the way of escape？
Tom turned and looked at Masni。 Then he was ashamed of his
suspicion； for the honest black face； smiling at him； showed no trace of
guile。
〃You goyou see lost men；〃 the woman urged。
〃Come on！〃 cried Tom。 〃I believe we're on the track of the mystery！〃
He led the way； followed by Mr。 Damon； while Koku came next and
then Masni。 It could be no trap since she entered it herself。
The path widened； but not much。 There was only room for one to walk
at a time。 The trail twisted and turned； and Tom was wondering how far it
led； when； from behind him； came the cry of the woman：
〃Watch nowno fall down。〃
Tom halted around a sharp turn； and stood transfixed at the sight which
met his gaze。 He found himself looking out through a crack in the face of a
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sheer stone cliff that went straight down for a hundred feet or more to a
green…carpeted valley。
Tom was standing in a narrow cleft of rockthe same rock through
which they had made their way。 And at the foot of the cliff was a little
encampment of Indians。 There were a dozen huts； and wandering about
them； or sitting in the shade； were a score or more of Indians。
〃There men from tunnel；〃 said Masni； and； as he looked； wondering；
Tom saw some of the workers he knew。 One especially； was a laborer who
walked with a peculiar limp。
〃The missing men！〃 gasped the young inventor。
〃Bless my almanac！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃Where？〃
〃Here；〃 answered Tom。 〃If you squeeze past me you can see them。〃
Mr。 Damon did so。
〃How did they get here？〃 asked the odd man； as he looked down in the
little valley where the missing ones were sequestered。
〃That's what we've got to find out；〃 Tom said。 〃At any rate here they
are； and they seem to be enjoying life while we've been worrying as to
what had become of them。 How did they get here； Masni？〃
〃Me show you。 Come。〃
〃Wait until I take another look；〃 said Tom。
〃Be careful they don't see you；〃 cautioned Mr； Damon。
〃They can't very well。 The cleft is screened by bushes。〃
Tom looked down once more on the group of men who had so
mysteriously disappeared。 The little valley stretched out away from the
face of the cliff； through which； by means of the crack； or cleft in it； Tom
and the others had come。 Tom looked down the wall of rock。 It was as
smooth as the side of a building； and offered no means of getting down or
up。 Doubtless there was an easier entrance to the valley on the other side。
It was like looking down into some vast hall through an upper window or
from a balcony。
〃And those men have been in hiding； or been hidden here； ever since
they disappeared from the tunnel；〃 said Mr。 Damon。
〃It doesn't look as though they were detained by force；〃 Tom remarked。
〃I think they are being paid to stay away。 How did they get here； Masni？〃
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〃Me show you。 Come！〃
They went back along the trail that led through the split in the rock；
until they had come to the place where the natural curtain of vines
concealed the entrance。 Tom took particular notice of this place so he
would know it again。
Then Masni led them over the mountain； and this time Tom saw that
they were approaching the tunnel。 He recognized some places where he
had taken samples of rock from the outcropping to test the strength of his
explosive。
Reaching a certain wild and desolate place； Masni made a signal of
caution。 She seemed to be listening intently。 Then； as if satisfied there was
no danger； she parted some bushes and glided in； motioning the others to
follow。
〃Now I wonder what's up；〃 Tom mused。
He and the others were soon informed。
Masni stopped in front of a pile of brush。 With a few vigorous motions
of her arms she swept it aside and revealed a smooth slab of rock。 In the
centre was what seemed to be a block of metal Masni placed her foot on
this and pressed heavily。
And those watching saw a strange thing。
The slab of rock tilted to one side； as if on a pivot； revealing a square
opening which seemed to lead thro