and we'll save all that blasting。 The tunnel will be finished in time！〃
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〃So it will！〃 cried Job Titus。 〃We can use the main street of the hidden
city as part of the tunnel。〃
〃Use the street all you like；〃 said Mr。 Bumper。 〃but leave the houses to
me。 They are a perfect mine of ancient lore and information。 At last I have
found it！ The ancient； hidden city of Pelone； spoken of on the Peruvian
tablets； of gold。〃
The story of the discoveries the scientist made in Pelone is an
enthralling one。 But this is a story of Tom Swift and his big tunnel； and no
place for telling of the archeological discoveries。
Suffice it to say that Professor Bumper； though be found no gold； for
which the contractors hoped； made many curious finds in the ancient
houses。 He came upon traces of a strange civilization； though he could
find no record of what had caused the burial of Pelone beneath the
mountains。 He wrote many books about his discovery； giving Tom Swift
due credit for uncovering the place with the mighty blast。 Other scientists
came in flocks； and for a time Pelone was almost as busy a place as it had
been originally。
Even when the tunnel was completed and trains ran through it； the
scientists kept on with their work of classifying what they found。 An
underground station was built on the main street of the old city； and
visitors often wandered through the ancient houses； wherein was the bone…
dust of the dead and gone people。
But to go back to the story of Tom Swift。 Tom's surmise was right。 He
and the contractors were able to use the main street of Pelone as part of
their tunnel； and a good half mile of blasting through solid rock was saved。
The flint came to an end at the extremity of Pelone； and the last part of the
tunnel had only to be dug through sand…stone and soft dirt； an easy
undertaking。
So the big bore was finished on timeahead of time in fact； and Titus
Brothers received from Senor Belasdo； the Peruvian representative； a large
bonus of money； in which Tom Swift shared。
〃So our rivals didn't balk us after all；〃 said Walter Titus； 〃though they
tried mighty hard。〃
The big tunnel was finishedat least Tom Swift's work on it。 All that
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remained to do was to clear away the debris and lay the connecting rails。
Tom and Mr。 Damon prepared to go back home。 The latter's work was
done。 As for Professor Bumper； nothing could take him from Pelone。 He
said he was going to live there； and； practically； he did。
Tom； Koku and Mr。 Damon returned to Lima； thence to go to Callao to
take the steamer for San Francisco。 One day the manager of the hotel
spoke to them。
〃You are Americans； are you not？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 answered Tom。 〃Why？〃
〃Because there is another American here。 He is friendless and alone；
and he is dying。 He has no friends； he says。 Perhaps〃
〃Of course we'll do what we can for him；〃 said Tom； impulsively。
〃Where is he？〃
With Mr。 Damon he entered the room where the dying man lay。 He had
caught a fever； the hotel manager said； and could not recover。 Tom；
catching sight of the sufferer； cried：
〃The bearded man！ Waddington！〃
He had recognized the mysterious person who had been on the
Bellaconda； and the man whose face had stared at him through the secret
shaft of the tunnel。
〃Yes； the 'bearded man' now；〃 said the sufferer in a hoarse voice； 〃and
some one else too。 You are right。 I am Waddington！〃
And so it proved。 He had grown a beard to disguise himself so he
might better follow Tom Swift and Mr。 Titus。 And he had followed them；
seeking to prevent the completion of the tunnel。 But he had not been
successful。
Waddington it was who had thrown the bomb； though he declared he
only hoped to disable Tom and Mr。 Titus； and not to injure them。 He was
fighting for delay。 And it was Waddington； working in conjunction with
the rascally foreman Serato； who had induced the tunnel workers to desert
so mysteriously； hoping to scare the other Indians away。 He nearly
succeeded too； had it not been for the gratitude of the woman whose baby
Tom had saved from the condor。
Waddington had been an actor before he became involved with the
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rival contractors。 He was smooth shaven when first he went to Shopton； to
spy on Mr。 Titus； whose movements he had been commanded to follow by
Blakeson & Grinder。 Then he disappeared after Mr。 Titus chased him； only
to reappear； in disguise； on board the Bellaconda； as Senor Pinto。
Waddington； meanwhile； had grown a beard and this； with his
knowledge of theatrical makeup； enabled him to deceive even Mr。 Titus。
Of course it was comparatively easy to deceive Tom； who had not known
him。 Waddington had really been ill when he called for help on the ship；
and he had not noticed that it was Tom and Mr。 Titus who came into his
stateroom to his aid。 When he did recognize them； he relied on his
disguise to screen him from recognition； and he was successful。 He had
only pretended to be ill； though； the time he slipped out and threw the
bomb。
Reaching Peru he at once began his plotting。 Serato told him about the
secret shaft leading into the tunnel； and with the knotted rope； and with the
aid of the faithless foreman； the men were got out of the tunnel and paid to
hide away。 Waddington was planning further disappearances when Tom
saw him； but thought it a dream。
Masni； the Indian woman； out herb…hunting one day； had seen
Waddington； 'the bearded man' as he then wasworking the secret stone。
Hidden； she observed him and told her husband； who was afraid to reveal
what he knew。 But when Tom saved the baby the woman rewarded him in
the only way possible。 And it was Serato； who； at Waddington's suggestion；
caused the 〃hit〃 among the men by working on their superstitious fears。
Waddington； knowing that he was dying； confessed everything； and
begged forgiveness from Tom and his friends； which was granted； in as
much as no real harm had been done。 Waddington was but a tool in the
hands of the rival contractors； who deserted him in his hour of need。 His
last hours； however； were made as comfortable as possible by the
generosity of Tom and Mr。 Damon。
No effort was made to bring Blakeson & Grinder to justice； as there
was no evidence against them after Waddington died。 And； as the tunnel
was finished； the Titus brothers had no further cause for worry。
〃But if it had not been for Tom's big blast； and the discovery of the
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hidden city of Pelone just in the right place； we might be digging at that
tunnel yet；〃 said Job Titus。
The day before the steamer was to sail； Tom Swift received a cable
message。 Its receipt seemed to fill him with delight； so that Mr。 Damon
asked：
〃Is it from your father； Tom？〃
〃No it's from Mary Nestor。 She says her father has forgiven me。 They
have been away； and Mary has been ill； which accounts for no letters up to
now。 But everything is all right now； and they feel that the dynamite trick
wasn't my fault。 But； all the same； I'm going to teach Eradicate to read；〃
concluded Tom。
〃I think it would be a good idea；〃 agreed Mr。 Damon。
Tom； Mr。 Damon and Koku； bidding farewell to the friends they had
made in Peru； went。 aboard the steamer； Job Titus and his brother coming
to see them off。
〃Give us an option on all that explosive you make； Tom Swift！〃
begged Walter Titus。 〃We were so successful with this tunnel； thanks to
you； that the government is going to have us dig another。 Will you come
down and help？〃
〃Maybe；〃 said Tom； with a smile。 〃But I'm going home first；〃 and once
more he read the message from Mary Nestor。
And as Tom； on the deck of the steamer； waved his hands to Professor
Bumper and his other friends whom he was leaving in Peru； we also； will
say farewell。
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