ter 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!"

"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
from the same cause--the actions of a rival. Now we'll turn the tables
on the other fellows and see how they like it. The professor's
right--let's have breakfast. Jacinto seems to have told the truth.
Nothing of ours is missing."

Tom and Ned got the meal, and then a consultation was held as to what
was best to be done.

"We can't go on any further by water, that's sure," said Tom. "In the
first place the river is too shallow, and secondly we have no canoes.
So the only thing is to go on foot through the jungle."

"But how can we, and carry all this stuff?" asked Ned.

"We needn't carry it!" cried Professor Bumper. "We'll leave it here,
where it will be safe enough, and tramp on to the nearest Indian
village. There we'll hire bearers to take our stuff on until we can
get mules. I'm not going to turn back!"

"Good!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my rubber boots! but that's what I
say--keep on!"

"Oh, no! we'll never tu