ed Tom, "come over here and meet a friend of ours,
Professor Bumper," and he was about to introduce them, for the two, as
far as Tom knew, had not yet met. But no sooner had the professor and
Mr. Damon caught sight of each other than there was a look of mutual
recognition.

"Bless my fountain pen!" cried the eccentric man. "If it isn't my old
friend!"

"Mr. Damon!" cried the professor. "I am delighted to see you again. I
did not know you were on board!"

"Nor I you. Bless my apple dumpling! Are you still after those Peruvian
antiquities?"

"I am, Mr. Damon. But I did not know you were acquainted with Mr.
Swift."

"Oh, Tom and I are old friends."

"Professor Bumper saved the lives of Mr. Titus and myself," said Tom,
"or at least he saved us from severe injury by a bomb."

"Pray do not mention it, my friends," put in the professor, casually.
"It was nothing."

Of course he did not mean it just that way.

Then, naturally, Mr. Damon had to be told all about the bomb for the
first time, and his wonder was great. He blessed everything he could
think of.

"And to think it should be my old friend, Professor Bumper, who saved
you," said the odd man to Tom and Mr. Titus later that day.

"Do you know him well?" asked Mr. Titus.

"Very well indeed. Our drug concern sells him many chemicals for his
experiments."

"Well, if you know him I guess he can't be what I thought he was," the
contractor went on. "I'm glad to know it. Why is he going to the Andes?"

"Oh, for many years he has been interested in collecting Peruvian
antiquities. He has a certain theory in regard to something or other
about their ancient civilization, but just what it is I have, at this
moment, forgotten. Only I know you can thoroughly trust Professor
Bumper, for a finer man never lived, though he is a bit absent-minded
at times. But you will like him very much."

Thus the last lingering doubt of Professor Bumper was removed. Mr.
Damon told something of how the scientist had been honored by degrees
from many colleges and was regarded as an authority on Peruvian matters.

But who had placed the bomb on deck remained a mystery.

In due time Callao, the seaport of Lima, was reached and our friends
disembarked. Tom saw to the unloading of the explosive, which was to be
sent direct to the tunnel at Rimac. Mr. Titus, Tom and Mr. Damon would
remain in Lima a day or so.

Professor Bumper disembarked with our friends, and stopped at the same
hote