ty of Pelone," he said. "Every indication points to this as the
region, and the more I study the plates of gold, and read their
message, the more I am convinced that this is the place spoken of.

"But we have been over many mountains, and in more valleys, without
finding a trace of the ancient civilization I feel sure once flourished
here. There are no relics of a lost race--not so much as an arrow or
spear head. But, somehow or other, I feel that I shall find the lost
city. And when I do I shall be famous!"

"Mr. Damon and I will help you all we can," Tom said. "As soon as I get
ready the next blast I'll have a little time to myself, and we will go
with you on a trip or two."

"I shall be very glad to have you," the bald-headed scientist remarked.

Tom's second blast was even more successful than the first, and enough
of the hard rock was loosed and pulverized to give the Indian laborers
ten days' work in removing it from the tunnel.

Then, as the services of the young inventor would not be needed for a
week or more, he decided to go on a little trip with Professor Bumper.

"I'll come too," said Mr. Damon. "One of the sub-contractors whose men
are gathering the cinchona bark for our firm has his headquarters in
the region where you are going, and I can go over there and see why he
isn't up to the mark."

Accordingly, preparations having been made to spend a week in camp in
the forests of the Andes, Tom and his party set off one morning.
Professor Bumper's Indian helpers would do the hard work, and, of
course, Koku, who went wherever Tom went, would be on hand in case some
feat of strength were needed.

It was a blind search, this hunt for a lost city, and as much luck
might be expected going in one direction as in another; so the party
had no fixed point toward which to travel. Only Mr. Damon stipulated
that he wanted to reach a certain village, and they planned to include
that on their route.

Tom Swift took his electric rifle with him, and with it he was able to
bring down a couple of deer which formed a welcome addition to the camp
fare.

The rifle was a source of great wonder to the Peruvians. They were
familiar with ordinary firearms, and some of them possessed
old-fashioned guns. But Tom's electric weapon, which made not a sound,
but killed with the swiftness of light, was awesome to them. The
interpreter accompanying Professor Bumper confided privately to Tom
that the other Indians regarded the you