tom swift in the land of wonders(汤姆·史威夫特-奇境)-第26节
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from loss of blood。 Come on；〃 he added to Tal； indicating his object。
It was not far to the native's hut from the place where the jaguar had
been killed； and there Tom and Ned underwent another demonstration of
affection as soon as those of Tal's immediate family and the other natives
understood what had happened。
〃I hate this business！〃 complained Tom； after having been knelt to by
the Indian's wife and child； who called him the 〃preserver〃 and other
endearing titles of the same kind。 〃Come on； let's hike back。〃
But Indian hospitality； especially after a life has been saved； is not so
simple as all that。
〃My lifemy houseall that I own is yours；〃 said Tal in deep gratitude。
〃Take everything；〃 and he waved his hand to indicate all the possessions in
his humble hut。
〃Thanks；〃 answered Tom； 〃but I guess you need all you have。 That's
a fine specimen of blow gun though；〃 he added； seeing one hanging on the
wall。 〃I wouldn't mind having one like that。 If you get well enough to
make me one； Tal； and some arrows to go with it； I'd like it for a curiosity
to hang in my room at home。〃
〃The Senor shall have a dozen；〃 promised the Indian。
〃Look； Ned；〃 went on Tom； pointing to the native weapon。 〃I never
saw one just like this。 They use small arrows or darts； tipped with wild
cotton； instead of feathers。〃
〃These the arrows；〃 explained Tal's wife； bringing a bundle from a
corner of the one…room hut。 As she held them out her husband gave a cry
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of fear。
〃Poisoned arrows！ Poisoned arrows！〃 he exclaimed。 〃One scratch and
the senors are dead men。 Put them away！〃
In fear the Indian wife prepared to obey； but as she did so Tom Swift
caught sight of the package and uttered a strange cry。
〃Thundering hoptoads； Ned！〃 he exclaimed。 〃The poisoned arrows are
wrapped in the piece of oiled silk that was around the professor's missing
map！〃
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TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS
CHAPTER XX
AN OLD LEGEND
Fascinated； Tom and Ned gazed at the package the Indian woman
held out to them。 Undoubtedly it was oiled silk on the outside； and
through the almost transparent covering could be seen the small arrows； or
darts； used in the blow gun。
〃Where did you get that？〃 asked Tom； pointing to the bundle and
gazing sternly at Tal。
〃What is the matter； Senor？〃 asked the Indian in turn。 〃Is it that you
are afraid of the poisoned arrows？ Be assured they will not harm you
unless you are scratched by them。〃
Tom and Ned found it difficult to comprehend all the rapid Spanish
spoken by their host； but they managed to understand some； and his
eloquent gestures made up the rest。
〃We're not afraid；〃 Tom said； noting that the oiled skin well covered
the dangerous darts。 〃But where did you get that？〃
〃I picked it up； after another Indian had thrown it away。 He got it in
your camp； Senor。 I will not lie to you。 I did not steal。 Valdez went to
your camp to stealhe is a bad Indian and he brought back this wrapping。
It contained something he thought was gold； but it was not； so he〃
〃Quick！ Yes！ Tell us！〃 demanded Tom eagerly。 〃What did he do with
the professor's map that was in the oiled silk？ Where is it？〃
〃Oh； Senors！〃 exclaimed the Indian woman； thinking perhaps her
husband was about to be dealt harshly with when she heard Tom's excited
voice。 〃Tal do no harm！〃
〃No； he did no harm；〃 went on Tom； in a reassuring tone。 〃But he
can do a whole lot of good if he tells us what became of the map that was
in this oiled silk。 Where is it？〃 he asked again。
〃Valdez burn it up；〃 answered Tal。
〃What； burned the professor's map？〃 cried Ned。
〃If that was in this yellow clothyes；〃 answered the injured man。
〃Valdez he is bad。 He say to me he is going to your camp to see what he
can take。 How he got this I know not； but he come back one morning
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with the yellow pack… age。 I see him； but he make me promise not to tell。
But you save my life I tell you everything。
〃Valdez open the package； but it is not gold； though he think so
because it is yellow； and the man with no hair on his head keep it in his
pocket close； so close；〃 and Tal hugged himself to indicate what he meant。
〃That's Professor Bumper；〃 explained Ned。
〃How did Valdez get the map out of the professor's coat？〃 asked Tom。
〃Valdez he very much smart。 When man with no hair on his head
take coat off for a minute to eat breakfast Valdez take yellow thing out of
pocket。〃
〃The Indian must have sneaked into camp when we were eating；〃 said
Tom。 〃Those from Beecher's party and our workers look all alike to us。
We wouldn't know one from the other； and one of our rival's might slip
in。〃
〃One evidently did； if this is really the piece of oiled silk that was
around the professor's map；〃 said Ned。
〃It certainly is the same；〃 declared the young inventor。 〃See； there is
his name；〃 and he stretched out his hand to point。
〃Don't touch！〃 cried Tal。 〃Poisoned arrows snake poisonvery dead…
like and quick。〃
〃Don't worry； I won't touch；〃 said Tom grimly。 〃But go on。 You say
Valdez sneaked into our camp； took the oiled…silk package from the coat
pocket of Professor Bumper and went back to his own camp with it；
thinking it was gold。〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Tal； though it is doubtful if he understood all that Tom
said； as it was half Spanish and half English。 But the Indian knew a little
English； too。 〃Valdez； when he find no gold is very mad。 Only papers
in the yellow silk…papers with queer marks on。 Valdez think it maybe a
charm to work evil； so he burn them upall up！〃
〃Burned that rare map！〃 gasped Tom。
〃All in fire；〃 went on Tal； indicating by his hands the play of flames。
〃Valdez throw away yellow silk； and I take for my arrows so rain not wash
off poison。 I give to you； if you like； with blow gun。〃
〃No； thank you；〃 answered Tom； in disappointed tones。 〃The oiled
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silk is of no use without the map； and that's gone。 Whew！ but this is
tough！〃 he said to his chum。 〃As long as it was only stolen there was a
chance to get it back； but if it's burned； the jig is up。〃
〃It looks so；〃 agreed Ned。 〃We'd better get back and tell the
professor。 It he can't get along without the map it's time he started a
movement toward getting another。 So it wasn't Beecher； after all； who
got it。〃
〃Evidently not；〃 assented Tom。 〃But I believe him capable of it。〃
〃You haven't much use for him；〃 remarked Ned。
〃Huh！〃 was all the answer given by his chum。
〃I am sorry； Senors；〃 went on Tal； 〃but I could not stop Valdez； and the
burning of the papers〃
〃No； you could not help it；〃 interrupted the young inventor。 〃But it
just happens that it brings bad luck to us。 You see； Tal； the papers in this
yellow covering； told of an old buried city that the bald…headed professor
the…man… with…no…hair…on…his…headis very anxious to discover。 It is
somewhere under the ground；〃 and he waved to the jungle all about them；
pointing earthwards。
〃Paper Valdez burn tell of lost city？〃 asked Tal； his face lighting up。
〃Yes。 But now； of course； we can't tell where to dig for it。〃
The Indian turned to his wife and talked rapidly with her in their own
dialect。 She； too； seemed greatly excited； making quick gestures。
Finally she ran out of the hut。
〃Where is she going？〃 asked Tom suspiciously。
〃To get
