Tom Swift and His Big Tunnel; Or, The Hidden City of the Andes

ssor

tus moved for a second, while the deadly fire crept on through th

rdly realizing that it might be even more deadly to the ship in the water than it was on the deck, the foot

which still showed a smouldering spark of fire, and calmly pulled out the "tail" of the explosive. It was harmless then, for the fuse, wit

uld speak. They felt an inexpressible sen

saved o

looked at the object in his hand as though it were the most natural thing in the

t would have gone off in another sec

s!" asked and ex

osive bombs are round, made that way so the force will be equal in all directions. But t

ls might be weaker near that bulge to make sure that the force of the explosion would

u have put us under a heavy debt to you! You saved our

the little man, ho

ho had rendered the bomb ineffective. "You might d

with you!" exclaimed Mr

ht you wanted the bomb.

earance of the man who had saved their lives. He had seen the passenger once or twice

as bald as a billiard ball, as the young inventor could notice when the stranger took off his hat to bow f

ely, as he was now observing the bomb, the head was thrust forward somewhat as an eagle might do. And Tom

lives," said Tom, as he advanced. "We don't know what to make

oolly and calmly, as though preventing bomb exp

s introduced the

with a bow, removing his hat, and again disclosing his

" said Tom, fervently, as h

Titus, "suppose we make an investigation, a

Bumper. "Bombs, such as this, do not sprout of themselv

ggested Tom. "I know so

xperimenting with explosives to disclose the fact that it had every characteristi

would both have been killed, or, a

And we owe our lives

n an easy tone. "Explosives are out of my line, but I guessed it was r

But some one must have placed i

bject in doing such a th

itus looked a

one it to get us out of the way, though I would not go so far as to say he meant to kill

out that," said To

areful," urg

something of which you know nothing. Briefly, there is a certain man who is trying to interfere in some work in which Mr

?" asked th

e strange," said Mr. Titus. "At one time I

e, after taking the infernal machine apart, he discovered

burning kind. Had it gone off it would have sent out a sheet of flame that would have severel

," said the contractor. "That w

ou ever see this Pro

ever

at he should happen to be so near at

d the contractor. "Do you mean that

Tom, slowly. "But I think it would be a good idea t

ou, Tom. We'll