"BEWARE THE HEAD-HUNTERS!"


"That's what I want!" exclaimed the young inventor, as he finished
the perusal of the missionary's missive.

"What is it?" asked Mr. Swift, entering the shop at that moment.

"News from Africa, dad. Mr. Illingway went to a lot of trouble to
get more information for us about the city of gold, and he sends a
better map. It seems there was one among the effects of the white
man who died near where Mr. Illingway has his mission. With this
map, and what additional information I have, we ought to locate the
underground city. Look, dad," and the lad showed the map.

"Humph!" exclaimed Mr. Swift with a smile. "I don't call that a very
clear map. It shows a part of Central Mexico, that's true, but it's
on such a small scale I don't see how you're going to tell anything
by it."

"But I have a description," explained Tom. "It seems according to
Mr. Illingway's letter, that you have to go to the coast and strike
into the interior until you are near the old city of Poltec. That
used to be it's name, but Mr. Illingway says it may be abandoned
now, or the name changed. But I guess we can find it."

"Then, according to what he could learn from the African natives,
who talked with the white man, the best way is to hire ox carts and
strike into the jungle. That's the only way to carry our baggage,