coming here to see me," finished Tom.

"What! Is he going to lecture here?" cried
Ned. "If he is, and spouts a whole lot of that
bone-dry stuff about the ancient Mayan civilization
and their antiquities, with side lights on
how the old-time Indians used to scalp their
enemies, I'm going to the moving pictures! I'm
willing to be your financial manager, Tom Swift,
but please don't ask me to be a high-brow. I
wasn't built for that."

"Nor I, Ned. The professor isn't going to
lecture. He's only going to talk, he says."

"What about?"

"He's going to try to induce me to join his
expedition to the Copan valley."

"Do you feel inclined to go?"

"No, Ned, I do not. I've got too many other
irons in the fire. I shall have to give the professor
a polite but firm refusal."

"Well, maybe you're right, Tom; and yet that
idol of gold--GOLD--weighing how many pounds
did you say?"