Tom laughed genially.

"No worries at all, as far as the Swift
Company is concerned," returned Ned.

"Well, I guess you earn your salary," laughed
Tom. "But now, Professor Bumper, let's hear
from you. Is there anything more about this
idol of gold that you can tell us?"

"Plenty, Tom, plenty. I could talk all day,
and not get to the end of the story. But a lot
of it would be scientific detail that might be too
dry for you in spite of this excellent lemonade,"

Between them Koku and Eradicate had managed
to make a pitcher of the beverage, though
Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, told Tom afterward
that the two had a quarrel in the kitchen
as to who should squeeze the lemons, the giant
insisting that he had the better right to "punch"
them.

"So, not to go into too many details," went on
the professor, "I'll just give you a brief outline
of this story of the idol of gold.

"Honduras, as you of course know, is a
republic of Central America, and it gets its name
from something that happened on the fourth