Bumper. "And it is supposed to be in a
buried city named Kurzon, somewhere in the
Sierra de Merendon range of mountains, in the
vicinity of the Copan valley. Copan is a city,
or maybe we'll find it only a town when we get
there, and it is not far from the borders of
Guatemala.

"Tom, if I could show you the translations I
have made of the ancient documents, referring
to this idol and the wonderful city over which
it kept guard, I'm sure you'd come with us."

"Please don't tempt me," Tom said with a
laugh. "I'm only too anxious to go, and if it
wasn't for the stabilizer I'd be with you in a
minute. But---- Well, you'll have to get along
without me. Maybe I can join you later."

"What's this about the idol keeping guard
over the ancient city?" asked Ned, for he was
interested in strange stories.

"It seems," explained the professor, "that in
the early days there was a strange race of people,
inhabiting Central America, with a somewhat
high civilization, only traces of which remained
when the Spaniards came.

"But these traces, and such hieroglyphics, or,