"He isn't going to give his secret away,"
thought Ned.

"Well, this Professor Beecher, you know,"
went on Mr. Damon, "also knows about the idol
of gold, and is trying to get ahead of Professor
Bumper in the search."

"He did say something of it, but nothing was
certain," remarked Tom.

"But it is certain!" exclaimed Mr. Damon.
"Bless my toothpick, it's altogether too certain!"

"How is that?" asked Tom. "Is Beecher
certainly going to Honduras?"

"Yes, of course. But what is worse, he and
his party will leave New York on the same
steamer with us!"



CHAPTER VII

TOM HEARS SOMETHING


On hearing Mr. Damon's rather startling