Secrets of the Andes Page 4

  CHAPTER IV

  The Surly Trainman

  Before the blaze in Bob's eyes the man shrank back, hesitated amoment, and then turned in the direction of the freight station.

  "All right," he snarled. "But don't let me catch the kid around hereagain, or you either."

  He walked up the track to the end of the train, then disappearedbehind the engine.

  "Gee, that was swell of you," said Spike to Bob. "You sure had thatguy scared."

  "He was glad enough to get out of it," laughed Joe. "Old Bob wouldn'thave left a grease spot of him."

  "But now," began Bob, anxious to turn this tribute aside, "let'sfigure out what to do. I suppose the only thing----"

  "I want to get home," Spike interrupted. "I may have something comin'to me, but the sooner I get it over, the better."

  "Where do you live?" Joe asked.

  "Only about a half-mile from here."

  Joe got a piece of paper and pencil out of his pocket. He tore off onecorner and wrote down the address of himself and his friend. This hegave to Spike.

  "Here," he said. "Write us a letter some time. Now where do you live?"

  Spike told him, and then, with a warm good-bye, he left the youths andhurried down the track.

  Bob and Joe watched the lad until he disappeared from view. Even afterthey lost sight of him, they stood gazing in that direction until alocomotive whistle roused them.

  "He's a good kid, all right," smiled Bob. "Might be an aimlesswanderer, but he has a lot in him."

  "Got a keen sense of humor, too," said Joe, and then added: "I wonderif he'll really go to school and make something out of himself, as hesaid he would?"

  "Hard telling. A lot can happen to change his mind, you know."

  For several minutes Bob and Joe watched the busy scene about thetracks. Finally a factory whistle from afar prompted Joe to glance athis watch.

  "Nearly two o'clock," he announced. "Come on. Let's hurry down to thefreight station and see if we can send a telegram to our folks. If wehadn't lost the car in that river, we would have been home severaldays ago."

  The youths moved down to the building and went inside. After makingseveral inquiries they finally found the main office, where they werepermitted to send a telegram. Then they left the building and walkedin the direction of the street.

  "Good old Chicago," smiled Joe. "It's only been a couple of monthssince we were here."

  Bob stopped suddenly.

  "That reminds me," he started. "We came here with our dads to see aMr. Wallace, who's with the Museum of Natural History, didn't we? Andthis Mr. Wallace is planning on going with our dads' expedition to theAndes Mountains, isn't he? Do you suppose he's left for Washingtonyet?"

  Joe's face lightened.

  "I see what you mean," he said. "We can go and see him, andincidentally we can borrow enough money to get home on. Suppose we goto the museum now."

  The boys were familiar with Chicago and had no difficulty in taking astreet car. After a half-hour's ride they got off within a few squaresof the museum. A ten-minute walk brought them to the main entrance.

  At the office they made inquiries about Mr. Wallace and finally foundhim in a laboratory on the second floor. He smiled broadly as herecognized Bob and Joe.

  "Well, this is an unexpected pleasure," he said, extending his hand."What, may I ask, are you fellows doing in Chicago? Why aren't yougetting ready for that Andes expedition?"

  "It isn't our fault that we're here," laughed Bob, and then proceededto tell of the events that led to their presence. "Since we finallylanded here, we thought we'd come to the museum and see if you hadleft for Washington yet," he concluded.

  "A strange chain of circumstances," the scientist breathed. "Not manycould go through all that in the course of a few days. No doubt it wasyour first experience as hoboes, was it not?"

  "First and last," returned Joe. "We've had all we want of it. Butnow," he went on, "when are you going to Washington? The expeditionleaves in little more than a week."

  "I had planned to go day after tomorrow," Mr. Wallace said. "I thinkeverything will be in readiness by that time. I'd like to spend atleast three days in Washington talking with your fathers and others ofthe expedition before sailing. Of course you fellows are familiar withthe details of the expedition, are you not?"

  "Quite the contrary," returned Bob. "You see, when the matter wasfirst mentioned, about a month ago, there was not much known aboutit. Our dads declined to say much, because they were not absolutelysure they were going. Joe and I, though, had a sort of feeling thatthey _were_ going, and finally got permission to stay out of collegeat least a half-year."

  "So you could go with the expedition?" interrupted the scientist.

  Bob nodded.

  "We figured we'd get as much good out of such a trip as we could getin a university," he explained. "Then, too, there's a chance of makingmoney by taking motion pictures, as we did on our other expeditions."

  "I think you did wisely," Mr. Wallace said. "It usually isn't good fora fellow to get out of college too young. When an extraordinary chancelike this turns up, it's best to take it."

  He motioned for the boys to follow him into his office, where severalchairs were arranged about the desk. A large bookcase occupied a wholeend of the room, while opposite it was a case of instruments andpreservatives.

  "Sit down," he directed them, "and we'll talk over this Peruvianexpedition."

  Bob and Joe did as directed, glad of the chance to rest their tiredlimbs.

  Mr. Wallace procured an atlas, opened it to a map of Peru, and drewan imaginary line in the lower right-hand corner.

  "Here's Cuzco," he pointed out. "We'll probably make it or some othernear-by city our base. From there we'll go into the Andes Mountains onour varied scientific quests."

  "But what--what is the main purpose of the expedition?" inquired Joe."Of course, you and Mr. Holton and Dad are naturalists, who want toget specimens of animal life. But that isn't the chief aim of theexpedition, is it?"

  "No. It is being sent out by the division of ethnology at the museumin Washington. The scientists in that field have in mind mainly tostudy the ruins of the vanished Inca civilization. Those Indians, youknow, that built so many marvelous works of architecture. That's aboutas much as I know about them, though," he laughed. "My line runsstraight through the field of natural history and zoology, andincidentally anatomy, histology, taxonomy, embryology, ecology----"

  "That's enough!" interrupted Bob, smiling sheepishly. "You don'texpect Joe and me to be acquainted with all those subjects, do you?We're pretty good shots, but as scientists we're as yet a completeflop."

  A general laugh ensued, after which the naturalist again pointed tothe map.

  "We are to explore the region northwest of Lake Titicaca," hecontinued. "I understand there are some very high peaks in this range,all the way from ten to twenty thousand feet in altitude."

  "These Incas," started Joe, "when did they live? It hasn't been sovery long ago, has it?"

  "Not as time is usually thought of. The sixteenth century witnessedtheir downfall. This was at the time of the Spanish South Americanexplorations, you know."

  "Those Spaniards sure saw something unusual and unexpected," remarkedBob. "This mountainous region was chock-full of architectural wonders,all built by the Incas."

  "Something tells me we'll see sights, all right," said Joe. "It willbe good to get away from home again--into the unknown, I mean. Andthat reminds me. Would it be possible for you to lend us enough moneyto get back to Washington?"

  "Why--of course. How much do you need?"

  "Fifty dollars will pull us through. Perhaps we can get along on lessthan that," was the answer from Bob.

  "All right. I'll see that you get it. But wait! I expect to go dayafter tomorrow with a friend, who is driving East on business. Therewill be plenty of room for two more. You fellows don't have to gethome at once, do you?"

  "No, we don't have to," returned Joe. "We----"


  "Suppose you be my guests until then. I'll be only too glad to haveyou. In the meantime we can be discussing the coming expedition."

  "We'd sort of hate to do that," Bob said. "It will mean a lot oftrouble to you."

  "Forget it! I'll be only too glad to have you."

  "Well, all right, if you----" Joe began.

  "We'll call it settled," Mr. Wallace said. "And now, since my day ispractically over, we may as well go to the house. That is, if you'reready."

  "We're ready any time," Bob told him.

  The three went outside, to a place where the naturalist's automobilewas parked. All got inside and drove through the city till they cameto a beautiful suburb.

  "Here's my place," said Mr. Wallace, pointing to a large house ofrather costly design.

  Inside, the youths were introduced to Mrs. Wallace, who made them feelperfectly at home.

  "I hate to see Mr. Wallace leave on an expedition," she said, "but Ican appreciate his interest in science. In fact, I have often wished Icould accompany him. Be a sort of Mrs. Martin Johnson, you know."

  "I wish our mothers were like that," laughed Bob. "If they were,perhaps Joe and I wouldn't have so much difficulty in getting theirconsent to go with our dads."

  A bountiful dinner was soon served, Bob and Joe eating heartily.

  "And now I have a surprise for you," Mr. Wallace said, when the mealwas over. "It is something I know we all will enjoy, especially inview of what is to come."

  The young men looked inquiring.