TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS
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Victor Appleton >> TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS
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"About two miles. Why?"
"I guess that will be far enough to let him fall," went on the
diamond seeker. "Come on, Mr. Damon, help me throw him overboard!"
"You--you're not going to throw me over--with the airship two
miles high; are you?" gasped the man.
"Will you tell us what we want to know, if we don't?" asked Mr.
Jenks.
"What do you want to know?"
"How you got aboard, and what your object was in coming."
"That's easy enough. I had been hanging around the shed for
several days, watching a chance to get in. Finally I saw it, when
that colored man went to feed his mule, and I slipped in, and
hid in the airship. The stores were all in then, and I stowed
myself away among the boxes. I had food and water, so I didn't
touch any of yours," and he looked at Mr. Damon, who seemed much
relieved.
"And what was your object?" demanded Mr. Jenks.
"I wanted to prevent you from going to Phantom Mountain."
"How?"
"By destroying the airship if need be. But I hoped to
accomplish it by other means. I would have stopped at nothing,
though, to prevent you. You must keep away from there!"
"And if we refuse?" asked Tom.
"Then you'll have to take what comes!"
"But not from you!" exclaimed Mr. Jenks. "We're going to get
rid of you."
The man's face showed the alarm he felt.
"Oh, don't worry," said Mr. Jenks, quickly, "we're not going to
toss you overboard. We're not as desperate as your crowd. But
we're going to get rid of you, and then go on before you can send
any word to your confederates. We'll put you off in the most
lonesome spot we can find, and I guess you'll be some time
getting back to civilization. By that time we'll have the secret
of the diamonds."
"You never will!" declared the man, firmly. And he would say
nothing more, though by threats and promises Mr. Jenks tried to
get from him something about the men in with him, and where the
cave of the diamonds was located.
Heavily bound with ropes the man was locked in a small closet,
to be kept there until a favorable spot was reached for letting
him go. Mr. Jenks' plan, of dropping him down in some place where
he would have difficulty in sending on word to his confederates
was considered a good one.
Three days later, in crossing over a lonely region, near the
Nebraska National Forest, Farley Munson, which was one of the
names the spy went by, was dropped off the airship, when it was
sent down to within a few feet of the earth.
"It will take you some time to get to a telegraph office," said
Mr. Jenks, as a package of food, and a flask of water was tossed
down to the stowaway. He shook his fist at those in the airship,
and shouted after them:
"You'll never discover the secret of Phantom Mountain!"
"Yes, we will," declared Tom, as he sent the Red Cloud high
into the air again.
CHAPTER XI--A WEARY SEARCH
During the three days when the stowaway had been kept a
prisoner, the Red Cloud had made good time on her western trip.
She was now about two hundred and fifty miles from Leadville,
Colorado, and Tom knew he could accomplish that distance in a
short time. It was necessary, therefore, since they were so close
to the place where the real search would begin, to make some more
definite plans.
"We will need to replenish our supply of gasoline," said Tom,
shortly after the stowaway had been dropped, and when the young
inventor had made a general inspection of the airship.
"Is it all gone?" inquired Mr. Damon.
"Not all, but we will soon be in the wildest part of the Rocky
Mountains, and gasoline is difficult to procure there. So I want
to fill all our reserve tanks. But I would rather do that before
we get far into Colorado."
"Why?" inquired Mr. Parker.
"Because airships are not so common but what the appearance of
one attracts attention. Ours is sure to be talked about, and
commented on. In that case, in spite of our precaution in putting
Munson off in this lonely place, word of the Red Cloud being in
the vicinity of Leadville may reach the diamond makers, and put
them on their guard. We want to take them unawares if we can."
"That's so," agreed Mr. Jenks. "We had better get our gasoline
at the first stopping place, then, and proceed with our search.
Our first object ought to be to look for the landmark--the head
of stone. Then we can begin to prospect about a bit."
"My idea, exactly," declared Tom. "Well, then, I'll go down at
the first place we cross, where we can get gasoline, and then
we'll be in a position to hover in the air for a long time,
without descending."
The airship kept on her way, traveling slowly the remainder of
that day, and at dusk, when there was less chance of big crowds
seeing them, the Red Cloud was sent down on the outskirts of a
large village. Tom and Mr. Damon went to a supply store, and
arranged to have a sufficient quantity of the gasoline taken out
to the airship. It was delivered after dark, and little talk was
occasioned by the few who were aware of the presence of the
craft. Then, once more, they went aloft, and Tom sent several
wireless messages to Shopton, including one to Miss Nestor.
"Please tell my wife that I am well, and that I have a good
appetite," said Mr. Damon.
Mr. Parker also sent a message to a scientific friend of his, stating
that he made some observations among the mountains, of the region in
which the airship then was, and that the indications were that a great
landslide would soon take place.
"That won't worry us," spoke Tom, "for we'll be far above it."
"I hope we will be near enough to enable me to observe it, and
make some scientific notes," came from Mr. Parker. "I am positive
that one of these mountain peaks that we saw to-day will
disappear in a landslide within a few days. I have an instrument
somewhat like the one that records earthquakes, and it has been
acting strangely of late."
Tom wondered what enjoyment Mr. Parker got out of life, when he
was always looking for some calamity to happen, but the scientist
seemed to take as much pleasure in his gloomy forebodings now, as
he had on Earthquake Island.
They reached the vicinity of Leadville the next day, but took
care to keep high above the city, so that the airship could not
be observed. With powerful glasses they examined the mountainous
country, looking for the little settlement of Indian Ridge.
"There it is!" exclaimed Mr. Jenks, just as dusk was settling
down. I can make out the hotel I stopped at. Now we can really
begin our search. The next thing is to find the stone head, and
then, I think, I will have my bearings."
"We'll begin the hunt for that landmark in the morning," said
Tom.
High in the air hovered the Red Cloud. At that distance above
the earth she must have looked like some great bird, and the
adventurers thought it unlikely that any one in the vicinity of
Leadville would observe them.
The quest for the great mountain peak, that looked like a stone
head, was under way. Back and forth sailed the airship. Sometimes
she was enveloped in fog, and no sight could be had of the earth
below. At other times there were rain storms, which likewise
prevented a view. Mr. Parker was on the lookout for his predicted
mountain landslide, but it did not occur, and he was much
disappointed.
"It's queer I can't pick out that landmark," said Mr. Jenks
after two days of weary searching, when their eyes were strained
from long peering through telescopes. "I'm sure it was around
Indian Ridge, yet we've covered almost all the ground in this
neighborhood, and I haven't had a glimpse of it."
"Perhaps it was destroyed in a landslide, or some cataclysm of
nature," suggested Mr. Parker. "That is very possible."
"If that's the case we're going to have a hard time to locate
the cave of the diamond makers," answered Mr. Jenks, "but I hope
it isn't so."
They continued the search for another day, and then Tom, as
they sat in the comfortable cabin of the airship that night,
hovering almost motionless (for the motor had been shut down)
made a proposition.
"Why not descend in some secluded place," he suggested, "and
wander around on foot, making inquiries of the miners. They may
know where the stone head is, or they may even know about Phantom
Mountain."
"Good idea," spoke Mr. Jenks. "We'll do it."
Accordingly, the next morning, the Red Cloud was lowered in a
good but lonely landing place, and securely moored. It was in a
valley, well screened from observation, and the craft was not
likely to be seen, but, to guard against any damage being done to
it by passing hunters or miners, Mr. Parker and Mr. Damon agreed
to remain on guard in it, while Tom and Mr. Jenks spent a day or
two traveling around, making inquiries.
The young inventor and his companion proceeded on foot to a
small settlement, where they hired horses on which to make their
way about. They were to be gone two days, and in that time they
hoped to get on the right trail.
CHAPTER XII--THE GREAT STONE HEAD
It was a wild and desolate country in which Tom Swift and Mr.
Jenks were traveling. Villages were far apart, and they were at
best but small settlements. In their journeys from place to place
they met few travelers.
But of these few they made cautious inquiries as to the
location of Phantom Mountain, or the landmark known as the great
stone head. Prospectors, miners and hunters, whom they asked,
shook their heads.
"I've heard of Phantom Mountain," said one grizzled miner, "but
I couldn't say where it is. Maybe it's only a fish story--the
place may not even exist."
"Oh, it does, for I've been there!" exclaimed Mr. Jenks.
"Then why don't you go back to it?" asked the miner.
"Because I can't locate it again," was the reply.
"Humph! Mighty queer if you've seen a place once, and can't get
to it again," and the man looked as if he thought there was
something strange about Tom and his companion. Mr. Jenks did not
want to say that he had been taken to the mountain blindfolded,
for that would have caused too much talk.
"I think if we spent to-night in a place where the miners
congregate, listened to their talk, and put a few casual
questions to them, more as if we were only asking out of idle
curiosity, we might learn something," suggested Tom.
"Very well, we'll try that scheme."
Accordingly, after they had left the suspicious miner the two
proceeded to a small milling town, not far from Indian Ridge.
There they engaged rooms for the night at the only hotel, and,
after supper they sat around the combined dance hall and gambling
place.
There were wild, rough scenes, which were distasteful to Tom,
and to Mr. Jenks, but they felt that this was their only chance
to get on the right trail, and so they stayed. As strangers in a
western mining settlement they were made roughly welcome, and in
response to their inquiries about the country, they were told
many tales, some of which were evidently gotten up for the
benefit of the "tenderfeet."
"Is there a place around here called Phantom Mountain?" asked
Tom, at length, as quietly as he could.
"Never heard of it, stranger," replied a miner who had done
most of the talking. "I never heard of it, and what Bill
Slatterly don't know ain't worth knowin'. I'm Bill Slatterly," he
added, lest there be some doubt on that score.
"Isn't there some sort of a landmark around here shaped like a
great stone head?" went on Tom, after some unimportant questions.
"Seems to me I've heard of that."
"Nary a one," answered Mr. Slatterly. "No stone heads, and no
Phantom Mountains--nary a one.
"Who says there ain't no Phantom Mountains?" demanded an
elderly miner, who had been dozing in one corner of the room, but
who was awakened by Slatterly's loud voice. "Who says so?"
"I do," answered the one who claimed to know everything.
"Then you're wrong!" Tom's heart commenced beating faster than
usual.
"Do you mean to say you've seen Phantom Mountain, Jed Nugg?"
demanded Slatterly.
"No, I ain't exactly seen it, an' I don't want to, but there is
such a place, about sixty mile from here. Folks says it's
haunted, and them sort of places I steer clear from."
"Can you tell me about it?" asked Mr. Jenks, eagerly. "I am
interested in such things."
"I can't tell you much about it," was the reply, "and I
wouldn't git too interested, if I was you. It might not be
healthy. All I know is that one time my partner and I were in
hard luck. We got grub-staked, and went out prospectin'. We
strayed into a wild part of the country about sixty mile from
here, and one night we camped on a mountain--a wild, desolate
place it was too."
The miner stopped, and began leisurely filling his pipe.
"Well?" asked Tom, trying not to let his voice sound too eager.
"Well, that was Phantom Mountain."
The miner seemed to have finished his story.
"Is that all?" asked Mr. Jenks. "How did you know it was
Phantom Mountain?"
"'Cause we seen the ghost--my partner and I--that's why!"
exclaimed the man, puffing on his pipe. "As I said, we was
campin' there, and 'long about midnight we seen somethin' tall
and white, and all shimmerin', with a sort of yellow fire,
slidin' down the side of the mountain It made straight for our
camp."
"Huh! Guess you run, didn't you, Jed?" asked Bill Slatterly.
"Course we did. You'd a run too, if you seen a ghost comm' at
you, an' firm' a gun."
"Ghosts can't fire guns!" declared Bill. "I guess you dreamed
it, Jed."
"Ghosts can't fire guns, eh? That's all you know about it. This
one did, and to prove I didn't dream it, there was a bullet hole
in my hat next mornin'. I could prove it, too, only I ain't got
that hat any more. But that was Phantom Mountain, strangers, an'
my advice to you is to keep away from it. I was on it but I
didn't exactly see it, 'cause it was dark at the time."
"Was it near a peak that looked like a stone
head?" asked Tom.
"It were, stranger, but I didn't take much notice of it. Me and
my partner got out of them diggin's next day, and I never went
back. I ain't never said much about this place, but it's called
Phantom Mountain all right, and I ain't the only one that's seen
a ghost there. Other grub-stakers has had the same experience."
"Why ain't I never heard about it?" demanded Bill,
suspiciously.
"'Cause as why you're allers so busy talkin' that you don't
never listen to nothin' I reckon," was Jed's answer, amid
laughter.
"Can you tell us what trail to take to get there?" asked Tom,
of the miner.
"Yes, it's called the old silver trail, and you strike it by
goin' to a place called Black Gulch, about forty mile from here.
Then it's twenty mile farther on. But take my advice and don't
go."
"Can it be reached by way of Indian Ridge?" asked Mr. Jenks,
wondering how he had been taken to the cave of the diamond
makers. He did not remember Black Gulch.
"Yes, you can git there by Indian Ridge way, but it's more
dangerous. You're likely to lose your way, for that's a trail
that's seldom traveled." Mr. Jenks thought that, perhaps, was the
reason the gang had taken him that way. "It's easier to get to
the stone head and Phantom Mountain by Black Gulch, but it ain't
healthy to go there, strangers, take my advice on that,"
concluded the miner, as he prepared to go to sleep again.
Tom could scarcely contain the exultation he felt. At last, it
seemed, they were on the trail. He motioned to Mr. Jenks, and
they slipped quietly from the place, just as another dance was
beginning.
"Now for Black Gulch!" cried Tom. "We must hurry back to the
airship, and tell the good news.
"It's too late to-night," decided Mr. Jenks, and so they waited
until morning, when they made an early start.
They found Mr. Damon and Mr. Parker anxiously awaiting their
return. Mr. Damon blessed so many things that he was nearly out
of breath, and Mr. Parker related something of the observations
he had made.
"I think I have discovered traces of a dormant volcano," he
said. "I am in hopes that it will have an eruption while we are
here."
"I'm not," spoke Tom, decidedly. "We'll start for Black Gulch
as soon as possible."
The airship once more rose in the air, and, following the
directions the miner had given him, Tom pointed his craft for the
depression in the mountains which had been given the name Black
Gulch. It was reached in a short time, and then, making a turn up
a long valley the airship proceeded at reduced speed.
"We ought to see that stone head soon now," spoke Tom, as he
peered from the windows of the pilot house.
"It's queer we didn't notice it when we were up in the air,"
remarked Mr. Jenks. "We've been over this place before, I'm sure
of it."
The next moment Mr. Damon uttered a cry. "Bless my watch-chain!"
he exclaimed. "Look at that!"
He pointed off to the left. There, jutting out from the side of
a steep mountain peak was a mass of stone--black stone--which, as
the airship slowly approached, took the form and shape of a
giant's head.
"That's it! That's it!" cried Tom. "The great stone head!"
"And now for Phantom Mountain and the diamonds!" shouted Mr.
Jenks, as Tom let the airship slowly settle to the bottom of the
valley.
CHAPTER XIII--ON PHANTOM MOUNTAIN
Out from the Red Cloud piled Tom and the others. They made a
rush for the irregular mass of rock which bore so strong a
resemblance to the head of some gigantic man.
"That's the one! That's the thing I saw when they were taking
me along here blindfolded!" exclaimed Mr. Jenks. "I'm sure we're
on the right trail, now!"
"But what gets me, though," remarked Mr. Damon, "is why we
couldn't see that landmark when we were up in the air. We had a
fine view, and ought to have been able to pick it out with the
telescopes."
The adventurers saw the reason a few seconds later. The image
was visible only from one place, and that was directly looking up
the valley. If one went too far to the right or left the head
disappeared from view behind jutting crags, and it was impossible
to see it from overhead, because the head was almost under a
great spur of a mighty mountain.
"We might have hunted for it a week in the airship, and been
directly over it," said Tom, "and yet we would never have seen
it."
"Yes, but we never would have gotten here in such good shape if
it hadn't been for your wonderful craft," declared Mr. Jenks. "It
brought us here safely and quickly, and enabled us to elude the
men who tried to keep us back. We're here in spite of them. If we
had traveled by train they might have interfered with us in a
dozen ways."
"That's so," agreed Mr. Damon. "Well, now we're here, what's to
be done? Which way do we start to reach the cave where the
diamonds are manufactured, Mr. Jenks?"
"That I can't say. As you know, I only had a momentary glimpse
of this stone head as they wore taking me along the trail. Then
one the men noticed that the bandage had slipped and he pulled it
into place. So I really can't say which direction to take now, in
order to discover the secret."
"How long after you saw the head before you reached the cave?"
asked Tom. "In that way we may be able to tell how far away it
is."
"Well, I should say it was about two or three hours after I saw
the head, before we got to the halting place, and I was carried
into the cave. That would make it several miles from here, for we
went in a wagon."
"Yes, and they might have driven in a round-about way, in order
to deceive you," suggested Mr. Damon. "At best we have but a
faint idea where the diamond cave is, but we must search for it;
eh, Tom?"
"Certainly. We'll start right in. And as the airship will be of
but little service to us now, I suggest that we leave it in this
valley. It is very much secluded, and no one will harm it, I
think. We can then start off prospecting, for I have a large
portable tent, and we can carry enough food with us, with what
game we can shoot, to enable us to live. I have a regular camping
outfit on board."
"Fine!" cried Mr. Parker, "and that will give me a chance to
make some observations among the mountains, and perhaps I can
predict when a landslide, or an eruption of some dormant volcano,
may occur."
"Bless my stars!" cried Mr. Damon. "I don't wish you any bad
luck, Mr. Parker, but I sincerely hope nothing of the sort
happens! We had enough of that on Earthquake Island!"
"One can not halt the forces of nature," said the scientist,
solemnly. "There are many towering peaks around here which may
contain old volcanoes. And I notice the presence of iron ore all
about. This must be a wonderful place in a thunder and lightning
storm."
"Why?" asked Tom, curiously.
"Because lightning would be powerfully attracted here by the
presence of the metal. In fact there is evidence that many of the
peaks have been struck by lightning," and the scientist showed
curious, livid scars on the stone faces of the peaks within
sight.
"Then this is a good place to stay away from in a storm,"
observed Mr. Damon. "However, we won't worry about that now. If
this is the landmark Mr. Jenks was searching for, then we must be
in the vicinity of Phantom Mountain."
"I think we are," declared the diamond seeker. "Probably it is
within sight now, but there are so many peaks, and this is such a
wild and desolate part of the country that we may have trouble in
locating it."
"We've got to make a beginning, anyhow," decided Tom, "and the
sooner the better. Come, we'll make up our camping kits, and
start out."
It was something to know that they were on the right trail, and
it was a relief to be able to busy oneself, and not be aimlessly
searching for a mysterious landmark. They all felt this, and soon
the airship was taken to a secluded part of the valley, where it
was well hidden from sight in a grove of trees.
Tom and Mr. Damon then served a good meal, and preparations
were made to start on their search among the mountains--a search
which they hoped would lead them to Phantom Mountain, and the
cave of the diamond makers.
The tent which would afford them shelter was in sections, and
could be laced together. They carried food, compressed into small
packages, coffee, a few cooking utensils; and each one had a gun,
Tom carrying a combination rifle and shotgun, for game.
"We can't live very high while we're on the trail," said the
young inventor, "but it won't be much worse than it was on
Earthquake Island. Are we all ready?"
"I guess so," answered Mr. Damon. "How long are we going to be
away?"
"Until we find the diamond makers!" declared Tom, firmly.
Shouldering their packs, the adventurers started off. Tom
turned for a last look at his airship, dimly seen amid the trees.
Would he ever come back to the Red Cloud? Would she be there when
he did return? Would their quest be successful? These questions
the lad asked himself, as he followed his companions along the
rocky trail.
"Perhaps we can find the road by which these men go in and out
of the cave," suggested Mr. Damon, when they had gone on for
several miles.
"I fancy not," replied Mr. Jenks. "They probably take great
pains to hide it. I think though, that our best plan will be to
go here and there, looking for the entrance to the cave. I
believe I would remember the place."
"But why can't you follow the directions given by the miner who
told you about Phantom Mountain?" asked Mr. Damon.
"Because his talk was too indefinite," answered Mr. Jenks. "He
was so frightened by seeing what he believed to be a ghost, that
he didn't take much notice of the location of the place. All he
knows is that Phantom Mountain is somewhere around here."
"And we've got to hunt until we find it; is that the idea?"
asked Mr. Parker.
"Or until we see the phantom" added Tom, in a low voice.
"Bless my topknot!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "You don't mean to say
you expect to see that ghost; do you Tom?"
"Perhaps," answered the young inventor, and he did not add
something else of which he was thinking. For Tom had a curious
theory regarding the phantom.
They tramped about the remainder of that day. Toward evening
Tom shot some birds, which made a welcome addition to their
supper. Then the tent was put together, some spruce and hemlock
boughs were cut to make a soft bed, and on these, while the light
of a campfire gleamed in on them, the adventurers slept.
Their experience the following day was similar to the first.
They saw no evidence of a large cave such as Mr. Jenks had
described, nor were there any traces of men having gone back and
forth among the mountains, as might have been expected of the
diamond makers, for, as Mr. Jenks had said, they made frequent
journeys to the settlement for food, and other supplies.
"Well, I haven't begun to give up yet," announced Tom, on the
third day, when their quest was still unsuccessful. "But I think
we are making one mistake."
"What is that?" inquired Mr. Jenks.
"I think we should go up higher. In my opinion the cave is near
the top of some peak; isn't it, Mr. Jenks?"
"I have that impression, though, as you know, I never saw the
outside of it. Still, it might not be a bad idea to ascend some
of these peaks."
Following this suggestion, they laid their trail more toward
the sky, and that night found them encamped several thousand feet
above the sea-level. It was quite cool, and the campfire was a
big one about which they sat after supper, talking of many
things.
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