"Appleton, Victor - Tom Swift Sr 020 - Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders" - читать интересную книгу автора (Appleton Victor)

have done. It might be almost anybody from some person you met up in the
caves of ice to a red pygmy from the wilds of Africa.''

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``I'm afraid neither of them would be quite up to telephone talk
yet,'' laughed Tom. ``No, this was the gentleman who wrote that interesting
article about the idol of gold,'' and he motioned to the magazine Ned held
in his hand.

``You don't mean Professor Bumper!''

``That's just whom I do mean.''

``What did he want? Where did he call from?''

``He wants me to help organize an expedition to go to Central America
-- to the Copan valley, to be exact -- to look for this somewhat mythical
idol of gold. Incidentally the professor will gather in any other antiques
of more or less value, if he can find any, and he hopes, even if he doesn't
find the idol, to get enough historical material for half a dozen books, to
say nothing of magazine articles.''

``Where did he call from; did you say?''

``I didn't say. But it was a long-distance call from New York. The
Professor stopped off there on his way from Boston, where he has been
lecturing before some society. And now he's coming here to see me,''
finished Tom.

``What! Is he going to lecture here?'' cried Ned. ``If he is, and
spouts a whole lot of that bone-dry stuff about the ancient Mayan
civilization and their antiquities, with side lights on

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how the old-time Indians used to scalp their enemies, I'm going to the
moving pictures! I'm willing to be your financial manager, Tom Swift, but
please don't ask me to be a high-brow. I wasn't built for that.''

``Nor I, Ned. The professor isn't going to lecture. He's only going to
talk, he says.''

``What about?''

``He's going to try to induce me to join his expedition to the Copan
valley.''