er, Tom, and the
others into the cavern.

For several hundred feet there was nothing remarkable about the cave.
It was like any other cavern of the mountains, though wonderful for the
number of crystal formations on the root and walls--formations that
sparkled like a million diamonds in the flickering lights.

"Talk about a wonderland!" cried Tom. "This is fairyland!"

A moment later, as Goosal walked on beside the professor and Tom, the
aged Indian came to a pause, and, pointing ahead, murmured:

"The city of the dead!"

They saw the niches cut in the rock walls, niches that held the
countless bones of those who had died many, many years before. It was
a vast Indian grave.

"Doubtless a wealth of material of historic interest here," said
Professor Bumper, flashing his torch on the skeletons. "But it will
keep. Where is the city you spoke of, Goosal?"

"Farther on, Senor. Follow me."

Past the stone graves they went, deeper and deeper into the great cave.
Their footsteps echoed and re-echoed. Suddenly Tom, who with Ned had
gone a little ahead, came to a sudden halt and said:

"Well, this may be a burial place sure enough, but I think I see
something alive all right--if it isn't a ghost."

He pointed ahead. Surely those were lights flickering and moving
about, and, yes, there were men carrying them. The Bumper party came
to a surprised halt. The other lights advanced, and then, to the great
astonishment of Professor Bumper and his friends, there confronted them
in the cave several scientists of Professor Beecher's party and a score
or more of Indians. Professor Hylop, who was known to Professor
Bumper, stepped forward and asked sharply:

"What are you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same thing," was the retort.

"You might, but you would not be answered," came sharply. "We have a
right here, having discovered this cavern, and we claim it under a
concession of the Honduras Government. I shall have to ask you to
withdraw."

"Do you mean leave here?" asked Mr Damon.

"That is it, exactly. We first discovered this cave. We have been
conducting explorations in it for several days, and we wish no
outsiders."

"Are you speaking for Professor Beecher?" asked Tom.

"I am. But he is here in the cave, and will speak for himself if you
desire it. But I represent him, and I order you to leave. If you do
not go peaceably we will use force. We have plenty of it," and he
glanced back at the In