Foger and his father!" cried Tom. "I might have known they'd
follow us--to learn--" and then he stopped, for Senor Delazes was
regarding him curiously.

CHAPTER XIV

A WEARY SEARCH

"Are you sure it's them?" asked Ned.

"Bless my toothpick!" cried Mr. Damon. "It isn't possible, Tom?"

"Yes, it is," said the young inventor. "It's the Fogers all right.
Take a look for yourself, Ned."

The other lad did, and confirmed his chum's news, and then Mr. Damon
also made sure, by using the glass.

"No doubt of it," the odd man said. "But what are you going to do,
Tom?"

Our hero thought for a moment. Then, once more, he looked
steadfastly through the glass at the other carts. The occupants of
them did not appear to know that they were under observation, and at
that distance they could not have made out our friends without a
telescope. Tom ascertained that the Fogers were not using one.

"Has Senor Swift any orders?" asked Delazes. "Who are these Fogers?
Enemies of yours I take it. Why should they follow you merely to
find a ruined city, that the ruins and relics may be studied?"

"Here are the orders," spoke Tom, a bit sharply, not answering the
question. "We'll camp and have supper, and then we'll go on and make
all the distance we can after dark."

"What, travel at night?" cried the Mexican, as if in horror at the
suggestion.

"Yes; why not?" asked Tom calmly. "They can't see us after dark, and
if we can strike off on another trail we may throw them off our
track. Surely we'll travel after supper."

"But it will be night--dark--we never work after dark," protested
Delazes.

"You're going to this time," declared Tom grimly.

"But the oxen--they are not used to it."

"Nothing like getting used to a thing," went on the young inventor.
"They won't mind after a rest and a good feed. Besides, there is a
moon to-night, and it will be plenty light enough. Tell the men,
Senor Delazes."

"But they will protest. It is unheard of, and--"

"Send them to me," said Tom quickly. "There'll be double pay for
night work. Send them to me."

"Ah, that is good. Senor Swift. Double pay! I think the men will not
object," and with a greedy look in his black eyes the Mexican
contractor hastened to tell his men of the change of plans.

Tom took another look at the approaching Fogers. Their carts were
slowly crawling up the trail, and as Tom could plainly see them, he
made no doubt but that his caravan was also observed