es for the head, anyhow!" exclaimed Tom, and with a
few blows of his keen little axe he severed the neck. As he held it
up for all to see--rather a grewsome sight it was, too, in the
flickering light of the gas torches--there sounded throughout the
underground city, a dull, booming noise, like distant thunder.

"What's that?" cried Ned.

"Bless my bath sponge!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "I hope the water isn't
rising in the river."

"Oh land a massy!" gasped Eradicate.

Without a word Tom dropped the golden head and made for the street
that led to the tunnel. The others followed, and soon caught up to
the young inventor. On and on they ran, with only the light of their
electric flash torches to guide them. Suddenly Tom stopped.

"Go on!" cried Ned. "See what's happened! Go on!"

"I can't," answered Tom, and they all wondered at his voice.
"There's a big block of stone across the tunnel, and I can't go
another step. The stone gate has fallen. We're trapped here in the
underground city of gold!"

"Bless my soul! The tunnel closed?" cried Mr. Damon.

"Look," said Tom simply and in hopeless tones, as he flashed his
light. And there, completely filling the tunnel, was a great block
of stone, fitting from ceiling to floor and from side wall to side
wall, completely cutting off all escape.

"Trapped!" gasped Ned. "The Mexicans or Andy Foger did this."

"No, I don't think so," spoke Tom solemnly. "I think the pulling
down of the statue released this stone gate. We trapped ourselves.
Oh, why didn't I leave the statue alone!"

"That can't have done it!" declared Ned.

"We can soon tell," spoke Mr. Damon. "Let's go back and look. Later
maybe we can raise the block," and they returned to the fallen gold
statue. Tom casting back a hopeless look at the barrier that had
buried them alive in the city of gold.

CHAPTER XXIII

"IS IT A RESCUE?"

"Can you see anything, Tom? Any lever or anything by which we can
raise the stone gate?"

It was Ned who spoke, and he addressed his chum, who was closely
examining the pedestal of the fallen golden statue.

"Bless my soul!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "we've get to find some way
out of here soon--or--"

He did not finish the sentence, but they all knew what he meant.

"Oh good landy!" cried Eradicate. "What's gwine t' become ob us?"

"Don't you see anything, Tom?" repeated Ned.

"Not a thing. Not a sign of a lever or handle by which the stone
might be raised. But wait, I