Page:Tom Swift in the City of Gold.djvu/178

166, and it was stifling to stand too close. Tom lighted a match and threw it down. Almost instantly the flame was snuffed out.

"We couldn't live down there a minute," said the young inventor. "We've got to wait for it to clear. We'll go back to the balloon and get some electric flash lamps. I brought along a lot of 'em, with extra strong batteries. I thought we'd need some if we did find the city of gold, and it looks as if we were almost there now."

Tom's plan was voted good so they hurried out of the temple, their feet echoing and re-echoing over the stone floor. The place, ruined and desolate as it was, had no terrors for them now. In fact they were glad of the very loneliness, and Tom and Ned actually looked about apprehensively as they emerged, fearing they might see a sign of the Mexicans or the Fogers.

"Guess they can't pick up our trail," said Tom, when he saw of what Ned was thinking.

"No, we've got the place to ourselves. I wonder how long it will take for the air to get fresh?"

"Not so very long, I guess. There was a good draught. There must be some opening in the underground city by which the air is sucked in. They'd never have only one opening to it. But we don't need to look for the other. Come on, we'll get out the torches."