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Updated: May 21, 2025
They looked about for a sight of their enemies, but saw nothing of them. It took five days to hire the ox carts, get helpers, a supply of food and other things, and to unload the balloon and baggage from the ship. In all this time there was no sign of the Fogers, and Tom hoped they had gone about their own business.
Luckily the vandal had cut and slashed in a hurry, and his malicious work was only half accomplished. There was no clue to his identity. No trace was seen of the Fogers, and Tom hardly expected it, for he thought they were in Sitka by this time. Nor were any suspicious persons seen hanging around the shed.
Now they were here being led on by the Mexican and the Fogers the enemies of our friends. For another moment there was a silence, and then Andy Foger cried out: "They're here! Tom Swift and his party! They got here first and they may have all the gold!" "If they have they will share it with us!" cried Delazes fiercely. "Quick!" Tom called hoarsely to Ned, Mr. Damon and Eradicate.
They learned that the two Fogers had reached there shortly before them. Tom and his party decided not to prosecute them, and they did not learn the identity of the men who tried to rob Tom of the map. "But I guess Andy won't go about boasting of his airship any more," said Ned, "nor of how he got our gold mine away from us. He'll sing mighty small for a while."
"I guess that's the best plan to throw them off," agreed Ned, when they were once more underway. "But how are you going to explain to Delazes, Tom, the reason the Fogers are following us? He'll get suspicious, I'm afraid." "Let him. I'm not going to explain. He can think what he likes, I can't stop him.
The Fogers carry repeating rifles, and they're fine ones, if they're anything like the one we took from Andy, Ned." "That's right," agreed Tom's chum, "I don't believe Andy or his father dare fire. They're afraid to, and they're putting the poor ignorant natives up to it. Probably they hired them to try to drive us away." This, as they afterward learned, was exactly the case.
Then he called some command to the head-hunters who had apparently been enlisted on the side of himself and the two Fogers. The automatic revolvers were soon emptied, and the place was now so full of smoke that neither party could see the other. The torches burned with a red glare. "Reload!" ordered Tom, "and we'll make a rush for it! We can't keep this up long!"
"And to think that the Fogers were in it all the while!" remarked Tom. "They certainly fooled us." "I'm not done with them yet," said Mr. Whitford. "I'm going to have another look at their house, and the gardener's home." "The Fogers were in dire straits, that's why they went in with the smugglers," explained Ned.
The trail was now of such a character that no one following them could be detected until quite close, so it was useless to worry over what the Fogers might do. "We'll just make the best time we can, and trust to luck," Tom said. They traveled on for two days more, and saw nothing of the Fogers.
Then the thoughts of landing occupied the minds of all, and the accident was nearly forgotten. For it was announced that they would dock early the next morning. In spite of the fact that their presence on board was known to Tom and his friends, the Fogers still kept to their stateroom, not even appearing at meals. Tom wondered what their object could be, but could not guess.
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