He was hardly able to restrain a strong desire to go alone upon an exploring tour under cover of the night. But sober reflection persuaded him not to do this. It would be neither safe nor right. So Frank controlled his desire until daybreak came. The young inventor had not slept that night. At an early hour he aroused Barney and Pomp. He did not tell them about the mysterious light, but bluntly informed them that he meant to invade the forest that morning. “A’right, Marse Frank,” agreed Pomp. “Yo’ wo’d am law.” “Bejabers, that’s so,” cried Barney. Accordingly Frank laid out his map of procedure. First the Man skirted the edge of the grove looking for an entrance. Failing to find this the adventurers would cut their way through the dense undergrowth. But luckily a passage was found. To Frank’s gratification and the surprise of Barney and Pomp, a broad paved roadway was discovered. Flat slabs of stone composed the roadway. This was much overgrown with weeds and brush, but did not materially impede the progress of the Steam Man. Beneath mighty overhanging trees the roadway extended for half a mile. Then it suddenly brought the explorers out upon a wonderful scene. Cries of surprise and admiration escaped the lips of Barney and Pomp. “Golly, Marse Frank, yo’ was right aftah all.” “Bejabers, that’s so.” Frank was intently engaged in studying the scene spread before him. He saw a strange looking building of whitest marble and mighty dimensions before him. About the building were acres of paved courts and walls, with open gateways and overgrown with all manner of vines and vari-colored vegetation. The building occupied a space of over an acre, and in style of architecture was not unlike some of the better class of pueblos in Mexico. But there were richly carved balconies and hanging gardens, piazzas and porticoes, and all done in the whitest of marble. What was stranger yet, the building did not seem to be a ruin but newly constructed and indeed not altogether finished. There was evidence that the workmen had not been absent many hours. Beds of fresh mortar were in the court-yard, slabs of newly cut marble were strewn about. As the Steam Man entered the court-yard, Frank noticed this and looked for the appearance of any number of workmen. But to his surprise they did not appear. To all appearance the temple or pueblo in the deep forest was deserted. For some time our adventurers continued to gaze upon the wonderful building with curiosity and interest. “Bejabers, I don’t see phwativer they’d want for to build sich a foine house in this place for,” exclaimed Barney. “I don’t undherstand it at all, at all.” “I jes’ finks dat dis am a new race ob people dat we hab discobered, Marse Frank,” suggested Pomp. ‪“We can tell very quickly when some of them show up,” replied Frank. ‪“I wondah if dey am hostile to de white people, or to civilized people,” asked Pomp.