"That is the one, Peter."
"Then, Tom Swift may as well return. I doubt if we can even locate the district where it was, and if we did find it, the winds blow so that even this magnificent ship could not weather the gales."
"I guess he doesn't understand about my air glider," said Tom with a smile, when this was translated to him. "I wish I had a chance to put it together, and show him how it works."
"Oh, it will work all right," replied Ned, who was very proud of his friend's inventive ability.
"Now, what is the next thing to be done?" asked Tom, a little later that evening, when, supper having been served, they were sitting in the main cabin, talking over the events of the past few days. "I'd like to get on the track of that platinum treasure."
"And we will do all in our power to aid you," said Ivan Petrofsky. "My brother and I owe much to you—in fact Peter owes you his life; do you not?" and he turned to him.
"I do," was the firm answer.
"Oh, nonsense!" exclaimed Tom, who did not like to be praised. "I didn't do much."
"Much! You do not call taking me away from that place—that sulphur mine—that horrible prison barrack with the cruel guards—you do not call that much? My friend," spoke the Russian solemnly, "no one on earth has done so much for me as you have, and if it is the power of man to show you where that lost mine is, my brother and I will do so!"
"Agreed," spoke Ivan quietly.