Page:Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle.djvu/215

Rh "What is it?" asked the young inventor quickly. There was no need to answer, for, from the jungle without, came the dull booming of the war drums of some natives.

"That's what I was afraid of!" cried the old elephant hunter, catching up his gun. "Some black scout has seen us and is summoning his tribesmen. Hurry, Tom, send up the ship, and we'll take care of the savages."

"But I can't send her up!" cried Tom.

"You can't? Why not?"

"Because the gas machine won't work until I put in a new cylinder, and that will take at least a half a day."

"Go up as an aeroplane then!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my monkey wrench, Tom, you've often done it before."

For answer Tom waved his hand toward the thick jungle all about them.

"We haven't room to get a running start of ten feet," he said, "and without a start the airship can never rise as a mere aeroplane. The only way we can get up from the jungle is like a balloon, and without the gas"

He paused significantly. The sound of the war drums became louder, and to it was added a weird singing chant.

"The natives!" cried Mr. Anderson. "They're