Page:Tom Swift in Captivity.djvu/221

Rh and Ned had gone aloft to see if they could pick up the giant twins, who were to meet them and have some mules ready for the journey back to civilization.

"Well, we're in no great hurry," went on Tom, after vainly scanning the ground below. "They may not have traveled as fast as we thought they could, and the mules may have given trouble. We'll stick around here a day or so, and"

"Look!" suddenly exclaimed Ned. "Didn't you see something moving then."

"Where?"

"By that big dead tree."

Tom took a look through a pair of field glasses, while Ned steered the aeroplane. Then the young inventor cried:

"It's all right. It's one of the giants, but I can't tell which one. Ned, I believe they're hiding because they're afraid of us. They've never seen an aeroplane in action before. I'm going down."

Quickly and gracefully the Lark was volplaned to a level place near the dead tree. No one was in sight, and Tom, after looking about, called:

"Tola! Koku! Where are you? It is I, Tom Swift! We have escaped! Where are you? Don't be afraid!"

There was a moment's silence, and then two big forms rushed from the dense bushes, one of