TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA

or

Thrilling Adventures While Taking Moving Pictures

by

VICTOR APPLETON

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

 I A STRANGE OFFER II A MAN IN THE SNOW BANK III TOM MAKES UP HIS MIND IV HELD FAST V TOM GETS A WARNING VI TRYING THE CAMERA VII WHAT THE CAMERA CAUGHT VIII PHOTOS FROM THE AIRSHIP IX OFF FOR INDIA X UNEXPECTED EXCITEMENT XI AN ELEPHANT STAMPEDE XII THE LION FIGHT XIII A SHOT IN TIME XIV IN A GREAT GALE XV SNAPPING AN AVALANCHE XVI TELEGRAPH ORDERS XVII SUSPICIOUS STRANGERS XVIII THE NATIVE BATTLE XIX A HEAVY LOSS XX AFTER THE ENGLISHMEN XXI THE JUNGLE FIRE XXII A DANGEROUS COMMISSION XXIII AT THE VOLCANO XXIV THE MOLTEN RIM XXV THE EARTHQUAKE--CONCLUSION

TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA

CHAPTER I

A STRANGE OFFER

"Some one to see you, Mr. Tom. "

It was Koku, or August, as he was sometimes called, the new giantservant of Tom Swift, who made this announcement to the young inventor. 

"Who is it, Koku?" inquired Tom, looking up from his work-bench in themachine shop, where he was busy over a part of the motor for his newnoiseless airship. "Any one I know? Is it the 'Blessing Man?'" for soKoku had come to call Mr. Damon, an eccentric friend of Tom's. 

"No, not him. A strange man. I never see before. He say he got quickbusiness. "

"Quick business; eh? I guess you mean important, Koku, " for thisgigantic man, one of a pair that Tom had brought with him after hiscaptivity in "Giant Land, " as he called it, could not speak Englishvery well, as yet. "Important business; eh, Koku? Did he send in hiscard?"

"No, Mr. Tom. Him say he have no card. You not know him, but he verymuch what you call--recited. "

"Excited I guess you mean, Koku. Well, tell him to wait a few minutes, and I'll see him. You can show him in then. But I say, Koku, " and Tompaused as he looked at the big man, who had attached himself to ourhero, as a sort of personal helper and bodyguard. 

"Yes, Mr. Tom; what is it?"

"Don't let him go poking around the shop. He might look at some of mymachines that I haven't got fully patented yet. Is he in the frontoffice?"

"That's where him am. He be lookin' at pictures on the walls. "

"Oh, that's all right then. Just keep him there. And, Koku, don't lethim come back in the shop here, until I get ready to see him. I'll ringthe bell when I am. "

"All right, Mr. Tom. "

Koku, very proud of his, mission of keeping guard over the strangevisitor, marched from the room with his big strides, his long arms andpowerful hands swinging at his sides, for Koku, or August, as Tom hadrechristened him, and as he often called him (for it was in the monthof August that he had located the giants) was a very powerful man. Averitable giant, being extremely tall, and big in proportion. 

"Be sure. Don't let him in here, Koku!" called Tom, in an additionalwarning, as his new servant left the main shop. 

"Sure not!" exclaimed Koku, very earnestly. 

"I don't know who he may be, " mused Tom, as he began putting away theparts to his new noiseless motor, so that the stranger could not seethem, and profit thereby. "It looks rather funny, not sending in hisname. It may be some one who thinks he can spring a trick on me, andget some points about my inventions, or dad's. 

"It may even be somebody sent on by Andy Foger, or his father. I can'tbe too careful. I'll just put everything away that isn't fully coveredby patents, and then if he wants to infringe on any of the machines Ican sue him. "

Tom looked about the shop, which was filled with strange machinery, most of which had been made by himself, or his father, or under theircombined directions. There was a big biplane in one corner, a smallmonoplane in another, parts of a submarine boat hanging up overhead, and a small, but very powerful, electric auto waiting to have somerepairs made to it, for on his last trip in it Tom Swift had suffered aslight accident. 

"There, I guess he can't see anything but what I want him to, " musedTom, as he put away the last part of a new kind of motor, from which hehoped great things. "Let's see, yes, it's out of sight now. I wish NedNewton, or Mr. Damon were here to be a witness in case he startsanything. But then I have Koku, even if he doesn't speak much Englishyet. If it comes to blows--well, I wouldn't want that giant to hit me, "finished Tom with a laugh, as he rang the bell to announce to hisservant that the visitor might be shown in. 

There was a sound outside the door that separated the business officefrom the main shop, and Tom heard Koku exclaim:

"Hold on! Wait! I go first. You wait!"

"What's the matter with me going ahead?" demanded a quick, snappyvoice. "I'm in a hurry, and--"

"You wait! I go first, " was the giant's reply, and then came the soundof a scuffle. 

"Ouch! Say! Hold on there, my man! Take your hand off my shoulder!You're crushing me with those big fingers of yours!"

This was evidently the visitor remonstrating with the giant. 

"Humph! I guess Koku must have grabbed him, " said Tom softly. "I don'tlike that sort of a visitor. What's his hurry getting in here?" and ourhero looked about, to see if he had a weapon at hand in case of anattack. Often cranks had forced their way into his shop, with petinventions which they wanted him to perfect after they had themselvesfailed. Tom saw a heavy iron bar at hand, and knew this would serve toprotect him. 

"You come after me!" exclaimed Koku, when the voice of the other hadceased. "Do you stand under me?"

"Oh, yes, I understand all right. I'll keep back. But I didn't meananything. I'm just in a hurry to see Tom Swift, that is all. I'malways in a hurry in fact. I've lost nearly a thousand dollars thismorning, just by this delay. I want to see Mr. Swift at once; and havea talk with him. "

"Another crank, I guess, " mused Tom. "Well, I'm not going to waste muchtime on him. "

A moment later the door opened, and into the shop stepped Koku, followed by a short, stout, fussy little man, wearing a flaming redtie, but otherwise his clothes were not remarkable. 

"Is this Mr. Tom Swift?" asked the stranger, as he advanced and heldout his hand to the young man. 

"Yes, " answered Tom, looking carefully at the visitor. He did not seemto be dangerous, he had no weapon, and, Tom was relieved to note thathe did not carry some absurd machine, or appliance, that he had made, hoping to get help in completing it. The youth was trying to rememberif he had ever seen the stranger before, but came to the conclusionthat he had not. 

"Sorry to take up your time, " went on the man, "but I just had to seeyou. No one else will do. I've heard lots about you. That was a greatstunt you pulled off, getting those giants for the circus. This is one;isn't he?" and he nodded toward Koku. 

"Yes, " replied Tom, wondering if the little man was in such a hurry whyhe did not get down to business. 

"I thought so, " the caller went on, as he shook hands with Tom. "Onceyou felt his grip you'd know he was a giant, even if you didn't seehim. Yes, that was a great stunt. And going to the caves of ice, too, and that diamond-making affair. All of 'em great. I--"

"How did you know about them?" interrupted Tom, wishing the man wouldtell his errand. 

"Oh, you're better known than you have any idea of, Tom Swift. As soonas I got this idea of mine I said right away, to some of the others inmy business, I says, says I, 'Tom Swift is the boy for us. I'll get himto undertake this work, and then it will be done to the Queen's taste. Tom's the boy who can do it, ' I says, and they all agreed with me. So Icame here to-day, and I'm sorry I had to wait to see you, for I'm thebusiest man in the world, I believe, and, as I said, I've lost about athousand dollars waiting to have a talk with you. I--"

"I am sorry, " interrupted Tom, and he was not very cordial. "But I wasbusy, and--"

"All right! All right! Don't apologize!" broke in the man in rapidtones, while both Tom, and his servant, Koku, looked in surprise at thequick flow of language that came from him. "Don't apologize for theworld. It's my fault for bothering you. And I'll lose several thousanddollars, willingly, if you'll undertake this job. I'll make money fromit as it is. It's worth ten thousand dollars to you, I should say, andI'm willing to pay that. "

He looked about, as though for a seat, and Tom, apologizing for hisneglect in offering one, shoved a box forward. 

"We don't have chairs in here, " said the young inventor with a smile. "Now if you will tell me what you--"

"I'm coming right to it. I'll get down to business in a moment, "interrupted the man as he sat down on the box, not without a grunt ortwo, I for he was very stout. "I'm going to introduce myself in just asecond, and then I'm going to tell you who I am. And I hope you'll takeup my offer, though it may seem a strange one. "

The man took out a pocketbook, and began searching through it, evidently for some card or paper. 

"He's as odd as Mr. Damon is, when he's blessing everything, " musedTom, as he watched the man. 

"I thought I had a card with me, but I haven't, " the visitor went on. "No matter. I'm James Period--promoter of all kinds of amusemententerprises, from a merry-go-'round to a theatrical performance. I wantyou to--"

"No more going after giants, " interrupted. Tom. "It's too dangerous, and I haven't time--"

"No, it has nothing to do with giants, " spoke Mr. Period, as he glancedup at Koku, who towered over him as he sat on the box near Tom. 

"Well?" returned Tom. 

"This is something entirely new. It has never been done before, thoughif you should happen to be able to get a picture of giants don't missthe opportunity. "

"Get a picture?" exclaimed Tom, wondering if, after all, his visitormight not be a little insane. 

"Pictures, yes. Listen. I'm James Period. Jim, if you like it better, or just plain 'Spotty. ' That's what most of my friends call me. Get theidea? A period is a spot. I'm a Period, therefor I'm a spot. But thatisn't the real reason. It's because I'm always Johnny on the Spot whenanything is happening. If it's a big boxing exhibition, I'm there. Ifit's a coronation, I'm there, or some of my men are. If it's a Durbarin India, you'll find Spotty on the spot. That's me. If there's goingto be a building blown up with dynamite--I'm on hand; or some of mymen. If there's a fire I get there as soon as the engines do--if it'sa big one. Always on the spot--that's me--James Period--Spotty forshort. Do you get me?" and he drew a long breath and looked at Tom, hishead on one side. 

"I understand that you are--"

"In the moving picture business, " interrupted Mr. Period, who neverseemed to let Tom finish a sentence. "I'm the biggest moving pictureman in the world--not in size, but in business. I make all the bestfilms. You've seen some of 'em I guess. Every one of 'em has my pictureon the end of the film. Shows up great. Advertising scheme--get me?"

"Yes, " replied Tom, as he recalled that he had seen some of the filmsin question, and good ones they were too. "I see your point, but--"

"You want to know why I come to you; don't you?" again interrupted"Spotty, " with a laugh. "Well, I'll tell you. I need you in mybusiness. I want you to invent a new kind of moving picture camera. Asmall light one--worked by electricity--a regular wizard camera. I wantyou to take it up in an airship with you, and then go to all sorts ofwild and strange countries, Africa, India--the jungles--get pictures ofwild animals at peace and fighting--herds of elephants--get scenes ofnative wars--earthquakes--eruptions of volcanoes--all the newest andmost wonderful pictures you can. You'll have to make a new kind ofcamera to do it. The kind we use won't do the trick. 

"Now do you get me? I'm going to give you ten thousand dollars, aboveall your expenses, for some films such as I've been speaking of. I wantnovelty. Got to have it in my business! You can do it. Now will you?"

"I hardly think--" began Tom. 

"Don't answer me now, " broke in Mr. Period. "Take four minutes to thinkit over. Or even five. I guess I can wait that long. Take fiveminutes. I'll wait while you make up your mind, but I know you'll doit. Five minutes--no more, " and hastily getting up off the box Mr. Period began impatiently pacing up and down the shop. 

CHAPTER II

A MAN IN THE SNOW BANK

Tom Swift looked somewhat in surprise at his strange visitor. It hadall happened so suddenly, the offer had been such a strange one, theman himself--Mr. Period--was so odd, that our hero hardly knew what tothink. The moving picture agent continued pacing up and down the roomnow and then looking at his watch as if to note when the five minuteshad passed. 

"No, " said Tom to himself. "I'm not going to take this offer. There'stoo much work and risk attached to it. I want to stay at home and workon my noiseless motor for the airship. After that--well--I don't knowwhat I'll do. I'll tell Mr. Period that he needn't wait the fiveminutes. My mind is made up now!"

But as Tom was about to make this announcement, and dismiss his caller, he looked again at the visitor. There was something attractive abouthim--about his hasty way of talking, about his manner of interrupting, about the way he proposed matters. Tom was interested in spite ofhimself. 

"Well, " he reflected, "I may as well wait until the five minutes areup, anyhow. "

Koku, the giant servant, glanced at his young master, as if to ask ifthere was anything that he could do. Tom shook his head, and then thebig man strolled over to the other side of the machine shop, at thesame time keeping a careful eye on Mr. Period. 

While Tom is waiting for the time to expire, I will take a few minutesto tell you something more about him. Those of my friends who have readthe previous books in this series need no introduction to my hero, butthose who may chance upon this as their first book in the Tom Swiftseries, will like to be more formally introduced. 

Tom, whose mother had been dead some years, lived with his father, Barton Swift, in the town of Shopton. Mr. Swift was an inventor ofprominence, and his son was fast following in his footsteps. A Mrs. Baggert kept house for the Swifts, and another member of the householdwas Eradicate Sampson, an aged colored man, who said he used to"eradicate" the dirt. He had been with Tom on many trips, but of latewas getting old and feeble. Then there was Garret Jackson, an engineeremployed by the Swifts. These were all the immediate members of thehousehold. 

Tom had a chum, Ned Newton, who used to work in a bank, and there was agirl, Mary Nestor, a daughter of Amos Nestor, in which young lady Tomwas much interested. 

Eradicate Sampson had a mule, Boomerang, of whom he thought almost asmuch as he did of Tom. Eradicate was a faithful friend and servant, but, of late, Koku, or August, the giant, had rather supplanted him. Imust not forget Mr. Wakefield Damon, of Waterfield, a village nearShopton. Mr. Damon was an odd man, always blessing everything. He andTom were good friends, and had been on many trips together. 

The first book of the series was called "Tom Swift and HisMotor-Cycle, " and related how Tom bought the cycle from Mr. Damon, after the latter had met with an accident on it, and it was in this waythat our hero became acquainted with the odd man. 

Tom had many adventures on his motor-cycle, and, later on he secured amotor-boat, in which he beat his enemy, Andy Foger, in a race. Next Tombuilt an airship, and in this he went on a wonderful trip. Returningfrom this he and his father heard about a treasure sunken under theocean. In his submarine boat Tom secured the valuables, and made alarge sum for himself. 

In his electric runabout, which was the swiftest car on the road, Tomwas able to save from ruin a bank in which his father was interested, and, a short time after that, he went on a trip in an airship, with aman who had invented a new kind. The airship was smashed, and fell toEarthquake Island, where there were some refugees from a shipwreck, among them being the parents of Mary Nestor. In the volume called "TomSwift and His Wireless Message, " I told how he saved these people. 

When Tom went among the diamond makers he had more strange adventures, on that trip discovering the secret of phantom mountain. He had badluck when he went to the caves of ice, for there his airship waswrecked. 

When Tom made the trip in his sky racer he broke all records for anaerial flight, incidentally saving his father's life. It was some timeafter this when he invented an electric rifle, and went to elephantland, to rescue some missionaries from the red pygmies. 

The eleventh volume of the series is called "Tom Swift in the Land ofGold, " and relates his adventures underground, while the next one tellsof a new machine he invented--an air-glider--which he used to save theexiles of Siberia, incidentally, on that trip, finding a valuabledeposit of platinum. 

As I have said, it was on his trip to giant land that Tom got his bigservant. This book, the thirteenth of the series, is called "Tom Swiftin Captivity, " for the giants captured him and his friends, and it wasonly by means of their airship that they made their daring escape. 

Tom had been back from the strange land some time now. One giant he hadturned over to the circus representative for whom he had undertaken themission, and the other he retained to work around his shop, asEradicate was getting too old. It was now winter, and there had beenquite a fall of snow the day before Mr. Period, the odd moving pictureman, called on Tom. There were many big drifts outside the building. 

Tom had fitted up a well-equipped shop, where he and his father workedon their inventions. Occasionally Ned Newton, or Mr. Damon, would comeover to help them, but of late Tom had been so busy on his noiselessmotor that he had not had time to even see his friends. 

"Well, I guess the five minutes have passed, and my mind is made up, "thought Tom, as he looked at his watch. "I might as well tell Mr. Period that I can't undertake his commission. In the first place itisn't going to be an easy matter to make an electric moving picturecamera. I'd have to spend a lot of time studying up the subject, andthen I might not be able to get it to work right. 

"And, again, I can't spare the time to go to all sorts of wild andimpossible places to get the pictures. It's all well enough to talkabout getting moving pictures of natives in battle, or wild beastsfighting, or volcanoes in action, but it isn't so easy to do it. Then, too, I'd have to make some changes in my airship if I went on thattrip. No, I can't go. I'll tell him he'll have to find some one else. "

Mr. Period pulled out his watch, opened it quickly, snapped it shutagain, and exclaimed:

"Well, how about it, Tom Swift? When can you start! The sooner thebetter for me! You'll want some money for expenses I think. I broughtmy check book along, also a fountain pen. I'll give you a thousanddollars now, for I know making an electric moving picture camera isn'tgoing to be cheap work. Then, when you get ready to start off in yourairship, you'll need more money. I'll be Johnny-on-the-spot all right, and have it ready for you. Now when do you think you can start?"

He sat down at a bench, and began filling out a check. 

"Hold on!" cried Tom, amused in spite of himself. "Don't sign thatcheck, Mr. Period. I'm not going. "

"Not going?" The man's face showed blank amazement. 

"No, " went on Tom. "I can't spare the time. I'm sorry, but you'll haveto get some one else. "

"Some one else? But who can I get?"

"Why, there are plenty who would be glad of the chance. "

"But they can't invent an electric moving picture camera, and, if theycould, they wouldn't know enough to take pictures with it. It's got tobe you or no one, Tom Swift. Look here, I'll make it fifteen thousanddollars above expenses. "

"No, I'm sorry, but I can't go. My work here keeps me too busy. 

"Oh, pshaw! Now, look here, Tom Swift! Do you know who sent me to seeyou?"

"It was Mr. Nestor, who has a daughter named Mary, I believe. Mr. Nestor is one of the directors in our company, and one day, when hetold me about you sending a wireless message from Earthquake Island, Iknew you would be the very man for me. So now you see you'll be doingMr. Nestor a favor, as well as me, if you go on this trip. "

Tom was somewhat surprised, yet he realized that Mr. Period wasspeaking the truth. Mr. Nestor was identified with many newenterprises. Yet the youth was firm. 

"I really can't go, " said our hero. "I'd like to, but I can't. I'dlike to oblige Mr. Nestor, for--well, for more reasons than one, " andTom blushed slightly. "But it is out of the question. I really can'tgo. "

"But you must!" insisted the camera man. "I won't take 'no' for ananswer. You've got to go, Tom Swift, do you hear that? You've go to go?"

Mr. Period was apparently very much excited. He strode over to Tom andsmote his hands together to emphasize what he said. Then he shook hisfinger at Tom, to impress the importance of the matter on our hero. 

"You've just got to go!" he cried. "You're the only one who can helpme, Tom. Do go! I'll pay you well, and--oh, well, I know you don't needthe money, exactly, but--say, you've got to go!"

In his earnestness Mr. Period laid his hand on Tom's arm. The nextinstant something happened. 

With a few big strides Koku was beside the picture man. With greatquickness he grasped Mr. Period by the coat collar, lifted him off hisfeet with one hand, and walked over to a window with him, easilylifting him above the floor. 

With one fling the giant tossed the short, stout gentleman out into asnow bank, while Tom looked on, too surprised to do anything, even ifhe had had the chance. 

"There. You touch Tom Swift again, and I sit on you and keep you undersnow!" cried the giant, while Mr. Period kicked and squirmed about inthe drift, as Tom made a leap forward to help him out. 

CHAPTER III

TOM MAKES UP HIS MIND

"Great Scott!" yelled the picture man. "What in the world happened tome? Did I get kicked by that mule Boomerang of Eradicate's, that I'veheard so much about? Or was it an earthquake, such as I want to get apicture of? What happened?"

He was still floundering about in the deep bank of snow that was justoutside the window. Fortunately the sash had been up, and Koku hadtossed Mr. Period through the open window. Otherwise, had there beenglass, the well-meaning, but unreasoning giant would probably havethrown his victim through that, and he might have been badly cut. Tomhad the window open for fresh air, as it was rather close in the shop. 

"Why, Koku!" exclaimed the young inventor, as he leaned out of thewindow, and extended his hand to the moving picture man to help him outof the drift. "What do you mean by that? Have you gone crazy?"

"No, but no one shall lay hands on my master!" declared the giant halfsavagely. "I have vowed to always protect you from danger, in returnfor what you did for me. I saw this man lay his hand on you. In anothermoment he might have killed you, had not Koku been here. There is nodanger when I am by, " and he stretched out his huge arms, and lookedferocious. "I have turned over that man, your enemy!" he added. 

"Yes, you overturned me all right, " admitted Mr. Period, as he got tohis feet, and crawled in through the window to the shop again. "I wenthead over heels. I'm glad it was clean snow, and not a mud bank, Tom. What in the world is the matter with him?"

"I guess he thought you were going to harm me, " said Tom in a lowvoice, as the picture man came in the shop. "Koku is very devoted tome, and sometimes he makes trouble, " the youth went on. "But he meansit all for the best. I am very sorry for what happened, " and Tom aidedMr. Period in brushing the snow off his garments. "Koku, you must begthe pardon of this gentleman, " Tom directed. 

"What for?" the giant wanted to know. 

"For throwing him into the snow. It is not allowed to do such things inthis country, even though it is in Giant Land. Beg his pardon. 

"I shall not, " said the giant calmly, for Tom had taught him to speakfairly good English, though sometimes he got his words backwards. 

"The man was about to kill you, and I stopped him--I will stop him oncemore, though if he does not like the snow, I can throw him somewhereelse. "

"No! No! You must not do it!" cried Tom. "He meant no harm. He is myfriend. "

"I am glad to hear you say that, " exclaimed the picture man. "I havehopes that you will do what I want. "

"He your friend?" asked Koku wonderingly. "Certainly; and you must beghis pardon for what you did, " insisted Tom. 

"Very well. I am glad you did not hurt yourself, " said the giant, andwith that "apology" he stalked out of the room, his feelings evidentlyvery much disturbed. 

"Ha! Ha!" laughed Mr. Period. "I guess he can't see any one but you, Tom. But never mind. I know he didn't mean anything, and, as I'm nonethe worse I'll forgive him. My necktie isn't spotted; is it?"

"No, the snow didn't seem to do that any harm, " replied the younginventor, as he looked at the brilliant piece of red silk around Mr. Period's collar. 

"I am very particular about my neckties, " went on the picture man. "Ialways wear one color. My friends never forget me then. "

Tom wondered how they could ever forget him, even though he wore notie, for his figure and face were such as to not easily be forgotten. 

"I'm glad it's not soiled, " went on "Spotty" as he liked to be called. "Now, Tom, you said you were my friend. Prove it by accepting my offer. Build that wizard camera, and get me some moving pictures that will bea sensation. Say you will!"

He looked appealingly at Tom, and, remembering the rather rude andunexpected treatment to which Koku had submitted the gentleman, Tomfelt his mind changing. Still he was not yet ready to give in. Herather liked the idea the more he thought of it, but he felt that hehad other duties, and much to occupy him at home, especially if heperfected his silent motor. 

"Will you go?" asked Mr. Period, picking up his fountain pen and checkbook, that he had laid aside when he walked over to Tom, just beforethe giant grasped him. "Say you will. "

The young inventor was silent a moment. He thought over the manyadventures he had gone through--in the caves of ice, in the city ofgold, escaping from the giants, and the red pygmies--He went over thedetails of his trips through the air, of the dangers under the seas, ofthose he had escaped from on Earthquake Island. Surely e was entitledto a little rest at home. 

And yet there was a lure to it all. A certain fascination that was hardto resist. Mr. Period must have seen what was going on in Tom's mind, for he said:

"I know you're going. I can see it. Why, it will be just the very thingyou need. You'll get more fame out of this thing than from any of yourother inventions. Come, say you'll do it. 

"I'll tell you what I'll do!" he went on eagerly. "After you make thecamera, and take a lot of films, showing strange and wonderful scenes, I'll put at the end of each film, next to my picture, your name, and astatement showing that you took the originals. How's that? Talk aboutbeing advertised! Why you can't beat it! Millions of people will readyour name at the picture shows every night. "

"I am not looking for advertisements, " said Tom, with a laugh. 

"Well, then, think of the benefit you will be to science, " went on Mr. Period quickly. "Think of the few people who have seen wild animals asthey are, of those who have ever seen an earthquake, or a volcano inaction. You can go to Japan, and get pictures of earthquakes. They havethem on tap there. And as for volcanoes, why the Andes mountains arefull of 'em. Think of how many people will be thankful to you forshowing them these wonderful scenes. "

"And think of what might happen if I should take a tumble into a crackin the earth, or down a hot volcano, or fall into a jungle when therewas a fight on among the elephants, " suggested Tom. "My airship mighttake a notion to go down when I was doing the photographing, " he added. 

"No. Nothing like that will happen to Tom Swift, " was the confidentanswer of the picture man. "I've read of your doings. You don't haveaccidents that you can't get the better of. But come, I know you'rethinking of it, and I'm sure you'll go. Let me make you out this check, sign a contract which I have all ready, and then get to work on thecamera. "

Tom was silent a moment. Then he said:

"Well, I admit that there is something attractive about it. I hoped Iwas going to stay home for a long time. But--"

"Then you'll go!" cried Mr. Period eagerly. "Here's the money, " and hequickly filled out a check for Tom's first expenses, holding the slipof paper toward the young inventor. 

"Wait a minute! Hold on!" cried Tom. "Not so fast if you please. Ihaven't yet made up my mind. "

"But you will; won't you?" asked Mr. Period. 

"Well, I'll make up my mind, one way or the other, " replied the youngman. "I won't say I'll go, but--"

"I'll tell you what I'll do!" interrupted Mr. Period. "I'm a busy man, and every second is worth money to me. But I'll wait for you to make upyour mind. I'll give you until to-morrow night. How's that? Fair, isn'tit?"

"Yes--I think so. I am afraid--"

"I'm not!" broke in the picture man. "I know you'll decide to go. Thinkof the fun and excitement you'll have. Now I've taken up a lot of yourtime, and I'm going to leave you alone. I'll be back tomorrow eveningfor my answer. But I know you're going to get those moving pictures forme. Is that giant of yours anywhere about?" he asked, as he lookedcautiously around before leaving the shop. "I don't want to fall intohis hands again. "

"I don't blame you, " agreed Tom. "I never knew him to act that waybefore. But I'll go to the gate with you, and Koku will behave himself. I am sorry--"

"Don't mention it!" broke in the picture man. "It was worth all Isuffered, if you go, and I know you will. Don't trouble yourself tocome out. I can find my way, and if your giant comes after me, I'llcall for help. "

He hurried out before Tom could follow, and, hearing the gate click alittle later, and no call for help coming, our hero concluded that hisvisitor had gotten safely away. 

"Well, what am I going to do about it?" mused Tom, as he resumed workon his silent motor. He had not been long engaged in readjusting someof the valves, when he was again interrupted. 

This time it was his chum, Ned Newton, who entered, and, as Ned waswell known to the giant, nothing happened. 

"Well, what's up, Tom?" asked Ned. 

"Why, did you notice anything unusual?" asked Tom. 

"I saw Koku standing at the gate a while ago, looking down the road ata short stout man, with a red tie. Your giant seemed rather excitedabout something. "

"Oh, yes. I'll tell you about it, " and Tom related the details of Mr. Period's visit. 

"Are you going to take his offer?" asked Ned. 

"I've got until tomorrow to make up my mind. What would you do, Ned?"

"Why, I'd take it in a minute, if I knew how to make an electriccamera. I suppose it has to be a very speedy one, to take the kind ofpictures he wants. Wait, hold on, I've just thought of a joke. It mustbe a swift camera--catch on--you're Swift, and you make a swift camera;see the point?"

"I do, " confessed Tom, with a laugh. "Well, Ned, I've been thinking itover, but I can't decide right away. I will tomorrow night, though. "

"Then I'm coming over, and hear what it is. If you decide to go, maybeyou'll take me along. "

"I certainly will, and Mr. Damon, too. "

"How about the giant?"

"Well, I guess there'll be room for him. But I haven't decided yet. Hand me that wrench over there; will you, " and then Tom and Ned begantalking about the new apparatus on which the young inventor was working. 

True to his promise Mr. Period called the next evening. He found Tom, Ned and Mr. Swift in the library, talking over various matters. 

"Well, Tom, have you made up your mind?" asked the caller, when Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, had shown him into the room. "I hope youhave, and I hope it is favorable to me. "

"Yes, " said Tom slowly, "I've thought it all over, and I have decidedthat I will--"

At that moment there was a loud shouting outside the house, and thesound of some one running rapidly through the garden that was justoutside the low library window--a garden now buried deep under snow. 

"What's that?" cried Ned, jumping to his feet. 

"That was Koku's voice, " replied Tom, "and I guess he was chasing aftersome one. "

"They'll need help if that giant gets hold of them, " spoke Mr. Periodsolemnly, while the noise outside increased in volume. 

CHAPTER IV

HELD FAST

"Here, Tom! Come back! Where are you going?" cried aged Mr. Swift, ashis son started toward the window. 

"I'm going to see what's up, and who it is that Koku is chasing, "replied the young inventor. 

As he spoke he opened the window, which went all the way down to thefloor. He stepped out on a small balcony, put his hand on the railing, and was about to leap over. Back of him was his father, Mr. Period andNed. 

"Come back! You may get hurt!" urged Mr. Swift. He had aged rapidly inthe last few months, and had been obliged to give up most of hisinventive work. Naturally, he was very nervous about his son. 

"Don't worry, dad, " replied the youth. "I'm not in much danger whenKoku is around. "

"That's right, " agreed the moving picture man. "I'd sooner have thatgiant look after me than half a dozen policemen. "

The noise had now grown fainter, but the sound of the pursuit couldstill be heard. Koku was shouting in his hearty tones, and there wasthe noise of breaking twigs as the chase wound in and out of the gardenshrubbery. 

Tom paused a moment, to let his eyes get somewhat used to the darkness. There was a crescent moon, that gave a little light, and the snow onthe ground made it possible to notice objects fairly well. 

"See anything?" asked Ned, as he joined his chum on the balcony. 

"No, but I'm going to have a closer look. Here goes!" and Tom leaped tothe ground. 

"I'm with you, " added Ned, as he followed. 

Then came another voice, shouting:

"Dat's de way! Catch him! I'se comm', I is! Ef we gits him we'll tiehim up, an' let Boomerang walk on him!"

"Here comes Eradicate, " announced Tom, with a look back toward hischum, and a moment later the aged colored man, who had evidentlystarted on the chase with Koku, but who had been left far behind, swungtotteringly around the corner of the house. 

"Did ye cotch him, Massa Tom?" asked Eradicate. "Did ye cotch deraskil?"

"Not yet, Rad. But Koku is after him. Who was he, and what did he do?"

"Didn't do nuffin yit, Massa Tom, 'case as how he didn't git nochance, " replied the colored man, as he hurried along as rapidly as hecould beside the two youths. "Koku and I was too quick for him. Kokuan' me was a-sittin' in my shack, sort of talkin' togedder, when wehears a racket neah de chicken house. I'se mighty partial t' dechickens, an' I didn't want nobody t' 'sturb 'em. Koku was jes' desame, an' when we hears dat noise, up we jumps, an' gits t' chasm. ' Herunned dis way, an' us was arter him, but land lub yo', ole Eradicateain't so spry as he uster be an' Koku an' de chicken thief got ahead obme. Leastwise he ain't no chicken thief yit, 'case as how he didn't gitin de coop, but he meant t' be one, jes' de same. "

"Are you sure he was after the chickens?" asked Tom, with quicksuspicion in his mind, for, several times of late, unscrupulous personshad tried to enter his shop, to get knowledge of his valuableinventions before they were patented. 

"Course he were arter de chickens, " replied Eradicate. "But he didn'tgit none. "

"Come on, Ned!" cried Tom, breaking into a run. "I want to catchwhoever this was. Did you see him, Rad?"

"Only jes' had a glimpse ob his back. "

"Well, you go back to the house and tell father and Mr. Period aboutit. Ned and I will go on with Koku. I hope to get the fellow. "

"Why, Tom?" asked his chum. 

"Because I think he was after bigger game than chickens. My noiselessmotor, for the new airship, is nearly complete, and it may have beensome one trying to get that. I received an offer from a concern theother day, who wished to purchase it, and, when I refused to sell, theyseemed rather put out. "

The two lads raced on, while Eradicate tottered back to the house, where he found Mr. Swift and the picture man awaiting him. 

"I guess he got away, " remarked Ned, after he and his chum had coverednearly the length of the big garden. 

"I'm afraid so, " agreed Tom. "I can't hear Koku any more. Still, I'mnot going to give up. "

Pantingly they ran on, and, a little later, they met the big man comingback. 

"Did he get away?" asked Tom. 

"Yes, Mr. Tom, he scaped me all right. "

"Escaped you mean, Koku. Well, never mind. You did your best. "

"I would like to have hold of him, " spoke the giant, as he stretchedout his big arms. 

"Did you know who he was?" inquired Ned. 

"No, I couldn't see his face, " and he gave the same description of theaffair as had Eradicate. 

"Was it a full grown man, or some one about my size?" Tom wanted toknow. 

"A man, " replied the giant. 

"Why do you ask that?" inquired Ned, as the big fellow went on toresume his talk with Eradicate, and the two chums turned to go into thehouse, after the fruitless chase. 

"Because, I thought it might be Andy Foger, " was Tom's reply. "Itwould be just like him, but if it was a man, it couldn't be him. Andy'srather short. "

"Besides, he doesn't live here any more, " said Ned. 

"I know, but I heard Sam Snedecker, who used to be pretty thick withhim, saying the other day that he expected a visit from Andy. I hope hedoesn't come back to Shopton, even for a day, for he always tries tomake trouble for me. Well, let's go in, and tell 'em all about ourchase after a chicken thief. "

"And so he got away?" remarked Mr. Swift, when Tom had completed hisstory. 

"Yes, " answered the young inventor, as he closed, and locked, the lowlibrary window, for there was a chilly breeze blowing. "I think I willhave to rig up the burglar alarm on my shop again. I don't want to takeany chances. "

"Do you remember what we were talking about, when that interruptioncame?" asked Mr. Period, after a pause. "You were saying, Tom, that youhad made up your mind, and that was as far as you got. What is youranswer to my offer?"

"Well, " spoke the lad slowly, and with a smile, "I think I will--"

"Now don't say 'no'"; interrupted the picture man. "If you are going tosay 'no' take five minutes more, or even ten, and think it overcarefully. I want you--"

"I wasn't going to say 'no, '" replied Tom. "I have decided to acceptyour offer, and I'll get right at work on the electrical camera, andsee what I can do in the way of getting moving pictures for you. "

"You will? Say, that's great! That's fine! I knew you would accept, butI was the least bit afraid you might not, without more urging. "

"Of course, " began Tom, "it will take--"

"Not another word. Just wait a minute, " interrupted Mr. Period in hisbreezy fashion. "Take this. "

He quickly filled out a check and handed it to Tom. 

"Now sign this contract, which merely says that you will do your bestto get pictures for me, and that you won't do it for any other concern, and everything will be all right. Sign there, " he added, pointing to adotted line, and thrusting a fountain pen into Tom's hand. The lad readover the agreement, which was fair enough, and signed it, and Nedaffixed his name as a witness. 

"Now when can you go?" asked Mr. Period eagerly. 

"Not before Spring, I'm afraid, " replied Torn. "I have first to makethe camera, and then my airship needs overhauling if I am to go on suchlong trips as will be necessary in case I am to get views of wildbeasts in the jungle. "

"Well, make it as soon as you can, " begged Mr. Period. "I can have thefilms early next Fall then, and they will be in season for the Winterruns at the theatres. Now, I'm the busiest man in the world, and Ibelieve I have lost five hundred dollars by coming here to-night. Still, I don't regret it. I'm going back now, and I'll expect to hearfrom you when you are ready to start. There's my address. Good-bye, "and thrusting a card into Tom's hand he hurried out of the room. 

"Won't you stop all night?" called Mr. Swift after him. 

"Sorry. I'd like to but can't. Got a big contract I must close in NewYork to-morrow morning. I've ordered a special train to be at theShopton station in half an hour, and I must catch that. Good night!"and Mr. Period hurried away. 

"Say, he's a hustler all right!" exclaimed Ned. 

"Yes, and I've got to hustle if I invent that camera, " added Tom. "It'sgot to be a specially fast one, and one that can take pictures from along distance. Electricity is the thing to use, I guess. "

"Then you are really going off on this trip. Tom?" asked his father, rather wistfully. 

"I'm afraid I am, " replied his son. "I thought I could stay at home fora while, but it seems not. "

"I was in hopes you could give me a little time to help me on mygyroscope invention, " went on the aged man. "But I suppose it will keepuntil you come back. It is nearly finished. "

"Yes, and I don't like stopping work on my noiseless motor, " spoke Tom. "But that will have to wait, too. "

"Do you know where you are going?" inquired Ned. 

"Well, I'll have to do considerable traveling I suppose to get all thefilms he wants. But once I'm started I'll like it I guess. Of courseyou're coming, Ned. "

"I hope so. "

"Of course you are!" insisted Tom, as if that settled it. "And I'm sureMr. Damon will go also. I haven't seen him in some time. I hope heisn't ill. "

Tom started work on his Wizard Camera, as he called it, the nextday--that is he began drawing the designs, and planning how toconstruct it. Ned helped him, and Koku was on hand in case he wasneeded, but there was little he could do, as yet. Tom made aninspection of his shop the morning after the chicken thief scare, butnothing seemed to have been disturbed. 

A week passed, and Tom had all the plans drawn for the camera. He hadmade several experiments with different forms of electricity foroperating the mechanism, and had decided on a small, but very powerful, storage battery to move the film, and take the pictures. 

This storage battery, which would be inside the camera, would operateit automatically. That is, the camera could be set up any place, in thejungle, or on the desert, it could be left alone, and would takepictures without any one being near it. Tom planned to have it operateat a certain set time, and stop at a certain time, and he could set thedials to make this time any moment of the day or night. For there wasto be a powerful light in connection with the camera, in order thatnight views might be taken. Besides being automatic the camera could beworked by hand. 

When it was not necessary to have the camera operate by the storagebattery, it could be connected to wires and worked by an ordinary setof batteries, or by a dynamo. This was for use on the airship, wherethere was a big electrical machine. I shall tell you more about thecamera as the story proceeds. 

One afternoon Tom was alone in the shop, for he had sent Koku on anerrand, and Eradicate was off in a distant part of the grounds, doingsome whitewashing, which was his specialty. Ned had not come over, andMr. Swift, having gone to see some friends, and Mrs. Baggert being atthe store, Tom, at this particular time, was rather isolated. 

He was conducting some delicate electrical experiments, and to keep themeasuring instruments steady he had closed all the windows and doors ofhis shop. The young inventor was working at a bench in one corner, andnear him, standing upright, was a heavy shaft of iron, part of hissubmarine, wrapped in burlap, and padded, to keep it from rusting. 

"Now, " said Tom to himself, as he mixed two kinds of acid in a jar, toproduce a new sort of electrical current, "I will see if this is anybetter than the first way in which I did it. "

He was careful about pouring out the powerful stuff, but, in spite ofthis, he spilled a drop on his finger. It burned like fire, and, instinctively, he jerked his hand back. 

The next instant there was a series of happenings. Tom's elbow came incontact with another jar of acid, knocking it over, and spilling itinto the retort where he had been mixing the first two liquids. Therewas a hissing sound, as the acids combined, and a thick, white vaporarose, puffing into Tom's face, and making him gasp. 

He staggered back, brushed against the heavy iron shaft in the corner, and it fell sideways against him, knocking him to the floor, anddropping across his thighs. The padding on it saved him from brokenbones, but the shaft was so heavy, that after it was on him, Tom couldnot move. He was held fast on the floor of his shop, unable to use hislegs, and prevented from getting up. 

For a moment Tom was stunned, and then he called:

"Help! Help! Eradicate! Koku! Help!"

He waited a moment, but there was only a silence. 

And then Tom smelled a strange odor--an odor of a choking gas thatseemed to smother him. 

"It's the acids!" he cried. "They're generating gas! And I'm held fasthere! The place is closed up tight, and I can't move! Help! Help!"

But there was no one at hand to aid Tom, and every moment the fumes ofthe gas became stronger. Desperately the youth struggled to rid himselfof the weight of the shaft, but he could not. And then he felt hissenses leaving him, for the powerful gas was making him unconscious. 

CHAPTER V

TOM GETS A WARNING

"Bless my shoe buttons!" exclaimed a voice, as a man came toward Tom'sshop, a little later. "Bless my very necktie! This is odd. I go to thehouse, and find no one there. I come out here, and not a soul is about. Tom Swift can't have gone off on another one of his wonderful trips, without sending me word. I know he wouldn't do that. And yet, bless mywatch and chain, I can't find any one!"

It was Mr. Damon who spoke, as my old readers have already guessed. Hepeered into one of the shop windows, and saw something like a fogfilling the place. 

"That's strange, " he went on. "I don't see Tom there, and yet it looksas if an experiment was going on. I wonder--"

Mr. Damon heard some one coming up behind him, and turned to see Kokuthe giant, who was returning from the errand on which Tom had sent him. 

"Oh, Koku, it's you; is it?" the odd man asked. "Bless my cuff buttons!Where is Tom?"

"In shop I guess. "

"I don't see him. Still I had better look. There doesn't seem to be anyone about. "

Mr. Damon opened the shop door, and was met by such an outward rush ofchoking gas that he staggered back. 

"Bless my--" he began but he had to stop, to cough and gasp. "Theremust have been some sort of an accident, " he cried, as he got his lungsfull of fresh air. "A bad accident! Tom could never work in thatatmosphere. Whew!"

"Accident! What is matter?" cried Koku stepping to the doorway. He, too choked and gasped, but his was such a strong and rugged nature, andhis lungs held such a supply of air, that it took more than mere gas toknock him out. He peered in through the wreaths of the acid vapor, andsaw the body of his master, lying on the floor--held down by the heavyiron. 

In another instant Koku had rushed in, holding his breath, for, nowthat he was inside the place, the gas made even him feel weak. 

"Come back! Come back!" cried Mr. Damon. "You'll be smothered! Waituntil the gas escapes!"

"Then Mr. Tom die!" cried the giant. "I get him--or I no come out. "

With one heave of his powerful right arm, Koku lifted the heavy shaftfrom Tom's legs. Then, gathering the lad up in his left arm, as if hewere a baby, Koku staggered out into the fresh air, almost falling withhis burden, as he neared Mr. Damon, for the giant was, well-nighovercome. 

"Bless my soul!" cried the odd man. "Is he--is he--"

He did not finish the sentence, but, as Koku laid Tom down on theovercoat of Mr. Damon, which the latter quickly spread on the snow, theeccentric man put his hand over the heart of the young inventor. 

"It beats!" he murmured. "He's alive, but very weak. We must get adoctor at once. I'll do what I can. There's no time to spare. Blessmy--"

But Mr. Damon concluded that there was no time for blessing anything, and so he stopped short. 

"Carry him up to the house, Koku, " he said. "I know where there aresome medicines, and I'll try to revive him while we're waiting for thedoctor Hurry!"

Tom was laid on a lounge, and, just then, Mrs. Baggert came in. 

"Telephone for the doctor!" cried Mr. Damon to the housekeeper, whokept her nerve, and did not get excited. "I'll give Tom some ammonia, and other stimulants, and see if I can bring him around. Koku, get mesome cold water. "

The telephone was soon carrying the message to the doctor, who promisedto come at once. Koku, in spite of his size, was quick, and soonbrought the water, into which Mr. Damon put some strong medicine, thathe found in a closet. Tom's eyelids fluttered as the others forced someliquid between his lips. 

"He's coming around!" cried the eccentric man. "I guess he'll be allright, Koku. "

"Koku glad, " said the giant simply, for he loved Tom with a deepdevotion. 

"Yes, Koku, if it hadn't been for you, though, I don't believe that hewould be alive. That was powerful gas, and a few seconds more in theremight have meant the end of Tom. I didn't see him lying on the floor, until after you rushed in. Bless my thermometer! It is very strange. "

They gave Tom more medicine, rubbed his arms and legs, and held ammoniaunder his nose. Slowly he opened his eyes, and in a faint voice asked:

"Where--am--I?"

"In your own house, " replied Mr. Damon, cheerfully. "How do you feel?"

"I'm--all--right--now, " said Tom slowly. He, felt his strength cominggradually back, and he remembered what had happened, though he did notyet know how he had been saved. The doctor came in at this moment, witha small medical battery, which completed the restorative work begun bythe others. Soon Tom could sit up, though he was still weak and rathersick. 

"Who brought me out?" he asked, when he had briefly told how theaccident occurred. 

"Koku did, " replied Mr. Damon. "I guess none of the rest of us couldhave lifted the iron shaft from your legs. "

"It's queer how that fell, " said Tom, with a puzzled look on his face. "I didn't hit it hard enough to bring it down. Beside, I had it tied tonails, driven into the wall, to prevent just such an accident as this. I must see about it when I get well. "

"Not for a couple of days, " exclaimed the doctor grimly. "You've gotto stay in bed a while yet. You had a narrow escape, Tom Swift. "

"Well, I'm glad I went to Giant Land, " said the young inventor, with awan smile. "Otherwise I'd never have Koku, " and he lookedaffectionately at the big man, who laughed happily. In nature Koku wasmuch like a child. 

Mr. Swift came home a little later, and Ned Newton called, both beingvery much surprised to hear of the accident. As for Eradicate, the poorold colored man was much affected, and would have sat beside Tom's bedall night, had they allowed him. 

Our hero recovered rapidly, once the fumes of the gas left his system, and, two days later, he was able to go out to the shop again. At hisrequest everything had been left just as it was after he had beenbrought out. Of course the fumes of the gas were soon dissipated, whenthe door was opened, and the acids, after mingling and giving off thevapor, had become neutralized, so that they were now harmless. 

"Now I'm going to see what made that shaft fall, " said Tom to Ned, asthe two chums walked over to the bench where the young inventor hadbeen working. "The tap I gave it never ought to have brought it down. "

Together they examined the thin, but strong, cords that had been passedaround the shaft, having been fastened to two nails, driven into thewall. 

"Look!" cried Tom, pointing to one of the cords. 

"What is it?" asked Ned. 

"The strands were partly cut through, so that only a little jar wasenough to break the remaining ones, " went on Tom. "They've been cutwith a knife, too, and not frayed by vibration against the nail, asmight be the case. Ned, someone has been in my shop, meddling, and hewanted this shaft to fall. This is a trick!"

"Great Scott, Tom! You don't suppose any one wanted that shaft to fallon you; do you?"

"No, I don't believe that. Probably some one wanted to damage theshaft, or he might have thought it would topple over against the bench, and break some of my tools, instruments or machinery. I do delicateexperiments here, and it wouldn't take much of a blow to spoil them. That's why those cords were cut. "

"Who did it? Do you think Andy Foger--"

"No, I think it was the man Koku thought was a chicken thief, and whomwe chased the other night. I've got to be on my guard. I wonder if--"

Tom was interrupted by the appearance of Koku, who came out of the shopwith a letter the postman had just left. 

"I don't know that writing very well, and yet it looks familiar, " saidTom, as he tore open the missive. "Hello, here's more trouble!" heexclaimed as he hastily read it. 

"What's up now?" asked Ned. 

"This is from Mr. Period, the picture man, " went on the young inventor. "It's a warning. "

"A warning?"

"Yes. He says:

"'Dear Tom. Be on your guard. I understand that a rival moving pictureconcern is after you. They want to make you an offer, and get you awayfrom me. But I trust you. Don't have anything to do with these otherfellows. And, at the same time, don't give them a hint as to our plans. Don't tell them anything about your new camera. There is a lot ofjealousy and rivalry in this business and they are all after me. They'll probably come to see you, but be on your guard. They know thatI have been negotiating with you. Remember the alarm the other night. '"

CHAPTER VI

TRYING THE CAMERA

"Well, what do you think of that?" cried Ned, as his chum finished. 

"It certainly isn't very pleasant, " replied Tom. "I wonder why thosechaps can't let me alone? Why don't they invent cameras of their own?Why are they always trying to get my secret inventions?"

"I suppose they can't do things for themselves, " answered Ned. "Andthen, again, your machinery always works, Tom, and some that yourrivals make, doesn't. "

"Well, maybe that's it, " admitted our hero, as he put away the letter. "I will be on the watch, just as I have been before. I've got theburglar alarm wires adjusted on the shop now, and when these rivalmoving picture men come after me they'll get a short answer. "

For several days nothing happened, and Tom and Ned worked hard on theWizard Camera. It was nearing completion, and they were planning, soon, to give it a test, when, one afternoon, two strangers, in a powerfulautomobile, came to the Swift homestead. They inquired for Tom, and, as he was out in the shop, with Ned and Koku, and as he often receivedvisitors out there, Mrs. Baggert sent out the two men, who left theircar in front of the house. 

As usual, Tom had the inner door to his shop locked, and when Kokubrought in a message that two strangers would like to see the younginventor, Tom remarked:

"I guess it's the rival picture men, Ned. We'll see what they have tosay. "

"Which of you is Tom Swift?" asked the elder of the two men, as Tom andNed entered the front office, for our hero knew better than to admitthe strangers to the shop. 

"I am, " replied Tom. 

"Well, we're men of business, " went on the speaker, "and there is nouse beating about the bush. I am Mr. Wilson Turbot, and this is mypartner, Mr. William Eckert. We are in the business of making movingpicture films, and I understand that you are associated with Mr. Periodin this line. 'Spotty' we call him. "

"Yes, I am doing some work for Mr. Period, " admitted Tom, cautiously. 

"Have you done any yet?"

"No, but I expect to. "

"What kind of a camera are you going to use?" asked Mr. Eckert eagerly. 

"I must decline to answer that, " replied Tom, a bit stiffly. 

"Oh, that's all right, " spoke Mr. Turbot, good naturedly. "Only'Spotty' was bragging that you were making a new kind of film for him, and we wondered if it was on the market. "

"We are always looking for improvements, " added Mr. Eckert. 

"This camera isn't on the market, " replied Tom, on his guard as to howhe answered. 

The two men whispered together for a moment, and then Mr. Turbot said:

"Well, as I remarked, we're men of business, and there's no use beatingabout the bush. We've heard of you, Tom Swift, and we know you can dothings. Usually, in this world, every man has his price, and we'rewilling to pay big to get what we want. I don't know what offer Mr. Period made to you, but I'll say this: We'll give you double what heoffered, for the exclusive rights to your camera, whenever it's on themarket, and we'll pay you a handsome salary to work for us. "

"I'm sorry, but I can't consider the offer, " replied Tom firmly. "Ihave given my word to Mr. Period. I have a contract with him, and Icannot break it. "

"Offer him three times what Period did, " said Mr. Eckert, in a hoarsewhisper that Tom heard. 

"It would be useless!" exclaimed our hero. "I wouldn't go back on myword for a hundred times the price I am to get. I am not in thisbusiness so much for the money, as I am for the pleasure of it. "

The men were silent a moment. There were ugly looks on their faces. They looked sharply at Tom and Ned. Then Mr. Eckert said:

"You'll regret this, Tom Swift. We are the biggest firm of movingpicture promoters in the world. We always get what we want. "

"You won't get my camera, " replied Tom calmly. 

"I don't know about that!" exclaimed Mr. Turbot, as he made a hastystride toward Tom, who stood in front of the door leading to theshop--the shop where his camera, almost ready for use, was on a bench. "I guess if we--"

"Koku!" suddenly called Tom. 

The giant stepped into the front office. He had been standing near thedoor, inside the main shop. Mr. Turbot who had stretched forth hishand, as though to seize Tom, and his companion, who had advancedtoward Ned, fairly jumped back in fright at the sight of the big man. 

"Koku, " went on Tom, in even tones, "just show these gentlemen to thefront door--and lock it after them, " he added significantly, as heturned back into the shop, followed by Ned. 

"Yes, Mr. Tom, " answered the giant, and then, with his big hand, andbrawny fist, he gently turned the two men toward the outer door. Theywere gasping in surprise as they looked at the giant. 

"You'll be sorry for this, Tom Swift!" exclaimed Mr. Turbot. "You'llregret not having taken our offer. This Period chat is only a smalldealer. We can do better by you. You'll regret--"

"You'll regret coming here again, " snapped Tom, as he closed the doorof his shop, leaving Koku to escort the baffled plotters to their auto. Shortly afterward Tom and Ned heard the car puffing away. 

"Well, they came, just as Mr. Period said they would, " spoke Tom, slowly. 

"Yes, and they went away again!" exclaimed Ned with a laugh. "They hadtheir trip for nothing. Say, did you see how they stared at Koku?"

"Yes, he's a helper worth having, in cases like these. "

Tom wrote a full account of what had happened and sent it to Mr. Period. He received in reply a few words, thanking him for his loyalty, and again warning him to be on his guard. 

In the meanwhile, work went on rapidly on the Wizard Camera. Brieflydescribed it was a small square box, with a lens projecting from it. Inside, however, was complicated machinery, much too complicated for meto describe. Tom Swift had put in his best work on this wonderfulmachine. As I have said, it could be worked by a storage battery, byordinary electric current from a dynamo, or by hand. On top was a newkind of electric light. This was small and compact, but it threw outpowerful beams. With the automatic arrangement set, and the lightturned on, the camera could be left at a certain place after dark, andwhatever went on in front of it would be reproduced on the moving rollof film inside. 

In the morning the film could be taken out, developed, and the picturesthrown on a screen in the usual way, familiar to all who have been in amoving picture theatre. With the reproducing machines Tom had nothingto do, as they were already perfected. His task had been to make thenew-style camera, and it was nearly completed. 

A number of rolls of films could be packed into the camera, and theycould be taken out, or inserted, in daylight. Of course after one filmhad been made, showing any particular scene any number of films couldbe made from this "master" one. Just as is done with the ordinarymoving picture camera. Tom had an attachment to show when one roll wasused, and when another needed inserting. 

For some time after the visit of the rival moving picture men, Tom wason his guard. Both house and shop were fitted with burglar alarms, butthey did not ring. Eradicate and Koku were told to be on watch, butthere was nothing for them to do. 

"Well, " remarked Tom to Ned, one afternoon, when they had both workedhard, "I think it's about finished. Of course it needs polishing, andthere may be some adjusting to do, but my camera is now ready to takepictures--at least I'm going to give it a test. "

"Have you the rolls of films?"

"Yes, half a dozen of 'em And I'm going to try the hardest test first. "

"Which one is that?"

"The night test. I'm going to place the camera out in the yard, facingmy shop. Then you and I, and some of the others, will go out, pass infront of it, do various stunts, and, in the morning we'll develop thefilms and see what we have. "

"Why, are you going to leave the camera out, all night?"

"Sure. I'm going to give it the hardest kind of a test. "

"But are you and I going to stay up all night to do stunts in front ofit?"

"No, indeed. I'm going to let it take what ever pictures happen to comealong to be taken after we get through making some special early ones. You see my camera will be a sort of watch dog, only of course it won'tcatch any one--that is, only their images will be caught on the film. 

"Oh, I see, " exclaimed Ned, and then he helped Tom fix the machine forthe test. 

CHAPTER VII

WHAT THE CAMERA CAUGHT

"Well, is she working, Tom?" asked our hero's chum, a little later, when they had set the camera up on a box in the garden. It pointedtoward the main shop door, and from the machine came a clicking sound. The electric light was glowing. 

"Yes, it's all ready, " replied Tom. "Now just act as if it wasn'tthere. You walk toward the shop. Do anything you please. Pretend youare coming in to see me on business. Act as if it was daytime. I'llstand here and receive you. Later, I'll get dad out here, Koku andEradicate. I wish Mr. Period was here to see the test, but perhaps it'sjust as well for me to make sure it works before he sees it. "

"All right, Tom, here I come. "

Ned advanced toward the shop. He tried to act as though the camera wasnot taking pictures of him, at the rate of several a second, but heforgot himself, and turned to look at the staring lens. Then Tom, witha laugh, advanced to meet him, shaking hands with him. Then the ladsindulged in a little skylarking. They threw snowballs at each other, taking care, however to keep within range of the lens. Of course whenTom worked the camera himself, he could point it wherever he wanted to, but it was now automatic. 

Then the lads went to the shop, and came out again. They did severalother things. Later Koku, and Eradicate did some "stunts, " as Tomcalled them. Mr. Swift, too, was snapped, but Mrs. Baggert refused tocome out. 

"Well, I guess that will do for now, " said Tom, as he stopped themechanism. "I've just thought of something, " he added. "If I leave thelight burning, it will scare away, before they got in front of thelens, any one who might come along. I'll have to change that part ofit. "

"How can you fix it?" asked Ned. 

"Easily. I'll rig up some flash lights, just ordinary photographingflashlights, you know. I'll time them to go off one after the other, and connect them with an electric wire to the door of my shop. "

"Then your idea is--" began Ned. 

"That some rascals may try to enter my shop at night. Not thisparticular night, but any night. If they come to-night we'll be readyfor them. "

"An' can't yo'-all take a picture ob de chicken coop?" asked Eradicate. "Dat feller may come back t' rob mah hens. "

"With the lens pointing toward the shop, " spoke Tom, "it will also takesnap shots of any one who tries to enter the coop. So, if the chickenthief does come, Rad, we'll have a picture of him. "

Tom and Ned soon had the flashlights in place, and then they went tobed, listening, at times, for the puff that would indicate that thecamera was working. But the night passed without incident, rather toTom's disappointment. However, in the morning, he developed the film ofthe first pictures taken in the evening. Soon they were dry enough tobe used in the moving picture machine, which Tom had bought, and set upin a dark room. 

"There we are!" he cried, as the first images were thrown on the whitescreen. "As natural as life, Ned! My camera works all right!"

"That's so. Look! There's where I hit you with a snowball!" cried hischum, as the skylarking scene was reached. 

"Mah goodness!" cried Eradicate, when he saw himself walking about onthe screen, as large as life. "Dat shorely am wonderful. "

"It is spirits!" cried Koku, as he saw himself depicted. 

"I wish we had some of the other pictures to show, " spoke Tom. "I meansome unexpected midnight visitors. "

For several nights in succession the camera was set to "snap" any onewho might try to enter the shop. The flashlights were also in place. Tom and Ned, the latter staying at his chum's house that week, werebeginning to think they would have their trouble for their pains. Butone night something happened. 

It was very dark, but the snow on the ground made a sort of glow thatrelieved the blackness. The camera had been set as usual, and Tom andNed went to bed. 

It must have been about midnight when they were both awakened byhearing the burglar alarm go off. At the same time there were severalflashes of fire from the garden. 

"There she goes!" cried Ned. 

"Yes, they're trying to get into the shed, " added Tom, as a glance atthe burglar-alarm indicator on the wall of the room, showed that theshop door was being tried. "Come on!"

"I'm with you!" yelled Ned. 

They lost little time getting into their clothes, for they had laidthem out in readiness for putting on quickly. Down the stairs theyraced, but ere they reached the garden they heard footsteps runningalong the wall toward the road. 

"Who's there?" cried Tom, but there was no answer. 

"Koku! Eradicate!" yelled Ned. 

"Yais, sah, I'se comm'!" answered the colored man, and the voice of thegiant was also heard. The flashlights had ceased popping before this, and when the two lads and their helpers had reached the shop, there wasno one in sight. 

"The camera's there all right!" cried Tom in relief as he picked it upfrom the box. "Now to see what it caught. Did you see anything of thefellows, Koku, or Eradicate?" Both said they had not, but Eradicate, after examining the chicken house door by the aid of a lighted match, cried out:

"Somebody's been tryin' t' git in heah, Massa Tom. I kin see where dedo's been scratched. "

"Well, maybe we'll have the picture for you to look at in the morning, "said Tom. 

The films were developed in the usual way in the morning, but thepictures were so small that Tom could not make out the features orforms of the men. And it was plain that at least three men had beenaround the coop and shop. 

By the use of alcohol and an electric fan Tom soon had the films dryenough to use. Then the moving picture machine was set up in a darkroom, and all gathered to see what would be thrown on the screen, greatly enlarged. 

First came several brilliant flashes of light, and then, as theentrance to the shop loomed into view, a dark figure seemed to walkacross the canvas. But it did not stop at the shop door. Instead itwent to the chicken coop, and, as the man reached that door, he beganworking to get it open. Of course it had all taken place in a fewseconds, for, as soon as the flashlights went off, the intruders hadrun away. But they had been there long enough to have their picturestaken. 

The man at the chicken coop turned around as the lights flashed, and hewas looking squarely at the camera. Of course this made his face veryplain to the audience, as Tom turned the crank of the reproducingmachine. 

"Why, it's a colored man!" cried Ned in surprise. 

"Yes, I guess it's only an ordinary chicken thief, after all, " remarkedTom. 

There was a gasp from Eradicate. 

"Fo' de land sakes!" he cried. "De raskil! Ef dat ain't mah own secondcousin, what libs down by de ribber! An' to t'ink dat Samuel 'RastusWashington Jackson Johnson, mah own second cousin, should try t' robmah chicken coop! Oh, won't I gib it t' him!"

"Are you sure, Rad?" asked Tom. 

"Suah? Sartin I'se suah, Massa Tom, " was the answer as the startledcolored man on the screen stared at the small audience. "I'd know datface ob his'n anywhere. "

"Well, I guess he's the only one we caught last night, " said Tom, asthe disappointed chicken thief ran away, and so out of focus But thenext instant there came another series of flashlight explosions on thescreen, and there, almost as plainly as if our friends were looking atthem, they saw two men stealthily approaching the shop. They, too, asthe chicken thief had done, tried the door, and then, they also, startled by the flashes, turned around. 

"Look!" cried Ned. 

"Great Scott!" exclaimed Tom. "Those are the two rivals of Mr. Period!They are Mr. Turbot and Mr. Eckert!"

"Same men I pushed out!" cried Koku, much excited. 

There was no doubt of it, and, as the images faded from the screen, caused by the men running away, Tom and Ned realized that their rivalshad tried to put their threat into execution--the threat of making Tomwish he had taken their offer. 

"I guess they came to take my camera, --but, instead the camera tookthem, " said the young inventor grimly. 

CHAPTER VIII

PHOTOS FROM THE AIRSHIP

"Well, Tom, how is it going?" asked a voice at the door of the shopwhere the young inventor was working. He looked up quickly to beholdMr. Nestor, father of Mary, in which young lady, as I have said, Tomwas much interested. "How is the moving picture camera coming on?"

"Pretty good, Mr. Nestor. Come in. I guess Koku knew you all right. Itold him to let in any of my friends, but I have to keep him there onguard. "

"So I understand. They nearly got in the other night, but I hear thatyour camera caught them. "

"Yes, that proved that the machine is a success, even if we didn'tsucceed in arresting the men. "

"Did you try?"

"Yes, I sent copies of the film, showing Turbot and Eckert trying tobreak into my shop, to Mr. Period, and he had enlarged photographsmade, and went to the police. They said it was rather flimsy evidenceon which to arrest anybody, and so they didn't act. However, we sentcopies of the pictures to Turbot and Eckert themselves, so they knowthat we know they were here, and I guess they'll steer clear of meafter this. "

"I guess so, Tom, " agreed Mr. Nestor with a laugh. "But what about thechicken thief?"

"Oh, Eradicate attended to his second cousin. He went to see him, showed him a print from the film, and gave him to understand that he'dbe blown up with dynamite, or kicked by Boomerang, if he ever camearound here again, and so Samuel 'Rastus Washington Jackson Johnsonwill be careful about visiting strange chicken coops, after this. "

"I believe you, Tom. But how is the camera coming on?"

"Very well. I am making a few changes in it, and I expect to get mybiggest airship in readiness for the trip in about a week, and thenI'll try taking pictures from her. But I understand that you areinterested in Mr. Period's business, Mr. Nestor?"

"Yes, I own some stock in the company, and, Tom, that's what I cameover to see you about. I need a vacation. Mary and her mother are goingaway this Spring for a long visit, and I was wondering if you couldn'ttake me with you on the trips you will make to get moving pictures forour concern. "

"Of course I can, Mr. Nestor. I'll be glad to do it. "

"And there is another thing, Tom, " went on Mr. Nestor, soberly. "I'vegot a good deal of my fortune tied up in this moving picture affair. Iwant to see you win out--I don't want our rivals to get ahead of us. "

"They shan't get ahead of us. "

"You see, Tom, it's this way. There is a bitter fight on between ourconcern and that controlled by our rivals. Each is trying to get thebusiness of a large chain of moving picture theatres throughout theUnited States. These theatre men are watching us both, and thecontracts for next season will go to the concern showing the best lineof films. If our rivals get ahead of us--well, it will just about ruinour company, --and about ruin me too, I guess. "

"I shall do my very best, " answered our hero. 

"Is Mr. Damon going along?"

"Well, I have just written to ask him. I sent the letter yesterday. 

"Doesn't he know what you contemplate?"

"Not exactly. You see when he came, that time I was overcome by thefumes from the acids, everything was so upset that I didn't get achance to tell him. He's been away on business ever since, but returnedyesterday. I certainly hope that he goes with us. Ned Newton iscoming, and with you, and Koku and myself, it will be a nicer party. "

"Then you are going to take Koku?"

"I think I will. I'm a little worried about what these rival movingpicture men might do, and if I get into trouble with them, my gianthelper would come in very useful, to pick one up and throw him over atree top, for instance. "

"Indeed, yes, " agreed Mr. Nestor, with a laugh. "But I hope nothinglike that happens. "

"Nothing like that happens?" suddenly asked a voice. "Bless mybookcase! but there always seems to be something going on here. What'sup now, Tom Swift?"

"Nothing much, Mr. Damon, " replied our hero, as he recognized his oddfriend. "We were just talking about moving pictures, Mr. Damon, andabout you. Did you get my letter?"

"I did, Tom. "

"And are you going with us?"

"Tom, did you ever know me to refuse an invitation from you? I guessnot! Of course I'm going. But, for mercy sakes, don't tell my wife! Shemustn't know about it until the last minute, and then she'll be sosurprised, when I tell her, that she won't think of objecting. Don'tlet her know. "

Tom laughed, and promised, and then the three began talking of theprospective trip. After a bit Ned Newton joined the party. 

Tom showed the two men how his new camera worked. He had made severalimprovements on it since the first pictures were taken, and now it wasalmost perfect. Mr. Period had been out to see it work, and said it wasjust the apparatus needed. 

"You can get films with that machine, " he said, "that will be betterthan any pictures ever thrown on a screen. My fortune will be made, Tom, and yours too, if you can only get pictures that are out of theordinary. There will be some hair-raising work, I expect, but you cando it. "

"I'll try, " spoke Tom. "I have--"

"Hold on! I know what you are going to say, " interrupted Mr. Period. "You are going to say that you've gone through some strenuous timesalready. I know you have, but you're going to have more soon. I thinkI'll send you to India first. "

"To India!" exclaimed Tom, for Mr. Period had spoken of that as if itwas but a journey downtown. 

"Yes, India. I want a picture of an elephant drive, and if you can getpictures of the big beasts in a stampede, so much the better. Then, too, the Durbar is on now, and that will make a good film. How soon canyou start for Calcutta?"

"Well, I've got to overhaul the airship, " said Tom. "That will takeabout three weeks. The camera is practically finished. I can leave in amonth, I guess. "

"Good. We'll have fine weather by that time. Are you going all the wayby your airship?"

"No, I think it will be best to take that apart, ship it by steamer, and go that way ourselves. I can put the airship together in India, andthen use it to get to any other part of Europe, Asia or Africa youhappen to want pictures from. "

"Good! Well, get to work now, and I'll see you again. "

In the days that followed, Tom and Ned were kept busy. There wasconsiderable to do on the airship, in the way of overhauling it. Thiscraft was Tom's largest, and was almost like the one in which he hadgone to the caves of ice, where it was wrecked. It had been, however, much improved. 

The craft was a sort of combined dirigible balloon, and aeroplane, andcould be used as either. There was a machine on board for generatinggas, to use in the balloon part of it, and the ship, which was namedthe Flyer, could carry several persons. 

"Bless my shoe laces!" cried Mr. Damon one day as he looked at Koku. "If we take him along in the airship, will we be able to float, Tom?"

"Oh, yes. The airship is plenty big enough. Besides, we are not goingto take along a very large party, and the camera is not heavy. Oh, we'll be all right. I suppose you'll be on hand to-morrow, Mr. Damon?"

"To-morrow? What for?"

"We're going to take the picture machine up in the airship, and getsome photos from the sky. I expect to make some films from high in theair, as well as some in the regular way, on the ground, and I want alittle practice. Come around about two o'clock, and we'll have a trialflight. "

"All right. I will. But don't let my wife know I'm going up in anairship again. She's read of so many accidents lately, that she'snervous about having me take a trip. "

"Oh, I won't tell, " promised Tom with a laugh, and he worked awayharder than ever, for there were many little details to perfect. Theweather was now getting warm, as there was an early spring, and it waspleasant out of doors. 

The moving picture camera was gotten in readiness. Extra rolls of filmswere on hand, and the big airship, in which they were to go up, fortheir first test of taking pictures from high in the air, had beenwheeled out of the shed. 

"Are you going up very far?" asked Mr. Nestor of Tom, and the younginventor thought that Mary's father was a trifle nervous. He had notmade many flights, and then only a little way above the ground, withTom. 

"Not very high, " replied our hero. "You see I want to get pictures thatwill be large, and if I'm too far away I can't do it. "

"Glad to hear it, " replied Mr. Nestor, with a note of relief in hisvoice. "Though I suppose to fall a thousand feet isn't much differentfrom falling a hundred when you consider the results. "

"Not much, " admitted Tom frankly. 

"Bless my feather bed!" cried Mr. Damon. "Please don't talk of falling, when we're going up in an airship. It makes me nervous. "

"We'll not fall!" declared Tom confidently. 

Mr. Period sent his regrets, that he could not be present at the trial, stating in his letter that he was the busiest man in the world, andthat his time was worth about a dollar a minute just at present. He, however, wished Tom all success. Tom's first effort was to sail along, with the lens of the camera pointed straight toward the earth. He wouldthus get, if successful, a picture that, when thrown on the screen, would give the spectators the idea that they were looking down from amoving balloon. For that reason Tom was not going to fly very high, ashe wanted to get all the details possible. 

"All aboard!" cried the young inventor, when he had seen to it that hisairship was in readiness for a flight. The camera had been put aboard, and the lens pointed toward earth through a hole in the main cabinfloor. All who were expected to make the trip with Tom were on hand, Koku taking the place of Eradicate this time, as the colored man wastoo aged and feeble to go along. 

"All ready?" asked Ned, who stood in the steering tower, with his handon the starting lever, while Tom was at the camera to see that itworked properly. 

"All ready, " answered the young inventor, and, an instant later, theyshot upward, as the big propellers whizzed around. 

Tom at once started the camera to taking pictures rapidly, as he wantedthe future audience to get a perfect idea of how it looked to go up ina balloon, leaving the earth behind. Then as the Flyer moved swiftlyover woods and fields, Tom moved the lens from side to side, to getdifferent views. 

"Say! This is great!" cried Mr. Nestor, to whom air-riding was much ofa novelty. "Are you getting good pictures, Tom?"

"I can't tell until we develop them. But the machine seems to beworking all right. I'm going to sail back now, and get some views ofour own house from up above. "

They had sailed around the town of Shopton, to the neighboringvillages, over woods and fields. Now they were approaching Shoptonagain. 

"Bless my heart!" suddenly exclaimed Mr. Damon, who was looking towardthe earth, as they neared Tom's house. 

"What is it?" asked our hero, glancing up from the picture machine, theregistering dial of which he was examining. 

"Look there! At your shop, Tom! There seems to be a lot of smoke comingfrom it!"

They were almost over Tom's shop now, and, as Mr. Damon had said, therewas considerable smoke rolling above it. 

"I guess Eradicate is burning up papers and trash, " was Ned's opinion. 

Tom looked to where the camera pointed, he was right over his shop now, and could see a dense vapor issuing from the door. 

"That isn't Eradicate!" cried the young inventor. "My shop is on fire!I've got to make a quick drop, and save it! There are a lot of valuablemodels, and machines in there! Send us down, Ned, as fast as she'll go!"

CHAPTER IX

OFF FOR INDIA

"Bless my hose reel!" cried Mr. Damon, as the airship took a quicklurch toward the earth. "Things are always happening to you, Tom Swift!Your shop on fire! How did it happen?"

"Look!" suddenly cried Ned, before Tom had a chance to answer. "There's a man running away from the shop, Tom!"

All saw him, and, as the airship rushed downward it could be seen thathe was a fellow dressed in ragged garments, a veritable tramp. 

"I guess that fire didn't happen, " said Tom significantly. "It wasdeliberately set. Oh, if we can only get there before it gains too muchheadway!"

"I like to catch that fellow!" exclaimed Koku, shaking his big fist atthe retreating tramp. "I fix him!"

On rushed the airship, and the man who had probably started the fire, glanced up at it. Tom suddenly turned the lens of his Wizard Cameratoward him. The mechanism inside, which had been stopped, startedclicking again, as the young inventor switched on the electric current. 

"What are you doing?" cried Ned, as he guided the airship toward theshop, whence clouds of smoke were rolling. 

"Taking his picture, " replied Tom. "It may come in useful for evidence. "

But he was not able to get many views of the fellow, for the lattermust have suspected what was going on. He quickly made a dive for thebushes, and was soon lost to sight. Tom shut off his camera. 

"Bless my life preserver!" cried Mr. Damon. "There comes your father, Tom, and Mrs. Baggert! They've got buckets! They're going to put outthe fire!"

"Why don't they think to use the hose?" cried the young inventor, forhe had his shop equipped With many hose lines, and an electricallydriven pump. "The hose! The hose, dad!" shouted Tom, but it is doubtfulif his father or Mrs. Baggert heard him, for the engine of the airshipwas making much noise. However, the two with the buckets looked up, andwaved their hands to those on the Flyer. 

"There's Eradicate!" yelled Ned. "He's got the hose all right!" Thecolored man was beginning to unreel a line. 

"That's what it needs!" exclaimed Tom. "Now there's some chance to savethe shop. "

"We'll be there ourselves to take a hand in a few seconds!" cried Mr. Damon, forgetting to bless anything. 

"The scoundrel who started this fire, and those back of him, ought tobe imprisoned for life!" declared Mr. Nestor. 

A moment later Ned had landed the airship within a short distance ofthe shop. In an instant the occupants of the craft had leaped out, andTom, after a hasty glance to see that his valuable camera was safe, dashed toward the building crying:

"Never mind the pails, dad! Use the hose! there's a nozzle at the backdoor. Go around there, and play the water on from that end. "

Eradicate, with his line of hose, had disappeared into the shop throughthe front door, and the others pressed in after him, heedless of thedense smoke. 

"Is it blazing much, Rad?" cried Tom. 

"Can't see no blaze at all, Mass a Tom, " replied the colored man. "Dere's a heap of suffin in de middle ob de flo', an' dat's what'sraisin' all de rumpus. "

They all saw it a moment later, a smoldering heap of rags and paper onthe concrete floor of the shop. Eradicate turned his hose on it, therewas a hissing sound, a cloud of steam arose, and the fire waspractically out, though much smoke remained. 

"Jove! that was a lucky escape!" exclaimed Tom, as he looked aroundwhen the vapor had partly cleared away. "No damage done at all, as faras I can see. I wonder what the game was? Did you see anything of atramp around here?" he asked of his father. 

"No, Tom. I have been busy in the house. So has Mrs. Baggert. Suddenlyshe called my attention to the smoke coming from the door, and we ranout. "

"I seen it, too, " added Eradicate. "I was doin' some whitewashin', an'I run up as soon as I could. "

"We saw the tramp all right, but he got away, " said Tom, and he toldhow he had taken pictures of him. "I don't believe it would be much useto look for him now, though. "

"Me look, " spoke Koku significantly, as he hurried off in the directiontaken by the tramp. He came back later, not having found him. 

"What do you think of it, Tom?" asked Ned, when the excitement hadcalmed down, and the pile of burned rags had been removed. It was foundthat oil and chemicals had been put on them to cause a dense smoke. 

"I think it was the work of those fellows who are after my camera, "replied the young inventor. "They are evidently watching me, and whenthey saw us all go off in the airship they thought probably that thecoast was clear. "

"But why should they start a fire?"

"I don't know, but probably to create a lot of smoke, and excitement, so that they could search, and not be detected. Maybe the fellow afterhe found that the camera was gone, wanted to draw those in the houseout to the shop, so he could have a clear field to search in my roomfor any drawings that would give him a dew as to how my machine works. They certainly did not want to burn the shop, for that pile of ragscould have smoldered all day on the concrete floor, without doing anyharm. Robbery was the motive, I think. "

"The police ought to be notified, " declared Mr. Nestor. "Develop thosepictures, Tom, and I'll take the matter up with the police. Maybe theycan identify the tramp from the photographs. "

But this proved impossible. Tom had secured several good films, notonly in the first views he took, giving the spectators the impressionthat they were going up in an airship, but also those showing the shopon fire, and the tramp running away, were very plain. 

The police made a search for the incendiary, but of course did not findhim. Mr. Period came to Shopton, and declared it was his belief thathis rivals, Turbot and Eckert, had had a hand in the matter. But it wasonly a suspicion, though Tom himself believed the same thing. Stillnothing could be accomplished. 

"The thing to do, now that the camera works all right, is for you tohit the trail for India at once, " suggested the picture man. "Theywon't follow you there. Get me some pictures of the Durbar, ofelephants being captured, of tiger fights, anything exciting. "

"I'll do my--" began Tom. 

"Wait, I'm not through, " interrupted the excitable man. "Then go getsome volcanoes, earthquakes--anything that you think would beinteresting. I'll keep in touch with you, and cable occasionally. Getall the films you can. When will you start?"

"I can leave inside of two weeks, " replied Tom. 

"Then do it, and, meanwhile, be on your guard. "

It was found that a few changes were needed on the camera, and someadjustments to the airship. Another trial flight was made, and someexcellent pictures taken. Then Tom and his friends prepared to take theairship apart, and pack it for shipment to Calcutta. It was to go onthe same steamer as themselves, and of course the Wizard Camera wouldaccompany Tom. He took along many rolls of films, enough, he thought, for many views. He was also to send back to Mr. Period from time totime, the exposed rolls of film, so they could be developed, andprinted in the United States, as Tom would not have very goodfacilities for this on the airship, and to reproduce them there wasalmost out of the question. Still he did fit up a small dark roomaboard the Flyer, where he could develop pictures if he wished. 

There was much to be done, but hard work accomplished it, and finallythe party was ready to start for India. Tom said good-bye to MaryNestor, of course, and her father accompanied our hero from the Nestorhouse to the Swift homestead, where the start was to take place. 

Eradicate bade his master a tearful good-bye, and there was moisture inthe eyes of Mr. Swift, as he shook hands with his son. 

"Take care of yourself, Tom, " he said. "Don't run too many risks. Thismoving picture taking isn't as easy as it sounds. It's more than justpointing your camera at things. Write if you get a chance, or send me amessage. "

Tom promised, and then bade farewell to Mrs. Baggert. All wereassembled, Koku, Mr. Damon, who blessed everything he saw, and somethings he did not, Ned, Mr. Nestor and Tom. The five were to go bytrain to New York, there to go aboard the steamer. 

Their journey to the metropolis was uneventful. Mr. Period met them atthe steamship dock, after Tom had seen to it that the baggage, and theparts of the airship were safely aboard. 

"I wish I were going along!" exclaimed the picture man. "It's going tobe a great trip. But I can't spare the time. I'm the busiest man in theworld. I lose about a thousand dollars just coming down to see you off, but it's a good investment. I don't mind it. Now, Tom, good luck, anddon't forget, I want exciting views. "

"I'll try--" began our hero. 

"Wait, I know what you're going to say!" interrupted Mr. Period. "You'll do it, of course. Well, I must be going. I will-- GreatScott!" and Mr. Period interrupted himself. "He has the nerve to comehere!"

"Who?" asked Tom. 

"Wilson Turbot, the rascal! He's trying to balk me at the last minute, I believe. I'm going to see what he means!" and with this, the excitedMr. Period rushed down the gangplank, toward the man at whom he hadpointed--one of the men who had tried to buy Tom's picture takingcamera. 

A moment later the steamer's whistle blew, the last belated passengerrushed up the gangplank, it was drawn in, and the vessel began to moveaway from the dock. Tom and his friends were on their way to India, andthe last glimpse they had of Mr. Period was as he was chasing along thepier, after Mr. Turbot. 

CHAPTER X

UNEXPECTED EXCITEMENT

"Well, what do you know about that, Tom?" asked Ned, as they stood ondeck watching the chase. "Isn't he the greatest ever--Mr. Period, Imean?"

"He certainly is. I'd like to see what happens when he catches thatTurbot chap. "

"Bless my pocket handkerchief!" cried Mr. Damon. "I don't believe hewill. Mr. Period's legs aren't long enough for fast running. "

"Those scoundrels were after us, up to the last minute, " spoke Mr. Nestor, as the ship moved farther out from the dock. Tom and hisfriends could no longer see the excitable picture man after his rival, but there was a commotion in the crowd, and it seemed as if he hadcaught the fellow. 

"Well, we're free of him now, " spoke the young inventor, with a breathof relief. "That is, unless they have set some one else on our trail, "and he looked carefully at the passengers near him, to detect, ifpossible, any who might look like spies in the pay of the rival movingpicture concern, or any suspicious characters who might try to stealthe valuable camera, that was now safely locked in Tom's cabin. Ourhero, however, saw no one to worry about. He resolved to remain on hisguard. 

Friends and relatives were waving farewells to one another, and theband was playing, as the big vessel drew out into the North, or Hudson, river, and steamed for the open sea. 

Little of interest marked the first week of the voyage. All save Kokuhad done much traveling before, and it was no novelty to them. Thegiant, however, was amused and delighted with everything, even the mostcommonplace things he saw. He was a source of wonder to all the otherpassengers, and, in a way, he furnished much excitement. 

One day several of the sailors were on deck, shifting one of the heavyanchors. They went about it in their usual way, all taking hold, and"heaving" together with a "chanty, " or song, to enliven their work. Butthey did not make much progress, and one of the mates got ratherexcited about it. 

"Here, shiver my timbers!" he cried. "Lively now! Lay about you, andget that over to the side!"

"Yo! Heave! Ho!" called the leader of the sailor gang. 

The anchor did not move, for it had either caught on some projection, or the men were not using their strength. 

"Lively! Lively!" cried the mate. 

Suddenly Koku, who was in the crowd of passengers watching the work, pushed his way to where the anchor lay. With a powerful, but not roughaction, he shoved the sailors aside. Then, stooping over, he took afirm grip of the big piece of iron, planted his feet well apart on thedeck, and lifted the immense mass in his arms. There was a round ofapplause from the group of passengers. 

"Where you want him?" Koku calmly asked of the mate, as he stoodholding the anchor. 

"Blast my marlin spikes!" cried the mate. "I never see the like of thisafore! Put her over there, shipmate. If I had you on a voyage or twoyou'd be running the ship, instead of letting the screw push her along. Put her over there, " and he indicated where he wanted the anchor. 

Koku calmly walked along the deck, laid the anchor down as if it was anordinary weight, and passed over to where Tom stood looking on inamused silence. There were murmurs of surprise from the passengers atthe giant's strength, and the sailors went forward much abashed. 

"Say, I'd give a good bit to have a bodyguard like that, " exclaimed awell-known millionaire passenger, who, it was reported, was in constantfear of attacks, though they had never taken place. "I wonder if Icould get him. "

He spoke to Tom about it, but our hero would not listen to aproposition to part with Koku. Besides, it is doubtful if the simplegiant would leave the lad who had brought him away from his SouthAmerican home. But, if Koku was wonderfully strong, and, seeminglyafraid of nothing, there were certain things he feared. 

One afternoon, for the amusement of the passengers, a net was putoverboard, sunk to a considerable depth, and hauled up with a number offishes in it. Some of the finny specimens were good for eating, andothers were freaks, strange and curious. 

Koku was in the throng that gathered on deck to look at the haul. Suddenly a small fish, but very hideous to look at, leaped from the netand flopped toward the giant. With a scream of fear Koku jumped to oneside, and ran down to his stateroom. He could not be induced to come ondeck until Tom assured him that the fishes had been disposed of. ThusKoku was a mixture of giant and baby. But he was a general favorite onthe ship, and often gave exhibitions of his strength. 

Meanwhile Tom and his friends had been on the lookout for any one whomight be trailing them. But they saw no suspicious characters among thepassengers, and, gradually, they began to feel that they had left theirenemies behind. 

The weather was pleasant, and the voyage very enjoyable. Tom and theothers had little to do, and they were getting rather impatient for thetime to come when they could put the airship together, and sail offover the jungle, to get moving pictures of the elephants. 

"Have you any films in the camera now?" asked Ned of his chum on day, as they sat on deck together. 

"Yes, it's all ready for instant use. Even the storage battery ischarged. Why?"

"Oh, I was just wondering. I was thinking we might somehow seesomething we could take pictures of. "

"Not much out here, " said Tom, as he looked across the watery expanse. As he did so, he saw a haze of smoke dead ahead. "We'll pass a steamersoon, " he went on, "but that wouldn't make a good picture. It's toocommon. "

As the two lads watched, the smoke became blacker, and the cloud itformed grew much larger. 

"They're burning a lot of coal on that ship, " remarked Ned. "Must betrying for a speed record. "

A little later a sailor stationed himself in the crow's nest, andfocused a telescope on the smoke. An officer, on deck, seemed to bewaiting for a report from the man aloft. 

"That's rather odd, " remarked Ned. "I never knew them to take so muchinterest in a passing steamer before; and we've gone by several oflate. "

"That's right, " agreed Tom. "I wonder--"

At that moment the officer, looking up, called out:

"Main top!"

"Aye, aye, sir, " answered the sailor with the glass. "She's a smallsteamer, sir, and she's on fire!"

"That's what I feared. Come down. I'll tell the captain. We must crowdon all steam, and go to the rescue. "

"Did you hear that?" cried Ned to Tom, as the officer hurried to thebridge, where the captain awaited him. "A steamer on fire at sea, Tom!why don't you--"

"I'm going to!" interrupted the young inventor, as he started for hiscabin on the run. "I'm going to get some moving pictures of the rescue!That will be a film worth having. "

A moment later the Belchar, the vessel on which our friends hadembarked, increased her speed, while sudden excitement developed onboard. 

As the Belchar approached the burning steamer, which had evidently seenher, and was making all speed toward her, the cloud of smoke becamemore dense, and a dull flame could be seen reflected in the water. 

"She's going fast!" cried Mr. Nestor, as he joined Ned on deck. 

"Bless my insurance policy!" cried Mr. Damon. "What a strangehappening! Where's Tom Swift?"

"Gone for his camera, " answered his chum. "He's going to get somepictures of the rescue. "

"All hands man the life boats!" cried an officer, and several sailorssprang to the davits, ready to lower the boats, when the steamersshould be near enough together. 

Up on deck came Tom, with his wonderful camera. 

"Here you go, Ned!" he called. "Give me a hand. I'm going to start thefilm now. "

CHAPTER XI

AN ELEPHANT STAMPEDE

"Lower away!"

"Stand by the life boats!"

"Let go! Pull hearty!"

These and other commands marked the beginning of the rescue, as thesailors manned the davit-falls, and put the boats into the water. Theburning steamer had now come to a stop, not far away from the Belchar, which was also lay-to. There was scarcely any sea running, and no wind, so that the work of rescuing was not difficult from an ordinarystandpoint. But there was grave danger, because the fire on the doomedvessel was gaining rapidly. 

"That's oil burning, " remarked an officer, and it seemed so, from thedense clouds of smoke that rolled upward. 

"Is she working, Tom?" asked Ned, as he helped his chum to hold thewonderful camera steady on the rail, so that a good view of the burningsteamer could be had. 

"Yes, the film is running. Say, I wonder if they'll get 'em all off?"

"Oh, I think so. There aren't many passengers. I guess it's a trampfreighter. "

They could look across the gap of water, and see the terrifiedpassengers and crew crowding to the rail, holding out their handsappealingly to the brave sailors who were lustily and rapidly, pullingtoward them in life boats. 

At times a swirl of smoke would hide those on the doomed vessel fromthe sight of the passengers on the Belchar, and on such occasions thefrightened screams of women could be heard. Once, as the smoke clearedaway, a woman, with a child in her arms, giving a backward glancetoward the flames that were now enveloping the stern of the vessel, attempted to leap overboard. 

Many hands caught her, however, and all this was registered on the filmof Tom's camera, which was working automatically. As the two vesselsdrifted along, Tom and Ned shifted the lens so as to keep the burningsteamer, and the approaching lifeboats, in focus. 

"There's the first rescue!" cried Ned, as the woman who had attemptedto leap overboard, was, with her child, carefully lowered into a boat. "Did you get that, Tom?"

"I certainly did. This will make a good picture. I think I'll send itback to Mr. Period as soon as we reach port. "

"Maybe you could develop it on board here, and show it. I understandthere's a dark room, and the captain said one of his officers, who usedto be in the moving picture business, had a reproducing machine. "

"Then that's what I'll do!" cried Tom. "I'll have our captain chargeall the Belchar passengers admission, and we'll get up a fund for thefire sufferers. They'll probably lose all their baggage. "

"That will be great!" exclaimed Ned. 

The rescue was now in full swing, and, in a short time all thepassengers and crew had been transferred to the life boats. Tom got agood picture of the captain of the burning steamer being the last toleave his vessel. Then the approaching life boats, with their loads ofsailors, and rescued ones, were caught on the films. 

"Are you all off?" cried the captain of the Belchar to the unfortunateskipper of the doomed ship. 

"All off, yes, thank you. It is a mercy you were at hand. I have acargo of oil. You had better stand off, for she'll explode in a fewminutes. "

"I must get a picture of that!" declared Tom as the Belchar got underway again. "That will cap the climax, and make a film that will be hardto beat. "

A few moments later there was a tremendous explosion on the trampoiler. A column of wreckage and black smoke shot skyward, and Tomsecured a fine view of it. Then the wreck disappeared beneath thewaves, while the rescuing steamer sailed on, with those who had beensaved. They had brought off only the things they wore, for the fire hadoccurred suddenly, and spread rapidly. Kind persons aboard the Belcharlooked after the unfortunates. Luckily there was not a large passengerlist on the tramp. And the crew was comparatively small, so it was nothard work to make room for them, or take care of them, aboard theBelchar. 

Tom developed his pictures, and produced then in one of the largesaloons, on a machine he borrowed from the man of whom Ned had spoken. A dollar admission was charged, and the crowd was so large that Tom hadto give two performances. The films, showing the burning steamer andthe rescue, were excellent, and enough money was realized to aid, mostsubstantially, the unfortunate passengers and crew. 

A few days later a New York bound steamer was spoken, and on it Tomsent the roll of developed films to Mr. Period, with a letter ofexplanation. 

I will not give all the details of the rest of the voyage. Sufficientto say that no accidents marred it, nor did Tom discover any suspiciouscharacters aboard. In due time our friends arrived at Calcutta, andwere met by an agent of Mr. Period, for he had men in all quarters ofthe world, making films for him. 

This agent took Tom and his party to a hotel, and arranged to have theairship parts sent to a large open shed, not far away, where it couldbe put together. The wonderful scenes in the Indian city interested Tomand his companions for a time, but they had observed so many strangesights from time to time that they did not marvel greatly. Koku, however, was much delighted. He was like a child. 

"What are you going to do first?" asked Ned, when they had recoveredfrom the fatigue of the ocean voyage and had settled themselves in thehotel. 

"Put the airship together, " replied our hero, "and then, after gettingsome Durbar pictures, we'll head for the jungle. I want to get someelephant pictures, showing the big beasts being captured. "

Mr. Period's agent was a great help to them in this. He secured nativehelpers, who aided Tom in assembling the airship, and in a week or twoit was ready for a flight. The wonderful camera, too, was looked over, and the picture agent said he had never seen a better one. 

"It can take the kind of pictures I never could, " he said. "I getCalcutta street scenes for Mr. Period, and occasionally I strike a goodone. But I wish I had your chance. "

Tom invited him to come along in the airship, but the agent, who onlylooked after Mr. Period's interests as a side issue, could not leavehis work. 

The airship was ready for a flight, stores and provisions had been puton board, there was enough gasoline for the motor, and gas for theballoon bag, to carry the Flyer thousands of miles. The moving picturecamera had been tested after the sea voyage, and had been found to workperfectly. Many rolls of films were taken along. Tom got some fineviews of the Durbar of India, and his airship created a great sensation. 

"Now I guess we're all ready for the elephants, " said Tom one day as hecame back from an inspection of the airship as it rested in the bigshed. "We'll start to-morrow morning, and head for the jungle. "

Amid the cries from a throng of wondering and awed natives, and withthe farewells of Mr. Period's agent ringing in their ears, Tom and hisparty made an early start. The Flyer rose like a bird, and shot acrossthe city, while on the house tops many people watches the strangesight. Tom did not start his camera working, as Mr. Period's agent saidhe had made many pictures of the Indian city, and even one taken froman airship, would not be much of a novelty. 

Tom had made inquiries, and learned that by a day's travel in hisairship (though it would have been much longer ordinarily) he couldreach a jungle where elephants might be found. Of course there wasnothing certain about it, as the big animals roamed all over, being inone district one day, and on the next, many miles off. 

Gradually the city was left behind, and some time later the airship wassailing along over the jungle. After the start, when Ned and Tom, withMr. Damon helping occasionally, had gotten the machinery into properadjustment, the Flyer almost ran herself. Then Tom took his stationforward, with his camera in readiness, and a powerful spyglass at hand, so that he might see the elephants from a distance. 

He had been told that, somewhere in the district for which he washeaded, an elephant drive was contemplated. He hoped to be on hand toget pictures of it, and so sent his airship ahead at top speed. 

On and on they rode, being as much at ease in the air as they wouldhave been if traveling in a parlor car. They did not fly high, as itwas necessary to be fairly close to the earth to get good pictures. 

"Well, I guess we won't have any luck to-day, " remarked Ned, as nightapproached, and they had had no sight of the elephants. They had goneover mile after mile of jungle, but had seen few wild beasts insufficient numbers to make it worth while to focus the camera on them. 

"We'll float along to-night, " decided Tom, "and try again in themorning. "

It was about ten o'clock the next day, when Ned, who had relieved Tomon watch, uttered a cry:

"What is it?" asked his chum, as he rushed forward. "Has anythinghappened?"

"Lots!" cried Ned. "Look!" He pointed down below. Tom saw, crashingthrough the jungle, a big herd of elephants. Behind them, almostsurrounding them, in fact, was a crowd of natives in charge of whitehunters, who were driving the herd toward a stockade. 

"There's a chance for a grand picture!" exclaimed Tom, as he got thecamera ready. "Take charge of the ship, Ned. Keep her right over thebig animals, and I'll work the camera. "

Quickly he focused the lens on the strange scene below him. There wasa riot of trumpeting from the elephants. The beaters and huntersshouted and yelled. Then they saw the airship and waved their hands toTom and his friends, but whether to welcome them, or warn them away, could not be told. 

The elephants were slowly advancing toward the stockade. Tom was takingpicture after picture of them, when suddenly as the airship came lower, in response to a signal to Ned from the young inventor, one of the hugepachyderms looked up, and saw the strange sight. He might have taken itfor an immense bird. At any rate he gave a trumpet of alarm, and thenext minute, with screams of rage and fear, the elephants turned, andcharged in a wild stampede on those who were driving them toward thestockade. 

"Look!" cried Ned. "Those hunters and natives will be killed!"

"I'm afraid so!" shouted Tom, as he continued to focus his camera onthe wonderful sight. 

CHAPTER XII

THE LION FIGHT

Crashing through the jungle the huge beasts turned against those whohad, been driving them on toward the stockade. With wild shouts andyells, the hunters and their native helpers tried to turn back theelephant tide, but it was useless. The animals had been frightened bythe airship, and were following their leader, a big bull, that wentcrashing against great trees, snapping them off as if they were pipestems. 

"Say, this is something like!" cried Ned, as he guided the airship overthe closely packed body of elephants, so Tom could get good pictures, for the herd had divided, and a small number had gone off with one ofthe other bulls. 

"Yes, I'll get some great pictures, " agreed Tom, as he looked inthrough a red covered opening in the camera, to see how much film wasleft. 

The airship was now so low down that Tom, and the others, could easilymake out the faces of the hunters, and the native helpers. One of thehunters, evidently the chief, shaking his fist at our hero, cried:

"Can't you take your blooming ship out of the way, my man? It's scaringthe beasts, and we've been a couple of weeks on this drive. We don'twant to lose all our work. Take your bloody ship away!"

"I guess he must be an Englishman, " remarked Mr. Nestor, with a laugh. 

"Bless my dictionary, I should say so, " agreed Mr. Damon. "Bloody, blooming ship! The idea!"

"Well, I suppose we have scared the beasts, " said Tom. "We ought to getout of the way. Put her up, Ned, and we'll come down some distance inadvance. "

"Why, aren't you going to take any more views of the elephants?"

"Yes, but I've got enough of a view from above. Besides, I've got toput in a fresh reel of film, and I might as well get out of their sightto do it. Maybe that will quiet them, and the hunters can turn themback toward the stockade. If they do, I have another plan. "

"What is it?" his chum wanted to know. 

"I'm going to make a landing, set up my camera at the entrance to thestockade, and get a series of pictures as the animals come in. I thinkthat will be a novelty. 

"That certainly will, " agreed Mr. Nestor. "I am sure Mr. Period willappreciate that. But won't it be dangerous, Tom?"

"I suppose so, but I'm getting used to danger, " replied our hero, witha laugh. 

Ned put the ship high into the air, as Tom shut off the power from thecamera. Then the Flyer was sent well on in advance of the stampede ofelephants, so they could no longer see it, or hear the throb of thepowerful engines. Tom hoped that this would serve to quiet the immensecreatures. 

As the travelers flew on, over the jungle, they could still hear theracket made by the hunters and beaters, and the shrill trumpeting ofthe elephants, as they crashed through the forest. 

Tom at once began changing the film in the camera, and Ned altered thecourse of the airship, to send it back toward the stockade, which theyhad passed just before coming upon the herd of elephants. 

I presume most of my readers know what an elephant drive is like. Astockade, consisting of heavy trees, is made in the jungle. It is likethe old fashioned forts our forefathers used to make, for a defenseagainst the Indians. There is a broad entrance to it, and, when all isin readiness, the beaters go out into the jungle, with the whitehunters, to round up the elephants. A number of tame pachyderms aretaken along to persuade the wild ones to follow. 

Gradually the elephants are gathered together in a large body, andgently driven toward the stockade. The tame elephants go in first, andthe others follow. Then the entrance is closed, and all that remains tobe done is to tame the wild beasts, a not very easy task. 

"Are you all ready?" asked Ned, after a bit, as he saw Tom come forwardwith the camera. 

"Yes, I'm loaded for some more excitement. You can put me right overthe stockade now, Ned, and when we see the herd coming back I'll godown, and take some views from the ground. "

"I think they've got 'em turned, " said Mr. Damon. "It sounds as if theywere coming back this way. "

A moment later they had a glimpse of the herd down below. It was truethat the hunters had succeeded in stopping the stampede, and once morethe huge beasts were going in the right direction. 

"There's a good place to make a landing, " suggested Tom, as he saw acomparatively clear place in the jungle. "It's near the stockade, and, in case of danger, I can make a quick get-away. "

"What kind of danger are you looking for?" asked Ned, as he shifted thedeflecting rudder. 

"Oh, one of the beasts might take a notion to chase me. "

The landing was made, and Tom, taking Ned and Mr. Nestor with him, andleaving the others to manage the airship in case a quick flight wouldbe necessary, made his way along a jungle trail to the entrance to thestockade. He carried his camera with him, for it was not heavy. 

On came the elephants, frightened by the shouts and cries of thebeaters, and the firing of guns. The young inventor took his place nearthe stockade entrance, and, as the elephants advanced through theforest, tearing up trees and bushes, Tom got some good pictures of them. 

Suddenly the advance of the brutes was checked, and the foremost ofthem raised their trunks, trumpeted in anger, and were about to turnback again. 

"Get away from that bloomin' gate!" shouted a hunter to Tom. "You'rescaring them as bad as your airship did. "

"Yes, they won't go in with you there!" added another man. 

Tom slipped around the corner of the stockade, out of sight, and fromthat vantage point he took scores of pictures, as the tame animals ledthe wild ones into the fenced enclosure. Then began another wild sceneas the gate was closed. 

The terrified animals rushed about, trying in vain to find a way ofescape. Tom managed to climb up on top of the logs, and got somesplendid pictures. But this was nearly his undoing. For, just as thelast elephant rushed in, a big bull charged against the stockade, andjarred Tom so that he was on the point of falling. His one thought wasabout his camera, and he looked to see if he could drop it on the softgrass, so it would not be damaged. 

He saw Koku standing below him, the giant having slipped out of theairship, to see the beasts at closer range. 

"Catch this, Koku!" cried Tom, tossing the big man his precious camera, and the giant caught it safely. But Tom's troubles were not over. Amoment later, as the huge elephant again rammed the fence, Tom felloff, but fortunately outside. Then the large beast, seeing a smallopening in the gate that was not yet entirely closed, made for it. Amoment later he was rushing straight at Tom, who was somewhat stunnedby his fall, though it was not a severe one. 

"Look out!" yelled Ned. 

"Take a tree, Tom!" cried Mr. Nestor. 

The elephant paid no attention to any one but Tom, whom he seemed tothink had caused all his trouble. The young inventor dashed to oneside, and then started to run toward the airship, for which Ned and Mr. Nestor were already making. The elephant hunters at last succeeded inclosing the gate, blocking the chance of any more animals to escape. 

"Run, Tom! Run!" yelled Ned, and Tom ran as he had never run before. The elephant was close after him though, crashing through the jungle. Tom could see the airship just ahead of him. 

Suddenly he felt something grasp him from behind. He thought surely itwas the elephant's trunk, but a quick glance over his shoulder showedhim the friendly face of Koku, the giant. 

"Me run for you, " said Koku, as he caught Tom up under one arm, and, carrying the camera under the other, he set off at top speed. Now Kokucould run well at times, and this time he did. He easily outdistancedthe elephant, and, a little later, he set Tom down on the deck of theairship, with the camera beside him. Then Ned and Mr. Nestor came uppanting, having run to one side. 

"Quick!" cried Tom. "We must get away before the elephant charges theFlyer. "

"He has stopped, " shouted Mr. Nestor, and it was indeed so. The bigbeast, seeing again the strange craft that had frightened him before, stood still for a moment, and then plunged off into the jungle, trumpeting with rage. 

"Safe!" gasped Tom, as he looked at his camera to see if it had beendamaged. It seemed all right. 

"Bless my latch key!" cried Mr. Damon. "This moving picture businessisn't the most peaceful one in the world. "

"No, it has plenty of perils, " agreed Mr. Nestor. 

"Come on, let's get out of here while we have the chance, " suggestedTom. "There may be another herd upon us before we know it. "

The airship was soon ascending, and Tom and his companions could lookdown and see the tame elephants in the stockade trying to calm the wildones. Then the scene faded from sight. 

"Well, if these pictures come out all right I'll have some fine ones, "exclaimed Tom as he carried his camera to the room where he kept thefilms. "I fancy an elephant drive and stampede are novelties in thisline. "

"Indeed they are, " agreed Mr. Nestor. "Mr. Period made no mistake whenhe picked you out, Tom, for this work. What are you going to try fornext?"

"I'd like to get some lion and tiger pictures, " said the younginventor. "I understand this is a good district for that. As soon asthose elephants get quieted down, I'm going back to the stockade andhave a talk with the hunters. "

This he did, circling about in the airship until nearly evening. Whenthey again approached the stockade all was quiet, and they came toearth. A native showed them where the white hunters had theirheadquarters, in some bungalows, and Tom and his party were madewelcome. They apologized for frightening the big beasts, and thehunters accepted their excuses. 

"As long as we got 'em, it's all right, " said the head man, "though forawhile, I didn't like your bloomin' machine. " Tom entertained thehunters aboard his craft, at which they marvelled much, and they gavehim all the information they had about the lions and tigers in thevicinity. 

"You won't find lions and tigers in herds, like elephants though, " saidthe head hunter. "And you may have to photograph 'em at night, as thenis when they come out to hunt, and drink. "

"Well, I can take pictures at night, " said Tom, as he showed his cameraapparatus. 

The next day, in the airship, they left for another district, where, sothe natives reported, several lions had been seen of late. They haddone much damage, too, carrying off the native cattle, and killingseveral Indians. 

For nearly a week Tom circled about in his airship, keeping a sharplookout down below for a sign of lions that he might photograph them. But he saw none, though he did get some pictures of a herd of Indiandeer that were well worth his trouble. 

"I think I'll have to try for a night photograph, " decided Tom at last. "I'll locate a spring where wild beasts are in the habit of coming, setthe camera with the light going, and leave it there. "

"But will the lions come up if they see the light?" asked Ned. 

"I think so, " replied his chum. "I'll take a chance, anyhow. If thatdoesn't work then I'll hide near by, and see what happens. "

"Bless my cartridge belt!" cried Mr. Damon. "You don't mean that; doyou Tom?"

"Of course. Come to think of it, I'm not going to leave my camera outthere for a lion to jump on, and break. As soon as I get a series ofpictures I'll bring it back to the ship, I think. "

By inquiry among the natives they learned the location of a springwhere, it was said, lions were in the habit of coming nightly to drink. 

"That's the place I want!" cried Tom. 

Accordingly the airship was headed for it, and one evening it camegently to earth in a little clearing on the edge of the jungle, whileKoku, as was his habit, got supper. 

After the meal Tom and Ned set the camera, and then, picking out a goodspot nearby, they hid themselves to wait for what might happen. Thelens was focused on the spring, and the powerful electric light setgoing. It glowed brightly, and our hero thought it might have theeffect of keeping the beasts away, but Tom figured that, after they hadlooked at it for a while, and seen that it did not harm them, theywould lose their suspicions, and come within range of his machine. 

"The camera will do the rest, " he said. In order not to waste filmsuselessly Tom arranged a long electric wire, running it from the camerato where he and Ned were hid. By pressing a button he could start orstop the camera any time he wished, and, as he had a view of the springfrom his vantage point, he could have the apparatus begin takingpictures as soon as there was some animal within focus. 

"Well, I'm getting stiff, " said Ned, after an hour or so had passed insilent darkness, the only light being the distant one on the camera. 

"So am I, " said Tom. 

"I don't believe anything will come to-night, " went on his chum. "Let'sgo back and--"

He stopped suddenly, for there was a crackling in the underbrush, andthe next moment the jungle vibrated to the mighty roar of a lion. 

"He's coming!" hoarsely whispered Tom. 

Both lads glanced through the trees toward the camera, and, in thelight, they saw a magnificent, tawny beast standing on the edge of thespring. Once more he roared, as if in defiance, and then, as ifdeciding that the light was not harmful, he stooped to lap up the water. 

Hardly had he done so than there was another roar, and a moment later asecond lion leaped from the dense jungle into the clearing about thespring. The two monarchs of the forest stood there in the glare of thelight, and Tom excitedly pressed the button that started the shutter toworking, and the film to moving back of the lens. 

There was a slight clicking sound in the camera, and the lions turnedstartedly. Then both growled again, and the next instant they sprang ateach other, roaring mightily. 

"A fight!" cried Tom. "A lion fight, and right in front of my camera!It couldn't be better. This is great! This will be a film. "

"Quiet!" begged Ned. "They'll hear you, and come for us. I don't wantto be chewed up!"

"No danger of them hearing me!" cried Tom, and he had to shout to beheard above the roaring of the two tawny beasts, as they bit and clawedeach other, while the camera took picture after picture of them. 

CHAPTER XIII

A SHOT IN TIME

"Tom, did you ever see anything like it in your life?"

"I never did, Ned! It's wonderful! fearful! And to think that we arehere watching it, and that thousands of people will see the same thingthrown on a screen. Oh, look at the big one. The small lion has himdown!"

The two lads, much thrilled, crouched down behind a screen of bushes, watching the midnight fight between the lions. On the airship, not fardistant, there was no little alarm, for those left behind heard theterrific roars, and feared Tom and Ned might be in some danger. But thelions were too much occupied with their battle, to pay any attention toanything else, and no other wild beasts were likely to come to thespring while the two "kings" were at each other. 

It was a magnificent, but terrible battle. The big cats bit and tore ateach other, using their terrific claws and their powerful paws, onestroke of which is said to be sufficient to break a bullock's back. Sometimes they would roll out of the focus of the camera, and, at suchtimes, Tom wished he was at the machine to swing the lens around, buthe knew it would be dangerous to move. Then the beasts would roll backinto the rays of light again, and more pictures of them would be taken. 

"I guess the small one is going to win!" said Tom, after the two lionshad fought for ten minutes, and the bigger one had been down severaltimes. 

"He's younger, " agreed Ned, "and I guess the other one has had hisshare of fights. Maybe this is a battle to see which one is to rulethis part of the jungle. "

"I guess so, " spoke the young inventor, as he pressed the button tostop the camera, as the lions rolled out of focus. "Oh, look!" he crieda moment later, as the animals again rolled into view. Tom started thecamera once more. "This is near the end, " he said. 

The small lion had, by a sudden spring, landed on the back of hisrival. There was a terrific struggle, and the older beast went down, the younger one clawing him terribly. Then, so quickly did it happenthat the boys could not take in all the details, the older lion rolledover and over, and rid himself of his antagonist. Quickly he got to hisfeet, while the smaller lion did the same. They stood for a momenteyeing each other, their tails twitching, the hair on their backsbristling, and all the while they uttered frightful, roars. 

An instant later the larger beast sprang toward his rival. One terriblepaw was upraised. The small lion tried to dodge, but was not quickenough. Down came the paw with terrific force, and the boys could hearthe back bone snap. Then, clawing his antagonist terribly, as he laydisabled, the older lion, with a roar of triumph, lapped up water, andsprang off through the jungle, leaving his dying rival beside thespring. 

"That's the end, " cried Tom, as the small lion died, and the younginventor pressed the button stopping his camera. There was a rustle inthe leaves back of Tom and Ned, and they sprang up in alarm, but theyneed not have feared, for it was only Koku, the giant, who, with aportable electrical torch, had come to see how they had fared. 

"Mr. Tom all right?" asked the big man, anxiously. 

"Yes, and I got some fine pictures. You can carry the camera back now, Koku. I think that roll of film is pretty well filled. "

The three of them looked at the body of the dead lion, before they wentback to the airship. I have called him "small, " but, in reality, thebeast was small only in comparison with his rival, who was a tremendouslion in size. I might add that of all the pictures Tom took, few weremore highly prized than that reel of the lion fight. 

"Bless my bear cage!" cried Mr. Damon, as Tom came back, "you certainlyhave nerve, my boy. "

"You have to, in this business, " agreed Tom with a laugh. "I never didthis before, and I don't know that I would want it for a steadyposition, but it's exciting for a change. "

They remained near the "lion spring" as they called it all night, andin the morning, after Koku had served a tasty breakfast, Tom headed theairship for a district where it was said there were many antelope, andbuffaloes, also zebus. 

"I don't want to get all exciting pictures, " our hero said to Mr. Nestor. "I think that films showing wild animals at play, or quietlyfeeding, will be good. "

"I'm sure they will, " said Mary's father. "Get some peaceful scenes, byall means. "

They sailed on for several days, taking a number of pictures from theairship, when they passed over a part of the country where the view wasmagnificent, and finally, stopping at a good sized village they learnedthat, about ten miles out, was a district where antelope abounded. 

"We'll go there, " decided Tom, "and I'll take the camera around with meon a sort of walking trip. In that way I'll get a variety of views, andI can make a good film. "

This plan was followed out. The airship came to rest in a beautifulgreen valley, and Ned and Tom, with Mr. Damon, who begged to be takenalong, started off. 

"You can follow me in about half an hour, Koku, " said Tom, "and carrythe camera back. I guess you can easily pick up our trail. "

"Oh, sure, " replied the giant. Indeed, to one who had lived in theforest, as he had all his life, before Tom found him, it was nodifficult matter to follow a trail, such as the three friends wouldleave. 

Tom found signs that showed him where the antelopes were in the habitof passing, and, with Ned and Mr. Damon, stationed himself in asecluded spot. 

He had not long to wait before a herd of deer came past. Tom took manypictures of the graceful creatures, for it was daylight now, and heneeded no light. Consequently there was nothing to alarm the herd. 

After having made several films of the antelope, Tom and his twocompanions went farther on. They were fortunate enough to find a placethat seemed to be a regular playground of the deer. There was a largeherd there, and, getting as near as he dared, Tom focused his camera, and began taking pictures. 

"It's as good as a play, " whispered Mr. Damon, as he and Ned watchedthe creatures, for they had to speak quietly. The camera made scarcelyany noise. "I'm glad I came on this trip. "

"So am I, " said Ned. "Look, Tom, see the mother deer all together, andthe fawns near them. It's just as if it was a kindergarten meeting. "

"I see, " whispered Tom. "I'm getting a picture of that. "

For some little time longer Tom photographed the deer, and then, suddenly, the timid creatures all at once lifted up their heads, anddarted off. Tom and Ned, wondering what had startled them, lookedacross the glade just in time to see a big tiger leap out of the tallgrass. The striped animal had been stalking the antelope, but they hadscented him just in time. 

"Get him, Tom, " urged Ned, and the young inventor did so, securingseveral fine views before the tiger bounded into the grass again, andtook after his prey. 

"Bless my china teacup! What's that!" suddenly cried Mr. Damon. As hespoke there was a crashing in the bushes and, an instant later astwo-horned rhinoceros sprang into view, charging straight for the group. 

"Look out!" yelled Ned. 

"Bless my--" began Mr. Damon, but he did not finish, for, in startingto run his foot caught in the grass, and he went down heavily. 

Tom leaped to one side, holding his camera so as not to damage it. Buthe stumbled over Mr. Damon, and went down. 

With a "wuff" of rage the clumsy beast, came on, moving more rapidlythan Tom had any idea he was capable of. Hampered by his camera ourhero could not arise. The rhinoceros was almost upon him, and Ned, catching up a club, was just going to make a rush to the rescue, whenthe brute seemed suddenly to crumple up. It fell down in a heap, notfive feet from where Tom and Mr. Damon lay. 

"Good!" cried Ned. "He's dead. Shot through the heart! Who did it?"

"I did, " answered Koku quietly, stepping out of the bushes, with one ofTom's Swift's electric rifles in his hand. 

CHAPTER XIV

IN A GREAT GALE

Tom Swift rose slowly to his feet, carefully setting his camera down, after making sure that it was not injured. Then he looked at the hugebeast which lay dead in front of him, and, going over to the giant heheld out his hand to him. 

"Koku, you saved my life, " spoke Tom. "Probably the life of Mr. Damonalso. I can't begin to thank you. It isn't the first time you've doneit, either. But I want to say that you can have anything you want, thatI've got. "

"Me like this gun pretty much, " said the giant simply. 

"Then it's yours!" exclaimed Tom. "And you're the only one, exceptmyself, who has ever owned one. " Tom's wonderful electric rifle, ofwhich I have told you in the book bearing that name, was one of hismost cherished inventions. 

He guarded jealously the secret of how it worked, and never sold orgave one away, for fear that unscrupulous men might learn how to makethem, and to cause fearful havoc. For the rifle was a terrible weapon. Koku seemed to appreciate the honor done him, as he handled the gun, and looked from it to the dead rhinoceros. 

"Bless my blank cartridge!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, as he also got up andcame to examine the dead beast. It was the first thing he had saidsince the animal had rushed at him, and he had not moved after he felldown. He had seemingly been in a daze, but when the others heard himuse one of his favorite expressions they knew that he was all rightagain. "Bless my hat!" went on the odd man. "What happened, Tom? Isthat beast really dead? How did Koku come to arrive in time?"

"I guess he's dead all right, " said Tom, giving the rhinoceros a kick. "But I don't know how Koku happened to arrive in the nick of time, andwith the gun, too. "

"I think maybe I see something to shoot when I come after you, like youtell me to do, " spoke the giant. "I follow your trail, but I seenothing to shoot until I come here. Then I see that animal run for you, and I shoot. "

"And a good thing you did, too, " put in Ned. "Well let's go back. Mynerves are on edge, and I want to sit quiet for a while. "

"Take the camera, Koku, " ordered Tom, "and I'll carry the electricrifle--your rifle, now, " he added, and the giant grinned in delight. They reached the airship without further incident, and, after a cup oftea, Tom took out the exposed films and put a fresh roll in his camera, ready for whatever new might happen. 

"Where is your next stopping place, Tom?" asked Ned, as they sat in themain room of the airship that evening, talking over the events of theday. They had decided to stay all night anchored on the ground, andstart off in the morning. 

"I hardly know, " answered the young inventor. "I am going to set thecamera to-night, near a small spring I saw, to get some pictures ofdeer coming to drink. I may get a picture of a lion or a tigerattacking them. If I could it would be another fine film. To-morrow Ithink we will start for Switzerland. But now I'm going to get thecamera ready for a night exposure. 

"Bless my check book!" cried Mr. Damon. "You don't mean to say that youare going to stay out at a spring again, Tom, and run the chance of atiger getting you. "

"No, I'm merely going to set the camera, attach the light and let itwork automatically this time. I've put in an extra long roll of film, for I'm going to keep it going for a long while, and part of the timethere may be no animals there to take pictures of. No, I'm not going tosit out to-night. I'm too tired. I'll conceal the camera in the bushesso it won't be damaged if there's a fight. Then, as I said, we'll startfor Switzerland to-morrow. "

"Switzerland!" cried Ned. "What in the world do you want to go make abig jump like that for? And what do you expect to get in that mountainland?"

"I'm going to try for a picture of an avalanche, " said Tom. "Mr. Period wants one, if I can get it. It is quite a jump, but then we'llbe flying over civilized countries most of the time, and if anyaccident happens we can go down and easily make repairs. We can alsoget gasolene for the motor, though I have quite a supply in the tanks, and perhaps enough for the entire trip. At the same time we won't takeany chances. So we'll be off for Switzerland in the morning. 

"I think some avalanche pictures will be great, if you can get them, "remarked Mr. Nestor. "But, Tom, you know those big slides of ice, snowand earth aren't made to order. "

"Oh, I know, " agreed the young inventor with a smile. "I'll just haveto take my chances, and wait until one happens. "

"Bless my insurance policy!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "And when it doeshappen, Tom, are you going to stand in front of it, and snap-shot it?"

"Indeed I'm not. This business is risky and dangerous enough, withoutlooking for trouble. I'm going to the mountain region, and hover aroundin the air, until we see an avalanche 'happen' if that is the rightword. Then I'll focus the camera on it, and the films and machinerywill do the rest. "

"Oh, that's different, " remarked the odd man, with an air of relief. 

Tom and Ned soon had the camera set near the spring and then, everyonebeing tired with the day's work and excitement, they retired. In themorning there were signs around the spring that many animals had beenthere in the night. There were also marks as if there had been a fight, but of course what sort, or how desperate, no one could say. 

"If anything happened the camera got it, I'm sure of that much, "remarked Tom, as he brought in the apparatus. "I'm not going to developthe roll, for I don't want to take the time now. I guess we must havesomething, anyhow. "

"If there isn't it won't so much matter for you have plenty of othergood views, " said Mr. Nestor. 

I will not go into details of the long trip to Switzerland, where, amidthe mountains of that country, Tom hoped to get the view he wanted. 

Sufficient to say that the airship made good time after leaving India. Sometimes Tom sent the craft low down, in order to get views, andagain, it would be above the clouds. 

"Well, another day will bring us there, " said Tom one evening, as hewas loading the camera with a fresh roll of films. "Then we'll have tobe on the lookout for an avalanche. "

"Yes, we're making pretty good time, " remarked Ned, as he looked at thespeed gage. "I didn't know you had the motor working so fast, Tom. "

"I haven't, " was the young inventor's answer, as he looked up insurprise. "Why, we are going quite fast! It's the wind, Ned. It'sright with us, and it's carrying us along. "

Tom arose and went to the anemometer, or wind-registering instrument. He gave a low whistle, half of alarm. 

"Fifty miles an hour she's blowing now, " he said. "It came on suddenly, too, for a little while ago it was only ten. "

"Is there any danger?" asked Mr. Nestor, for he was not very familiarwith airship perils. 

"Well, we've been in big blows before, and we generally came out allright, " returned Tom. "Still, I don't like this. Why she went up fivepoints since I've been looking at it!" and he pointed to the needle ofthe gage, which now registered fifty-five miles an hour. 

"Bless my appendix!" gasped Mr. Damon. "It's a hurricane Tom!"

"Something like that, " put in Ned, in a low voice. 

With a suddenness that was startling, the wind increased in violencestill more. Tom ran to the pilot house. 

"What are you going to do?" Ned called. 

"See if we can't go down a bit, " was Tom's answer. "I don't like this. It may be calmer below. We're up too high as it is. "

He tried to throw over the lever controlling the deflecting rudder, which would send the Flyer down, but he could not move it. 

"Give me a hand!" he called to Ned, but even the strength of the twolads was not sufficient to shift it. 

"Call Koku!" gasped Tom. "If anybody can budge it the giant can!"

Meanwhile the airship was being carried onward in the grip of a mightywind, so strong that its pressure on the surface of the deflectingrudder prevented it from being shifted. 

CHAPTER XV

SNAPPING AN AVALANCHE

"Bless my thermometer!" gasped Mr. Damon. "This is terrible!" Theairship was plunging and swaying about in the awful gale. "Can'tsomething be done, Tom?"

"What has happened?" cried Mr. Nestor. "We were on a level keel before. What is it?"

"It's the automatic balancing rudder!" answered Tom. "Something hashappened to it. The wind may have broken it! Come on, Ned!" and he ledthe way to the engine room. 

"What are you going to do? Don't you want Koku to shift the deflectingrudder? Here he is, " Ned added, as the giant came forward, in responseto a signal bell that Tom's chum had rung. 

"It's too late to try the deflecting rudder!" tried Tom. "I must seewhat is the matter with our balancer. " As he spoke the ship gave aterrific plunge, and the occupants were thrown sideways. The nextmoment it was on a level keel again, scudding along with the gale, butthere was no telling when the craft would again nearly capsize. 

Tom looked at the mechanism controlling the equalizing and equilibriumrudder. It was out of order, and he guessed that the terrific wind wasresponsible for it. 

"What can we do?" cried Ned, as the airship nearly rolled over. "Can'twe do anything, Tom?"

"Yes. I'm going to try. Keep calm now. We may come out all right. Thisis the worst blow we've been in since we were in Russia. Start the gasmachine full blast. I want all the vapor I can get. "

As I have explained the Flyer was a combined dirigible balloon andaeroplane. It could be used as either, or both, in combination. Atpresent the gas bag was not fully inflated, and Tom had been sendinghis craft along as an aeroplane. 

"What are you going to do?" cried Ned, as he pulled over the lever thatset the gas generating machine in operation. 

"I'm going up as high as I can go!" cried Tom. "If we can't go down wemust go up. I'll get above the hurricane instead of below it. Give meall the gas you can, Ned!"

The vapor hissed as it rushed into the big bag overhead. Tom carriedaboard his craft the chemicals needed to generate the powerful liftinggas, of which he alone had the secret. It was more powerful thanhydrogen, and simple to make. The balloon of the Flyer was now beingdistended. 

Meanwhile Tom, with Koku, Mr. Damon and Mr. Nestor to help him, workedover the deflecting rudder, and also on the equilibrium mechanism. Butthey could not get either to operate. 

Ned stood by the gas machine, and worked it to the limit. But even withall that energy, so powerful was the wind, that the Flyer rose slowly, the gale actually holding her down as a water-logged craft is heldbelow the waves. Ordinarily, with the gas machine set at its limit thecraft would have shot up rapidly. 

At times the airship would skim along on the level, and again it wouldbe pitched and tossed about, until it was all the occupants could do tokeep their feet. Mr. Damon was continually blessing everything he couldremember. 

"Now she's going!" suddenly cried Ned, as he looked at the dialsregistering the pressure of the gas, and showing the height of theairship above the earth. 

"Going how?" gasped Tom, as he looked over from where he was working atthe equilibrium apparatus. "Going down?"

"Going up!" shouted Ned. "I guess we'll be all right soon!"

It was true. Now that the bag was filled with the powerful lifting gas, under pressure, the Flyer was beginning to get out of the dangerouspredicament into which the gale had blown her, Up and up she went, andevery foot she climbed the power of the wind became less. 

"Maybe it all happened for the best, " said Tom, as he noted the heightgage. "If we had gone down, the wind might have been worse nearer theearth. "

Later they learned that this was so. The most destructive wind stormever known swept across the southern part of Europe, over which theywere flying that night, and, had the airship gone down, she wouldprobably have been destroyed. But, going up, she got above thewind-strata. Up and up she climbed, until, when three miles above theearth, she was in a calm zone. It was rather hard to breathe at thisheight, and Tom set the oxygen apparatus at work. 

This created in the interior of the craft an atmosphere almost likethat on the earth, and the travelers were made more at their ease. Getting out of the terrible wind pressure made it possible to work thedeflecting rudder, though Tom had no idea of going down, as long as theblow lasted. 

"We'll just sail along at this height until morning, " he said, "and bythen the gale may be over, or we may be beyond the zone of it. Startthe propellers, Ned. I think I can manage to repair the equilibriumrudder now. "

The propellers, which gave the forward motion to the airship, had beenstopped when it was found that the wind was carrying her along, butthey were now put in motion again, sending the Flyer forward. In ashort time Tom had the equilibrium machine in order, and matters werenow normal again. 

"But that was a strenuous time while it lasted, " remarked the younginventor, as he sat down. 

"It sure was, " agreed Ned. 

"Bless my pen wiper!" cried Mr. Damon. "That was one of the few timeswhen I wish I'd never come with you, Tom Swift, " and everyone laughedat that. 

The Flyer was now out of danger, going along high in the air throughthe night, while the gale raged below her. At Tom's suggestion, Kokugot a lunch ready, for they were all tired with their labors, andsomewhat nervous from the danger and excitement. 

"And now for sleep!" exclaimed Tom, as he pushed back his plate. "Ned, set the automatic steering gear, and we'll see where we bring up bymorning. "

An examination, through a powerful telescope in the bright light ofmorning, showed the travelers that they were over the outskirts of alarge city, which, later, they learned was Rome, Italy. 

"We've made a good trip, " said Tom. "The gale had us worried, but itsent us along at a lively clip. Now for Switzerland, and theavalanches!"

They made a landing at a village just outside the "Holy City, " as Romeis often called, and renewed their supply of gasolene. Naturally theyattracted a crowd of curious persons, many of whom had never seen anairship before. Certainly few of them had ever seen one like TomSwift's. 

The next day found them hovering over the Alps, where Tom hoped to beable to get the pictures of snow slides. They went down to earth at atown near one of the big mountain ranges, and there made inquiries asto where would be the best location to look for big avalanches. If theywent but a few miles to the north, they were told, they would be in thedesired region, and they departed for that vicinity. 

"And now we've just got to take our time, and wait for an avalanche tohappen, " remarked Tom, as they were flying along over the mountainranges. "As Mr. Damon said, these things aren't made to order. Theyjust happen. "

For three days they sailed in and out over the great snow-covered peaksof the Alps. They did not go high up, for they wanted to be near earthwhen an avalanche would occur, so that near-view pictures could besecured. Occasionally they saw parties of mountain climbers ascendingsome celebrated peak, and for want of something better to photograph, Tom "snapped" the tourists. 

"Well, I guess they're all out of avalanches this season, " remarked Nedone afternoon, when they had circled back and forth over a mountainwhere, so it was said, the big snow slides were frequent. 

"It does seem so, " agreed Tom. "Still, we're in no hurry. It is easierto be up here, than it is walking around in a jungle, not knowing whatminute a tiger may jump out at you. "

"Bless my rubbers, yes!" agreed Mr. Damon. 

The sky was covered with lowering clouds, and there were occasionallyflurries of snow. Tom's airship was well above the snow line on themountains. The young inventor and Ned sat in the pilot house, takingobservations through a spyglass of the mountain chain below them. 

Suddenly Ned, who had the glass focused on a mighty peak, cried out:

"There she is, Tom!"

"What?"

"The avalanche! The snow is beginning to slide down the mountain! Say, it's going to be a big one, too. Got your camera ready?"

"Sure! I've had it ready for the last three days. Put me over there, Ned. You look after the airship, and I'll take the pictures!"

Tom sprang to get his apparatus, while his chum hurried to the levers, wheels and handles that controlled the Flyer. As they approached theavalanche they could see the great mass of ice, snow, big stones, andearth sliding down the mountain side, carrying tall trees with it. 

"This is just what I wanted!" cried Tom, as he set his camera working. "Put me closer, Ned. "

Ned obeyed, and the airship was now hovering directly over theavalanche, and right in its path. The big landslide, as it would havebeen called in this country, met no village in its path, fortunately, or it would have wiped it out completely. It was in a wild and desolateregion that it occurred. 

"I want to get a real close view!" cried Tom, as he got some picturesshowing a whole grove of giant trees uprooted and carried off. "Getcloser Ned, and--"

Tom was interrupted by a cry of alarm from his chum. 

"We're falling!" yelled Ned. "Something has gone wrong. We're goingdown into the avalanche!". 

CHAPTER XVI

TELEGRAPH ORDERS

There was confusion aboard the airship. Tom, hearing Ned's cry, lefthis camera, to rush to the engine room, but not before he had set thepicture apparatus to working automatically. Mr. Damon, Mr. Nestor andKoku, alarmed by Ned's cries, ran back from the forward part of thecraft, where they had been watching the mighty mass of ice and earth asit rushed down the side of the mountain. 

"What's wrong, Ned?" cried Tom excitedly. 

"I don't know! The propellers have stopped! We were running as anaeroplane you know. Now we're going down!"

"Bless my suspenders!" shouted Mr. Damon. "If we land in the midst ofthat conglomeration of ice it will be the end of us. "

"But we're not going to land there!" cried Tom. 

"How are you going to stop it?" demanded Mr. Nestor. 

"By the gas machine!" answered Tom. "That will stop us from falling. Start it up, Ned!"

"That's right! I always forget about that! I'll have it going in asecond!"

"Less than a second, " called Tom, as he saw how near to the mighty, rushing avalanche they were coming. 

Ned worked rapidly, and in a very short time the downward course of theairship was checked. It floated easily above the rushing flood of iceand earth, and Tom, seeing that his craft, and those on it, were safe, hurried back to his camera. Meanwhile the machine had automaticallybeen taking pictures, but now with the young inventor to manage it, better results would be obtained. 

Tom aimed it here and there, at the most spectacular parts of theavalanche. The others gathered around him, after Ned had made aninspection, and found that a broken electrical wire had caused thepropellers to stop. This was soon repaired and then, as they werehanging in the air like a balloon, Tom took picture after picture ofthe wonderful sight below them. Forest after forest was demolished. 

"This will be a great film!" Tom shouted to Ned, as the latter informedhim that the machinery was all right again. "Send me up a little. Iwant to get a view from the top, looking down. "

His chum made the necessary adjustments to the mechanism and then, there being nothing more to slide down the mountainside the avalanchewas ended. But what a mass of wreck and ruin there was! It was as if amighty earthquake had torn the mountain asunder. 

"It's a good thing it wasn't on a side of the mountain where peoplelived, " commented Ned, as the airship rose high toward the clouds. "Ifit had been, there'd be nothing left of 'em. What hair-raising stuntare you going to try next, Tom?"

"I don't know. I expect to hear from Mr. Period soon. 

"Hear from Mr. Period?" exclaimed Mr. Nestor. "How are you going to dothat, Tom?"

"He said he would telegraph me at Berne, Switzerland, at a certaindate, as he knew I was coming to the Alps to try for some avalanchepictures. It's two or three days yet, before I can expect the telegram, which of course will have to come part way by cable. In the meanwhile, I think we'll take a little rest, and a vacation. I want to give theairship an overhauling, and look to my camera. There's no telling whatMr. Period may want next. "

"Then he didn't make out your programme completely before you started?"asked Mr. Nestor. 

"No, he said he'd communicate with me from time to time. He is in touchwith what is going on in the world, you know, and if he hears ofanything exciting at any place, I'm to go there at once. You see hewants the most sensational films he can get. "

"Yes, our company is out to give the best pictures we can secure, "spoke Mary's father, "and I think we are lucky to have Tom Swiftworking for us. We already have films that no other concern can get. And we need them. "

"I wonder what became of those men who started to make so much troublefor you, Tom?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"Well, they seem to have disappeared, " replied our hero. "Of coursethey may be after me any day now, but for the time being, I've thrownthem off my track. "

"So then you don't know where you're going next?" asked Ned. 

"No, it may be to Japan, or to the North Pole. Well, I'm ready foranything. We've got plenty of gasolene, and the Flyer can certainlygo, " said Tom. 

They went down to earth in a quiet spot, just outside of a littlevillage, and there they remained three days, to the no small wonder ofthe inhabitants. Tom wanted to see if his camera was working properly. So he developed some of the avalanche pictures, and found themexcellent. The rest of the time was spent in making some needed repairsto the airship, while the young inventor overhauled his Wizard machine, that he found needed a few adjustments. 

Their arrival in Berne created quite a sensation, but they were used tothat. Tom anchored his airship just outside the city, and, accompaniedby Ned, made his way to the telegraph office. Some of the officialsthere could speak English, though not very well. 

"I am expecting a message, " said Tom. 

"Yes? Who for?" asked the clerk. 

"Tom Swift. It will be from America. "

As Tom said this he observed a man sitting in the corner of the officeget up hurriedly and go out. All at once his suspicions were aroused. He thought of the attempts that had been made to get his Wizard Cameraaway from him. 

"Who was that man?" he quickly asked the agent. 

"Him? Oh, he, too, is expecting a message from America. He has beenhere some time. "

"Why did he go out so quickly?" Ned wanted to know. 

"Why, I can not tell. He is an Englishman. They do strange things. "

"My telegram? Is it here?" asked Tom impatiently. He wanted to getwhatever word there was from Mr. Period, and be on his way to whateverdestination the picture man might select. Perhaps, after all, hissuspicions, against the man who had so suddenly left, were unfounded. 

"Yes, there is a cablegram here for you, Monsieur Swift, " said the man, who was French. "There are charges on it, however. "

"Pay 'em, Ned, while I see what this is, " directed the young inventor, as he tore open the envelope. 

"Whew!" he whistled a moment later. "This is going some. "

"Where to now?" asked Ned. "The North Pole?"

"No, just the opposite. Mr. Period wants me to go to Africa--the CongoFree State. There's an uprising among the natives there, and he wantssome war pictures. Well, I guess I'll have to go. "

As Tom spoke he looked toward the door of the telegraph office, and hesaw the man, who had so hurriedly gone out a few moments before, looking in at him. 

CHAPTER XVII

SUSPICIOUS STRANGERS

"Off to Africa; eh?" remarked Ned, as Tom put the envelope in hispocket. "That's another long jump. But I guess the Flyer can do it. "

"Yes, I think so. I say Ned, not so loud, " said Tom, who had hurried tothe side of his chum, whispered the last words. 

"What's up?" inquired Ned quickly. "Anything wrong?"

"I don't know. But I think we are being watched. Did you notice thatfellow who was in here a minute ago, when I asked for a telegram?"

"Yes, what about him?"

"Well, he's looking in the door now I think. Don't turn round. Justlook up into that mirror on the wall, and you can see his reflection. "

"I understand, " whispered Ned, as he turned his gaze toward the mirrorin question, a large one, with advertisements around the frame. "I seehim, " he went on. "There's some one with him. "

"That's what I thought, " replied Tom. "Take a good look. Whom do youthink the other chap is?"

Ned looked long and earnestly. By means of the mirror, he could see, perfectly plain, two men standing just outside the door of thetelegraph office. The portal was only partly open. Ned drew an oldletter from his pocket, and pretended to be showing it to Tom. But, allthe while he was gazing earnestly at the two men. Suddenly one of themmoved, giving Tom's chum a better view of his face. 

"By Jove, Tom!" the lad exclaimed in a tense whisper. "If it isn't thatEckert fellow I'm a cow. "

"That's what I thought, " spoke Tom coolly. "Not that you're a cow, Ned, but I believe that this man is one of the moving picture partners, whoare rivals of Mr. Period. I wasn't quite sure myself after the firstglance I had of him, so I wanted you to take a look. Do you know theother chap--the one who ran out when I asked for my telegram?"

"No, I've never seen him before as far as I know. "

"Same here. Come on. "

"What are you going to do?"

"Go back to the airship, and tell Mr. Nestor. As one of the directorsin the concern I'm working for. I want his advice. "

"Good idea, " replied Ned, and they turned to leave the office. Thespying stranger, and William Eckert, were not in sight when the twolads came out. 

"They got away mighty quick, " remarked Tom, as he looked up and downthe street. 

"Yes, they probably saw us turn to come out, and made a quick get-away. They might be in any one of these places along here, " for the street, on either side of the telegraph office, contained a number of hotels, with doors opening on the sidewalk. 

"They must be on your trail yet, " decided Mr. Nestor when Tom, reachingthe anchored airship, told what had happened. "Well, my advice is to goto Africa as soon as we can. In that way we'll leave them behind, andthey won't have any chance to get your camera. "

"But what I can't understand, " said Tom, "is how they knew I was cominghere. It was just as if that one man had been waiting in the telegraphoffice for me to appear. I'm sorry, now, that I mentioned to Ned wherewe were ordered to. But I didn't think. "

"They probably knew, anyway, " was Mr. Nestor's opinion. "I think thismay explain it. The rival concern in New York has been keeping track ofMr. Period's movements. Probably they have a paid spy who may be in hisemploy. They knew when he sent you a telegram, what it contained, andwhere it was directed to. Then, of course, they knew you would callhere for it. What they did not know was when you would come, and sothey had to wait. That one spy was on guard, and, as soon as you came, he went and summoned Eckert, who was waiting somewhere in theneighborhood. "

"Bless my detective story!" cried Mr. Damon. "What a state of affairs!They ought to be arrested, Tom. "

"It would be useless, " said Mr. Nestor. "They are probably far enoughaway by this time. Or else they have put others on Tom's track. "

"I'll fight my own battles!" exclaimed the young inventor. "I don't gomuch on the police in a case like this, especially foreign police. Well, my camera is all right, so far, " he went on, as he took a look atit, in the compartment where he kept it. "Some one must always remainnear it, after this. But we'll soon start for Africa, to get somepictures of a native battle. I hope it isn't the red pygmies we have tophotograph. "

"Bless my shoe laces! Don't suggest such a thing, " begged Mr. Damon, ashe recalled the strenuous times when the dwarfs held the missionariescaptive. 

It was necessary to lay in some stores and provisions, and for thisreason Tom could not at once head the airship for the African jungles. As she remained at anchor, just outside the city, crowds of Swisspeople came out to look at the wonderful craft. But Tom and hiscompanions took care that no one got aboard, and they kept a strictlookout for Americans, or Englishmen, thinking perhaps that Mr. Eckert, or the spy, might try to get the camera. However, they did not seethem, and a few days after the receipt of the message from Mr. Period, having stocked up, they rose high into the air, and set out to crossthe Mediterranean Sea for Africa. Tom laid a route over Tripoli, theSahara Desert, the French Congo, and so into the Congo Free State. Inhis telegram, Mr. Period had said that the expected uprising was totake place near Stanley Falls, on the Congo River. 

"And supposing it does not happen?" asked Mr. Damon. "What if thenatives don't fight, Tom? You'll have your trip for nothing, and Willrun a lot of risk besides. "

"It's one of the chances I'm taking, " replied the young inventor, andtruly, as he thought of it, he realized that the perils of the movingpicture business were greater than he had imagined. Tom hoped to get aquick trip to the Congo, but, as they were sailing over the big desert, there was an accident to the main motor, and the airship suddenly beganshooting toward the sands. She was easily brought up, by means of thegas bags, and allowed to settle gently to the ground, in the vicinityof a large oasis. But, when Tom looked at the broken machinery, he said:

"This means a week's delay. It will take that, and longer, to fix it sowe can go on. "

"Too bad!" exclaimed Mr. Nestor. "The war may be over when we getthere. But it can't be helped. "

It took Tom and his friends even longer than he had thought to make therepairs. In the meanwhile they camped in the desert place, which wasfar from being unpleasant. Occasionally a caravan halted there, but, for the most part, they were alone. 

"No danger of Eckert, or any of his spies coming here, I guess, " saidTom grimly as he blew on a portable forge, to weld two pieces of irontogether. 

In due time they were again on the wing, and without further incidentthey were soon in the vicinity of Stanley Falls. They managed to locatea village where there were some American missionaries established. Theywere friends of Mr. And Mrs. Illington, the missionaries whom Tom hadsaved from the red pygmies, as told in the "Electric Rifle" volume ofthis series, and they made our hero and his friends welcome. 

"Is it true?" asked Tom, of the missionaries who lived not far fromStanley Falls, "that there is to be a native battle? Or are we too latefor it?"

"I am sorry to say, I fear there will be fighting among the tribesmen, "replied Mr. Janeway, one of the Christian workers. "It has not yettaken place, though. "

"Then I'm not too late!" cried Tom, and there was exultation in hisvoice. "I don't mean to be barbarous, " he went on, as he saw that themissionaries looked shocked, "but as long as they are going to fight Iwant to get the pictures. "

"Oh, they'll fight all right, " spoke Mrs. Janeway. "The poor, ignorantnatives here are always ready to fight. This time I think it is aboutsome cattle that one tribe took from another. "

"And where will the battle take place?" asked Tom. 

"Well, the rumors we have, seem to indicate that the fight will takeplace about ten miles north of here. We will have notice of it beforeit starts, as some of the natives, whom we have succeeded inconverting, belong to the tribe that is to be attacked. They will besummoned to the defense of their town and then it will be time enoughfor you to go. Oh, war is a terrible thing! I do not like to talk aboutit. Tell me how you rescued our friends from the red pygmies, " and Tomwas obliged to relate that story, which I have told in detail elsewhere. 

Several days passed, and Tom and his friends spent a pleasant time inthe African village with the missionaries. The airship and camera werein readiness for instant use, and during this period of idleness ourhero got several fine films of animal scenes, including a number ofnight-fights among the beasts at the drinking pools. One tiger battlewas especially good, from a photographic standpoint. 

One afternoon, a number of native bearers came into the town. Theypreceded two white men, who were evidently sportsmen, or explorers, andthe latter had a well equipped caravan. The strangers sought the adviceof the missionaries about where big game might be found, and Tomhappened to be at the cottage of Mr. Janeway when the strangers arrived. 

The young inventor looked at them critically, as he was introduced tothem. Both men spoke with an English accent, one introducing himself asBruce Montgomery, and the other as Wade Kenneth. Tom decided that theywere of the ordinary type of globe-trotting Britishers, until, on hisway to his airship, he passed the place where the native bearers hadset down the luggage of the Englishmen. 

"Whew!" whistled Tom, as he caught sight of a peculiarly shaped box. "See that, Ned?"

"Yes, what is it? A new kind of magazine gun?"

"It's a moving picture camera, or I lose my guess!" whispered Tom. "Oneof the old fashioned kind. Those men are no more tourists, or after biggame, than I am! They're moving picture men, and they're here to getviews of that native battle! Ned, we've got to be on our guard. Theymay be in the pay of that Turbot and Eckert firm, and they may try todo us some harm!"

"That's so!" exclaimed Ned. "We'll keep watch of them, Tom. "

As they neared their airship, there came, running down what served asthe main village street, an African who showed evidence of having comefrom afar. As he ran on, he called out something in a strange tongue. Instantly from their huts the other natives swarmed. 

"What's up now?" cried Ned. 

"Something important, I'll wager, " replied Tom. "Ned, you go back tothe missionaries house, and find out what it is. I'm going to standguard over my camera. "

"It's come!" cried Ned a little later, as he hurried into the interiorof the airship, where Tom was busy working over a new attachment heintended putting on his picture machine. 

"What has?"

"War! That native, whom we saw running in, brought news that the battlewould take place day after to-morrow. The enemies of his tribe are onthe march, so the African spies say, and he came to summon all thewarriors from this town. We've got to get busy!"

"That's so. What about those Englishmen?"

"They were talking to the missionaries when the runner came in. Theypretended to have no interest in it, but I saw one wink to the other, and then, very soon, they went out, and I saw them talking to theirnative bearers, while they were busy over that box you said was apicture machine. "

"I knew it, Ned! I was sure of it! Those fellows came here to trick us, though how they ever followed our trail I don't know. Probably theycame by a fast steamer to the West Coast, and struck inland, while wewere delayed on the desert. I don't care if they are only straightout-and-out rivals--and not chaps that are trying to take an unfairadvantage. I suppose all the big picture concerns have a tip about thiswar, and they may have representatives here. I hope we get the bestviews. Now come on, and give me a hand. We've got our work cut out forus, all right. "

"Bless my red cross bandage!" cried Mr. Damon, when he heard the news. "A native fight, eh? That will be something I haven't seen in sometime. Will there be any danger, Tom, do you think?"

"Not unless our airship tumbles down between the two African forces, "replied our hero, "and I'll take care that it doesn't do that. We'll bewell out of reach of any of their blow guns, or arrows. "

"But I understand that many of the tribes have powder weapons, " saidMr. Nestor. 

"They have, " admitted Tom, "but they are 'trader's' rifles, and don'tcarry far. We won't run any risk from such old-fashioned guns. "

"A big fight; eh?" asked Koku when they told him what was before them. "Me like to help. "

"Yes, and I guess both sides would give a premium for your services, "remarked Tom, as he gazed at his big servant. "But we'll need you withus, Koku. "

"Oh, me stay with you, Mr. Tom, " exclaimed the big man, with a grin. 

Somewhat to Tom's surprise the two Englishmen showed no furtherinterest in him and his airship, after the introduction at themissionaries' bungalow. 

With the stolidity of their race the Britishers did not show anysurprise, as, some time afterward, they strolled down toward Tom's bigcraft, after supper, and looked it over. Soon they went back to theirown camp, and a little later, Koku, who walked toward it, brought wordthat the Englishmen were packing up. 

"They're going to start for the seat of war the first thing in themorning, " decided Tom. "Well, we'll get ahead of them. Though we cantravel faster than they can, we'll start now, and be on the ground ingood season. Besides, I don't like staying all night in the sameneighborhood with them. Get ready for a start, Ned. "

Tom did not stop to say good-bye to the Englishmen, though he badefarewell to the missionaries, who had been so kind to him. There wasmuch excitement in the native town, for many of the tribesmen weregetting ready to depart to help their friends or relatives in theimpending battle. 

As dusk was falling, the big airship arose, and soon her powerfulpropellers were sending her across the jungle, toward Stanley Falls inthe vicinity of which the battle was expected to take place. 

CHAPTER XVIII

THE NATIVE BATTLE

"By Jove, Tom, here they come!"

"From over by that drinking pool?"

"Yes, just as the spies said they would. Wow, what a crowd of the blackbeggars there are! And some of 'em have regular guns, too. But most of'em have clubs, bows and arrows, blow guns, or spears. "

Tom and Ned were standing on the forward part of the airship, which wasmoving slowly along, over an open plateau, in the jungle where thenative battle was about to take place. Our friends had left the townwhere the missionaries lived, and had hovered over the jungle, untilthey saw signs of the coming struggle. They had seen nothing of theirEnglish rivals since coming away, but had no doubt but that theBritishers were somewhere in the neighborhood. 

The two forces of black men, who had gone to war over a dispute aboutsome cattle, approached each other. There was the beating of tom-toms, and skin drums, and many weird shouts. From their vantage point in theair, Tom and his companions had an excellent view. The Wizard Camerawas loaded with a long reel of film, and ready for action. 

"Bless my handkerchief!" cried Mr. Damon, as he looked down on theforces that were about to clash. "I never saw anything like thisbefore!"

"I either, " admitted Tom. "But, if things go right, I'm going to getsome dandy films!"

Nearer and nearer the rival forces advanced. At first they had stared, and shouted in wonder at the sight of the airship, hovering above them, but their anger soon drew their attention to the fighting at hand, and, after useless gestures toward the craft of the air, and after some ofthem had vainly fired their guns or arrows at it, they paid no moreattention, but rushed on with their shouts and cries and amid thebeating of their rude drums. 

"I think I'll begin to take pictures now, " said Tom, as Ned, in chargeof the ship, sent it about in a circle, giving a general view of therival forces. "I'll show a scene of the two crowds getting ready forbusiness, and, later on, when they're actually giving each other catsand dogs, I'll get all the pictures possible. "

The camera was started while, safe in the a those on the Flyer watchedwhat went on below them. 

Suddenly the forward squads of the two small armies of blacks met. Withwild, weird yells they rushed at each other. The air was filled withflying arrows and spears. The sound of the old-fashioned muzzle-loadingguns could be heard, and clouds of smoke arose. Tilting his camera, andarranging the newly attached reflecting mirrors so as to give theeffect as if a spectator was looking at the battle from in front, instead of from above, Tom Swift took picture after picture. 

The fight was now on. With yells of rage and defiance the Africans cametogether, giving blow for blow. It was a wild melee, and those on theairship looked on fascinated, though greatly wishing that such horrorscould be stopped. 

"How about it, Tom?" cried Ned. 

"Everything going good! I don't like this business, but now I'm in itI'm going to stick. Put me down a little lower, " answered the younginventor. 

"All right. I say Tom, look over there. "

"Where?"

"By that lightning-struck gum tree. See those two men, and some sort ofa machine they've got stuck up on stilts? See it?"

"Sure. Those are the two Englishmen--my rivals! They're takingpictures, too!"

And then, with a crash and roar, with wild shouts and yells, withvolley after volley of firearms, clouds of smoke and flights of arrowsand spears, the native battle was in full swing, while the younginventor, sailing above it in his airship, reeled off view after viewof the strange sight. 

CHAPTER XIX

A HEAVY LOSS

"Bless my battle axe, but this is awful!" cried Mr. Damon. 

"War is always a fearful thing, " spoke Mr. Nestor. "But this is not asbad as if the natives fought with modern weapons. See! most of themare fighting with clubs, and their fists. They don't seem to hurt eachother very much. "

"That's so, " agreed Mr. Damon. The two gentlemen were in the maincabin, looking down on the fight below them, while Tom, with Ned tohelp him change the reels of films, as they became filled withpictures, attended to the camera. Koku was steering the craft, as hehad readily learned how to manage it. 

"Are those Englishmen taking pictures yet?" asked Tom, too busy to turnhis head, and look for himself. 

"Yes, they're still at, " replied Ned. "But they seem to be havingtrouble with their machine, " he added as he saw one of the men leavethe apparatus, and run hurriedly back to where they had made atemporary camp. 

"I guess it's an old-fashioned kind, " commented Tom. "Say, this isgetting fierce!" he cried, as the natives got in closer contact witheach other. It was now a hand-to-hand battle. 

"I should say so!" yelled Ned. "It's a wonder those Englishmen aren'tafraid to be down on the same level with the black fighters. "

"Oh, a white person is considered almost sacred by the natives here, sothe missionaries told me, " said Tom. "A black man would never think ofraising his hand to one, and the Englishmen probably know this. They'resafe enough. In fact I'm thinking of soon going down myself, andgetting some views from the ground. "

"Bless my gizzard, Tom!" cried Mr. Damon. "Don't do it!"

"Yes, I think I will. Why, it's safe enough. Besides, if they attack uswe have the electric rifles. Ned, you tell Koku to get the guns out, tohave in readiness, and then you put the ship down. I'll take a chance. "

"Jove! You've been doing nothing but take chances since we came on thistrip!" exclaimed Ned, admiringly. "All right! Here we go, " and he wentto relieve Koku at the wheel, while the giant, grinning cheerfully atthe prospect of taking part in the fight himself, got out the rifles, including his own. 

Meanwhile the native battle went on fiercely. Many on both sides fell, and not a few ran away, when they got the chance, their companionsyelling at them, evidently trying to shame them into coming back. 

As the airship landed, Mr. Damon, Mr. Nestor, Ned and Koku stood readywith the deadly electric rifles, in case an attack should be made onthem. But the fighting natives paid no more attention to our friendsthan they did to the two Englishmen. The latter moved their clumsycamera from place to place, in order to get various views of thefighting. 

"This is the best yet!" cried Tom, as, after a lull in the fight, whenthe two opposing armies had drawn a little apart, they came togetheragain more desperately than before. "I hope the pictures are beingrecorded all right. I have to go at this thing pretty much in the dark. Say, look at the beggars fight!" he finished. 

But a battle, even between uncivilized blacks, cannot go on for verylong at a time. Many had fallen, some being quite severely injured itseemed, being carried off by their friends. Then, with a sudden rush, the side which, as our friends learned later, had been robbed of theircattle, made a fierce attack, overwhelming their enemies, andcompelling them to retreat. Across the open plain the vanquished armyfled, with the others after them. Tom, meanwhile, taking pictures asfast as he could. 

"This ends it!" he remarked to Ned, when the warriors were too far awayto make any more good views. "Now we can take a rest. "

"The Englishmen gave up some time ago, " said his chum, motioning to thetwo men who were taking their machine off the tripod. 

"Guess their films gave out, " spoke Tom. "Well, you see it didn't doany harm to come down, and I got some better views here. "

"Here they come back!" exclaimed Ned, as a horde of the black fellowsemerged f row the jungle, and came on over the plain. 

"Hear 'em sing!" commented Tom, as the sound of a rude chant came totheir ears. "They must be the winners all right. "

"I guess so, " agreed Ned. "But what about staying here now? Maybe theywon't be so friendly to us when they haven't any fighting to occupytheir minds. "

"Don't worry, " advised Tom. "They won't bother us. "

And the blacks did not. They were caring for their wounded, who had notalready been taken from the field, and they paid no attention to ourfriends, save to look curiously at the airship. 

"Bless my newspaper!" cried Mr. Damon, with an air of relief. "I'mglad that's over, and we didn't have to use the electric rifles, afterall. "

"Here come the Englishmen to pay us a visit, " spoke Ned a little later, as they sat about the cabin of the Flyer. The two rival picture mensoon climbed on deck. 

"Beg pardon, " said the taller of the two, addressing our hero, "butcould you lend us a roll of film? Ours are all used up, and we want toget some more pictures before going back to our main camp. "

"I'm sorry, " replied Tom, "but I use a special size, and it fits nocamera but my own. "

"Ah! might we see your camera?" asked the other Englishman. "That is, see how it works?"

"I don't like to be disobliging, " was Tom's answer, "but it is not yetpatented and--well--" he hesitated. 

"Oh, I see!" sneered the taller visitor. "You're afraid we might stealsome of your ideas. Hum! Come on Montgomery, " and, swinging on hisheels, with a military air, he hurried away, followed by his companion. 

"They don't like that, but I can't help it, " remarked Tom to hisfriends a little later. "I can't afford to take any chances. "

"No, you did just right, " said Mr. Nestor. "Those men may be all right, but from the fact that they are in the picture taking business I'd besuspicious of them. "

"Well, what's next on the programme?" asked Ned as Tom put his cameraaway. 

"Oh, I think we'll stay here over night, " was our hero's reply. "It'sa nice location, and the gas machine needs cleaning. We can do it here, and maybe I can get some more pictures. "

They were busy the rest of the day on the gas generator, but the mainbody of natives did not come back, and the Englishmen seemed to havedisappeared. 

Everyone slept soundly that night. So soundly, in fact, that the sunwas very high when Koku was the first to awaken, His head feltstrangely dizzy, and he wondered at a queer smell in the room he had tohimself. 

"Nobody up yet, " he exclaimed in surprise, as he staggered into themain cabin. There, too, was the strange, sweetish, sickly smell. "Mr. Tom, where you be? Time to get up!" the giant called to his master, ashe went in, and gently shook the young inventor by the shoulder. 

"Eh? What's that? What's the matter?" began Tom, and then he suddenlysat up. "Oh, my head!" he exclaimed, putting his hands to his achingtemples. 

"And that queer smell!" added Ned, who was also awake now. 

"Bless my talcum powder!" cried Mr. Damon. "I have a splittingheadache. "

"Hum! Chloroform, if I'm any judge!" called Mr. Nestor from his berth. 

"Chloroform!" cried Tom, staggering to his feet. "I wonder. " He did notfinish his sentence, but made his way to the room where his camera waskept. "It's gone!" he cried. "We have been chloroformed in the night, and some one has taken my Wizard Camera. "

CHAPTER XX

AFTER THE ENGLISHMEN

"The camera gone!" gasped Ned. 

"Did they chloroform us?" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Bless my--" but for oneof the few times in his life, he did not know what to bless. 

"Get all the fresh air you can, " hastily advised Mr. Nestor. "Koku, open all the doors and windows, " for, though it was hot during the dayin the jungle, the nights were cool, and the airship was generallyclosed up. With the inrush of the fresh air every one soon felt better. 

"Is anything else gone?" asked Ned, as he followed Tom into the cameraroom. 

"Yes, several rolls of unexposed films. Oh, if only they haven't gottoo much of a start! I'll get it away from them!" declared Tom withenergy. 

"From who? Who took it?" asked Ned. 

"Those Englishmen, of course! Who else? I believe they are in the payof Turbot and Eckert. Their taking pictures was only a bluff! They goton my trail and stuck to it. The delays we had, gave them a chance tocatch up to us. They came over to the airship, to pretend to borrowfilms, just to get a look at the place, and size it up, so they couldchloroform us, and get the camera. "

"I believe you're right, " declared Mr. Nestor. "We must get after thosescoundrels as quickly as possible!"

"Bless my shoulder braces!" cried Mr. Damon. "How do you imagine theyworked that trick on us?"

"Easily enough, " was Mr. Nestor's opinion. "We were all dead tired lastnight, and slept like tops. They watched their chance, sneaked up, andgot in. After that it was no hard matter to chloroform each one of usin turn, and they had the ship to themselves. They looked around, foundthe camera, and made off with it. "

"Well, I'm going to get right after them!" cried Tom. "Ned, start themotor. I'll steer for a while. "

"Hold on! Wait a minute, " suggested Mr. Nestor. "I wouldn't go off inthe ship just yet, Tom. "

"Why not?"

"Because you don't know which way to go. We must find out which trailthe Englishmen took. They have African porters with them, and thoseporters doubtless know some of the blacks around here. We must inquireof the natives which way the porters went, in carrying the goods of ourrivals, for those Englishmen would not abandon camp without takingtheir baggage with them. "

"That's so, " admitted the young inventor. "That will be the best plan. Once I find which way they have gone I can easily overtake them in theairship. And when I find 'em--" Tom paused significantly. 

"Me help you fix 'em!" cried Koku, clenching his big fist. 

"They will probably figure it out that you will take after them, " saidMr. Nestor, "but they may not count on you doing it in the Flyer, andso they may not try to hide. It isn't going to be an easy matter topick a small party out of the jungle though, Tom. "

"Well, I've done more difficult things in my airships, " spoke our hero. "I'll fly low, and use the glass. I guess we can pick out their crowdof porters, though they won't have many. Oh, my camera! I hope theywon't damage it. "

"They won't, " was Ned's opinion. "It's too valuable. They want it totake pictures with, themselves. "

"Maybe. I hope they don't open it, and see how it's made. And I'm gladI thought to hide the picture films I've taken so far. They didn't getthose away from us, only some of the blank ones, " and Tom looked againin a secret closet, where he kept the battle-films, and the others, inthe dark, to prevent them from being light-struck, by any possiblechance. 

"Well, if we're going to make some inquiries, let's do it, " suggestedMr. Nestor. "I think I see some of the Africans over there. They havemade a temporary camp, it seems, to attend to some of their wounded. "

"Do you think we can make them understand what we want?" asked Ned. "Idon't believe they speak English. "

"Oh these blacks have been trading with white men, " said Tom, "for theyhave 'trader's' guns, built to look at, and not to shoot very well. Ifancy we can make ourselves understood. If not, we can use signs. "

Leaving Koku and Mr. Damon to guard the airship, Tom, Ned and Mr. Nestor went to the African camp. There was a large party of men there, and they seemed friendly enough. Probably winning the battle the daybefore had put them in good humor, even though many of them were hurt. 

To Tom's delight he found one native who could speak a little English, and of him they made inquiries as to what direction the Englishmen hadtaken. The black talked for a while among his fellows, and thenreported to our friends that, late in the night, one of the porters, hired by Montgomery and Kenneth, had come to camp to bid a brothergood-bye. This porter had said that his masters were in a hurry to getaway, and had started west. 

"That's it!" cried Mr. Nestor. "They're going to get somewhere so theycan make their way to the coast. They want to get out of Africa as fastas they can. "

"And I'm going to get after 'em as fast as I can!" cried Tom grimly. "Come on!"

They hurried back to the airship, finding Koku and Mr. Damon peacefullyengaged in talk, no one having disturbed them. 

"Start the motor, Ned!" called his chum. "We'll see what luck we have!"

Up into the air went the Flyer, her great propellers revolving rapidly. Over the jungle she shot, and then, when he found that everything wasworking well, and that the cleaned gas generator was operating as goodas when it was new, the young inventor slowed up, and brought the craftdown to a lower level. 

"For we don't want to run past these fellows, or shoot over their headsin our hurry, " Tom explained. "Ned, get out the binoculars. They'reeasier to handle than the telescope. Then go up forward, and keep asharp lookout. There is something like a jungle trail below us, and itlooks to be the only one around here. They probably took that. " Soonafter leaving the place where they had camped after the battle, Tom hadseen a rude path through the forest, and had followed that lead. 

On sped the Flyer, after the two Englishmen, while Tom thoughtregretfully of his stolen camera. 

CHAPTER XXI

THE JUNGLE FIRE

"Well, Tom, I don't seem to see anything of them, " remarked Ned thatafternoon, as he sat in the bow of the air craft, gazing from time totime through the powerful glasses. 

"No, and I can't understand it, either, " responded the young inventor, who had come for-ward to relieve his chum. "They didn't have much thestart of us, and they'll have to travel very slowly. It isn't as ifthey could hop on a train; and, even if they did, I could overtake themin a short time. But they have to travel on foot through the jungle, and can't have gone far. "

"Maybe they have bullock carts, " suggested Mr. Damon. 

"The trail isn't wide enough for that, " declared Tom. "We've come quitea distance now, even if we have been running at low speed, and wehaven't seen even a black man on the trail, " and he motioned to therude path below them. 

"They may have taken a boat and slipped down that river we crossed alittle while ago, " suggested Ned. 

"That's so!" cried Tom. "Why didn't I think of it? Say! I'm going toturn back. "

"Turn back?"

"Yes, and go up and down the stream a way. We have time, for we caneasily run at top speed on the return trip. Then, if we don't seeanything of them on the water, we'll pick up the trail again. Put heraround, Ned, and I'll take the glasses for a while. "

The Flyer was soon shooting back over the same trail our friends hadcovered, and, as Ned set the propellers going at top speed, they werequickly hovering over a broad but shallow river, which cut through thejungle. 

"Try it down stream first, " suggested Tom, who was peering through thebinoculars. "They'd be most likely to go down, as it would be easier. "

Along over the stream swept the airship, covering several miles. 

"There's a boat!" suddenly exclaimed Mr. Nestor, pointing to a nativecanoe below them. 

"Bless my paddle wheel! So it is!" cried Mr. Damon. "I believe it'sthem, Tom!"

"No, there are only natives in that craft, " answered the young inventora moment later, as he brought the binoculars into focus. "I wish itwas them, though. "

A few more miles were covered down stream, and then Tom tried theopposite direction. But all to no purpose. A number of boats were seen, and several rafts, but they had no white men on them. 

"Maybe the Englishmen disguised themselves like natives, Tom, "suggested Ned. 

Our hero shook his head. 

"I could see everything in the boats, through these powerful glasses, "he replied, "and there was nothing like my camera. I'd know that a mileoff. No, they didn't take to this stream, though they probably crossedit. We'll have to keep on the way we were going. It will soon be night, and we'll have to camp. Then we'll take up the search to-morrow. "

It was just getting dusk, and Tom was looking about for a good place toland in the jungle, when Ned, who was standing in the bow, cried:

"I say, Tom, here's a native village just ahead. There's a good placeto stop, and we can stay there over night. "

"Good!" exclaimed Tom. "And, what's more, we can make some inquiries asto whether or not the Englishmen have passed here. This is great!Maybe we'll come out all right, after all! They can't travel atnight--or at least I don't believe they will--and if they have passedthis village we can catch them to-morrow. We'll go down. "

They were now over the native town, which was in a natural clearing inthe jungle. The natives had by this time caught sight of the bigairship over them, and were running about in terror. There was not aman, woman or child in sight when the Flyer came down, for theinhabitants had all fled in fright. 

"Not much of a chance to make inquiries of these folks, " said Mr. Nestor. 

"Oh, they'll come back, " predicted Tom. "They are naturally curious, and when they see that the thing isn't going to blow up, they'll gatheraround. I've seen the same thing happen before. "

Tom proved a true prophet. In a little while some of the men beganstraggling back, when they saw our friends walking about the airship, as it rested on the ground. Then came the children, and then the women, until the whole population was gathered about the airship, staring atit wonderingly. Tom made signs of friendship, and was lucky enough tofind a native who knew a few French words. Tom was not much of a Frenchscholar, but he could frame a question as to the Englishmen. 

"Oui!" exclaimed the native, when he understood. Then he rattled offsomething, which Tom, after having it repeated, and making signs to theman to make sure he understood, said meant that the Englishmen hadpassed through the village that morning. 

"We're on the right trail!" cried the young inventor. "They're only aday's travel ahead of us. We'll catch them to-morrow, and get my cameraback. "

The natives soon lost all fear of the airship, and some of the chiefmen even consented to come aboard. Tom gave them a few trifles forpresents, and won their friendship to such an extent that a great feastwas hastily gotten up in honor of the travelers. Big fires werelighted, and fowls by the score were roasted. 

"Say, I'm glad we struck this place!" exclaimed Ned, as he sat on theground with the others, eating roast fowl. "This is all to the chickensalad!"

"Things are coming our way at last, " remarked Tom. "We'll start thefirst thing in the morning. I wish I had my camera now. I'd take apicture of this scene. Dad would enjoy it, and so would Mrs. Baggert. Oh, I almost wish I was home again. But if I get my camera I've got alot more work ahead of me. "

"What kind?" asked Ned. 

"I don't know. I'm to stop in Paris for the next instructions from Mr. Period. He is keeping in touch with the big happenings of the world, and he may send us to Japan, to get some earthquake pictures. "

The night was quiet after the feast, and in the morning Tom and hisfriends sailed off in their airship, leaving behind the wondering andpleased natives, for our hero handed out more presents, of small valueto him, but yet such things as the blacks prized highly. 

Once more they were flying over the trail, and they put on more speednow, for they were fairly sure that the men they sought were ahead ofthem about a day's travel. This meant perhaps twenty miles, and Tomfigured that he could cover fifteen in a hurry, and then go over theremaining five slowly, so as not to miss his quarry. 

"Say, don't you smell something?" asked Ned a little later, when theairship had been slowed down. "Something like smoke?"

"Humph! I believe I do get an odor of something burning, " admitted Tom, sniffing the atmosphere. 

"Bless my pocket book!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "look down there, boys!"He pointed below, and, to the surprise of the lads, and no less ofhimself, he saw many animals hurrying back along the jungle trail. 

There were scores of deer, leaping along, here and there a tawny lion, and one or two tigers. Off to one side a rhinoceros crashed his waythrough the tangle, and occasionally an elephant was seen. 

"That's queer, " cried Ned. "And they're not paying any attention toeach other, either. "

"Something is happening, " was Mr. Nestor's opinion. "Those animals arerunning away from something. "

"Maybe it's an elephant drive, " spoke Tom. "I think--"

But he did not finish. The smell of smoke suddenly became stronger, and, a moment later, as the airship rose higher, in response to achange in the angle of the deflecting rudder, which Ned shifted, all onboard saw a great volume of black smoke rolling toward the sky. 

"A jungle fire!" cried Tom. "The jungle is burning! That's why theanimals are running back this way. "

"We'd better not go on!" shouted Ned, choking a bit, as the smokerolled nearer. 

"No, we've got to turn back!" decided Tom. "Say, this will stop theEnglishmen! They can't go on. We'll go back to the village we left, andwait for them. They're trapped!" And then he added soberly: "I hope mycamera doesn't get burnt up!"

CHAPTER XXII

A DANGEROUS COMMISSION

"Look at that smoke!" yelled Ned, as he sent the airship about in agreat circle on the backward trail. 

"And there's plenty of blaze, too, " added Tom. "See the flames eatingaway! This stuff is as dry as tinder for there hasn't been any rain formonths. "

"Much hot!" was the comment of the giant, when he felt the warm wind ofthe fire. 

"Bless my fountain pen!" gasped Mr. Damon, as he looked down into thejungle. "See all those animals!"

The trail was now thick with deer, and many small beasts, the names ofwhich Tom did not know. On either side could be heard larger brutes, crashing their way forward to escape the fire behind them. 

"Oh, if you only had your camera now!" cried Ned. "You could get awonderful picture, Tom. "

"What's the use of wishing for it. Those Englishmen have it, and--"

"Maybe they're using it!" interrupted Ned. "No, I don't think theywould know how to work it. Do you see anything of them, Ned?"

"Not a sight. But they'll surely have to come back, just as you said, unless they got ahead of the fire. They can't go on, and it would bemadness to get off the trail in a jungle like this. "

"I don't believe they could have gotten ahead of the fire, " spoke Tom. "They couldn't travel fast enough for that, and see how broad the blazeis. "

They were now higher up, well out of the heat and smoke of theconflagration, and they could see that it extended for many miles alongthe trail, and for a mile or so on either side of it. 

"We're far enough in advance, now, to go down a bit, I guess, " saidTom, a little later. "I want to get a good view of the path, and Ican't do that from up here. I have an idea that--"

Tom did not finish, for as the airship approached nearer the ground, hecaught up a pair of binoculars, and focussed them on something on thetrail below. 

"What is it?" cried Ned, startled by something in his chum's manner. 

"It's them! The Englishmen!" cried Tom. "See, they are racing backalong the trail. Their porters have deserted them. But they have mycamera! I can see it! I'm going down, and get it! Ned, stand by thewheel, and make a quick landing. Then we'll go up again!"

Tom handed the glasses to his chum, and Ned quickly verified the younginventor's statement. There were the two rascally Englishmen. The firewas still some distance in the rear, but was coming on rapidly. Therewere no animals to be seen, for they had probably gone off on a sidetrail, or had slunk deeper into the jungle. Above the distant roar ofthe blaze sounded the throb of the airship's motor. The Englishmenheard it, and looked up. Then, suddenly, they motioned to Tom todescend. 

"That's what I'm going to do, " he said aloud, but of course they couldnot hear him. 

"They're waiting for us!" cried Ned. "I wonder why?" for the rascalshad come to a halt, setting down the packs they carried on the trail. One of the things they had was undoubtedly Tom's camera. 

"They probably want us to save their lives, " said Tom. "They know theycan't out-run this fire. They've given up! We have them now!"

"Are you going to save them?" asked Mr. Damon. 

"Of course. I wouldn't let my worst enemy run the chances of danger inthat terrible blaze. I'd save them even if they had smashed my camera. I'll go down, and get them, and take them back to the native village, but that's as far as I will carry them. They'll have to get away asbest they can, after that. "

It was the work of but a few minutes to lower the airship to the trail. Fortunately it widened a bit at this point, or Tom could never havegotten his craft down through the trees. 

"Hand up that camera!" ordered our hero curtly, when he had stoppednear the Englishmen. 

"Yes, my dear chap, " spoke the tall Britisher, "but will you oblige us, by taking us--"

"Hand up the camera first!" sharply ordered Tom again. 

They passed it to him. 

"I know we treated you beastly mean, " went on Kenneth, "but, my dearchap--"

"Get aboard, " was all Tom said, and when the rascals, with fearfulglances back into the burning jungle, did so, our hero sent his crafthigh into the air again. 

"Where are you taking us, my dear chap?" asked the tall rascal. 

"Don't 'dear chap' me!" retorted Tom. "I don't want to talk to you. I'mgoing to drop you at the native village. "

"But that will burn!" cried the Englishman. 

"The wind is changing, " was our hero's answer. "The fire won't get tothe village. You'll be safe. Have you damaged my camera?" he asked ashe began to examine it, while Ned managed the ship. 

"No, my dear chap. You mustn't think too hard of us. We were both downon our luck, and a chap offered us a big sum to get on your trail, andsecure the camera. He said you had filched it from him, and that he hada right to it. Understand, we wouldn't have taken it had we known--"

"Don't talk to me!" interrupted Tom, as he saw that his apparatus hadnot been damaged. "The man who hired you was a rascal--that's all I'llsay. Put on a little more speed, Ned. I want to get rid of these 'dearchaps' and take some pictures of the jungle fire. "

As Tom had said, the wind had changed, and was blowing the flames awayoff to one side, so that the native village would be in no danger. Itwas soon reached, and the Africans were surprised to see Tom's airshipback again. But he did not stay long, descending only to let theEnglishmen alight. They pleaded to be taken to the coast, making allsorts of promises, and stating that, had they known that Turbot andEckert (for whom they admitted they had acted) were not telling thetruth, they never would have taken Tom's camera. 

"Don't leave us here!" they pleaded. 

"I wouldn't have you on board my airship another minute for a fortune!"declared Tom, as he signalled to Ned to start the motor. Then the Flyerascended on high, leaving the plotters and started back for the fire, of which Tom got a series of fine moving pictures. 

A week later our friends were in Paris, having made a quick trip, onwhich little of incident occurred, though Tom managed to get quite anumber of good views on the way. 

He found a message awaiting him, from Mr. Period. 

"Well, where to now?" asked Ned, as his chum read the cablegram. 

"Great Scott!" cried our hero. "Talk about hair-raising jobs, thiscertainly is the limit!"

"Why, what's the matter?"

"I've got to get some moving pictures of a volcano in action, " was theanswer. "Say, if I'd known what sort of things 'Spotty' wanted, I'dnever have consented to take this trip. A volcano in action, and maybean earthquake on the side! This is certainly going some!"

CHAPTER XXIII

AT THE VOLCANO

"And you've got to snap-shot a volcano?" remarked Ned to his chum, after a moment of surprised silence. "Any particular one? Is itVesuvius? If it is we haven't far to go. But how does Mr. Period knowthat it's going to get into action when we want it to?"

"No, it isn't Vesuvius, " replied Tom. "We've got to take another longtrip, and we'll have to go by steamer again. The message says that theArequipa volcano, near the city of the same name, in Peru, has startedto 'erupt, ' and, according to rumor, it's acting as it did many yearsago, just before a big upheaval. "

"Bless my Pumice stones!" cried Mr. Damon. "And are you expected to getpictures of it shooting out flames and smoke, Tom?"

"Of course. An inactive volcano wouldn't make much of a moving picture. Well, if we go to Peru, we won't be far from the United States, and wecan fly back home in the airship. But we've got to take the Flyerapart, and pack up again. "

"Will you have time?" asked Mr. Nestor. "Maybe the volcano will getinto action before you arrive, and the performance will be all overwith. "

"I think not, " spoke Tom, as he again read the cablegram. "Mr. Periodsays he has advices from Peru to the effect that, on other occasions, it took about a month from the time smoke was first seen coming fromthe crater, before the fireworks started up. I guess we've got timeenough, but we won't waste any. "

"And I guess Montgomery and Kenneth won't be there to make trouble forus, " put in Ned. "It will be some time before they get away from thatAfrican town, I think. "

They began work that day on taking the airship apart for transportationto the steamer that was to carry them across the ocean. Tom decided ongoing to Panama, to get a series of pictures on the work of diggingthat vast canal. On inquiry he learned that a steamer was soon to sailfor Colon, so he took passage for his friends and himself on that, alsoarranging for the carrying of the parts of his airship. 

It was rather hard work to take the Flyer apart, but it was finallydone, and, in about a week from the time of arriving in Paris, theyleft that beautiful city. The pictures already taken were forwarded toMr. Period, with a letter of explanation of Tom's adventures thus far, and an account of how his rivals had acted. 

Just before sailing, Tom received another message from his strangeemployer. The cablegram read:

"Understand our rivals are also going to try for volcano pictures. Can't find out who will represent Turbot and Eckert, but watch out. Besuspicious of strangers. "

"That's what I will!" cried Tom. "If they get my camera away from meagain, it will be my own fault. "

The voyage to Colon was not specially interesting. They ran into aterrific storm, about half way over, and Tom took some pictures fromthe steamer's bridge, the captain allowing him to do so, but warninghim to be careful. 

"I'll take Koku up there with me, " said the young inventor, "and if awave tries to wash me overboard he'll grab me. "

And it was a good thing that he took this precaution, for, while a wavedid not get as high as the bridge, one big, green roller smashed overthe bow of the vessel, staggering her so that Tom was tossed againstthe rail. He would have been seriously hurt, and his camera might havebeen broken, but for the quickness of the giant. 

Koku caught his master, camera and all, in a mighty arm, and with theother clung to a stanchion, holding Tom in safety until the ship was ona level keel once more. 

"Thanks, Koku!" gasped Tom. "You always seem to be around when I needyou. " The giant grinned happily. 

The storm blew out in a few days, and, from then on, there was pleasantsailing. When Tom's airship had been reassembled at Colon, it createdquite a sensation among the small army of canal workers, and, for theirbenefit, our hero gave several flying exhibitions. 

He then took some of the engineers on a little trip, and in turn, theydid him the favor of letting him get moving pictures of parts of thework not usually seen. 

"And now for the volcano!" cried Tom one morning, when having shippedto Mr. Period the canal pictures, the Flyer was sent aloft, and hernose pointed toward Arequipa. "We've got quite a run before us. "

"How long?" asked Ned. 

"About two thousand miles. But I'm going to speed her up to the limit. "Tom was as good as his word, and soon the Flyer was shooting along ather best rate, reeling off mile after mile, just below the clouds. 

It was a wild and desolate region over which the travelers foundthemselves most of the time, though the scenery was magnificent. Theysailed over Quito, that city on the equator, and, a little later, theypassed above the Cotopaxi and Chimbarazo volcanoes. But neither of themwas in action. The Andes Mountains, as you all know, has many volcanoesscattered along the range. Lima was the next large city, and there Tommade a descent to inquire about the burning mountain he was shortly tophotograph. 

"It will soon be in action, " the United States counsel said. "I had aletter from a correspondent near there only yesterday, and he said thepeople in the town were getting anxious. They are fearing a shower ofburning ashes, or that the eruption may be accompanied by anearthquake. "

"Good!" cried Tom. "Oh, I don't mean it exactly that way, " he hastenedto add, as he saw the counsel looking queerly at him. "I meant that Icould get pictures of both earthquake and volcano then. I don't wishthe poor people any harm. "

"Well, you're the first one I ever saw who was anxious to get next doorto a volcano, " remarked the counsel. "Hold on, though, that's not quiteright. I heard yesterday that a couple of young fellows passed throughhere on their way to the same place. Come to think of it, they weremoving picture men, also. "

"Great Scott!" cried Tom. "Those must be my rivals, I'll wager. I mustget right on the job. Thanks for the information, " and hurrying fromthe office he joined his friends on the airship, and was soon aloftagain. 

"Look, Tom, what's that?" cried Ned, about noon the next day when theFlyer, according to their calculations must be nearing the city ofArequipa. "See that black cloud over there. I hope it isn't a tornado, or a cyclone, or whatever they call the big wind storms down here. "

Tom, and the others, looked to where Ned pointed. There was a column ofdense smoke hovering in the air, lazily swirling this way and that. Theairship was rapidly approaching it. 

"Why that--" began Tom, but before he could complete the sentence thesmoke was blown violently upward. It became streaked with fire, and, amoment later, there was the echo of a tremendous explosion. 

"The volcano!" cried Tom. "The Arequipa volcano! We're here just intime, for she's in eruption now! Come on, Ned, help me get out thecamera! Mr. Damon, you and Mr. Nestor manage the airship! Put us asclose as you dare! I'm going to get some crackerjack pictures!"

Once more came a great report. 

"Bless my toothpick!" gasped Mr. Damon. "This is awful!" And theairship rushed on toward the volcano which could be plainly seen now, belching forth fire, smoke and ashes. 

CHAPTER XXIV

THE MOLTEN RIVER

"Whew!" gasped Ned, as he stood beside Tom in the bow of the airship. "What's that choking us, Tom?"

"Sulphur, I guess, and gases from the volcano. The wind blew 'em overthis way. They're not dangerous, as long as there is no carbonic acidgas given off, and I don't smell any of that, yet. Say, Ned, it'serupting all right, isn't it?"

"I should say so!" cried his chum. 

"Put us a little to one side, Mr. Damon, " called Tom to his friend, whowas in the pilot house. "I can't get good pictures through so muchsmoke. It's clearer off to the left. "

"Bless my bath robe!" cried the odd man. "You're as cool about it, Tom, as though you were just in an ordinary race, at an aeroplane meet. "

"And why shouldn't I be?" asked our hero with a laugh, as he stoppedthe mechanism of the camera until he should have a clearer view of thevolcano. "There's not much danger up here, but I want to get some viewsfrom the level, later, and then--"

"You don't get me down there!" interrupted Mr. Nestor, with a grimlaugh. 

They were now hovering over the volcano, but high enough up so thatnone of the great stones that were being thrown out could reach them. The column of black smoke, amid which could be seen the gleams of themolten fires in the crater, rolled toward them, and the smell ofsulphur became stronger. 

But when, in accordance with Tom's suggestion, the airship had beensent over to one side, they were clear of the vapor and the noxiousgas. Then, too, a better view could be had of the volcano below them. 

"Hold her down!" cried Tom, as he got in a good position, and thepropellers were slowed down so that they just overcame the influence ofa slight wind. Thus the Flyer hovered in the air, while below her thevolcano belched forth red-hot rocks, some of them immense in size, andquantities of hot ashes and cinders. Tom had the camera going againnow, and there was every prospect of getting a startling and wonderful, as well as rare series of moving pictures. 

"Wow! That was a big one!" cried Ned, as an unusually large mass ofrocks was thrown out, and the column of fire and smoke ascended nearlyto the hovering craft. A moment later came an explosion, louder thanany that had preceded. "We'd better be going up; hadn't we Tom?" hischum asked. 

"A little, yes, but not too far. I want to get as many near views as Ican. "

"Bless my overshoes!" gasped Mr. Damon, as he heard Tom say that. Thenhe sent some of the vapor from the generating machine into the gas bag, and the Flyer arose slightly. 

Ned looked in the direction of the town, but could not see it, onaccount of the haze. Then he directed his attention to the terrifyingsight below him. 

"It's a good thing it isn't very near the city, " he said to Tom, whowas engaged in watching the automatic apparatus of the camera, to seewhen he would have to put in a fresh film. "It wouldn't take much ofthis sort of thing to destroy a big city. But I don't see any streamsof burning lava, such as they always say come out of a volcano. "

"It isn't time for that yet, " replied Tom. "The lava comes out last, after the top layer of stones and ashes have been blown out. They are asort of stopper to the volcano, I guess, like the cork of a bottle, and, when they're out of the way, the red-hot melted rock comes out. Then there's trouble. I want to get pictures of that. "

"Well, keep far enough away, " advised Mr. Nestor, who had come forward. "Don't take any chances. I guess your rivals won't get here in time totake any pictures, for they can't travel as fast as we did. "

"No, " agreed the young inventor, "unless some other party of them werehere ahead of us. They'll have their own troubles, though, makingpictures anything like as good as we're getting. "

"There goes another blast!" cried Ned, as a terrific explosion sounded, and a shower of hot stuff was thrown high into the air. "If I lived inArequipa I'd be moving out about now. "

"There isn't much danger I guess, except from showers of burning ashes, and volcanic dust, " spoke Mr. Nestor, "and the wind is blowing it awayfrom the town. If it continues this way the people will be saved. "

"Unless there is so much of the red-hot lava that it will bury thecity, " suggested Tom. "I hope that doesn't happen, " and he could notrepress a shudder as he looked down on the awful scene below him. 

After that last explosion the volcano appeared to subside somewhat, though great clouds of smoke and tongues of fire leaped upward. 

"I've got to put in a new reel of film!" suddenly exclaimed Tom. "WhileI stop the camera, Mr. Damon, I think you and Mr. Nestor might put theairship down to the ground. I want some views on the level. "

"What! Go down to earth with this awful volcano spouting fire?" criedMr. Damon. "Bless my comb and brush!"

"We can get well down the side of the mountain, " said Tom. "I won't gointo any danger, much less ask any one else to do so, and I certainlydon't want my ship damaged. We can land down there, " he said, pointingto a spot on the side of the volcanic mountain, that was some distanceremoved from the mouth of the crater. "It won't take me long to get onereel of views, and then I'll come up again. "

The two men finally gave in to Tom's argument, that there wascomparatively little danger, for they admitted that they could quicklyrise up at the first sign of danger, and accordingly the Flyerdescended. Tom quickly had a fresh reel of film inserted, and startedhis camera to working, standing it on a tripod some distance from theairship. 

Once more the volcano was "doing its prettiest, " as Tom expressed it. He glanced around, as another big explosion took place, to see if anyother picture men were on hand, but the terrible mountain seemeddeserted, though of course someone might be on the other side. 

"What's that?" suddenly cried Ned, looking apprehensively at his chum. At the same time Tom jumped to his feet, for he had been kneeling nearthe camera. 

"Bless my--" began Mr. Damon, but he got no farther, for suddenly thesolid ground began to tremble and shake. 

"An earthquake!" shouted Mr. Nestor. "Come, Tom! Get back to the ship!"The young inventor and Ned had been the only ones to leave it, as itrested on a spur of the mountain. 

As Tom and Ned leaped forward to save the camera which was toppling toone side, there came a great fissure in the side of the volcano, and astream of molten rock, glowing white with heat, gushed out. It was averitable river of melted stone, and it was coming straight for the twolads. 

"Run! Run!" cried Mr. Nestor. "We have everything ready for a quickflight. Run, Tom! Ned!"

The lads leaped for the Flyer, the molten rock coming nearer andnearer, and then with a cry Koku sprang overboard and made a dashtoward his master. 

CHAPTER XXV

THE EARTHQUAKE--CONCLUSION

"Here, Mr. Tom. Me carry you an' Ned. You hold picture machine!" criedthe giant. "Me run faster. "

As he spoke he lifted Ned up under one arm, and caught Tom in theother. For they were but as children to his immense strength. Tom heldon to his camera, and, thus laden down, Koku ran as he had never runbefore, toward the waiting airship. 

"Come on! Come on!" shouted Mr. Damon, for he could see what Tom, Nedand Koku could not, that the stream of lava was nearing them rapidly. 

"It's hot!" cried Ned, as a wave of warm air fanned his cheek. 

"I should say so!" cried Tom. "The volcano is full of red-hot meltedstone. "

There came a sickening shake of the earth. Koku staggered as he ran on, but he kept his feet, and did not fall. Again came a tremendousexplosion, and a shower of fine ashes sifted over the airship, and onKoku and his living burdens. 

"This is the worst ever!" gasped Tom. "But I've got some dandypictures, if we ever get away from here alive to develop them. "

"Hurry, Koku! Hurry!" begged Mr. Nestor. "Bless my shoe laces!" yelledMr. Damon, who was fairly jumping up and down on the deck of the Flyer. "I'll never go near a volcano again!"

Once more the ground shook and trembled, as the earthquake rent it. Several cracks appeared in Koku's path, but he leaped over them withtremendous energy. A moment later he had thrust Tom and Ned over therail, to the deck, and leaped aboard himself. 

"Let her go!" cried Tom. "I'll do the rest of my moving picture work, around volcanoes and earthquakes, from up in the air!"

The Flyer shot upward, and scarcely a moment too soon, for, an instantafter she left the ground, the stream of hot, burning and bubbling lavarolled beneath her, and those on board could feel the heat of itascending. 

"Say, I'm glad we got out of that when we did, " gasped Ned, as helooked down. "You're all right, Koku. "

"That no trouble, " replied the giant with a cheerful grin. "Me carryfour fellows like you, " and he stretched out his big arms. Tom had atonce set his camera to working again, taking view after view. 

It was a terrifying but magnificent sight that our friends beheld, forthe earth was trembling and heaving. Great fissures opened in manyplaces. Into some of them streams of lava poured, for now the volcanohad opened in several places, and from each crack the melted rocksbelched out. The crater, however, was not sending into the air suchvolumes of smoke and ashes as before, as most of the tremendous energyhad passed, or was being used to spout out the lava. 

The earthquake was confined to the region right about the volcano, orthere might have been a great loss of life in the city. As it was, thedamage done was comparatively slight. 

Tom continued to take views, some showing the earth as it was twistedand torn, and other different aspects of the crater. Then, as suddenlyas the earthquake had begun, it subsided, and the volcano was lessactive. 

"My! I'm glad to see that!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "I've had about enoughof horrors!"

"And I have too, " added Tom. "I'm on my last roll of film, and I can'ttake many more pictures. But I guess I have all Mr. Period needs, andwe'll start for home, as soon as I finish the next roll. But I'm goingto save that for a night view. That will be a novelty. "

The volcano became active again after dark, and presented a magnificentthough terrifying aspect. As the airship hovered above it, Tom got someof his best pictures, and then, as the last bit of film slipped alongback of the lens, the airship was headed north. 

"Now for Shopton!" cried Tom. "Our trip is ended. "

"It's too had you didn't have more film, " said Ned. "I thought you hadplenty. "

"Well, I used more than I counted on, but there are enough pictures asit is. "

"Plenty, " agreed Mr. Nestor. "I'm sure our company will be very wellsatisfied with them, Tom. We can't get home any too soon to suit me. I've had enough excitement. "

"And we didn't see anything of those other fellows whom we heardabout, " spoke Mr. Damon, as the big airship flew on. 

"No, " said Tom. "But I'm not worrying about them. "

They made another stop in Lima, on their homeward trip, to renew theirsupply of gasolene, and there learned that the rival picture men hadarrived at the volcano too late to see it in operation. This news cameto a relative of one of the two men who lived in Lima. 

"Then our views of the earthquake and the smoking mountain will be theonly ones, and your company can control the rights, " said Tom to Mr. Nestor, who agreed with him. 

In due time, and without anything out of the ordinary happening theFlyer reached Shopton, where Tom found a warm welcome awaiting him, notonly from his father, but from a certain young lady, whose name I donot need to mention. 

"And so you got everything you went after, didn't you, Tom, " exclaimedMr. Period, a few days later, when he had come from New York to get theremainder of the films. 

"Yes, and some things I didn't expect, " replied Tom. "There was--"

"Yes! Yes! I know!" interrupted the odd picture man. "It was thatjungle fire. That's a magnificent series. None better. And thosescoundrels took your camera; eh?"

"Yes. Could you connect them with Turbot and Eckert?" asked Tom. 

"No, but I'm sure they were acting for them just the same. I had nolegal evidence to act on, however, so I had to let it go. Turbot andEckert won't be in it when I start selling duplicates of the films youhave. And these last ought to be the best of all. I didn't catch thatfellow when I raced after him on the dock. He got away, and has steeredclear of me since, " finished Mr. Period. 

"And our rivals didn't secure any views like ours, " said Tom. 

"I'm glad of it, " spoke Mr. Period. "Turbot and Eckert bribed one of mymen, and so found out where I was sending messages to you. They evengot a copy of my cablegram. But it did them no good. "

"Were all the films clear that I sent you?" asked our hero. 

"Every one. Couldn't be better. The animal views were particularlyfine. You must have had your nerve with you to get some of 'em. "

"Oh, Tom always has his nerve, " laughed Ned. 

"Well, how soon will you be ready to start out again?" asked thepicture man, as he packed up the last of the films which Tom gave him. "I'd like to get some views of a Japanese earthquake, and we haven'tany polar views. I want some of them, taken as near the North Pole asyou can get. "

Tom gently shook his head. 

"What! You don't mean to say you won't get them for me?" cried Mr. Period. "With that wonderful camera of yours you can get views no oneelse ever could. "

"Then some one else will have to take them, " remarked the younginventor. "I'll lend you the camera, and an airship, and you can goyourself, Mr. Period. I'm going to stay home for a while. I did what Iset out to do, and that's enough. "

"I'm glad you'll stay home, Tom, " said his father. "Now perhaps I'llget my gyroscope finished. "

"And I, my noiseless airship, " went on our hero. "No, Mr. Period, you'll have to excuse me this time. Why don't you go yourself?" heasked. "You would know just what kind of pictures you wanted. "

"No, I'm a promoter of the moving picture business, and I sell films, but I don't know hew to take them, " was the answer. "BesidesI--er--well, I don't exactly care for airships, Tom Swift, " he finishedwith a laugh. "Well, I can't thank you enough for what you did for me, and I've brought you a check to cover your expenses, and pay you as Iagreed. All the same I'm sorry you won't start for Japan, or the NorthPole. "

"Nothing doing, " said Tom with a laugh; and Mr. Period departed. 

"Have you any idea what you will do next?" asked Ned, a day or solater, when he and Tom were in the workshop. 

"I can't tell until I finish my noiseless airship, " was the answer. "Then something may happen. "

Something did, as I shall have the pleasure of telling you about in thenext volume of this series, to be called, "Tom Swift and His GreatSearchlight; or, On the Border for Uncle Sam, " and in it will be givenan account of a great lantern our hero made, and how he baffled thesmugglers with it. 

"Oh, Tom, weren't you dreadfully frightened when you saw that burningriver of lava coming toward you?" asked Mary Nestor, when the younginventor called on her later and told her some of his adventures. "Ishould have been scared to death. "

"Well, I didn't have time to get scared, " answered Tom. "It allhappened so quickly, and then, too I was thinking of my camera. Next Iknew Koku grabbed me, and it was all over. "

"But those wild beasts! Didn't they frighten you, especially when therhinoceros charged you?"

"If you won't let it get out, I'll make a confession to you, " said Tom, lowering his voice. "I was scared stiff that time, but don't let Nedknow it. "

"I won't, " promised Mary with a laugh. And now, when Tom is in suchpleasant company, we will take leave of him for a while, knowing that, sooner or later, he will be seeking new adventures as exciting as thoseof the past. 

THE END

-----------------------------------------------------------------

THE TOM SWIFT SERIES

By VICTOR APPLETON 12mo. CLOTH. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. COLOREDWRAPPERS. 

These spirited tales convey In a realistic way the wonderful advancesin land and sea locomotion. Stories like these are impressed upon thememory and their reading is productive only of good. 

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLE Or Fun and Adventure on the Road

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOAT Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP Or The Stirring cruise of the Red Cloud

TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT Or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure

TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT Or The Speediest car on the Road

TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE Or The castaways of Earthquake Island

TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS Or The Secret of Phantom Mountain

TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE Or The Wreck of the Airship

TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER Or The Quickest Flight on Record

TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE Or Daring Adventures In Elephant Land

TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD Or Marvelous Adventures Underground

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER Or Seeking the Platinum Treasure

TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY Or A Daring Escape by Airship

TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA Or The Perils of Moving Picture Taking

TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT Or On the Border for Uncle Sam

TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON Or The Longest Shots on Record

TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE Or The Picture that Saved a Fortune

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP Or The Naval Terror of the Seas

TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL Or The Hidden city of the Andes

THE BUNNY BROWN SERIES

By LAURA LEE HOPE

Author of the Popular "Bobbsey Twins" Books

wrapper and text illustrations drawn by

FLORENCE ENGLAND NOSWORTHY 12mo. DURABLY BOUND. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORMSTYLE OF BINDING

These stories by the author of the "Bobbsey Twins" Books are eagerlywelcomed by the little folks from about five to ten years of age. Theireyes fairly dance with delight at the lively doings of inquisitivelittle Bunny Brown and his cunning, trustful sister Sue. 

Bunny was a lively little boy, very inquisitive. When he did anything, Sue followed his leadership. They had many adventures, some comical inthe extreme. 

 BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON GRANDPA'S FARM BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE PLAYING CIRCUS BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CAMP REST-A-WHILE BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT AUNT LU'S CITY HOME BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE IN THE BIG WOODS BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON AN AUTO TOUR BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AND THEIR SHETLAND PONY BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE GIVING A SHOW BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CHRISTMAS TREE COVE

THE BOBBSEY TWINS BOOKS

For Little Men and Women

By LAURA LEE HOPE

Author of "The Bunny Brown" Series. Etc. 12mo. DURABLY BOUND. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING

Copyright publications which cannot be obtained elsewhere. Books thatcharm the hearts of the little ones, and of which they never tire. 

 THE BOBBSEY TWINS THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOW BROOK THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT HOME THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITY THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON BLUEBERRY ISLAND THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON THE DEEP BLUE SEA THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE GREAT WEST

THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SERIES

By LAURA LEE HOPE

Author of "The Bobbsey Twins Series. "

12mo. BOUND IN CLOTH. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING

The adventures of Ruth and Alice DeVere. Their father, a widower, is anactor who has taken up work for the "movies. " Both girls wish to aidhim in his work and visit various localities to act in all sorts ofpictures. 

THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS Or First Appearance in Photo Dramas. 

Having lost his voice, the father of the girls goes into the movies andthe girls follow. Tells how many "parlor dramas" are filmed. 

THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT OAK FARM Or Queer Happenings While Taking Rural Plays. 

Full of fun in the country, the haps and mishaps of taking film plays, and giving an account of two unusual discoveries. 

THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SNOWBOUND Or The Proof on the Film. 

A tale of winter adventures in the wilderness, showing how thephoto-play actors sometimes suffer. 

THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS UNDER THE PALMS Or Lost in the Wilds of Florida. 

How they went to the land of palms, played many parts in dramas beforethe camera; were lost, and aided others who were also lost. 

THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT ROCKY RANCH Or Great Days Among the Cowboys. 

All who have ever seen moving pictures of the rest west will want toknow just how they are made. This volume gives every detail and is fullof clean fun and excitement. 

THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT SEA Or a Pictured Shipwreck that Became Real. 

A thrilling account of the girls' experiences on the water. 

THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS IN WAR PLAYS Or The Sham Battles at Oak Farm. 

The girls play important parts in big battle scenes and have plenty ofhard work along with considerable fun. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS SERIES

By CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN

The outdoor chums are four wide-awake lads, sons of wealthy men of asmall city located on a lake. The boys love outdoor life, and aregreatly interested in hunting, fishing, and picture taking. They havemotor cycles, motor boats, canoes, etc. , and during their vacations goeverywhere and have all sorts of thrilling adventures. The stories givefull directions for camping out, how to fish, how to hunt wild animalsand prepare the skins for stuffing, how to manage a canoe, how to swim, etc. Full of the spirit of outdoor life. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS Or The First Tour of the Rod, Gun and Camera Club. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKE Or Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE FOREST Or Laying the Ghost of Oak Ridge. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE GULF Or Rescuing the Lost Balloonists. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AFTER BIG GAME. Or Perilous Adventures in the Wilderness. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON A HOUSEBOAT Or The Rivals of the Mississippi. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE BIG WOODS Or The Rival Hunters at Lumber Run. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AT CABIN POINT Or The Golden Cup Mystery. 

12mo. Averaging 240 pages. Illustrated. Handsomely bound in Cloth. 

THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH SERIES

By GERTRUDE W. MORRISON

12mo. BOUND IN CLOTH. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. 

Here is a series full of the spirit of high school life of today. Thegirls are real flesh-and-blood characters, and we follow them withinterest in school and out. There are many contested matches on trackand field, and on the water, as well as doings in the classroom and onthe school stage. There it plenty of fun and excitement, all clean, pure and wholesome. 

THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH Or Rivals for all Honors. 

A stirring tale of high school life, full of fun, with a tomb ofmystery and a strange initiation. 

THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON LAKE LUNA Or The Crew That Won. 

Telling of water sports and fun galore, and of fine times in camp. 

THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH AT BASKETBALL Or The Great Gymnasium Mystery. 

Here we have a number of thrilling contests at basketball and inaddition, the solving of a mystery which had bothered the high schoolauthorities for a long while. 

THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON THE STAGE Or The Play That Took the Prize. 

How the girls went In for theatricals and how one of them wrote a playwhich afterward was made over for the professional stage and brought insome much-needed money. 

THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON TRACK AND FIELD Or The Girl Champions of the School League

This story takes in high school athletics In their most approved andup-to-date fashion. Full of fun and excitement. 

THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH IN CAMP Or The Old Professor's Secret

The girls went camping on Acorn Island and had a delightful time atboating, swimming and picnic parties. 

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH SERIES

By GRAHAM B. FORBES

Never was there a cleaner, brighter, more manly boy than Frank Allen, the hero of this series of boys' tales, and never was there a bettercrowd of lads to associate with than the students of the School. Allboys will read these stories with deep interest. The rivalry betweenthe towns along the river was of the keenest, and plots and counterplotto win the champions, at baseball, at football, at boat racing, attrack athletics, and at ice hockey, were without number. Any ladreading one volume of this series will surely want the others. 

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH Or The All Around Rivals of the School

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE DIAMOND Or Winning Out by Pluck

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE RIVER Or The Boat Race Plot that Failed

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE GRIDIRON Or The Struggle for the Silver Cup

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE ICE Or Out for the Hockey Championship

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH IN TRACK ATHLETICS Or A Long Run that Won

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH IN WINTER SPORTS Or Stirring Doings on Skates and Iceboats

12mo. Illustrated. Handsomely bound In cloth, with cover design andwrappers in color. 

THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS SERIES

By VICTOR APPLETON

12mo. BOUND IN CLOTH. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. 

Moving pictures and photo plays are famous the world over, and in thisline of books the reader is given a full description of how the filmsare made--the scenes of little dramas, indoors and out, trick picturesto satisfy the curious, soul-stirring pictures of city affairs, life inthe Wild West, among the cowboys and Indians, thrilling rescues alongthe seacoast, the daring of picture hunters in the jungle among savagebeasts, and the great risks run in picturing conditions in a land ofearthquakes. The volumes teem with adventures and will be foundinteresting from first chapter to last. 

THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS Or Perils of a Great City Depicted. 

THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE WEST Or Taking Scenes Among the Cowboys and Indians. 

THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON THE COAST Or Showing the Perils of the Deep. 

THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE JUNGLE Or Stirring Times Among the Wild Animals. 

THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN EARTHQUAKE LAND Or Working Amid Many Perils. 

THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AND THE FLOOD Or Perilous Days on the Mississippi. 

THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA Or Stirring Adventures Along the Great Canal. 

THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS UNDER THE SEA Or The Treasure of the Lost Ship. 

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES

By LAURA LEE HOPE Author of the "Bobbsey Twin Books" and "Bunny Brown"Series. 

These tales take in the various adventures participated in by severalbright, up-to-date girls who love outdoor life. They are clean andwholesome, free from sensationalism, absorbing from the first chapterto the last. 

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS OF DEEPDALE Or Camping and Tramping for Fun and Health. 

Telling bow the girls organized their Camping and Tramping Club, howthey went on a tour, and of various adventures which befell them. 

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT RAINBOW LAKE Or Stirring Cruise of the Motor Boat Gem. 

One of the girls becomes the proud possessor of a motor boat andinvites her club members to take a trip down the river to Rainbow Lake, a beautiful sheet of water lying between the mountains. 

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A MOTOR CAR Or The Haunted Mansion of Shadow Valley. 

One of the girls has learned to run a big motor ear, and she invitedthe club to go on a tour to visit some distant relatives. On the waythey stop at a deserted mansion and make a surprising discovery. 

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A WINTER CAMP Or Glorious Days on Skates and Ice Boats. 

In this story, the scene is shifted to a winter season. The girls havesome jolly times skating and ice boating, and visit a hunters ramp inthe big woods. 

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA Or Wintering in the Sunny South. 

The parents of one of the girls have bought an orange grove in Florida, and her companions are invited to visit the place. They take a tripinto the interior, where several unusual things happen. 

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT OCEAN VIEW Or The Box that Was Found in the Sand. 

The girls have great fun and solve a mystery while on an outing alongthe New England coast. 

THE OUTDOOR GIRLS ON PINE ISLAND Or A Cave and What it Contained. 

A bright, healthful story, full of good times at a bungalow camp onPine Island. 

CHARMING BOOKS FOR GIRLS

WHEN PATTY WENT TO COLLEGE, By Jean Webster. Illustrated by C. D. Williams. 

One of the best stories of life in a girl's college that has ever beenwritten. It is bright, whimsical and entertaining, lifelike, laughableand thoroughly human. 

JUST PATTY, By Jean Webster. Illustrated by C. M. Relyea. 

Patty is full of the joy of living, fun-loving, given to ingeniousmischief for its own sake, with a disregard for pretty convention whichis an unfailing source of joy to her fellows. 

THE POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL, By Eleanor Gates. With four full pageillustrations. 

This story relates the experience of one of those unfortunate childrenwhose early days are passed in the companionship of a governess, seldomseeing either parent, and famishing for natural love and tenderness. Acharming play as dramatized by the author. 

REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM, By Kate Douglas Wiggin. 

One of the most beautiful studies of childhood--Rebecca's artistic, unusual and quaintly charming qualities stand out midst a circle ofaustere New Englanders. The stage version is making a phenomenaldramatic record. 

NEW CHRONICLES OF REBECCA, By Kate Douglas Wiggin. Illustrated by F. C. Yohn. 

Additional episodes in the girlhood of this delightful heroine thatcarry Rebecca through various stages to her eighteenth birthday. 

REBECCA MARY, By Annie Hamilton Donnell. Illustrated by ElizabethShippen Green. 

This author possesses the rare gift of portraying all the grotesquelittle joys and sorrows and scruples of this very small girl with apathos that is peculiarly genuine and appealing. 

EMMY LOU: Her Book and Heart, By George Madden Martin, illustrated byCharles Louis Hinton. 

Emmy Lou is irresistibly lovable, because she is so absolutely real. She is just a bewitchingly innocent, hugable little maid. The book iswonderfully human. 

BOOKS BY VICTOR APPLETON

THE TOM SWIFT SERIES

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-CYCLE Or Fun and Adventures on the Road

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP Or the Stirring Cruise of the Red cloud

TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT Or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure

TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT Or the Speediest Car on the Road

TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE Or the castaways of Earthquake Island

TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS Or the Secret of Phantom Mountain

TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE Or the Wreck of the Airship

TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER Or The Quickest Flight on Record

TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE Or Daring Adventures in Elephant Land

TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD Or Marvelous Adventures Underground

TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER Or Seeking the Platinum Treasure

TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY Or A Daring Escape by Airship

TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA Or Thrilling Adventures While Taking Moving Pictures

TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT Or On the Border for Uncle Sam