what he said. Then he shook his
finger 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 help
me, Tom. Do go! I'll pay you well, and--oh, well, I know you don't need
the money, exactly, but--say, you've got to go!"

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

With a few big strides Koku was beside the picture man. With great
quickness he grasped Mr. Period by the coat collar, lifted him off his
feet with one hand, and walked over to a window with him, easily
lifting him above the floor.

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

"There. You touch Tom Swift again, and I sit on you and keep you under
snow!" cried the giant, while Mr. Period kicked and squirmed about in
the 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 to
me? Did I get kicked by that mule Boomerang of Eradicate's, that I've
heard so much about? Or was it an earthquake, such as I want to get a
picture of? What happened?"

He was still floundering about in the deep bank of snow that was just
outside the window. Fortunately the sash had been up, and Koku had
tossed Mr. Period through the open window. Otherwise, had there been
glass, the well-meaning, but unreasoning giant would probably have
thrown his victim through that, and he might have been badly cut. Tom
had 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 the
window, and extended his hand to the moving picture man to help him out
of 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 half
savagely. "I have vowed to always protect you from danger, in return
for what you did for me. I saw this man lay his hand on you. In another
moment he might have killed you, had not Koku been here. There is no
danger when I am by," and he stretched out his huge arms, and looked
ferocious. "I have turned over that man, your enemy!" he added.

"Yes, you overturned me all right," admitted Mr. Period, as he got to
his feet, and crawled in through the window to the shop again. "I went
head ove