ng inventor as a devil who
could, if he wished, slay by the mere winking of an eye.

Mr. Damon located the quinine-gathering force he was anxious to see,
and, through the interpreter, told the chief that more bark must be
brought in to keep up to the terms of the contract.

But something seemed to be the matter. The Indian chief was indifferent
to the interpreted demands of Mr. Damon, and that gentleman, though he
blessed any number of animate and inanimate objects, seemed to make no
impression.

"No got men to gather bark, him say," translated the interpreter.

"Hasn't got any men!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Why, look at all the lazy
beggars around the village."

This was true enough, for there were any number of able-bodied Indians
lolling in the shade.

"Him say him no got," repeated the translator, doggedly.

At that moment screams arose back of one the grass huts, and a child
ran out into the open, followed by a savage dog which was snapping at
the little one's bare legs.

"Bless my rat trap!" gasped Mr. Damon. "A mad dog!"

Shouts and cries arose from among the Indians. Women screamed, and
those who had children gathered them up in their arms to run to
shelter. The men threw all sorts of missiles at the infuriated animal,
but seemed afraid to approach it to knock it over with a club, or to go
to the relief of the frightened child which was now only a few feet
ahead of the animal, running in a circle.

"Me git him!" cried Koku, jumping forward.

"No, Wait!" exclaimed Tom Swift. "You can kill the dog all right,
Koku," he said, "but a scratch from his tooth might be fatal. I'll fix
him!"

Snatching his electric rifle from the Indian bearer who carried it, Tom
took quick aim. There was no flash, no report and no puff of smoke, but
the dog suddenly crumpled up in a heap, and, with a dying yelp, rolled
to one side. The child was saved.

The little one, aware that something had happened, turned and saw the
stretched out form of its enemy. Then, sobbing and crying, it ran
toward its mother who had just heard the news.

While the mothers gathered about the child, and while the older boys
and girls made a ring at a respectful distance from the dog, there was
activity noticed among the men of the village. They began hurrying out
along the forest paths.

"Where are they going?" asked Tom. "Is there some trouble? Was that a
sacred dog, and did I get in bad by killing it?"

The interpreter and the native chi