your
toes."

"No, Master, me no drop," the giant said, as he strode off with the
heavy load as easily as a boy might carry a stone for his sling-shot.

Koku placed the big rock on top of the pile of dirt and stones and came
back to the hut, just as Eradicate, the colored man-of-all-work,
emerged. Koku was not looking ahead, and ran into Eradicate with such
force that the latter would have fallen had not the giant clasped his
big arms about him.

"Heah now! Whut yo' all doin' t' me?" angrily demanded Eradicate. "Yo'
done gone an' knocked de breff outen me, dat's whut yo' all done! I'll
bash yo' wif a rock, dat's what I'll do!"

Koku, laughing, tried to explain that it was all an accident, but
Eradicate would not listen. He looked about for a stone to throw at the
giant, though it was doubtful, with his feeble strength, and
considering the great frame of the big man, if any damage would have
been done. But Eradicate saw no rocks nearer than the pile in which
ended the two insulated wires, and, with mutterings, the negro set off
in that direction, shuffling along on his rheumatic legs.

From the shack Tom Swift hailed:

"Hi there, Rad! Come back! Where are you going?"

"I'se gwine t' git a rock, Massa Tom, an' bash de haid ob dat big
lummox ob a giant! He done knocked de breff outen me, so he did."

"You come back from that stone pile!" Tom ordered. "I'm going to blow
it up in a minute, and if you get too near you'll have the breath
knocked out of you worse than Koku did it. Come back, I say!"

But Eradicate was obstinate and kept on. Tom, who was adjusting a
firing battery in the shack, laughed, and then in exasperation cried:

"Koku, go and get him and bring him back. Carry him if he won't come
any other way. I don't want the dear old chump to get the fright of his
life, and he sure will if he goes too close. Bring him back!"

"Koku bring, Master," was the giant's answer.

He ran toward Eradicate, who, seeing his tormentor approaching,
redoubled his shuffling pace toward the stone pile. But he was no match
for the giant, who, ignoring his struggles, picked up Eradicate, and,
flinging him over his shoulder like a sack of meal, brought him to the
shack.

"There him be, Master!" said the giant.

"So I see," laughed Torn. "Now you stay here, Rad."

"No, sah! No, sah, Massa Tom! I--I'se gwine t' git a rock an'--an'
bash his haid--dat's what I'se gwine t' do!" and the colored man tried
to struggle to his