ey weighed nothing, the trunk being under one arm.

"I guess they don't see men of his size outside of circuses," commented
the contractor. "We can pretty nearly, though not quite match him, down
in Peru though, Tom. Some of the Indians are big fellows."

"We'll get up a wrestling match between one of them and Koku,"
suggested Tom. "Come on!" he called to the giant, who was surrounded by
a crowd.

Koku pushed his way through as easily as a bull might make his way
through a throng of puppies about his heels, and as Tom, Mr. Titus and
the giant were entering the hotel corridor, the chauffeur of the
taxicab called out with a laugh:

"I say, boss, don't you think you ought to pay double rates on that
chap," and he nodded in the direction of the giant.

"That's right!" added some one in the crowd with a laugh. "He might
have broken the springs."

"All right," assented Tom, good-naturedly, tossing the chauffeur a
coin. "Here you are, have a cigar on the giant."

There was more laughter, and even Koku grinned, though it is doubtful
if he knew what about, for he could not understand much unless Tom
spoke to him in a sort of code they had arranged between them.

"Sorry to have hastened your departure," began Mr. Titus when he and
Tom sat in the comfortable hotel rooms, while Koku stood at a window,
looking out at what to him were the marvelous wonders of the New York
streets.

"It didn't make any difference," replied the young inventor. "I was
about ready to come anyhow. I just had to hustle a little," and he
thought of how he had had to send Mary's present to her instead of
taking it himself. As yet he was all unaware of the commotion it had
caused.

"Did you get the powder shipment off all right?"

"Yes, and it will be there almost as soon as we. Other shipments will
follow as we need them. My father will see to that."

"I'm glad you hit on the right kind of powder," went on the contractor.
"I guess I didn't make any mistake in coming to you, Tom."

"Well, I hope not. Of course the explosive worked all right in
experimental charges with samples of the tunnel rock. It remains to be
seen what it will do under actual conditions, and in big service
charges."

"Oh, I've no doubt it will work all right."

"What time do we leave here?" Tom asked.

"At two-thirty this afternoon. We have just time to get a good dinner
and have our baggage transferred to the Chicago limited. In less than a
week we ought to be in Sa