end that wants a giant?"

"If you'll let me, I'll have him here in a minute, Tom."

"Of course I will. But good land! Have you got him concealed up your
sleeve, or under some of the chairs? Is he a dwarf?" and Tom looked
about the room as if he expected to see some one in hiding.

"I left him outside in the garden, Tom," replied the odd man. "I
told him I'd come on ahead, and see how you took the proposition.
Don't tell him you thought me insane at first. I'll have him here in
a jiffy. I'll signal to him."

Not waiting for a word from either of the boys, Mr. Damon went to
one of the low library windows, opened it, gave a shrill whistle and
waved his handkerchief vigorously. In a moment there came an
answering whistle.

"He's coming," announced the odd gentleman.

"But who is he?" insisted Tom. "Is he some professor who wants a
giant to examine, or is he a millionaire who wants one for a body
guard?"

"Neither one, Tom. He's the proprietor of a number of circuses, and
a string of museums, and he wants a giant, or even two of them, for
exhibition purposes. There's lots of money in giants. He's had some
seven, and even eight feet tall, but he has lately heard of a land
where the tallest man is nearly ten feet high, and very big, and
he'll pay ten thousand dollars for a giant alive and in good
condition, as the animal men say. I believe we can get one for him,
and--Ah, here he is now," and Mr. Damon interrupted himself as a
small, dark-complexioned man, with a very black mustache, black
eyes, a watch chain as big around as his thumb, a red vest, a large
white hat, and a suit of large-sized checked clothes appeared at the
open library window.

"Is it all right?" this strange-appearing man asked of Mr. Damon.

"I believe so," replied the odd gentleman. "Come in, Sam."

With one bound, though the window was some distance from the ground,
the little man leaped into the library. He landed lightly on his
feet, quickly turned two hand springs in rapid succession, and then,
without breathing in the least rapidly, as most men would have done
after that exertion, he made a low bow to Tom and Ned.

"Boys, let me introduce you to my friend, Sam Preston, an old
acrobat and now a circus proprietor," said Mr. Damon. "Mr. Preston,
this is Tom Swift, of whom I told you, and his chum, Ned Newton."

"And will they get the giant for me?" asked the circus man quickly.

"I think they will," replied Mr. Damon. "I had a little diff