d Ned had gone aloft to see if they could pick
up the giant twins, who were to meet them and have some mules ready
for the journey back to civilization.

"Well, we're in no great hurry," went on Tom, after vainly scanning
the ground below. "They may not have traveled as fast as we thought
they could, and the mules may have given trouble. We'll stick around
here a day or so, and--"

"Look!" suddenly exclaimed Ned. "Didn't you see something moving
then."

"Where?"

"By that big dead tree."

Tom took a look through a pair of field glasses, while Ned steered
the aeroplane. Then the young inventor cried:

"It's all right. It's one of the giants, but I can't tell which one.
Ned, I believe they're hiding because they're afraid of us. They've
never seen an aeroplane in action before. I'm going down."

Quickly and gracefully the Lark was volplaned to a level place near
the dead tree. No one was in sight, and Tom, after looking about,
called:

"Tola! Koku! Where are you? It is I, Tom Swift! We have escaped!
Where are you? Don't be afraid!"

There was a moment's silence, and then two big forms rushed from the
dense bushes, one of them--Koku--advancing to Tom, and catching him
up in what was meant for a loving hug.

"Oh, I say now, Koku!" cried the young inventor, with a laugh. "I've
got ribs, you know. Easy on that squeeze!"

The two giant twins laughed too, and they were immensely pleased to
see their friends again, both talking at once and so fast that not
even the circus man could catch what they said.

"Have you got the mules?" asked Tom, for he knew that much depended
on the animals. "Is everything all right?"

"All right," answered Koku, the talk being conducted in the language
of the giants of which Tom was now fairly a master when it was
spoken slowly. Then the brothers explained that they had gotten
safely away, had gathered up the mules, and with a supply of food,
had hidden the beasts in a nearby valley. The giant twins were
waiting for Tom to arrive, but, though they had seen the aeroplanes
in the hut they had no idea that it could fly so nearly like a bird,
and when they saw it hovering over them they had become frightened,
and hidden, until Tom's voice had reassured them.

"Well, get the animals," advised Tom, after he had told of the fight
of the night before, and the escape. "I'll go find the others and
we'll start from here. Then we'll hike for the United States as fast
as we can."

Mr. Damon