ift."

"What's that? Giant land?" exclaimed Mrs. Baggert, the motherly
housekeeper, as she came in to announce that dinner was ready. "You
don't mean to tell me, Tom, that you're going off again?"

"That's what I am, Mrs. Baggert. You'd better put me up a few
sandwiches, for I don't know when I'll be back," and Tom winked at
his chum.

"Oh, of all things I ever heard in all my born days!" cried the
housekeeper, throwing up her hands. "Will you ever settle down, Tom
Swift?"

"Maybe he will when Miss Mary Nestor is ready to settle down too,"
said Ned mischievously, referring to a girl of whom Tom was very
fond.

"Say, I'll fix you for that!" cried our hero, as he made an
unsuccessful grab for Ned. "But, Mrs. Baggert, can you put on a
couple of extra plates? Mr. Damon and Mr. Preston will stay to
lunch."

"Not if it's going to put you out, Tom," objected the circus man. "I
can go to the hotel, and--"

"No, indeed!" exclaimed Mrs. Baggert graciously, for she prided
herself on her housekeeping arrangements, and she used to say that
unexpected company never "flustrated" her. Soon the little party was
seated around the table, where the talk went from grave to gay, the
subject of the giants being uppermost.

Mr. Preston told many funny stories of his circus days, and some of
them had the spice of danger in them, for he had been all over the
world, either as a performer or as the owner of amusement
enterprises.

"Now, the next question to be settled," said the old circus man,
when they were once more gathered in the library, "is how many are
going?"

"I am, for one!" exclaimed Ned quickly. "I'm sure my folks will let
me. Especially as we aren't going to use an airship, but will travel
just as ordinary folks do."

"Except in case of emergency," explained Tom. "We'll have the Lark
to use if we need her."

"Oh, of course," agreed Ned. "How about you, Mr. Damon? Will you
go?"

The odd man looked around the room before replying, as though he
feared someone might be listening on the sly.

"Go on, Andy Foger isn't here," invited Tom with a laugh.

"I'll go--if I can pursuade my wife to let me," said the odd man in
a whisper, as if, even then, the good lady might overhear him. "I'm
not going to say anything about giants. I'll tell her we are going
to rescue a poor fellow from--er--well from the natives of South
America, and I'm sure she'll consent. Of course I'll go."

"That's three," remarked Tom. "I think I ca