d a cable
dispatch from one of my animal agents in Brazil, saying that war has
broken out among the tribes in the central part of South America. A
big native war is being waged all around giant land, as near as we
can figure it out."

"War among the native tribes!" exclaimed Mr. Swift.

"Yes, and one of the worst in years. Of course, Tom, after such
alarming news as this I won't hold you to your promise to go. It's
all off. I'm sorry, but you'd better wait. It won't be safe to go
there now. Better unpack, Tom."

For a moment there was a silence in the room. Then the young
inventor leaped to his feet and faced the circus man.

"Unpack?" cried Tom in ringing tones. "Never! I'm going to giant
land, fight or no fight! Ned, come with me and we'll put in some of
my electric rifles. I wasn't going to take them along, but I will
now. Unpack? I guess not! I'm going to get a giant for you, Mr.
Preston, and save Jake Poddington if he's alive. Come on, Ned."

CHAPTER VII

FIRE ON BOARD

"Your electric rifles!" exclaimed Ned Newton, as he followed his
chum to the storeroom, where Tom kept a number of spare guns. "It's
a good thing you thought of them, Tom."

"Yes, I didn't think we'd need them, for I believe peaceable means
are the best to use on natives. But if there's a war, and we have to
defend ourselves against the tribes, we'll take along something that
will do more damage than an ordinary rifle, and yet I can regulate
it so that it will only stun, and not kill."

"That's the stuff, Tom. No use in being needlessly cruel. How many
will you take?"

"Two or three. We may need 'em all."

A little later the two lads returned to the library where Mr. Damon,
Mr. Swift and the circus man were anxiously awaiting them. Mr.
Preston looked curiously at several objects which Tom and Ned
carried. The objects looked like guns but were different from any
the giant-seeker had seen.

"What are they?" he asked Tom.

"Electric rifles. One of my inventions," and Tom showed how the
weapon worked. Those of you who have read the volume entitled, "Tom
Swift and His Electric Rifle" will remember this curious weapon. It
was worked by a stored charge of magnetism of the wireless kind. By
this a concentrated globule of electricity was projected from the
muzzle, and it could be made strong or weak at the will of the
marksman. It could be made so powerful that it would totally
annihilate a whale, as Tom had once proved, or it coul