to the big
carbons, and being reflected by the parabolic mirrors, made the
growth of underbrush as brightly illuminated as in day time. Tom
detected a movement.

"There he is, Koku!" he called to his giant servant. "Off there to
the left. After him!"

Raising his club on high, Koku made a leap for the place where the
fugitive was hiding. As the man saw the light, and sprang forward,
he was, for a moment, in the full glare of the rays. Then, just as
the giant was about to reach him, Koku stumbled over a tree root,
and fell heavily.

"Never mind, I'll get him!" yelled Tom, but the next moment the man
vanished suddenly, and was no longer to be seen in the finger of
light from the lantern. He had probably dipped down into some
hollow, lying there hidden, and as of course was out of the focus of
the searchlight.

"Come on, Koku, we'll find him!" exclaimed Tom, and together they
made a search, Mr. Damon joining them, while Ned worked the lantern.
But it was of no avail, for they did not find the stranger.

"Well, we might as well go back," said Tom, at length. "We can't
find him. He's probably far enough off by this time."

"Who was he?" panted Mr. Damon, as he walked beside Tom and Koku to
the airship. Ned had switched off the big light on a signal from the
young inventor.

"I don't know!" answered Tom.

"But what did he want? What was he doing? I don't quite understand."

"He wanted to put my searchlight out of commission," responded our
hero. "From that I should argue that he was either one of the
smugglers, or trying to aid them."

And this theory was borne out by Mr. Whitford, who, on calling the
next morning, was told of the occurrence of the night. Koku related
how he had found it uncomfortable in his bunk, and had gone out on
deck for air. There, half dozing, he heard a stealthy step. At once
he was on the alert. He saw a man with a gun creeping along, and at
first thought the fellow had evil designs on some of those aboard
the Falcon.

Then, when Koku saw the man aim at the big searchlight the giant
sprang at him, and there was a scuffle. The gun went off, and the
man escaped. An examination of the weapon he had left behind showed
that it carried a highly explosive shell, which, had it hit the
lantern, would have completely destroyed it, and might have damaged
the airship.

"It was the smugglers, without a doubt," declared Mr. Whitford. "You
can't get away from this place any too soon, Tom. Get a ne