Victor Appleton Tom Swift in Captivity

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.But simple as the trickwas, it impressed the giants.Then Tom did some other stunts for them, simpleexperiments in physics, that every High School lad has done in class."I want to get these guards friendly with me," he explained."In time the newswill reach the king and he'll be so curious that he'll come here and thenwell,we'll see what will happen."Page 60ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlBut this did not take place as soon as Tom desired.In fact, the giants werevery slow to act.The guards did get quite friendly, and every day they wantedthe same two first tricks performed over again.Tom did them many times,wondering when the king would come.Then he played a bold game, and made open inquiries about a white man, onelike the king's captives, who might have come to giant land about a yearprevious."Is there a lone white captive here?" asked Tom.The giant guard to whom he directed his question gave a start, for Tom couldnow speak the language fairly well, and, after the first indication ofsurprise, the guard muttered something to his companions.There was a startledejaculation, a curious glance at the captives, and thensilence.The guardsfiled silently away, and, a little later, could be seen going in the king'sbig hut."By Jove, Tom!" cried Ned."You touched 'em that time.There's something up,as sure as you're born!""I believe so myself," agreed the young inventor."And now to throw a realscare into these giants," he added, as he went to a distant room of the hutwhere he had hidden some of the things he had taken from his "box of tricks,"as Ned dubbed it."Bless my necktie!" cried Mr.Damon."What's up now, Tom.""I'm going to show these giants that they'd better make friends with us soon,or we may blow their whole town skyhigh!" cried Tom."I'm going to use some ofthe blasting powderjust a pinch, so to speak and knock an empty hut intoslivers.I think that will impress these fellows.If I can only""Look, Tom!" suddenly cried Ned."The king's two brothers are coming here.Something's up.He's sent some of the family to interview us.Get ready toreceive them."Tom Swift in CaptivityCHAPTER XX.THE LONE CAPTIVE67"Couldn't be better!" cried the young inventor."I've been waiting for this.Now I'll give them a surprise party."The two big brothers of the king, for such Tom and his friends had recentlylearned was the relationship the giants on either side of the "throne" bore tothe ruler, were indeed headed toward the hut of the captives.They came alone,in their royal garments of jaguar skins, and, standing about the palace hut,could be seen the giant guards who had doubtless carried the news of thequestion Tom had asked."Come on, Ned, we've got to get busy!" exclaimed Tom."Connect the electricbattery, and get that magnet in shape.I'm going to make a fuse for thisblasting powder bomb, and if I can get those royal brothers to plant it forme, there'll be some high jinks soon."Tom busied himself in making an improvised bomb, while Ned attended to theelectrical attachments, andMr.Damon and Eradicate acted as general assistants.The two giant brothers entered the hut and greeted Tom and the others calmly.Then they explained that the king had sent them to investigate certain storiestold by the guard."I'll show you!" exclaimed Tom, and he induced them to take hold of thehandles of the battery.The current was turned on full strength, and from themanner in which the royal brothers writhed and howled Tom judged that theexperiment was a success."With all your strength you can not let go until I move my finger," the younginventor explained, and it was so.Even the skeptical giants agreed on that."Now I shall show you that I am stronger than you!" exclaimed Tom, and thoughthe giants smiled increduously so it was, for the magnet trick worked as wellas before.There were murmurs of surprise from the two immense brothers, andPage 61ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlthey talked rapidly together."I will now show you that I can call the lightning from the sky to do mybidding," went on Tom."Is that possible to any of you giants?""Never! Never! No man can do it!" cried Tola and Koku together."Then watch me!" invited Tom."Is there an empty hut near here?" he asked."One that it will do no harm to destroy?"Tola pointed to one visible from the window of the prison of our friends."Then take this little ball, with the string attached to it, and place it inthe hut," went on Tom."Then flee for your lives, for standing from here, Ishall call the lightning down, and you shall see the hut destroyed.""Why don't you ask them something about Jake Poddington?" asked Ned."Time enough for that after I've shown them what a little powder will do, whenI attach electric wires to it and press a button," replied Tom."I've got thatbomb fixed so it will go off by an electric fuse.If they'll only put it inthe hut for me.I'd do it myself, only they won't let me go out."The brothers conferred for a moment and then, seeming to arrive at a decision,Koku, who was slightly the larger, took the bomb, looked curiously at it, andwalked with it toward the empty hut, the electric wire being reeled out behindhim by Tom.Tom Swift in CaptivityCHAPTER XX.THE LONE CAPTIVE68The bomb was left inside the frail structure, the two brothers hurried away,and, standing at a safe distance from the hut of the captives, as well as theone that Tom had promised to destroy by lightning, they waved their hands toshow that they were ready."Bless my admission ticket!" exclaimed Mr.Damon."You've got quite anaudience, Tom."And so he had, for there was a crowd in the market square, another throngabout the king's palace, while all about, hidden behind trees or huts, wasnearly the whole population of the giant town."That's what I want," said the young inventor."It will be all the moreimpressive.""And there's the king himself!" exclaimed Ned."He's standing in the door ofhis royal hut.""Better yet!" cried Tom."Are those wires all connected, Ned?""Yes," answered his chum, after a quick inspection."Then here she goes!" cried Tom, as he pressed the button.Instantly the hut, in which the bomb had been placed, arose in the air.Theroof was lifted off, the sides spread out and there was a great flash of fireand a puff of smoke.Then as the smoke cleared away Ned cried out:"Look, Tom! Look! You've blown a hole in the hut next to the one youdestroyed!""Yes, and bless my check book!" exclaimed Mr.Damon, "some one is running outof it.A white man, Tom!A white man!""It's Poddington! Poor Jake Poddington.We've found him at last! This way, Mr.Poddington! This way! Mr.Preston sent us to rescue you!" cried Tom.CHAPTER XXI.A ROYAL CONSPIRACYHowls of terror, cries of anger, and a rushing to and fro on the part of thegiants, followed the latest trick ofTom Swift to impress them with his power.But to all this the young inventorand his friends paid no attention.Their eyes were fixed on the ragged figureof the white man who was rushing toward their hut as fast as his legs,manacled as they were, would let him."Come on! Come on!" cried Tom.Page 62ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"Look out!" yelled Ned [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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