Tom Swift and His Wizard Camera | Page 8

me about you sending a wireless message from Earthquake Island,
I knew you would be the very man for me. So now you see you'll be
doing Mr. Nestor a favor, as well as me, if you go on this trip."
Tom was somewhat surprised, yet he realized that Mr. Period was
speaking the truth. Mr. Nestor was identified with many new
enterprises. Yet the youth was firm.
"I really can't go," said our hero. "I'd like to, but I can't. I'd like to
oblige Mr. Nestor, for--well, for more reasons than one," and Tom
blushed slightly. "But it is out of the question. I really can't go."
"But you must!" insisted the camera man. "I won't take 'no' for an
answer. You've got to go, Tom Swift, do you hear that? You've go to
go?"
Mr. Period was apparently very much excited. He strode over to Tom
and smote his hands together to emphasize what he said. Then he shook
his finger at Tom, to impress the importance of the matter on our hero.
"You've just got to go!" he cried. "You're the only one who can help me,
Tom. Do go! I'll pay you well, and--oh, well, I know you don't need the
money, exactly, but--say, you've got to go!"
In his earnestness Mr. Period laid his hand on Tom's arm. The next
instant something happened.

With a few big strides Koku was beside the picture man. With great
quickness he grasped Mr. Period by the coat collar, lifted him off his
feet with one hand, and walked over to a window with him, easily
lifting him above the floor.
With one fling the giant tossed the short, stout gentleman out into a
snow bank, while Tom looked on, too surprised to do anything, even if
he had had the chance.
"There. You touch Tom Swift again, and I sit on you and keep you
under snow!" cried the giant, while Mr. Period kicked and squirmed
about in the drift, as Tom made a leap forward to help him out.
CHAPTER III
- TOM MAKES UP HIS MIND
"Great Scott!" yelled the picture man. "What in the world happened to
me? Did I get kicked by that mule Boomerang of Eradicate's, that I've
heard so much about? Or was it an earthquake, such as I want to get a
picture of? What happened?"
He was still floundering about in the deep bank of snow that was just
outside the window. Fortunately the sash had been up, and Koku had
tossed Mr. Period through the open window. Otherwise, had there been
glass, the well-meaning, but unreasoning giant would probably have
thrown his victim through that, and he might have been badly cut. Tom
had the window open for fresh air, as it was rather close in the shop.
"Why, Koku!" exclaimed the young inventor, as he leaned out of the
window, and extended his hand to the moving picture man to help him
out of the drift. "What do von mean by that?" Have you gone crazy?"
"No, but no one shall lay hands on my master!" declared the giant half
savagely. "I have vowed to always protect you from danger, in return
for what you did for me. I saw this man lay his hand on you. In another
moment he might have killed you, had not Koku been here. There is no
danger when I am by," and he stretched out his huge arms, and looked

ferocious. "I have turned over that man, your enemy!" he added.
"Yes, you overturned me all right," admitted Mr. Period, as he got to
his feet, and crawled in through the window to the shop again. "I went
head over heels. I'm glad it was clean snow, and not a mud bank, Tom.
What in the world is the matter with him?"
"I guess he thought you were going to harm me, said Tom in a low
voice, as the picture man came in the shop. "Koku is very devoted to
me, and sometimes he makes trouble," the youth went on. "But he
means it all for the best. I am very sorry for what happened," and Tom
aided Mr. Period in brushing the snow off his garments. "Koku, you
must beg the pardon of this gentleman," Tom directed.
"What for?" the giant wanted to know.
"For throwing him into the snow. It is not allowed to do such things in
this country, even though it is in Giant Land. Beg his pardon.
"I shall not," said the giant calmly, for Tom had taught him to speak
fairly good English, though sometimes he got his words backwards.
"The man was about to kill you, and I stopped him--I will stop him
once more, though if he does not like the snow, I can