Tom Swift in Captivity | Page 5

Siberia, and after rescuing some Russian political exiles,
found a valuable deposit of platinum, which to-day is a more valuable
metal than gold. Tom needed some platinum for his electrical machines,
and it proved very useful.
He had been back from Russia all winter and, now that Spring had
come again, our hero sighed for more activity, and fresh adventures.
And with the advent of Mr. Damon, and his mysterious talk about
giants, Tom seemed likely to be gratified.
The two chums and the odd gentleman continued on to the house, no
one speaking, until finally, when they were seated in the library, Mr.
Damon said:
"Well, Tom, are you ready to listen to me now, and have me explain
what I meant when I asked you to get a giant?"
"I--I suppose so," hesitated the young inventor. "But hadn't I better call
dad? And are you sure you don't want to lie down and collect your
thoughts? A nice hot cup of tea--"
"There, there, Tom Swift; If you tell me to lie down again, or propose
any more tea I'll use you as a punching bag, bless my boxing gloves if I
don't!" cried Mr. Damon and he laughed heartily. "I know what you
think, Tom, and you, too, Ned," he went on, still chuckling. "You think
I don't know what I'm saying, but I'll soon prove that I do. I'm fully in
my senses, I'm not crazy, I'm not talking in my sleep, and I'm very
much in earnest. Tom, this is the chance of your life to get a giant, and
pay a visit to giant land. Will you take it?"
"Mr. Damon, I--er--that is I--"
Tom stammered and looked at Ned.

"Now look here, Tom Swift!" exclaimed the odd man. "When you got
word about the buried city of gold in Mexico you didn't hesitate a
minute about making up your mind to go there; did you?"
"No, I didn't."
"Well, that wasn't any more of a strain on your imagination than this
giant business; was it?"
"Well, I don't know, as--"
"Bless my spectacles! Of course it wasn't! Now, look here. Tom, you
just make up your mind that I know what I'm talking about, and we'll
get along better. I don't blame you for being a bit puzzled at first, but
just you listen. You believe there are such things as giants; don't you?"
"I saw a man in the circus once, seven feet high. They called him a
giant," spoke Ned.
"A giant! He was a baby compared to the kind of giants I mean," said
Mr. Damon quickly. "Tom, we are going after a race of giants, the
smallest one of which is probably eight feet high, and from that they go
on up to nearly ten feet, and they're not slim fellows either, but big in
proportion. Now in giant land--"
"Here's Mrs. Baggert with a quieting cup of tea," interrupted Tom. "I
spoke to her as we came in, and asked her to have some ready. If you'll
drink this, Mr. Damon, I'm sure--"
"Bless my sugar bowl, Tom! You make a man nervous, with your cups
of tea. I'm more quiet than you, but I'll drink it to please you. Now
listen to me."
"All right, go ahead."
"A friend of mine has asked me if I knew any one who could undertake
to go to giant land, and get him one or two specimens of the big men
there. I at once thought of you, and I said I believed you would go. And

I'll go with you, Tom! Think of that! I've got faith enough in the
proposition to go myself!"
There was no mistaking Mr. Damon's manner. He was very much in
earnest, and Tom and Ned looked at each other with a different light in
their eyes.
"Who is your friend, and where in the world is giant land?" asked Tom.
"I haven't heard of such a place since I read the accounts of the early
travelers, before this continent was discovered. Who is your friend that
wants a giant?"
"If you'll let me, I'll have him here in a minute, Tom."
"Of course I will. But good land! Have you got him concealed up your
sleeve, or under some of the chairs? Is he a dwarf?" and Tom looked
about the room as if he expected to see some one in hiding.
"I left him outside in the garden, Tom," replied the odd man. "I told
him I'd come on ahead, and see how you took the proposition. Don't tell
him you thought me insane at first. I'll have him here in a jiffy. I'll
signal to him."
Not waiting for a word from either of the boys, Mr. Damon went to one
of the