Then ensued busy days. In the seclusion of their hut the prisoners could work undisturbed at the aeroplane, which had been almost a.s.sembled.
The engine was installed and tried, and, when the motor began its thundering explosions, there was consternation among the giants, who had again surrounded the hut to see that the prisoners did not escape.
Meanwhile Delby seemed to be unusually active. He could be observed going in and out from his hut to that of the king, and he often carried large bundles.
"He"s making himself solid with his royal highness," declared Tom.
"Well, if all goes right, we won"t have to worry much longer about what he does."
"If only those twin giants don"t fail us," put in Ned.
"Oh, you can depend on them," said Mr. Poddington. "These giants are curious creatures, but once they give their word they stick to it."
He told much about the strange big men, confirming Tom"s theory that favorable natural conditions, for a number of generations, had caused ordinary South American natives to develope into such large specimens.
Our friends were under quite a nervous tension, for they could not be sure of what would happen from day to day. They continued to work on the aeroplane, and then, finding that it would work in the seclusion of the hut, they were anxious for the time to come when they could try it in the open.
"Do you think it will carry the five of us with safety?" asked the circus man, as he gazed rather dubiously at the somewhat frail-appearing affair.
"Sure!" exclaimed Tom. "We"ll get away all right if I can get enough of a start. Now we must see to opening the side of the hut."
This work had to be done cautiously, yet the prisoners had a certain freedom, for the guards were afraid to approach too closely.
The supporting and cross beams were sawed through, for Tom had brought a number of carpenter tools along with him. Then, in the silence of the night, the two royal brothers brought other beams that could be put in place temporarily to hold up the roof when the others were pulled out to allow the aeroplane to rush forth.
In due time all was in readiness for the attempt to escape. The royal twins had agreed to slip off at a certain signal, and await Tom and his party in the forest at the foot of a very large hill, that was a landmark for miles around. The giants could travel fast, but not as fast as the aeroplane, so it was planned that they were to have a day and night"s start. They would take along food, and would arrange to have a number of Tom"s mules hidden in the woods, so that our hero and his friends would have means of transportation back to the coast, after they had ended their flight in the airship.
"I wish we had brought along the larger one, so we could take the giants with us," said Tom, "but I guess they"re strong enough to walk to the coast. We"ll take what provisions we can carry, our electric rifles, and the rest of the things we"ll leave here for the king, though he doesn"t deserve them."
"What do you think Delby will do?" asked Ned.
"Give it up. He"s got some plan though. I only hope he doesn"t get a giant. Then ours will be a greater attraction."
Several days pa.s.sed, and the last of the preparations had been made.
"The giant twins will pretend to go off on a hunting trip to-morrow morning," said the circus man one night, "but they won"t come back.
They"ll wait for us at the big hill."
"Then we must escape the following morning," decided Tom. "Well, I"m ready for it."
From their hut, surrounded as it was still by the giant guards, our friends watched the royal brothers start off, seemingly on a hunting expedition.
The day pa.s.sed slowly. Tom went carefully over the aeroplane, to see that it was in shape for a quick flight, and he looked to the wall of the hut--the wall that was to be pulled from place to afford egress for the air craft.
They went to bed early that night--the night they hoped would be their last in giant land. It must have been about midnight when Tom suddenly awoke. He thought he heard a noise outside the hut and in a moment he had jumped up.
"Repel boarders!" cried Tom.
CHAPTER XXIV
THE AIRSHIP FLIGHT
For a few moments there was confusion inside the hut that was to be the last stronghold of our friends against the approaching force of giants. Confusion and not a little fear were mingled, for Tom"s words sent a chill to every heart. Then, after the first panic, there came a calmer feeling--a feeling that each one would do his duty in the face of danger and, if he had to die, he would die fighting.
"Everyone take a window!" yelled Tom. "Don"t kill any one if you can help it. Shoot to disable, Rad. Mr. Poddington, there"s an extra shotgun somewhere about! See if you can find it. We"ll use the electric rifles. Get those Roman candles somebody!"
Tom was like a general giving orders, and once his friends realized that he was managing things they felt more confidence. Ned grasped his electric rifle, as did Mr. Damon, and they stood ready to use them.
"The strongest stunning charge!" ordered the young inventor.
"Something that will lay "em out for a good while. We"ll teach "em a lesson!"
BANG!
That was Eradicate"s shotgun going off. It had a double load in it, and the wonder of it was that the barrel did not burst. It sounded like a small cannon, but it had the good effect of checking the first rush of giants, for the electric rifles had not yet been adjusted, and Mr. Poddington, in the light of the single electric torch that had been left burning, could find neither the spare shotgun nor the Roman candles.
BANG!
Eradicate let the other barrel go, almost in the faces of the advancing giants, but over their heads, for he bore in mind Tom"s words not to injure.
"That"s the stuff!" cried Tom. "Come on now, Ned, we"re ready for "em!"
But the giants had retreated, and could be seen standing in groups about the hut, evidently planning what to do next. Then from back in the village there shone a glare of light.
"Bless my insurance policy! It"s a fire!" cried Mr. Damon. "They"re going to burn us out!"
"Jove! If they do!" exclaimed Ned.
"We mustn"t let "em!" shouted Tom. "Fire, Ned!"
Together the chums discharged their electric rifles at the enemy and a number of them fell, stunned, and were carried away by their companions.
The glaring light approached and now it could be seen that it was caused by a number of the big men carrying torches of some kind of blazing wood. It did look as though they intended to fire the prison hut.
"Give "em another taste of it!" shouted Ned, and this time the three electric rifles shot out their streaks of blue flame, for Mr. Damon had his in action. It was still dark in the hut, for to set aglow more of the electric torches meant that Tom and his friends would be exposed to view, and would be the targets for the arrows, or darts from the deadly blow guns.
Several more of the giants toppled over, and then began a retreat to some distance, the first squad of fighters going to meet the men who had come up with the torches. There was no sign of women or children.
"Shall we fire again?" asked Ned.
"No," answered Tom. "Save your ammunition until they are closer, and we"ll be surer of our marks. Besides, if they let us alone that"s all we ask. We don"t want to hurt "em."
"Bless my gizzard!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "I wonder why they attacked us, anyhow?"
"Maybe it"s about the two giant brothers who have not come back,"
suggested Mr. Poddington. "They may imagine that we have them captive, and they want to rescue them."