CHAPTER XXIV
THE AIRSHIP FLIGHT
For a few moments there was confusion inside the hut that was to bethe last stronghold of our friends against the approaching force ofgiants. Confusion and not a little fear were mingled, for Tom'swords sent a chill to every heart. Then, after the first panic,there came a calmer feeling--a feeling that each one would do hisduty in the face of danger and, if he had to die, he would diefighting.
"Everyone take a window!" yelled Tom. "Don't kill any one if you canhelp it. Shoot to disable, Rad. Mr. Poddington, there's an extrashotgun somewhere about! See if you can find it. We'll use theelectric rifles. Get those Roman candles somebody!"
Tom was like a general giving orders, and once his friends realizedthat he was managing things they felt more confidence. Ned graspedhis electric rifle, as did Mr. Damon, and they stood ready to usethem.
"The strongest stunning charge!" ordered the young inventor."Something that will lay 'em out for a good while. We'll teach 'em alesson!"
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 soundedlike a small cannon, but it had the good effect of checking thefirst rush of giants, for the electric rifles had not yet beenadjusted, and Mr. Poddington, in the light of the single electrictorch that had been left burning, could find neither the spareshotgun nor the Roman candles.
BANG!
Eradicate let the other barrel go, almost in the faces of theadvancing giants, but over their heads, for he bore in mind Tom'swords 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 groupsabout the hut, evidently planning what to do next. Then from back inthe village there shone a glare of light.
"Bless my insurance policy! It's a fire!" cried Mr. Damon. "They'regoing 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 anda number of them fell, stunned, and were carried away by theircompanions.
The glaring light approached and now it could be seen that it wascaused by a number of the big men carrying torches of some kind ofblazing wood. It did look as though they intended to fire the prisonhut.
"Give 'em another taste of it!" shouted Ned, and this time the threeelectric rifles shot out their streaks of blue flame, for Mr. Damonhad his in action. It was still dark in the hut, for to set aglowmore of the electric torches meant that Tom and his friends would beexposed to view, and would be the targets for the arrows, or dartsfrom the deadly blow guns.
Several more of the giants toppled over, and then began a retreat tosome distance, the first squad of fighters going to meet the men whohad come up with the torches. There was no sign of women orchildren.
"Shall we fire again?" asked Ned.
"No," answered Tom. "Save your ammunition until they are closer, andwe'll be surer of our marks. Besides, if they let us alone that'sall we ask. We don't want to hurt 'em."
"Bless my gizzard!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "I wonder why they attackedus, anyhow?"
"Maybe it's about the two giant brothers who have not come back,"suggested Mr. Poddington. "They may imagine that we have themcaptive, and they want to rescue them."
"That's so," admitted Tom. "Well, if they had only postponed thisreception for a few hours we'd have been out of their way, and theywouldn't have had this trouble," and he glanced at the aeroplane,that stood in the big hut, ready for instant flight.
"They're coming back!" suddenly shouted Ned, and a look from thehalf-opened windows showed the giants again advancing.
"I've got the Roman candles!" called Mr. Poddington from a cornerwhere he had been rummaging in that box of Tom's which contained somany surprises. "What shall I do with 'em?"
"Let 'em go right in their faces!" yelled Tom. "They won't do muchdamage, but they'll throw a scare into the big fellows! Get ready,Ned!"
"They're dividing!" shouted his chum. "They're coming at us from twosides!"
"They're only trying to confuse us," decided Tom. "Fire at the mainbody!" And with that he opened up with his electric rifle, anexample followed by Mr. Damon and Ned.
With a whizz, and several sharp explosions, the circus man got theRoman candles into action. The glaring fire of them lighted up thescene better than did the flaming torches of the giants, and trulyit was a wonderful sight. There, in that lonely hut, in the midst ofa South American jungle, four intrepid white persons, and an agedbut brave negro, stood against hundreds of giants--mighty men, who,had they come to a personal contact, any one of which would havebeen more than a match for the combined strength of Tom and hisparty. It was a weird picture that the young inventor looked outupon, but his heart did not quail.
Giant after giant went down under the fierce rain of the electricbullets, stunned, but not otherwise injured. There was a shower ofsparks, and a hail of burning balls from the Roman candles, butstill the advance was kept up. Eradicate was banging away with hisshotgun.
"Dis suah am hot work!" cried the colored man, as his hand came incontact with the barrel. "Wow! It's most RED hot!" he added with acry of pain.
"Use the other gun," advised Tom, never turning his head from thewindow through which he was aiming. "That one may get choked, andexplode in here."
"All right," answered Eradicate.
"Duck!" yelled Ned with sudden energy. "They're going to fire!" Anumber of the giants could be seen fitting arrows to bow strings,while others raised to their lips the long hollow reeds, from whichthe blow guns were made. It was the first time the enemy had firedand doubtless they had held back because they hoped to capture Tomand his friends alive. But they did not count on such a stubbornresistance.
Every one moved away from the windows, and not an instant too soon,for, a moment later, a shower of arrows and darts came in,fortunately injuring no one.
Then, above the shouting and yelling of the giants, whose deep, bassvoices had a terrorizing effect, there came the din of the tom-toms,making a weird combination of sound.
"We've got 'em on the run again!" cried Ned, and so it proved, forthe larger body of giants, who had approached the hut from the frontand two sides, were running back.
"Guess they've given it up," exclaimed Tom. "I'm glad of it, too,for--"
He paused and glanced behind him. A tiny spurt of flame at the baseof the rear wall of the hut had caught his eye. Instantly the flamegrew larger, and a puff of smoke followed.
"Fire!" cried Ned. "We're on fire!"
"Bless my water bucket!" gasped Mr. Damon. "They've set fire to thehut!"
It was but too true. While Tom and the others had been standing offthe giants in front, a smaller force had crept around to the rear,and set the inflamable side of the hut ablaze.
Desperately Tom looked around. There was no means at hand offighting fire. Hardly a bucket of water was in the place, and thestructure was filled with quick-burning stuff, while the fireworksthat remained, and the blasting powder, made it doubly dangerous.Then Tom's eyes lighted on the big aeroplane, ready for instantservice.
"That's it!" he cried suddenly. "It's our only hope, and the lastone! Come on, everybody! Down with that wall! Pull on the ropes andit will come! We've got to go now. In another minute it will be toolate. Climb up, Mr. Poddington, Mr. Damon, Ned, and I will start themachine."
"The wall first! The wall!" cried Ned.
"Sure," answered Tom. He and his friends grasped the two ropes thathad been attached to the key-beams in the structure. It had been soarranged that when the supports were pulled out the wall would falloutward, making a fairly smooth and level gangplank, on which theaeroplane could rush from the hut.
There was a creaking of timbers, a straining of ropes, and then,with a crash, the wall fell. Instantly there was a yell of surprisefrom the giants, and a brighter glare from the torc
hes, as thosecarrying them rushed up to see what had happened. The din of thetom-toms was well-nigh deafening. Fortunately the enemy forgot totake advantage of the opening and pour in a flight of arrows ordarts.
"Start the motor!" cried Tom to his chum.
There was a rattling, banging noise, like a salvo of small arms, andthe big propellers revolved with incredible swiftness. The two whitemen were already in place, and now Eradicate, still carrying hisshotgun, clambered up.
"Up with you, Ned!" yelled Tom. "I'm going to head her around andmake a flying start."