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+Project Gutenberg's Tom Swift and his Electric Rifle, by Victor Appleton
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Tom Swift and his Electric Rifle
+
+Author: Victor Appleton
+
+Posting Date: January 16, 2009 [EBook #3777]
+Release Date: February, 2003
+Last updated November 10, 2010
+Last updated: April 22, 2012
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by This etext was produced by Charles Franks,
+Greg Weeks, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE
+
+OR
+
+Daring Adventures in Elephant Land
+
+by VICTOR APPLETON
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+     I   TOM WANTS EXCITEMENT
+    II   TRYING THE NEW GUN
+   III   A DIFFICULT TEST
+    IV   BIG TUSKS WANTED
+     V   RUSH WORK
+    VI   NEWS FROM ANDY
+   VII   THE BLACK HAWK FLIES
+  VIII   OFF FOR AFRICA
+    IX   ATTACKED BY A WHALE
+     X   OFF IN THE AIRSHIP
+    XI   ANCHORED TO EARTH
+   XII   AMONG THE NATIVES
+  XIII   ON THE ELEPHANT TRAIL
+   XIV   A STAMPEDE
+    XV   LIONS IN THE NIGHT
+   XVI   SEEKING THE MISSIONARIES
+  XVII   SHOTS FROM ABOVE
+ XVIII   NEWS OF THE RED PYGMIES
+   XIX   AN APPEAL FOR HELP
+    XX   THE FIGHT
+   XXI   DRIVEN BACK
+  XXII   A NIGHT ATTACK
+ XXIII   THE RESCUE
+  XXIV   TWO OTHER CAPTIVES
+   XXV   THE ROGUE ELEPHANT--CONCLUSION
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+TOM WANTS EXCITEMENT
+
+
+"Have you anything special to do to-night, Ned?" asked Tom Swift,
+the well-known inventor, as he paused in front of his chum's window,
+in the Shopton National Bank.
+
+"No, nothing in particular," replied the bank clerk, as he stacked
+up some bundles of bills. "Why do you ask?"
+
+"I wanted you to come over to the house for a while."
+
+"Going to have a surprise party, or something like that?"
+
+"No, only I've got something I'd like to show you."
+
+"A new invention?"
+
+"Well, not exactly new. You've seen it before, but not since I've
+improved it. I'm speaking of my new electric rifle. I've got it
+ready to try, now, and I'd like to see what you think of it. There's
+a rifle range over at the house, and we can practice some shooting,
+if you haven't anything else to do."
+
+"I haven't, and I'll be glad to come. What are you doing in the
+bank, anyhow; putting away more of your wealth, Tom?"
+
+"Yes, I just made a little deposit. It's some money I got from the
+government for the patents on my sky racer, and I'm salting it down
+here until Dad and I can think of a better investment."
+
+"Good idea. Bring us all the money you can," and the bank clerk, who
+held a small amount of stock in the financial institution, laughed,
+his chum joining in with him.
+
+"Well, then. I'll expect you over this evening," went on the
+youthful inventor, as he turned to leave the bank.
+
+"Yes, I'll be there. Say, Tom, have you heard the latest about Andy
+Foger?"
+
+"No, I haven't heard much since he left town right after I beat him
+in the aeroplane race at Eagle Park."
+
+"Well, he's out of town all right, and I guess for a long time this
+trip. He's gone to Europe."
+
+"To Europe, eh? Well, he threatened to go there after he failed to
+beat me in the race, but I thought he was only bluffing."
+
+"No, he's really gone this time."
+
+"Well, I, for one, am glad of it. Did he take his aeroplane along?"
+
+"Yes, that's what he went for. It seems that this Mr. Landbacher,
+the German who really invented it, and built it with money which Mr.
+Foger supplied, has an idea he can interest the German or some other
+European government in the machine. Andy wanted to go along with
+him, and as Mr. Foger financed the scheme, I guess he thought it
+would be a good thing to have some one represent him. So Andy's
+gone."
+
+"Then he won't bother me. Well, I must get along. I'll expect you
+over to-night," and with a wave of his hand Tom Swift hurried from
+the bank.
+
+The young inventor jumped into his electric runabout which stood
+outside the institution, and was about to start off when he saw a
+newsboy selling papers which had just come in from New York, on the
+morning train.
+
+"Here, Jack, give me a TIMES," called Tom to the lad, and he tossed
+the newsboy a nickel. Then, after glancing at the front page, and
+noting the headings, Tom started off his speedy car, in which, on
+one occasion, he had made a great run, against time. He was soon at
+home.
+
+"Well, Dad, I've got the money safely put away," he remarked to an
+aged gentleman who sat in the library reading a book. "Now we won't
+have to worry about thieves until we get some more cash in."
+
+"Well, I'm glad it's coming in so plentifully," said Mr. Swift with
+a smile. "Since my illness I haven't been able to do much, Tom, and
+it all depends on you, now."
+
+"Don't let that worry you, Dad. You'll soon be as busy as ever,"
+for, following a serious operation for an ailment of the heart, Mr.
+Swift, who was a veteran inventor, had not been able to do much. But
+the devices of his son, especially a speedy monoplane, which Tom
+invented, and sold to the United States Government, were now
+bringing them in a large income. In fact with royalties from his
+inventions and some gold and diamonds which he had secured on two
+perilous trips, Tom Swift was quite wealthy.
+
+"I'll never be as busy as I once was," went on Mr. Swift, a little
+regretfully, "but I don't know that I care as long as you continue
+to turn out new machines, Tom. By the way, how is the electric rifle
+coming on? I haven't heard you speak of it lately."
+
+"It's practically finished, Dad. It worked pretty well the time I
+took it when we went on the trip to the caves of ice, but I've
+improved it very much since then. In fact I'm going to give it a
+severe test to-night. Ned Newton is coming over, and it may be that
+then we'll find out something about it that could be bettered. But I
+think not. It suits me as it is."
+
+"So Ned is coming over to see it; eh? You ought to have Mr. Damon
+here to bless it a few times."
+
+"Yes, I wish I did. And he may come along at any moment, as it is.
+You never can tell when he is going to turn up. Mrs. Baggert says
+you were out walking while I was at the bank, Dad. Do you feel
+better after it?"
+
+"Yes, I think I do, Tom. Oh, I'm growing stronger every day, but it
+will take time. But now tell me something about the electric gun."
+
+Thereupon the young inventor related to his father some facts about
+the improvements he had recently made to the weapon. It was dinner
+time when he had finished, and, after the meal Tom went out to the
+shed where he built his aeroplanes and his airships, and in which
+building he had fitted up a shooting gallery.
+
+"I'll get ready for the trial to-night," he said "I want to see what
+it will do to a dummy figure. Guess I'll make a sort of scarecrow
+and stuff it with straw. I'll get Eradicate to help me. Rad! I say,
+Rad! Where are you?"
+
+"Heah I is, Massa Tom! Heah I is," called a colored man as he came
+around the corner of a small stable where he kept his mule
+Boomerang. "Was yo'-all callin' me?"
+
+"Yes, Rad, I want you to help make a scarecrow."
+
+"A scarecrow, Massa Tom! Good land a' massy! What fo' yo' want ob a
+scarecrow? Yo'-all ain't raisin' no corn, am yo'?"
+
+"No, but I want something to shoot at when Ned Newton comes over
+to-night."
+
+"Suffin t' shoot at? Why Massa Tom! Good land a' massy! Yo'-all
+ain't gwine t' hab no duel, am yo'?"
+
+"No, Rad, but I want a life-size figure on which to try my new
+electric gun. Here are some old clothes, and if you will stuff them
+with rags and straw and fix them so they'll stand up, they'll do
+first-rate. Have it ready by night, and set it up at the far end of
+the shooting gallery."
+
+"All right, Massa Tom. I'll jest do dat, fo' yo'," and leaving the
+colored man to stuff the figure, after he had showed him how, Tom
+went back into the house to read the paper which he had purchased
+that morning.
+
+He skimmed over the news, thinking perhaps he might see something of
+the going abroad of Andy Foger with the German aeroplane, but there
+was nothing.
+
+"I almost wish I was going to Europe," sighed Tom. "I will certainly
+have to get busy at something, soon. I haven't had any adventure
+since I won the prize at the Eagle Park aviation meet in my sky
+racer. Jove! That was some excitement! I'd like to do that over
+again, only I shouldn't want to have Dad so sick," for just before
+the race, Tom had saved his father's life by making a quick run in
+the aeroplane, to bring a celebrated surgeon to the invalid's aid.
+
+"I certainly wish I could have some new adventures," mused Tom, as
+he turned the pages of the paper. "I could afford to take a trip
+around the earth after them, too, with the way money is coming in
+now. Yes, I do wish I could have some excitement. Hello, what's
+this! A big elephant hunt in Africa. Hundreds of the huge creatures
+captured in a trap--driven in by tame beasts. Some are shot for
+their tusks. Others will be sent to museums."
+
+He was reading the headlines of the article that had attracted his
+attention, and, as he read, he became more and more absorbed in it.
+He read the story through twice, and then, with sparkling eyes, he
+exclaimed:
+
+"That's just what I want. Elephant shooting in Africa! My! With my
+new electric rifle, and an airship, what couldn't a fellow do over
+in the dark continent! I've a good notion to go there! I wonder if
+Ned would go with me? Mr. Damon certainly would. Elephant shooting
+in Africa! In an airship! I could finish my new sky craft in short
+order if I wanted to. I've a good notion to do it!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+TRYING THE NEW GUN
+
+
+While Tom Swift is thus absorbed in thinking about a chance to hunt
+elephants, we will take the opportunity to tell you a little more
+about him, and then go on with the story.
+
+Many of you already know the young inventor, but those who do not
+may be interested in hearing that he is a young American lad, full
+of grit and ginger, who lives with his aged father in the town of
+Shopton, in New York State. Our hero was first introduced to the
+public in the book, "Tom Swift and His Motorcycle."
+
+In that volume it was related how Tom bought a motor-cycle from a
+Mr. Wakefield Damon, of Waterford. Mr. Damon was an eccentric
+individual, who was continually blessing himself, some one else, or
+something belonging to him. His motor-cycle tried to climb a tree
+with him, and that was why he sold it to Tom. The two thus became
+acquainted, and their friendship grew from year to year.
+
+After many adventures on his motor-cycle Tom got a motor-boat, and
+had some exciting times in that. One of the things he and his father
+and his chum, Ned Newton, did, was to rescue, from a burning balloon
+that had fallen into Lake Carlopa, an aeronaut named John Sharp.
+Later Tom and Mr. Sharp built an airship called the Red Cloud, and
+with Mr. Damon and some others had a series of remarkable fights.
+
+In the Red Cloud they got on the track of some bank robbers, and
+captured them, thus foiling the plans of Andy Foger, a town bully,
+and one of Tom's enemies, and putting to confusion the plot of Mr.
+Foger, Andy's father.
+
+After many adventures in the air Tom and his friends, in a submarine
+boat, invented by Mr. Swift, went under the ocean for sunken
+treasure and secured a large part of it.
+
+It was not long after this that Tom conceived the idea of a powerful
+electric car, which proved, to be the speediest of the road, and in
+it he won a great race, and saved from ruin a bank in which his
+father and Mr. Damon were interested.
+
+The sixth book of the series, entitled "Tom Swift and His Wireless
+Message," tells how, in testing a new electric airship, which a
+friend of Mr. Damon's had invented, Tom, the inventor and Mr. Damon
+were lost on an island in the middle of the ocean. There they found
+some castaways, among whom were Mr. and Mrs. Nestor, parents of Mary
+Nestor of Shopton, a girl of whom Tom was quite fond.
+
+Tom Swift, after his arrival home, went on an expedition among a
+gang of men known as the "Diamond Makers" who were hidden in the
+Rocky Mountains. He was accompanied by Mr. Barcoe Jenks, one of the
+castaways of Earthquake Island. They found the diamond makers, and
+had some surprising adventures, barely escaping with their lives.
+
+This did not daunt Tom, however, and he once more started off on an
+expedition in his airship the Red Cloud to Alaska, amid the caves of
+ice. He was searching for a valley of gold, and though he and his
+friends found it, they came to grief. The Fogers, father and son,
+tried to steal the gold from them, and, failing in that, incited the
+Eskimos against our friends. There was a battle, but the forces of
+nature were even more to be dreaded than the terrible savages.
+
+The ice cave, in which the Red Cloud was stored, collapsed, crushing
+the gallant craft, and burying it out of sight forever under
+thousand of tons of the frozen bergs.
+
+After a desperate journey Tom and his friends reached civilization,
+with a large supply of gold. Tom regretted very much the destruction
+of the airship, but he at once set to work on another--a monoplane
+this time, instead of a combined aeroplane and dirigible balloon.
+This new craft he called the Humming-Bird and it was a "sky racer"
+of terrific speed. In it, as we have said, Tom brought a specialist
+to operate on his father, when, because of a broken railroad bridge,
+the physician could not otherwise have gotten to Shopton. He and Tom
+traveled through the air at the rate of over one hundred miles an
+hour. Later, Tom took part in a big race for a ten-thousand-dollar
+prize, and won, defeating Andy Foger, and a number of well-known
+"bird-men" who used biplanes and monoplanes of a more or less
+familiar type.
+
+The government became interested in Tom's craft, the Humming-Bird,
+and, as told in the ninth book of this series, Tom Swift and His Sky
+Racer, they secured some rights in the invention.
+
+And now Tom, who had done nothing for several months following the
+great race--that is, nothing save to work on his new rifle--Tom, we
+say, sighed for new adventures.
+
+"Well, Tom, what is on your mind?" asked his father at the supper
+table that evening. "What is worrying you?"
+
+"Nothing is worrying me, Dad."
+
+"You are thinking of something. I can see that. Are you afraid your
+electric rifle won't work as well as you hope, when Ned comes over
+to try it?"
+
+"No, it isn't that, Dad. But I may as well tell you, I guess. I've
+been reading in the paper about a big elephant hunt in Africa, and
+I--"
+
+"That's enough, Tom! You needn't say any more," interrupted Mr.
+Swift. "I can see which way the wind is blowing. You want to go to
+Africa with your new rifle."
+
+"Well, Dad, not exactly--that is--"
+
+"Now, Tom, you needn't deny it," and Mr. Swift laughed. "Well, I
+don't blame you a bit. You have been rather idle of late."
+
+"I would like to go, Dad," admitted the young inventor, "only I'd
+never think of it while you weren't well."
+
+"Don't worry about me, Tom. Of course I will be lonesome while you
+are gone, but don't let that stand in the way. If you want to go to
+Africa, you may start to-morrow, and take your new rifle with you."
+
+"The rifle part would be all right, Dad, but if I went I'd want to
+take an airship along, and it will take me some little time to
+finish the Black Hawk, as I have named my new craft."
+
+"Well, there's no special hurry, is there?" asked Mr. Swift. "The
+elephants in Africa are likely to stay there for some time. If you
+want to go, why don't you get right to work on the Black Hawk and
+make the trip? I'd like to go myself."
+
+"I wish you would, Dad," exclaimed Tom eagerly.
+
+"No, son, I couldn't think of it. I want to stay here and get well.
+Then I am going to resume work on my wireless motor. Perhaps I'll
+have it finished when you come back from Africa with an airship load
+of elephants' tusks."
+
+"Perhaps," admitted the young inventor. "Well, Dad, I'll think of
+it. But now I'm going after my rifle, and--"
+
+Tom was interrupted by a ring of the front-door bell, and Mrs.
+Baggert, the housekeeper, who was almost like a mother to the youth,
+went to answer it.
+
+"It's Ned Newton, I guess," murmured Tom, and, a little later, his
+chum entered the room.
+
+"Oh, I guess I'm early," said Ned. "Haven't you had supper yet,
+Tom?"
+
+"Yes, we're just finished. Come on out and we'll try the gun."
+
+"And practice shooting elephants," added Mr. Swift with a laugh, as
+he mentioned to Ned the latest idea of Tom.
+
+"Say! That would be great!" cried the bank clerk. "I wish I could
+go!"
+
+"Come along!" invited Tom cordially. "We'll have more fun than we
+did in the caves of ice," for Ned had gone on the voyage to Alaska.
+
+The two youths went out to the shed where the rifle gallery had been
+built. The new electric weapon was out there, and Eradicate Sampson,
+the colored man, who was a sort of servant and man-of-all-work about
+the Swift household, had set up the scarecrow figure at the end of
+the gallery.
+
+"Now we'll try some shots," said Tom, as he took the gun out of the
+case. "Just turn on a few more lights, will you, Mr. Jackson," and
+the engineer, who was employed by Tom and his father to aid them in
+their inventive work, did as requested.
+
+The gallery was now brilliantly illuminated, with the reflectors
+throwing the beams on the big stuffed figure, which, save for a
+face, looked very much like a human being, standing at the end of
+the gallery.
+
+"I don't suppose you want to go down there and hold it, while I
+shoot at it; do you, Rad?" asked Tom jokingly, as he prepared the
+electric rifle for use.
+
+"No indeedy, I don't!" cried Eradicate. "Yo'-all will hab t' scuse
+me, Massa Tom. I think I'll be goin' now."
+
+"What's your hurry?" asked Ned, as he saw the colored man hastily
+preparing to leave the improvised gallery.
+
+"I spects I'd better fro' down some mo' straw fo' a bed fo' my mule
+Boomerang!" exclaimed Eradicate, as he hastily slid out of the door,
+and shut it after him.
+
+"Rad is nervous," remarked Tom. "He doesn't like this gun. Well, it
+certainly does great execution."
+
+"How does it work'" asked Ned, as he looked at the curious gun. The
+electric weapon was not unlike an ordinary heavy rifle in appearance
+save that the barrel was a little longer, and the stock larger in
+every way. There were also a number of wheels, levers, gears and
+gages on the stock.
+
+"It works by electricity," explained Tom.
+
+"That is, the force comes from a powerful current of stored
+electricity."
+
+"Oh, then you have storage batteries in the stock?"
+
+"Not exactly. There are no batteries, but the current is a sort of
+wireless kind. It is stored in a cylinder, just as compressed air or
+gases are stored, and can be released as I need it."
+
+"And when it's all gone, what do you do?"
+
+"Make more power by means of a small dynamo."
+
+"And does it shoot lead bullets?"
+
+"Not at all. There are no bullets used."
+
+"Then how does it kill?"
+
+"By means of a concentrated charge of electricity which is shot from
+the barrel with great force. You can't see it, yet it is there. It's
+just as if you concentrated a charge of electricity of five thousand
+volts into a small globule the size of a bullet. That flies through
+space, strikes the object aimed at and--well, we'll see what it does
+in a minute. Mr. Jackson, just put that steel plate up in front of
+the scarecrow; will you?"
+
+The engineer proceeded to put into place a section of steel armor-plate
+before the stuffed figure.
+
+"You don't mean to say you're going to shoot through that, do you?"
+asked Ned in surprise.
+
+"Surely. The electric bullets will pierce anything. They'll go
+through a brick wall as easily as the x-rays do. That's one valuable
+feature of my rifle. You don't have to see the object you aim at. In
+fact you can fire through a house, and kill something on the other
+side."
+
+"I should think that would be dangerous."
+
+"It would be, only I can calculate exactly, by means of an automatic
+arrangement, just how far the charge of electricity will go. It
+stops short just at the limit of the range, and is not effective
+beyond that. Otherwise, if I did not limit it and if I fired at the
+scarecrow, through the piece of steel, and the bullet hit the
+figure, it would go on, passing through whatever else was in the
+way, until its power was lost. I use the term 'bullet,' though as I
+said, it isn't properly one."
+
+"By Jove, Tom, it certainly is a dangerous weapon!"
+
+"Yes, the range-limit idea is a new one. That's what I've been
+working on lately. There are other features of the gun which I'll
+explain later, particularly the power it has to shoot out luminous
+bars of light. But now we'll see what it will do to the image."
+
+Tom took his place at the end of the range, and began to adjust some
+valves and levers. In spite of the fact that the gun was larger than
+an ordinary rifle, it was not as heavy as the United States Army
+weapon.
+
+Tom aimed at the armor-plate, and, by means of an arrangement on the
+rifle, he could tell exactly when he was pointing at the scarecrow,
+even though he could not see it.
+
+"Here she goes!" he suddenly exclaimed.
+
+Ned watched his chum. The young inventor pressed a small button at
+the side of the rifle barrel, about where the trigger should have
+been. There was no sound, no smoke, no flame and not the slightest
+jar.
+
+Yet as Ned watched he saw the steel plate move slightly. The next
+instant the scarecrow figure seemed to fly all to pieces. There was
+a shower of straw, rags and old clothes, which fell in a shapeless
+heap at the end of the range.
+
+"Say. I guess you did for that fellow, all right!" exclaimed Ned.
+
+"It looks so," admitted Tom, with a note of pride in his voice. "Now
+we'll try another test."
+
+As he laid aside his rifle in order to help Mr. Jackson shift the
+steel plate there was a series of yells outside the shed.
+
+"What's that?" asked Tom, in some alarm.
+
+"Sounds like some one calling," answered Ned.
+
+"It is," agreed Mr. Jackson. "Perhaps Eradicate's mule has gotten
+loose. I guess we'd better--"
+
+He did not finish, for the shouts increased in volume, and Tom and
+Ned could hear some one yelling:
+
+"I'll have the law on you for this! I'll have you arrested, Tom
+Swift! What do you mean by trying to kill me? Where are you? Don't
+try to hide away, now. You were trying to shoot me, and I'm not
+going to have it!"
+
+Some one pounded on the door of the shed.
+
+"It's Barney Moker!" exclaimed Tom. "I wonder what can have
+happened?"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+A DIFFICULT TEST
+
+
+Tom Swift opened the door of the improvised rifle gallery and looked
+out. By the light of a full moon, which shone down from a cloudless
+sky, he saw a man standing at the portal. The man's face was
+distorted with rage, and he shook his fist at the young inventor.
+
+"What do you mean by shooting at me?" he demanded. "What do you
+mean, I say? The idea of scaring honest folks out of their wits, and
+making 'em think the end of the world has come! What do you mean by
+it? Why don't you answer me? I say, Tom Swift, why don't you answer
+me?"
+
+"Because you don't give me a chance, Mr. Moker," replied our hero.
+
+"I want to know why you shot at me? I demand to know!" and Mr.
+Moker, who was a sort of miserly town character, living all alone in
+a small house, just beyond Tom's home, again shook his fist almost
+in the lad's face. "Why don't you tell me? Why don't you tell me?"
+he shouted.
+
+"I will, if you give me a chance!" fairly exploded Tom. "If you can
+be cool for five minutes, and come inside and tell me what happened
+I'll be glad to answer any of your questions, Mr. Moker. I didn't
+shoot at you."
+
+"Yes, you did! You tried to shoot a hole through me!"
+
+"Tell me about it?" suggested Tom, as the excited man calmed down
+somewhat. "Are you hurt?"
+
+"No, but it isn't your fault that I'm not. You tried hard enough to
+hurt me. Here I am, sitting at my table reading, and, all at once
+something goes through the side of the house, whizzes past my ear,
+makes my hair fairly stand up on end, and goes outside the other
+side of the house. What kind of bullets do you use, Tom Swift?
+that's what I want to know. They went through the side of my house,
+and never left a mark. I demand to know what kind they are."
+
+"I'll tell you, if you'll only give me a chance," went on Tom
+wearily. "How do you know it was me shooting?"
+
+"How do I know? Why, doesn't the end of this shooting gallery of
+yours point right at my house? Of course it does; you can't deny
+it!"
+
+Tom did not attempt to, and Mr. Moker went on:
+
+"Now what do you mean by it?"
+
+"If any of the bullets from my electric gun went near you, it was a
+mistake, and I'm sorry for it," said Tom.
+
+"Well, they did, all right," declared the excited man. "They went
+right past my ear."
+
+"I don't see how they could," declared Tom. "I was trying my new
+electric rifle, but I had the limit set for two hundred feet, the
+length of the gallery. That is, the electrical discharge couldn't go
+beyond that distance."
+
+"I don't know what it was, but it went through the side of my house
+all the same," insisted Mr. Moker. "It didn't make a hole, but it
+scorched the wall paper a little."
+
+"I don't see how it could," declared Tom. "It couldn't possibly have
+gone over two hundred feet with the gage set for that distance." He
+paused suddenly, and hurried over to where he had placed his gun.
+Catching up the weapon he looked at the gage dial. Then he uttered
+an exclamation.
+
+"I'm sorry to admit that you are right, Mr. Moker!" he said finally.
+"I made a mistake. The gage is set for a thousand feet instead of
+two hundred. I forgot to change it. The charge, after passing
+through the steel plate, and the scarecrow figure, destroying the
+latter, went on, and shot through the side of your house."
+
+"Ha! I knew you were trying to shoot me!" exclaimed the still angry
+man. "I'll have the law on you for this!"
+
+"Oh, that's all nonsense!" broke in Ned Newton. "Everybody knows Tom
+Swift wouldn't try to shoot you, or any one else, Mr. Moker."
+
+"Then why did he shoot at me?"
+
+"That was a mistake," explained Tom, "and I apologize to you for
+it."
+
+"Humph! A lot of good that would do me, if I'd been killed!"
+muttered the miser. "I'm going to sue you for this. You might have
+put me in my grave."
+
+"Impossible!" exclaimed Tom.
+
+"Why impossible?" demanded the visitor.
+
+"Because I had so set the rifle that almost the entire force of the
+electrical bullet was expended in blowing apart the scarecrow figure
+I made for a test," explained Tom. "All that passed through your
+house was a small charge, and, if it HAD hit you there would have
+been no more than a little shock, such as you would feel in taking
+hold of an electric battery."
+
+"How do I know this?" asked the man cunningly. "You say so, but for
+all I know you may have wanted to kill me."
+
+"Why?" asked Tom, trying not to laugh.
+
+"Oh, so you might get some of my money. Of course I ain't got none,"
+the miser went on quickly, "but folks thinks I've got a lot, and I
+have to be on the lookout all the while, or they'd murder me for
+it."
+
+"I wouldn't," declared the young inventor. "It was a mistake. Only
+part of the spent charge passed near you. Why, if it had been a
+powerful charge you would never have been able to come over here. I
+set the main charge to go off inside the scarecrow, and it did so,
+as you can see by looking at what's left of it," and he pointed to
+the pile of clothes and rags.
+
+"How do I know this?" insisted the miser with a leer at the two
+lads.
+
+"Because if the charge had gone off either before or after it passed
+through the figure, it would not have caused such havoc of the cloth
+and straw," explained Tom. "First the charge would have destroyed
+the steel plate, which it passed through without even denting it.
+Why, look here, I will now fire the rifle at short range, and set it
+to destroy the plate. See what happens."
+
+He quickly adjusted the weapon, and aimed it at the plate, which,
+had again been set up on the range. This time Tom was careful to set
+the gage so that even a small part of the spent charge would not go
+outside the gallery.
+
+The young inventor pressed the button, and instantly the heavy steel
+plate was bent, torn and twisted as though a small sized cannon ball
+had gone through it.
+
+"That's what the rifle will do at short range," said Tom. "Don't
+worry, Mr. Moker, you didn't have a narrow escape. You were in no
+danger at all, though I apologize for the fright I caused you."
+
+"Humph! That's an easy way to get out of it!" exclaimed the miser.
+"I believe I could sue you for damages, anyhow. Look at my scorched
+wall paper."
+
+"Oh, I'll pay for that," said Tom quickly, for he did not wish to
+have trouble with the unpleasant man. "Will ten dollars be enough?"
+He knew that the whole room could be repapered for that, and he did
+not believe the wall-covering was sufficiently damaged for such work
+to be necessary.
+
+"Well, if you'll make it twelve dollars, I won't say anything more
+about it," agreed the miser craftily, "though it's worth thirteen
+dollars, if it is a penny. Give me twelve dollars, Tom Swift, and I
+won't prosecute you."
+
+"All right, twelve dollars it shall be," responded the young
+inventor, passing over the money, and glad to be rid of the
+unpleasant character.
+
+"And after this, just fire that gun of yours the other way,"
+suggested Mr. Moker as he went out, carefully folding the bills
+which Tom had handed him.
+
+"Hum! that was rather queer," remarked Ned, after a pause.
+
+"It sure was," agreed his chum. "This rifle will do more than I
+thought it would. I'll have to be more careful. I was sure I set the
+gage for two hundred feet. I'll have to invent some automatic
+attachment to prevent it being discharged when the gage is set
+wrong." Let us state here that Tom did this, and never had another
+accident.
+
+"Well, does this end the test?" asked Ned.
+
+"No, indeed. I want you to try it, while I look on," spoke Tom. "We
+haven't any more stuffed figures to fire at, but I'll set up some
+targets. Come on, try your luck at a shot."
+
+"I'm afraid I might disturb Mr. Moker, or some of the neighbors."
+
+"No danger. I've got it adjusted right now. Come on, see if you can
+shatter this steel target," and Tom set up a small one at the end of
+the range.
+
+Then, having properly fixed the weapon, Tom handed it to his chum,
+and, taking his place in a protected part of the gallery, prepared
+to watch the effect of the shot.
+
+"Let her go!" cried Tom, and Ned pressed the button.
+
+The effect was wonderful. Though there was no noise, smoke nor
+flame, the steel plate seemed to crumple up, and collapse as if it
+had been melted in the fire. There was a jagged hole through the
+center, but some frail boards back of it were not even splintered.
+
+"Good shot!" cried Tom enthusiastically. "I had the distance gage
+right that time."
+
+"You sure did," agreed Ned. "The electric bullet stopped as soon as
+it did its work on the plate. What's next?"
+
+"I'm going to try a difficult test," explained Tom. "You know I said
+the gun would shoot luminous charges?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Well, I'm going to try that, now. I wish we had another image to
+shoot at, but I'll take a big dry-goods box, and make believe it's
+an elephant. Now, this is going to be a hard test, such as we'd meet
+with, if we were hunting in Africa. I want you to help me."
+
+"What am I to do?" asked Ned.
+
+"I want you to go outside," explained Tom, "set up a dry-goods box
+against the side of the little hill back of the shed, and not tell
+me where you put it. Then I'll go out, and, by means of the luminous
+charge, I'll locate the box, set the distance gage, and destroy it."
+
+"Well, you can see it anyhow, in the moonlight," objected Ned.
+
+"No, the moon is under a cloud now," explained Tom, looking out of a
+window. "It's quite dark, and will give me just the test I want for
+my new electric rifle."
+
+"But won't it be dangerous, firing in the dark? Suppose you misjudge
+the distance, and the bullet, or charge, files off and hits some
+one?"
+
+"It can't. I'll set the distance gage before I shoot. But if I
+should happen to make a mistake the charge will go into the side of
+the hill, and spend itself there. There is no danger. Go ahead, and
+set up the box, and then come and tell me. Mr. Jackson will help
+you."
+
+Ned and the engineer left the gallery. As Tom had said, it was very
+dark now, and if Tom could see in the night to hit a box some
+distance away, his weapon would be all that he claimed for it.
+
+"This will do," said the engineer, as he pointed to a box, one of
+several piled up outside the shed. The two could hardly see to make
+their way along, carrying it to the foot of the hill, and they
+stumbled several times. But at last it was in position, and then Ned
+departed to call Tom, and have him try the difficult test--that of
+hitting an object in the dark.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+BIG TUSKS WANTED
+
+
+"Well, are you all ready for me?" asked the young inventor, as he
+took up his curious weapon, and followed Ned out into the yard. It
+was so dark that they had fairly to stumble along.
+
+"Yes, we're ready," answered Ned. "And you'll be a good one, Tom, if
+you do this stunt. Now stand here," he went on, as he indicated a
+place as well as he could in the dark. "The box is somewhere in that
+direction," and he waved his hand vaguely. "I'm not going to tell
+you any more, and let's see you find it."
+
+"Oh, I will, all right--or, rather, my electric rifle will,"
+asserted Tom.
+
+The inventor of the curious and terrible weapon took his position.
+Behind him stood Ned and Mr. Jackson, and just before Tom was ready
+to fire, his father came stalking through the darkness, calling to
+them.
+
+"Are you there, Tom?"
+
+"Yes Dad, is anything the matter?"
+
+"No, but I thought I'd like to see what luck you have. Rad was
+saying you were going to have a test in the dark."
+
+"I'm about ready for it," replied Tom. "I'm going to blow up a box
+that I can't see. You know how it's done, Dad, for you helped me in
+perfecting the luminous charge, but it's going to be something of a
+novelty to the others. Here we go, now!"
+
+Tom raised his rifle, and aimed it in the dark. Ned Newton,
+straining his eyes to see, was sure the young inventor was pointing
+the gun at least twenty feet to one side of where the box was
+located, but he said nothing, for from experiences in the past, he
+realized that Tom knew what he was doing.
+
+There was a little clicking sound, as the youth moved some gear
+wheel on his gun. Then there came a faint crackling noise, like some
+distant wireless apparatus beginning to flash a message through
+space.
+
+Suddenly a little ball of purplish light shot through the darkness
+and sped forward like some miniature meteor. It shed a curious
+illuminating glow all about, and the ground, and the objects on it
+were brought into relief as by a lightning flash.
+
+An instant later the light increased in intensity, and seemed to
+burst like some piece of aerial fireworks. There was a bright glare,
+in which Ned and the others could see the various buildings about
+the shed. They could see each other's faces, and they looked pale
+and ghastly in the queer glow. They could see the box, brought into
+bold relief, where Ned and the engineer had placed it.
+
+Then, before the light had died away, they witnessed a curious
+sight. The heavy wooden box seemed to dissolve, to collapse and to
+crumple up like one of paper, and ere the last rays of the
+illuminating bullet faded, the watchers saw the splinters of wood
+fall back with a clatter in a little heap on the spot where the
+dry-goods case had been.
+
+A silence followed, and the darkness was all the blacker by contrast
+with the intense light. At length Tom spoke, and he could not keep
+from his voice a note of triumph.
+
+"Well, did I do it?" he asked.
+
+"You sure did!" exclaimed Ned heartily.
+
+"Fine!" cried Mr. Swift.
+
+"Golly! I wouldn't gib much fo' de hide ob any burglar what comed
+around heah!" muttered Eradicate Sampson. "Dat box am knocked clean
+into nuffiness, Massa Tom."
+
+"That's what I wanted to do," explained the lad. "And I guess this
+will end the test for tonight."
+
+"But I don't exactly understand it," spoke Ned, as they all moved
+toward the Swift home, Eradicate going to the stable to see how his
+mule was. "Do you have two kinds of bullets, Tom, one for night and
+one for the daytime?"
+
+"No," answered Tom, "there is only one kind of bullet, and, as I
+have said, that isn't a bullet at all. That is, you can't see it, or
+handle it, but you can feel it. Strictly speaking, it is a
+concentrated discharge of wireless electricity directed against a
+certain object. You can't see it any more than you can see a
+lightning bolt, though that is sometimes visible as a ball of fire.
+My electric rifle bullets are similar to a discharge of lightning,
+except that they are invisible."
+
+"But we saw the one just now," objected Ned.
+
+"No, you didn't see the bullet," said Tom.
+
+"You saw the illuminating flash which I send out just before I fire,
+to reveal the object I am to hit. That is another part of my rifle
+and is only used at night."
+
+"You see I shoot out a ball of electrical fire which will disclose
+the target, or the enemy at whom I am firing. As soon as that is
+discharged the rifle automatically gets ready to shoot the electric
+charge, and I have only to press the proper button, and the
+'bullet,' as I call it, follows on the heels of the ball of light.
+Do you see?"
+
+"Perfectly," exclaimed Ned with a laugh. "What a gun that would be
+for hunting, since most all wild beasts come out only at night."
+
+"That was one object in making this invention," said Tom. "I only
+hope I get a chance to use it now."
+
+"I thought you were going to Africa after elephants," spoke Mr.
+Swift.
+
+"Well, I did think of it," admitted Tom, "but I haven't made any
+definite plans. But come into the house, Ned, and I'll show you more
+in detail how my rifle works."
+
+Thereupon the two chums spent some time going into the mysteries of
+the new weapon. Mr. Swift and Mr. Jackson were also much interested,
+for, though they had seen the gun previously and had helped Tom
+perfect it, they had not yet tired of discussing its merits.
+
+Ned stayed quite late that night, and promised to come over the next
+day, and watch Tom do some more shooting.
+
+"I'll show you how to use it, too," promised the young inventor, and
+he was as good as his word, initiating Ned into the mysteries of the
+electric rifle, and showing him to store the charges of death-dealing
+electricity in the queer-looking stock.
+
+For a week after that Tom and Ned practiced with the terrible gun,
+taking care not to have any more mishaps like the one that had
+marked the first night. They were both good shots with ordinary
+weapons and it was not long before they had equaled their record
+with the new instrument.
+
+It was one warm afternoon, when Tom was out in the meadow at one
+side of his house, practicing with his rifle on some big boxes he
+had set up for targets, that he saw an elderly man standing close to
+the fence watching him. When Tom blew to pieces a particularly large
+packing-case, standing a long distance away from it, the stranger
+called to the youth.
+
+"I beg your pardon," he said, "but is that a dynamite gun you are
+using?"
+
+"No, it's an electric rifle," was the answer.
+
+"Would you mind telling me something about it?" went on the elderly
+man, and as Tom's weapon was now fully protected by patents, the
+young inventor cordially invited the stranger to come nearer and see
+how it worked.
+
+"That's the greatest thing I ever saw!" exclaimed the man
+enthusiastically when Tom had blown up another box, and had told of
+the illumination for night firing. "The most wonderful weapon I ever
+heard of! What a gun it would be in my business."
+
+"What is your trade?" asked Tom curiously, for he had noted that the
+man, while aged, was rugged and hearty, and his skin was tanned a
+leathery brown, showing that he was much in the open air.
+
+"I'm a hunter," was the reply, "a hunter of big game, principally
+elephants, hippos and rhinoceroses. I've just finished a season in
+Africa, and I'm going back there again soon. I came on to New York
+to get a new elephant gun. I've got a sister living over in
+Waterford, and I've been visiting her. I went out for a stroll
+to-day, and I came farther than I intended. That's how I happened to be
+passing here."
+
+"A sister in Waterford, eh?" mused Tom, wondering whether the
+elephant hunter had met Mr. Damon. "And how soon are you going hack
+to Africa, Mr.--er--" and Tom hesitated.
+
+"Durban is my name, Alexander Durban," said the old man. "Why, I am
+to start back in a few weeks. I've got an order for a pair of big
+elephant tusks--the largest I can get for a wealthy New York man,--and
+I'm anxious to fulfil the contract. The game isn't what it once
+was. There's more competition and the elephants are scarcer. So I've
+got to hustle."
+
+"I got me a new gun. But my! it's nothing to what yours is. With
+that weapon I could do about as I pleased. I could do night hunting,
+which is hard in the African jungle. Then I wouldn't have any
+trouble getting the big tusks I'm after. I could get a pair of them,
+and live easy the rest of my life. Yes, I wouldn't ask anything
+better than a gun like yours. But I s'pose they cost like the
+mischief?" He looked a question at Tom.
+
+"This is the only one there is," was the lad's answer. "But I am
+very glad to have met you, Mr. Durban. Won't you come into the
+house? I'm sure my father will be glad to see you, and I have
+something I'd like to talk to you about," and Tom, with many wild
+ideas in his head, led the old elephant hunter toward the house.
+
+The dream of the young inventor might come true after all.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+RUSH WORK
+
+
+Mr. Swift made the African hunter warmly welcome, and listened with
+pride to the words of praise Mr. Durban bestowed on Tom regarding
+the rifle.
+
+"Yes, my boy has certainly done wonders along the inventive line,"
+said Mr. Swift.
+
+"Not half as much as you have, Dad," interrupted the lad, for Tom
+was a modest youth.
+
+"You should see his sky racer," went on the old inventor.
+
+"Sky racer? What's that?" asked Mr. Durban. "Is it another kind of
+gun or cannon?"
+
+"It's an aeroplane--an airship," explained Mr. Swift.
+
+"An airship!" exclaimed the old elephant hunter. "Say, you don't
+mean that you make balloons, do you?"
+
+"Well, they're not exactly balloons," replied Tom, as he briefly
+explained what an aeroplane was, for Mr. Durban, having been in the
+wilds of the jungle so much, had had very little chance to see the
+wonders and progress of civilization.
+
+"They are better than balloons," went on Tom, "for they can go where
+you want them to."
+
+"Say! That's the very thing!" cried the old hunter enthusiastically.
+"If there's one thing more than another that is needed in hunting in
+Africa it's an airship. The travel through the jungle is something
+fierce, and that, more than anything else, interferes with my work.
+I can't cover ground enough, and when I do get on the track of a
+herd of elephants, and they get away, it's sometimes a week before I
+can catch up to them again."
+
+"For, in spite of their size, elephants can travel very fast, and
+once they get on the go, nothing can stop them. An airship would be
+the very thing to hunt elephants with in Africa--an airship and this
+electric rifle. I wonder why you haven't thought of going, Tom
+Swift."
+
+"I have thought of it," answered the young inventor, "and that's why
+I asked you in. I want to talk about it."
+
+"Do you mean you want to go?" demanded the old man eagerly.
+
+"I certainly do!"
+
+"Then I'm your man! Say, Tom Swift, I'd be proud to have you go to
+Africa with me. I'd be proud to have you a member of my hunting
+party, and, though I don't like to boast, still if you'll ask any of
+the big-game people they'll tell you that not every one can
+accompany Aleck Durban."
+
+Tom realized that he was speaking to an authority and a most
+desirable companion, should he go to Africa, and he was very glad of
+the chance that had made him acquainted with the veteran hunter.
+
+"Will you go with me?" asked Mr. Durban. "You and your electric gun
+and your airship? Will you come to Africa to hunt elephants, and
+help me get the big tusks I'm after?"
+
+"I will!" exclaimed Tom.
+
+"Then we'll start at once. There's no need of delaying here any
+longer."
+
+"Oh, but I haven't an airship ready," said the young inventor. The
+face of the old hunter expressed his disappointment.
+
+"Then we'll have to give up the scheme," he said ruefully.
+
+"Not at all," Tom told him. "I have all the material on hand for
+building a new airship. I have had it in mind for some time, and I
+have done some work on it. I stopped it to perfect my electric
+rifle, but, now that is done, I'll tackle the Black Hawk again, and
+rush that to completion."
+
+"The Black Hawk?" repeated Mr. Durban, wonderingly.
+
+"Yes, that's what I will name my new craft. The RED CLOUD was
+destroyed, and so I thought I'd change the color this time, and
+avoid bad luck."
+
+"Good!" exclaimed the hunter. "When do you think you can have it
+finished?"
+
+"Oh, possibly in a month--perhaps sooner, and then we will go to
+Africa and hunt elephants!"
+
+"Bless my ivory paper cutter!" exclaimed a voice in the hall just
+outside the library. "Bless my fingernails! But who's talking about
+going to Africa?"
+
+The old hunter looked at Tom and his father in surprise, but the
+young inventor laughing and going to the door, called out:
+
+"Come on in, Mr. Damon. I didn't hear you ring. There is some one
+here from your town."
+
+"Is it my wife?" asked the odd gentleman who was always blessing
+something. "She said she was going to her mother's to spend a few
+weeks, and so I thought I'd come over here and see if you had
+anything new on the program. The first thing I hear is that you are
+going to Africa. And so there's some one from Waterford in there,
+eh? Is it my wife?"
+
+"No," answered Tom with another laugh. "Come on in Mr. Damon."
+
+"Bless my toothpick!" exclaimed the odd gentleman, as he saw the
+grizzled elephant hunter sitting between Tom and Mr. Swift. "I have
+seen you somewhere before, my dear sir."
+
+"Yes," admitted Mr. Durban, "if you're from Waterford you have
+probably seen me traveling about the streets there. I'm stopping
+with my sister, Mrs. Douglass, but I can't stand it to be in the
+house much, so I'm out of doors, wandering about a good bit of the
+time. I miss my jungle. But we'll soon be in Africa, Tom Swift and
+me."
+
+"Is it possible, Tom?" asked Mr. Damon. "Bless my diamond mines! but
+what are you going to do next?"
+
+"It's hard to say," was the answer. "But you came just in time. Mr.
+Damon. I'm going to rush work on the Black Hawk, my newest airship,
+and we'll leave for elephant land inside of a month, taking my new
+electric rifle along. Will you come?"
+
+"Bless my penknife! I never thought of such a thing. I--I--guess--no,
+I don't know about it--yes, I'll go!" he suddenly exclaimed.
+"I'll go! Hurrah for the elephants!" and he jumped up and shook
+hands in turn with Mr. Durban, to whom he had been formally
+introduced, and with Tom and Mr. Swift.
+
+"Then it's all settled but the details," declared the youth, "and
+now I'll call in Mr. Jackson, and we'll talk about how soon we can
+have the airship ready."
+
+"My, but you folks are almost as speedy as a herd of the big
+elephants themselves!" exclaimed Mr. Durban, and with the advent of
+the engineer the talk turned to things mechanical among Tom and Mr.
+Jackson and Mr. Damon, while Mr. Durban told Mr. Swift hunting
+stories which the old inventor greatly enjoyed.
+
+The next day Tom engaged two machinists who had worked for him
+building airships before, and in the next week rush work began on
+the new Black Hawk. Meanwhile Mr. Durban was a frequent visitor at
+Tom's home, where he learned to use the new rifle, declaring it was
+even more wonderful than he had at first supposed.
+
+"That will get the elephants!" he exclaimed. It did, as you shall
+soon learn, and it also was the means of saving several lives in the
+wilds of the African jungle.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+NEWS FROM ANDY
+
+
+Tom Swift's former airship, the Red Cloud, had been such a fine
+craft, and had done such good service that he thought, in building a
+successor, that he could do no better than to follow the design of
+the skyship which had been destroyed in the ice caves. But, on
+talking with the old elephant hunter, and learning something of the
+peculiarities of the African jungle the young inventor decided on
+certain changes.
+
+In general the Black Hawk would be on the lines of the Red Cloud but
+it would be smaller and lighter and would also be capable of swifter
+motion.
+
+"You want it so that it will rise and descend quickly and at sharp
+angles," said Mr. Durban.
+
+"Why," inquired Tom.
+
+"Because in Africa, at least in the part where we will go, there are
+wide patches of jungle and forest, with here and there big open
+places. If you are skimming along close to the ground, in an open
+place, in pursuit of a herd of elephants and they should suddenly
+plunge into the forest, you would want to be able to rise above the
+trees quickly."
+
+"That's so," admitted Tom. "Then I'll have to use a smaller gas bag
+than we had on the other ship, for the air resistance to that big
+one made us go slowly at times."
+
+"Will it be as safe with a small bag?" Mr. Damon wanted to know.
+
+"Yes, for I will use a more powerful gas, so that we will be more
+quickly lifted," said the young inventor. "I will also retain the
+aeroplane feature, so that the Black Hawk will be a combined biplane
+and dirigible balloon. But it will have many new features. I have
+the plans all drawn for a new style of gas generating apparatus, and
+I think it can be made in time."
+
+There were busy days about the Swift home. Mrs. Baggert, the
+housekeeper, was in despair. She said the good meals she got ready
+were wasted, because no one would come to table when they were
+ready. She would ring the bell, and announce that dinner would be
+served in five minutes.
+
+Then Tom would shout from his workshop that he could not leave until
+he had inserted a certain lever in place. Mr. Jackson would
+positively decline to sit down until he had screwed fast some part
+of a machine. Even Mr. Swift, who, because of his recent illness,
+was not allowed to do much, would often delay his meal to test some
+new style of gears.
+
+As for Mr. Damon, it was to be expected that he would be eccentric
+as he always was. He was not an expert mechanic, but he knew
+something of machinery and was of considerable help to Tom in the
+rush work on the airship. He would hear the dinner bell ring, and
+would exclaim:
+
+"Bless my napkin ring! I can't come now. I have to fix up this
+electrical register first."
+
+And so it would go. Eradicate and Boomerang, his mule, were the only
+ones who ate regularly, and they always insisted on stopping at
+exactly twelve o'clock to partake of the noonday meal.
+
+"'Cause ef I didn't," explained the colored man, "dat contrary mule
+ob mine would lay down in de dust ob de road an' not move a step,
+lessen' he got his oats. So dat's why we has t' eat, him an' me."
+
+"Well, I'm glad there's some one who's got sense," murmured Mrs.
+Baggert. Eradicate and Boomerang were of great service in the
+hurried work that followed, for the colored man in his cart brought
+from town, or from the freight depot, many things that Tom needed.
+
+The young inventor was very enthusiastic about his proposed trip,
+and at night, after a hard day's work in the shop, he would read
+books on African hunting, or he would sit and listen to the stories
+told by Mr. Durban. And the latter knew how to tell hunting tales,
+for he had been long in his dangerous calling, and had had many
+narrow escapes.
+
+"And there are other dangers than from elephants and wild beasts in
+Africa," he said.
+
+"Bless my toothbrush!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Do you mean cannibals,
+Mr. Durban?"
+
+"Some cannibals," was the reply. "But they're not the worst. I mean
+the red pygmies. I hope we don't get into their clutches."
+
+"Red pygmies!" repeated Tom, wonderingly.
+
+"Yes, they're a tribe of little creatures, about three feet high,
+covered with thick reddish hair, who live in the central part of
+Africa, near some of the best elephant-hunting ground. They are
+wild, savage and ferocious, and what they lack individually in
+strength, they make up in numbers. They're like little red apes, and
+woe betide the unlucky hunter who falls into their merciless hands.
+They treat him worse than the cannibals do."
+
+"Then we'll look out for them," said Tom. "But I fancy my electric
+rifle will make them give us a wide berth."
+
+"It's a great gun," admitted the old hunter with a shake of his
+head, "but those red pygmies are terrible creatures. I hope we don't
+get them on our trail. But tell me, Tom, how are you coming on with
+the airship? for I don't know much about mechanics, and to me it
+looks as if it would never be put together. It's like one of those
+queer puzzles I've seen 'em selling in the streets of London."
+
+"Oh, it's nearer ready than it looks to be," said Tom. "We'll have
+it assembled, and ready for a trial in about two weeks more."
+
+Work on the Black Hawk was rushed more than ever in the next few
+days, another extra machinist being engaged. Then the craft began to
+assume shape and form, and with the gas bag partly inflated and the
+big planes stretching out from either side, it began to look
+something like the ill-fated Red Cloud.
+
+"It's going to be a fine ship!" cried Tom enthusiastically, one day,
+as he went to the far side of the ship to get a perspective view of
+it. "We'll make good time in this."
+
+"Are you going to sail all the way to Africa--across the ocean--in
+her?" asked Mr. Durban, in somewhat apprehensive tones.
+
+"Oh, no," replied Tom. "I believe she would be capable of taking us
+across the ocean, but there is no need of running any unnecessary
+risks. I want to get her safely to Africa, and have her do stunts in
+elephant land."
+
+"Then what are your plans?" asked the hunter.
+
+"We'll put her together here," said Tom, "give her a good try-out to
+see that she works well, and then pack her up for shipment to the
+African coast by steamer. We'll go on the same ship, and when we
+arrive we'll put the Black Hawk together again, and set sail for the
+interior."
+
+"Good idea," commented Mr. Durban. "Now, if you've no objections,
+I'm going to do a little practice with the electric rifle."
+
+"Go ahead," assented Tom. "There comes Ned Newton; he'll be glad of
+a chance for a few shots while I work on this new propeller motor.
+It just doesn't suit me."
+
+The bank clerk, who had arranged to go to Africa with Tom, was seen
+advancing toward the aeroplane shed. In his hand Ned held a paper,
+and as he saw Tom he called out:
+
+"Have you heard the news?"
+
+"What news?" inquired the young inventor.
+
+"About Andy Foger. He and his aeroplane are lost!"
+
+"Lost!" cried Tom, for in spite of the mean way the bully had
+treated him our hero did not wish him any harm.
+
+"Well, not exactly lost," went on Ned, as he held out the paper to
+Tom, "but he and his sky-craft have disappeared."
+
+"Disappeared?"
+
+"Yes. You know he and that German, Mr. Landbacher, went over to
+Europe to give some aviation exhibitions. Well, I see by this paper
+that they went to Egypt, and were doing a high-flying stunt there,
+when a gale sprang up, they lost control of the aeroplane and it was
+swept out of sight."
+
+"In which direction; out to sea?"
+
+"No, toward the interior of Africa."
+
+"Toward the interior of Africa!" cried Tom. "And that's where we're
+going in a couple of weeks. Andy in Africa!"
+
+"'Maybe we'll see him there," suggested Ned.
+
+"Well, I certainly hope we do not!" exclaimed Tom, as he turned back
+to his work, with an undefinable sense of fear in his heart.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+THE BLACK HAWK FLIES
+
+
+It was with no little surprise that the news of the plight that was
+said to have befallen Andy Foger was received by Tom and his
+associates. The newspaper had quite an account of the affair, and,
+even allowing the usual discount for the press dispatches, it looked
+as if the former bully was in rather distressing circumstances.
+
+"He won't have to be carried very far into Africa to be in a bad
+country," said the old hunter. "Of course, some parts of the
+continent are all right, and for me, I like it all, where there's
+hunting to be had. But I guess your young friend Foger won't care
+for it."
+
+"He's no friend of ours," declared Ned, as Tom was reading the
+newspaper account. "Still, I don't wish him any bad luck, and I do
+hope he doesn't become the captive of the red pygmies."
+
+"So do I," echoed the old hunter fervently. There was no news of
+Andy in the papers the next day, though there were cable dispatches
+speculating on what might have happened to him and the airship. In
+Shopton the dispatches created no little comment, and it was said
+that Mr. Foger was going to start for Africa at once to rescue his
+son. This, however, could not be confirmed.
+
+Meanwhile Tom and his friends were very busy over the Black Hawk.
+Every hour saw the craft nearer completion, for the young inventor
+had had much experience in this sort of work now, and knew just how
+to proceed.
+
+To Mr. Damon were intrusted certain things which he could well
+attend to, and though he frequently stopped to bless his necktie or
+his shoelaces, still he got along fairly well.
+
+There would be no necessity of purchasing supplies in this country,
+for they could get all they needed in the African city of Majumba,
+on the western coast, where they planned to land. There the airship
+would be put together, stocked with provisions and supplies, and
+they would begin their journey inland. They planned to head for Buka
+Meala, crossing the Congo River, and then go into the very interior
+of the heart of the dark continent.
+
+As we have described in detail, in the former books of this series,
+the construction of Tom Swift's airship, the Red Cloud, and as the
+Black Hawk was made in a similar manner to that, we will devote but
+brief space to it now. As the story proceeds, and the need arises
+for a description of certain features, we will give them to you, so
+that you will have a clear idea of what a wonderful craft it was.
+
+Sufficient to say that there was a gas bag, made of a light but
+strong material, and capable of holding enough vapor, of a new and
+secret composition, to lift the airship with its load. This was the
+dirigible-balloon feature of the craft, and with the two powerful
+propellers, fore and aft (in which particular the Black Hawk
+differed from the Red Cloud which had two forward propellers);--with
+these two powerful wooden screws, as we have said, the new ship
+could travel swiftly without depending on the wing planes.
+
+But as there is always a possibility of the gas bag being punctured,
+or the vapor suddenly escaping from one cause or another, Tom did
+not depend on this alone to keep his craft afloat. It was a perfect
+aeroplane, and with the gas bag entirely empty could be sent
+scudding along at any height desired. To enable it to rise by means
+of the wings, however, it was necessary to start it in motion along
+the ground, and for this purpose wheels were provided.
+
+There was a large body or car to the craft, suspended from beneath
+the gas bag, and in this car were the cabins, the living, sleeping
+and eating apartments, the storerooms and the engine compartment.
+
+This last was a marvel of skill, for it contained besides the gas
+machine, and the motor for working the propellers, dynamos, gages,
+and instruments for telling the speed and height, motors for doing
+various pieces of work, levers, wheels, cogs, gears, tanks for
+storing the lifting gas, and other features of interest.
+
+There were several staterooms for the use of the young captain and
+the passengers, an observation and steering tower, a living-room,
+where they could all assemble as the ship was sailing through the
+air, and a completely equipped kitchen.
+
+This last was Mr. Damon's special pride, as he was a sort of cook,
+and he liked nothing better than to get up a meal when the craft was
+two or three miles high, and scudding along at seventy-five miles an
+hour.
+
+In addition there were to be taken along many scientific
+instruments, weapons of defense and offense, in addition to the
+electric rifle, and various other objects which will be spoken of in
+due time.
+
+"Well," remarked Tom Swift one afternoon, following a hard day's
+work in the shop, "I think, if all goes well, and we have good
+weather, I'll give the Black Hawk a trial tomorrow."
+
+"Do you think it will fly?" asked Ned.
+
+"There is no telling," was the answer of the young inventor. "These
+things are more or less guesswork, even when you make two exactly
+alike. As far as I can tell, we have now a better craft than the Red
+Cloud was, but it remains to be seen how she will behave."
+
+They worked late that night, putting the finishing touches on the
+Black Hawk, and in the morning the new airship was wheeled out of
+the shed, and placed on the level starting ground, ready for the
+trial flight.
+
+Only the bare machinery was in her, as yet, and the gas bag had not
+been inflated as Tom wanted to try the plane feature first. But the
+vapor machine was all ready to start generating the gas whenever it
+was needed. Nor was the Black Hawk painted and decorated as she
+would be when ready to be sent to Africa. On the whole, she looked
+rather crude as she rested there on the bicycle wheels, awaiting the
+starting of the big propellers. As the stores and supplies were not
+yet in, Tom took aboard, in addition to Mr. Damon, Ned, his father,
+Mr. Jackson and Mr. Durban, some bags of sand to represent the extra
+weight that would have to be carried.
+
+"If she'll rise with this load she'll do," announced the young
+inventor, as he went carefully over the craft, looking to see that
+everything was in shape.
+
+"If she does rise it will be a new experience for me," spoke the old
+elephant hunter. "I've never been in an airship before. It doesn't
+seem possible that we can get up in the air with this machine."
+
+"Maybe we won't," spoke Tom, who was always a little diffident about
+a new piece of machinery.
+
+"Well, if it doesn't do it the first time, it will the second, or
+the fifty-second," declared Ned Newton. "Tom Swift doesn't give up
+until he succeeds."
+
+"Stop it! You'll make me blush!" cried the Black Hawk's owner as he
+tried the different gages and levers to see that they were all
+right.
+
+After what seemed like a long time he gave the word for those who
+were to make the trial trip to take their places. They did so, and
+then, with Mr. Jackson, Tom went to the engine room. There was a
+little delay, due to the fact that some adjustment was necessary on
+the main motor. But at last it was fixed.
+
+"Are you all ready?" called Tom.
+
+"All ready," answered Mr. Damon. The old elephant hunter sat in a
+chair, nervously gripping the arms, and with a grim look on his
+tanned face. Mr. Swift was cool, as Ned, for they had made many
+trips in the air. Outside were Eradicate Sampson and Mrs. Baggert.
+
+"Here we go!" suddenly cried Tom, and he yanked over the lever that
+started the main motor and propellers. The Black Hawk trembled
+throughout her entire length. She shivered and shook. Faster and
+faster whirled the great wooden screws. The motor hummed and
+throbbed.
+
+Slowly the Black Hawk moved across the ground. Then she gathered
+speed. Now she was fairly rushing over the level space. Tom Swift
+tilted the elevation rudder, and with a suddenness that was
+startling, at least to the old elephant hunter, the new airship shot
+upward on a steep slant.
+
+"The Black Hawk flies!" yelled Ned Newton. "Now for elephant land
+and the big tusks!"
+
+"Yes, and perhaps for the red pygmies, too," added Tom in a low
+voice. Then he gave his whole attention to the management of his new
+machine, which was rapidly mounting upward, with a speed rivalling
+that of his former big craft.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+OFF FOR AFRICA
+
+
+Higher and higher went the Black Hawk, far above the earth, until
+the old elephant hunter, looking down, said in a voice which he
+tried to make calm and collected, but which trembled in spite of
+himself:
+
+"Of course I'm not an expert at this game, Tom Swift, but it looks
+to me as if we'd never get down. Don't you think we're high enough?"
+
+"For the time being, yes," answered the young inventor. "I didn't
+think she'd climb so far without the use of the gas. She's doing
+well."
+
+"Bless my topknot, yes!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "She beats the Red
+Cloud, Tom. Try her on a straight-away course."
+
+Which the youth did, pointing the nose of the craft along parallel
+to the surface of the earth, and nearly a mile above it. Then,
+increasing the speed of the motor, and with the big propellers
+humming, they made fast time.
+
+The old elephant hunter grew more calm as he saw that the airship
+did not show any inclination to fall, and he noted that Tom and the
+others not only knew how to manage it, but took their flight as much
+a matter of course as if they were in an automobile skimming along
+on the surface of the ground.
+
+Tom put his craft through a number of evolutions, and when he found
+that she was in perfect control as an aeroplane, he started the gas
+machine, filled the big black bag overhead, and, when it was
+sufficiently buoyant, he shut off the motor, and the Black Hawk
+floated along like a balloon.
+
+"That's what we'll do if our power happens to give out when we get
+over an African jungle, with a whole lot of wild elephants down
+below, and a forest full of the red pygmies waiting for us,"
+explained Tom to Mr. Durban.
+
+"And I guess you'll need to do it, too," answered the hunter. "I
+don't know which I fear worse, the bad elephants wild with rage, as
+they get some times, or the little red men who are as strong as
+gorillas, and as savage as wolves. It would be all up with us if we
+got into their hands. But I think this airship will be just what we
+need in Africa. I'd have been able to get out of many a tight place
+if I had had one on my last trip."
+
+While the Black Hawk hung thus, up the air, not moving, save as the
+wind blew her, Tom with his father and Mr. Jackson made an
+inspection of the machinery to find out whether it had been strained
+any. They found that it had worked perfectly, and soon the craft was
+in motion again, her nose this time being pointed toward the earth.
+Tom let out some of the gas, and soon the airship was on the ground
+in front of the shed she had so recently left.
+
+"She's all right," decided the young inventor after a careful
+inspection. "I'll give her a couple more trials, put on the
+finishing touches and then we'll be ready for our trip to Africa.
+Have you got everything arranged to go, Ned?"
+
+"Sure. I have a leave of absence from the bank, thanks to your
+father and Mr. Damon, most of my clothes are packed, I've bought a
+gun and I've got a lot of quinine in case I get a fever."
+
+"Good!" cried the elephant hunter. "You'll do all right, I reckon.
+I'm glad I met you young fellows. Well, I've lived through my first
+trip in the air, which is more than I expected when I started."
+
+They discussed their plans at some length, for, now that the airship
+had proved all that they had hoped for, it would not be long ere
+they were under way. In the days that followed Tom put the finishing
+touches on the craft, arranged to have it packed up for shipment,
+and spent some time practicing with his electric rifle. He got to be
+an expert shot, and Mr. Durban, who was a wonder with the ordinary
+rifle, praised the young inventor highly.
+
+"There won't be many of the big tuskers get away from you, Tom Swift,"
+he said. "And that reminds me, I got a letter the other day, from
+the firm I collect ivory for, stating that the price had risen
+because of a scarcity, and urging me to hurry back to Africa and get
+all I could. It seems that war has broken out among some of the
+central African tribes, and they are journeying about in the jungle,
+on the war path here and there, and have driven the elephants into
+the very deepest wilds, where the ordinary hunters can't get at
+them."
+
+"Maybe we won't have any luck, either," suggested Ned.
+
+"Oh, yes, we will," declared the hunter. "With our airship, the
+worst forest of the dark continent won't have any terrors for us,
+for we can float above it. And the fights of the natives won't have
+any effect. In a way, this will be a good thing, for with the price
+of ivory soaring, we can make more money than otherwise. There's a
+chance for us all to get a lot of money."
+
+"Bless my piano keys!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "if I can get just one
+elephant, and pull out his big ivory teeth, I'll be satisfied. I
+want a nice pair of tusks to set up on either side of my fireplace
+for ornaments."
+
+"A mighty queer place for such-like ornaments," said Mr. Durban in a
+low voice. Then he added: "Well, the sooner we get started the
+better I'll like it, for I want to get that pair of big tusks for a
+special customer of mine."
+
+"I'll give the Black Hawk one more trial flight, and then take her
+apart and ship her," decided Tom, and the final flight, a most
+successful one, took place the following day.
+
+Then came another busy season when the airship was taken apart for
+shipment to the coast of Africa by steamer. It was put into big
+boxes and crates, and Eradicate and his mule took them to the
+station in Shopton.
+
+"Don't you want to come to Africa with us, Rad?" asked Tom, when the
+last of the cases had been sent off. "You'll find a lot of your
+friends there."
+
+"No, indeedy, I doan't want t' go," answered the colored man,
+"though I would like to see dat country."
+
+"Then why don't you come?"
+
+"Hu! Yo' think, Massa Tom, dat I go anywhere dat I might meet dem
+little red men what Massa Durban talk about? No, sah, dey might hurt
+mah mule Boomerang."
+
+"Oh, I wasn't going to take the mule along," said Tom, wondering how
+the creature might behave in the airship.
+
+"Not take Boomerang? Den I SUTTINLY ain't goin," and Eradicate
+walked off, highly offended, to give some oats to his faithful if
+somewhat eccentric steed.
+
+After the airship had been sent off there yet remained much for Tom
+Swift to do. He had to send along a number of special tools and
+appliances with which to put the ship together again, and also some
+with which to repair the craft in case of accident. So that this
+time was pretty well occupied. But at length everything was in
+readiness, and with his electric rifle knocked down for
+transportation, and with his baggage, and that of the others, all
+packed, they set off one morning to take the train for New York,
+where they would get a steamer for Africa.
+
+Numerous good-bys had been said, and Tom had made a farewell call on
+Mary Nestor, promising to bring her some trophy from elephant land,
+though he did not quite know what it would be.
+
+Mr. Damon, as the train started, blessed everything he could think
+of. Mr. Swift waved his hand and wished his son and the others good
+luck, feeling a little lonesome that he could not make one of the
+party. Ned was eager with excitement, and anticipation of what lay
+before him. Tom Swift was thinking of what he could accomplish with
+his electric rifle, and of the wonderful sights he would see, and,
+as for the old elephant hunter, he was very glad to be on the move
+again, after so many weeks of idleness, for he was a very active
+man.
+
+Their journey to New York was uneventful, and they found that the
+parts of the airship had safely arrived, and had been taken aboard
+the steamer. The little party went aboard themselves, after a day
+spent in sight-seeing, and that afternoon the Soudalar, which was
+the vessel's name, steamed away from the dock at high tide.
+
+"Off for Africa!" exclaimed Tom to Ned, as they stood at the rail,
+watching the usual crowd wave farewells. "Off for Africa, Ned."
+
+As Tom spoke, a gentleman who had been standing near him and his
+chum, vigorously waving his hand to some one on the pier, turned
+quickly. He looked sharply at the young inventor for a moment, and
+then exclaimed:
+
+"Well, if it isn't Tom Swift! Did I hear you say you were going to
+Africa?"
+
+Tom looked at the gentleman with rather a puzzled air for a moment.
+The face was vaguely familiar, but Tom could not recall where he had
+seen it. Then it came to him in a flash.
+
+"Mr. Floyd Anderson!" exclaimed our hero. "Mr. Anderson of--"
+
+"Earthquake Island!" exclaimed the gentleman quickly, as he extended
+his hand. "I guess you remember that place, Tom Swift."
+
+"Indeed I do. And to think of meeting you again, and on this African
+steamer," and Tom's mind went back to the perilous days when his
+wireless message had saved the castaways of Earthquake Island, among
+whom were Mr. Anderson and his wife.
+
+"Did I hear you say you were going to Africa?" asked Mr. Anderson,
+when he had been introduced to Ned, and the others in Tom's party.
+
+"That's where we're bound for," answered the lad. "We are going to
+elephant land. But where are you going, Mr. Anderson?"
+
+"Also to Africa, but not on a trip for pleasure or profit like
+yourselves. I have been commissioned by a missionary society to
+rescue two of its workers from the heart of the dark continent."
+
+"Rescue two missionaries?" exclaimed Tom, wonderingly.
+
+"Yes, a gentleman and his wife, who, it is reported, have fallen
+into the hands of a race known as the red pygmies, who hold them
+captives!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+ATTACKED BY A WHALE
+
+
+Surprise at Mr. Anderson's announcement held Tom silent for a
+moment. That the gentleman whom he had been the means of rescuing,
+among others, from Earthquake Island, should be met with so
+unexpectedly, was quite a coincidence, but when it developed that he
+was bound to the same part of the African continent as were Tom and
+his friends, and when he said he hoped to rescue some missionaries
+from the very red pygmies so feared by the old elephant hunter--this
+was enough to startle any one.
+
+"I see that my announcement has astonished you," said Mr. Anderson,
+as he noted the look of surprise on the face of the young inventor.
+
+"It certainly has! Why, that's where we are bound for, in my new
+airship. Come down into our cabin, Mr. Anderson, and tell us all
+about it. Is your wife with you?"
+
+"No, it is too dangerous a journey on which to take her. I have
+little hope of succeeding, for it is now some time since the
+unfortunate missionaries were captured, but I am going to do my
+best, and organize a relief expedition when I get to Africa."
+
+Tom said nothing at that moment, but he made up his mind that if it
+was at all possible he would lend his aid, that of his airship, and
+also get his friends to assist Mr. Anderson. They went below to a
+special cabin that had been reserved for Tom's party, and there, as
+the ship slowly passed down New York Bay, Mr. Anderson told his
+story.
+
+"I mentioned to you, when we were on Earthquake Island," he said to
+Tom, "that I had been in Africa, and had done some hunting. That is
+not my calling, as it is that of your friend, Mr. Durban, but I know
+the country pretty well. However, I have not been there in some
+time."
+
+"My wife and I are connected with a church in New York that, several
+years ago, raised a fund and sent two missionaries, Mr. and Mrs.
+Jacob Illingway, to the heart of Africa. They built up a little
+mission there, and for a time all went well, and they did good work
+among the natives."
+
+"They are established in a tribe of friendly black men, of simple
+nature, and, while the natives did not become Christianized to any
+remarkable extent, yet they were kind to the missionaries. Mr. and
+Mrs. Illingway used frequently to write to members of our church,
+telling of their work. They also mentioned the fact that adjoining
+the country of the friendly blacks there was a tribe of fierce
+little red men,--red because of hair of that color all over their
+bodies."
+
+"That's right," agreed Mr. Durban, shaking his head solemnly.
+"They're red imps, too!"
+
+"Mr. Illingway often mentioned in his letters," went on Mr.
+Anderson, "that there were frequent fights between the pygmies and
+the race of blacks, but the latter had no great fear of their small
+enemies. However, it seems that they did not take proper
+precautions, for not long ago there was a great battle, the blacks
+were attacked by a large force of the red pygmies, who overwhelmed
+them by numbers, and finally routed them, taking possession of their
+country."
+
+"What became of the missionaries?" asked Ned Newton.
+
+"I'll tell you," said Mr. Anderson. "For a long time we heard
+nothing, beyond the mere news of the fight, which we read of in the
+papers. The church people were very anxious about the fate of Mr.
+and Mrs. Illingway, and were talking of sending a special messenger
+to inquire about them, when a cablegram came from the headquarters
+of the society in London."
+
+"It seems that one of the black natives, named Tomba, who was a sort
+of house servant to Mr. and Mrs. Illingway, escaped the general
+massacre, in which all his friends were killed. He made his way
+through the jungle to a white settlement, and told his story,
+relating how the two missionaries had been carried away captive by
+the pygmies."
+
+"A terrible fate," commented Mr. Durban.
+
+"Yes, they might better be dead, from all the accounts we can hear,"
+went on Mr. Anderson.
+
+"Bless my Sunday hat! Don't say that!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Maybe
+we can save them, Mr. Anderson."
+
+"That is what I am going to try to do, though it may be too late. As
+soon as definite news was received, our church held a meeting,
+raised a fund, and decided to send me off to find Mr. and Mrs.
+Illingway, if alive, or give them decent burial, if I could locate
+their bones. The reason they selected me was because I had been in
+Africa, and knew the country."
+
+"I made hurried arrangements, packed up, said good-by to my wife,
+and here I am. But to think of meeting you, Tom Swift! And to hear
+that you are also going to Africa. I wish I could command an airship
+for the rescue. It might be more easily accomplished!"
+
+"That's just what I was going to propose!" exclaimed Tom. "We are
+going to the land of the red pygmies, and while I have promised to
+help Mr. Durban in getting ivory, and while I want to try my
+electric rifle on big game, still we can do both, I think. You can
+depend on us, Mr. Anderson, and if the Black Hawk can be of any
+service to you in the rescue, count us in!"
+
+"Gosh!" cried the former castaway of Earthquake Island. "This is the
+best piece of luck I could have! Now tell me all about your plans."
+which Tom and the others did, listening in turn, to further details
+about the missionaries.
+
+Just how they would go to work to effect the rescue, or how they
+could locate the particular tribe of little red men who had Mr. and
+Mrs. Illingway, they did not know.
+
+"We may be able to get hold of this Tomba," said Mr. Durban. "If not
+I guess between Mr. Anderson and myself we can get on the trail,
+somehow. I'm anxious to get to the coast, see the airship put
+together again, and start for the interior."
+
+"So am I," declared Tom, as he got out his electric rifle, and began
+to put it together, for he wanted to show Mr. Anderson how it
+worked.
+
+They had a pleasant and uneventful voyage for two weeks. The weather
+was good, and, to tell the truth, it was rather monotonous for Tom
+and the others, who were eager to get into activity again. Then came
+a storm, which, while it was not dangerous, yet gave them plenty to
+think and talk about for three days. Then came more calm weather,
+when the Soudalar plowed along over gently heaving billows.
+
+They were about a week from their port of destination, which was
+Majumba, on the African coast, when, one afternoon, as Tom and the
+others were in their cabin, they heard a series of shouts on deck,
+and the sound of many feet running to and fro.
+
+"Something has happened!" exclaimed the young inventor.
+
+Tom raced for the companionway, and was soon on deck, followed by
+Mr. Durban and the others. They saw a crowd of sailors and
+passengers leaning over the port rail.
+
+"What's the matter?" asked Tom, of the second mate, who was just
+passing.
+
+"Fight between a killer and a whale," was the reply. "The captain
+has ordered the ship to lay-to so it can be watched."
+
+Tom made his way to the rail. About a quarter of a mile away there
+could be observed a great commotion in the ocean. Great bodies
+seemed to be threshing about, beating the water to foam, and, with
+the foam could be seen bright blood mingled. Occasionally two jets
+of water, as from some small fountain, would shoot upward.
+
+"He's blowing hard!" exclaimed one of the sailors. "I guess he's
+about done for!"
+
+"Which one?" asked Tom.
+
+"The whale," was the reply. "The killer has the best of the big
+fellow," and the sailor quickly explained how the smaller killer
+fish, by the peculiarity of its attack, and its great ferocity,
+often bested its larger antagonist.
+
+The battle was now at its height, and Tom and the others were
+interested spectators. At times neither of the big creatures could
+be seen, because of the smother of foam in which they rolled and
+threshed about. The whale endeavored to sound, or go to the bottom,
+but the killer stuck to him relentlessly.
+
+Suddenly, however, as Tom looked, the whale, by a stroke of his
+broad tail, momentarily stunned his antagonist. Instantly realizing
+that he was free the great creature, which was about ninety feet
+long, darted away, swimming on the surface of the water, for he
+needed to get all the air possible.
+
+Quickly acquiring momentum, the whale came on like a locomotive,
+spouting at intervals, the vapor from the blowholes looking not
+unlike steam from some submarine boat.
+
+"He looks to be heading this way," remarked Mr. Durban to Tom.
+
+"He is," agreed the young inventor, "but I guess he'll dive before
+he gets here. He only wants to get away from the killer. Look, the
+other one is swimming this way, too!"
+
+"Bless my harpoon, but he sure is!" called Mr. Damon. "They'll renew
+the fight near here."
+
+But he was mistaken, for the killer, after coming a little distance
+after the whale, suddenly turned, hesitated for a moment, and then
+disappeared in the depths of the ocean.
+
+The whale, however, continued to come on, speeding through the water
+with powerful strokes. There was an uneasy movement among some of
+the passengers.
+
+"Suppose he strikes the ship," suggested one woman.
+
+"Nonsense! He couldn't," said her husband.
+
+"The old man had better get under way, just the same," remarked a
+sailor near Tom, as he looked up at the bridge where the captain was
+standing.
+
+The "old man," or commander, evidently thought the same thing, for,
+after a glance at the oncoming leviathan, which was still headed
+directly for the vessel, he shoved the lever of the telegraph signal
+over to "full speed ahead."
+
+Hardly had he done so than the whale sank from sight.
+
+"Oh, I'm so glad!" exclaimed the woman who had first spoken of the
+possibility of the whale hitting the ship, "I am afraid of those
+terrible creatures."
+
+"They're as harmless as a cow, unless they get angry," said her
+husband.
+
+Slowly the great ship began to move through the water. Tom and his
+friends were about to go back to their cabin, for they thought the
+excitement over, when, as the young inventor turned from the rail,
+he felt a vibration throughout the whole length of the steamer, as
+if it had hit on a sand-bar.
+
+Instantly there was a jangling of bells in the engine room, and the
+Soudalar lost headway.
+
+"What's the matter?" asked several persons.
+
+They were answered a moment later, for the big whale, even though
+grievously wounded in his fight with the killer, had risen not a
+hundred feet away from the ship, and was coming toward it with the
+speed of an express train.
+
+"Bless my blubber!" cried Mr. Damon. "We must have hit the whale, or
+it hit us under the water and now it's going to attack us!"
+
+He had no more than gotten the words out of his mouth ere the great
+creature of the deep came on full tilt at the vessel, struck it a
+terrific blow which made it tremble from stem to stern, and careen
+violently.
+
+There was a chorus of frightened cries, sailors rushed to and fro,
+the engine-room bells rang violently, and the captain and mates
+shouted hoarse orders.
+
+"Here he comes again!" yelled Mr. Durban, as he hurried to the side
+of the ship. "The whale takes us for an enemy, I guess, and he's
+going to ram us again!"
+
+"And if he does it many times, he'll start the plates and cause a
+leak that won't be stopped in a hurry!" cried a sailor as he rushed
+past Tom.
+
+The young inventor looked at the oncoming monster for a moment, and
+then started on the run for his cabin.
+
+"Here! Where are you going?" cried Mr. Damon, but Tom did not
+answer.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+OFF IN THE AIRSHIP
+
+
+As Tom Swift hurried down the companionway he again felt the ship
+careen as the whale struck it a powerful blow, and he was almost
+knocked off his feet. But he kept on.
+
+Below he found some frightened men and women, a number of whom were
+adjusting life preservers about them, under the impression that the
+ship had struck a rock and was going down. They had not been up on
+deck, and did not know of the battle between the killer and the
+whale, nor what followed.
+
+"Oh, I know we're sinking!" cried one timid woman. "What has
+happened?" she appealed to Tom.
+
+"It will be all right in a little while," he assured her.
+
+"But what is it? I want to know. Have we had a collision."
+
+"Yes, with a whale," replied Tom, as he grabbed up something from
+his stateroom, and again rushed up on deck. As he reached it the
+whale came on once more, and struck the ship another terrific blow.
+Then the monster sank and could be seen swimming back, just under
+the surface of the water, getting ready to renew the attack.
+
+"He's going to ram us again!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my machine
+oil! Why doesn't the captain do something?"
+
+At that moment the commander cried from the bridge:
+
+"Send a man below, Mr. Laster, to see if we are making any water.
+Then tell half a dozen of the sailors to get out the rifles, and see
+if they can't kill the beast. He'll put us in Davy Jones's locker if
+he keeps this up! Lively now, men!"
+
+The first mate, Mr. Laster, called out the order. A sailor went
+below to see if the ship was leaking much, and the captain rang for
+full speed ahead. But the Soudalar was slow in getting under way
+again, and, even at top speed she was no match for the whale, which
+was again rushing toward the vessel.
+
+"Quick with those rifles!" cried the captain. "Fire a volley into
+the beast!"
+
+"There's no need!" suddenly called Mr. Damon, who had caught sight
+of Tom Swift, and the object which the lad carried.
+
+"No need?" demanded the commander. "Why, has the whale sunk, or made
+off?"
+
+"No," answered the eccentric man, "the whale is still coming on, but
+Tom Swift will fix him. Get there, Tom, and let him have a good
+one!"
+
+"What sort of a gun is that?" demanded the commander as the young
+inventor took his place at the rail, which was now almost deserted.
+
+Tom did not answer. Bracing himself against the rolling and heaving
+of the vessel, which was now under about half speed, Tom aimed his
+electric rifle at the oncoming leviathan. He looked at the automatic
+gage, noted the distance and waiting a moment until the crest of a
+wave in front of the whale had subsided, he pressed the button.
+
+If those watching him expected to hear a loud report, and see a
+flash of flame, they were disappointed. There was absolutely no
+sound, but what happened to the whale was most surprising.
+
+The great animal stopped short amid a swirl of foam, and the next
+instant it seemed to disintegrate. It went all to pieces, just as
+had the dummy figure which Tom on one occasion fired at with his
+rifle and as had the big packing-cases. The whale appeared to
+dissolve, as does a lump of sugar in a cup of hot tea, and, five
+seconds after Tom Swift had fired his electric gun, there was not a
+sign of the monster save a little blood on the calm sea.
+
+"What--what happened?" asked the captain in bewilderment. "Is--is
+that monster gone?"
+
+"Completely gone!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my powder horn, Tom, but
+I knew you could do it!"
+
+"Is that a new kind of whale gun, firing an explosive bullet?"
+inquired the commander, as he came down off the bridge and shook
+hands with Tom. "If it is, I'd like to buy one. We may be rammed
+again by another whale."
+
+"This is my new, electric rifle," explained the young inventor
+modestly, "and it fires wireless charges of electricity instead of
+bullets. I'm sorry I can't let you have it, as it's the only one I
+have. But I guess no more whales will ram us. That one was evidently
+crazed by the attack of the killer, and doubtless took us for
+another of its enemies."
+
+Sailors and passengers crowded around Tom, eager to shake his hand,
+and to hear about the gun. Many declared that he had saved the ship.
+
+This was hardly true, for the whale could not have kept up its
+attacks much longer. Still he might have done serious damage, by
+causing a leak, and, while the Soudalar was a stanch craft, with
+many water-tight compartments, still no captain likes to be a week
+from land with a bad leak, especially if a storm comes up. Then,
+too, there was the danger of a panic among the passengers, had the
+attacks been kept up, so, though Tom wanted to make light of his
+feat, the others would not let him.
+
+"You're entitled to the thanks of all on board," declared Captain
+Wendon, "and I'll see that the owners hear of what you did. Well, I
+guess we can go on, now. I'll not stop again to see a fight between
+a killer and a whale."
+
+The steamer resumed her way at full speed, and the sailor, who had
+gone below, came up to report that there was only a slight leak,
+which need not cause any uneasiness.
+
+Little was talked of for the next few days but the killing of the
+whale, and Tom had to give several exhibitions of his electric
+rifle, and explain its workings. Then, too, the story of his
+expedition became known, and also the object of Mr. Anderson's
+quest, and Tom's offer of aid to help rescue the missionaries, so
+that, altogether, our hero was made much of during the remainder of
+the voyage.
+
+"Well, if your gun will do that to a whale, what will it do to an
+elephant?" asked Mr. Durban one morning, when they were within a
+day's steaming of their port. "I'm afraid it's almost too strong,
+Tom. It will leave nothing--not even the tusks to pick up."
+
+"Oh, I can regulate the power," declared the lad. "I used full force
+on the whale, just to see what it would do. It was the first time
+I'd tried it on anything alive. I can so regulate the charge that it
+will kill even an elephant, and leave scarcely a mark on the beast."
+
+"I'd like to see it done," remarked the old hunter.
+
+"I'll show you, if we sight any sharks," promised Tom. He was able
+to keep his word for that afternoon a school of the ugly fish
+followed the steamer for the sake of the food scraps thrown
+overboard. Tom took his position in the stern, and gave an
+exhibition of shooting with his electric gun that satisfied even Mr.
+Durban, exacting as he was.
+
+For the lad, by using his heaviest charges, destroyed the largest
+sharks so that they seemed to instantly disappear in the water, and
+from that he toned down the current until he could kill some of the
+monsters so easily and quickly that they seemed to float motionless
+on the surface, yet there was no life left in them once the electric
+charge touched them.
+
+"We'll use the light charges when we're killing elephants for their
+tusks," said Tom, "and the heavy ones when we're in danger from a
+rush of the beasts."
+
+He little knew how soon he would have to put his plan into effect.
+
+They arrived safely at Majumba, the African coast city, and for two
+days Tom was kept busy superintending the unloading of the parts of
+his airship. But it was safely taken ashore, and he and his friends
+hired a disused warehouse in which to work at reassembling the Black
+Hawk.
+
+Tom had everything down to a system, and, in less than a week the
+aircraft was once more ready to be sent aloft. It was given a try-out,
+much to the astonishment of the natives, and worked perfectly.
+Then Tom and his friends busied themselves laying in a stock of
+provisions and stores for the trip into the interior.
+
+They made inquiries about the chances of getting ivory and were told
+that they were good if they went far enough into the jungle and
+forests, for the big beasts had penetrated farther and farther
+inland.
+
+They also tried to get some news regarding the captive missionaries,
+but were unsuccessful nor could they learn what had become of Tomba,
+who had brought the dire news to civilization.
+
+"It's too soon to hope for anything yet," said Mr. Anderson. "Wait
+until we get near the country of the red pygmies."
+
+"And then it may be too late," said Tom in a low voice.
+
+It was two weeks after their arrival in Majumba that Tom announced
+that all was in readiness. The airship was in perfect working order,
+it was well stocked with food, arms, articles and trinkets with
+which to trade among the natives, spare parts for the machinery,
+special tools and a good supply of the chemicals needed to
+manufacture the lifting gas.
+
+Of course Tom did not leave behind his electric weapon and Mr.
+Durban and the others took plenty of ammunition for the ordinary
+rifles which they carried.
+
+One morning, after cabling to his father that they were about to
+start, Tom gave a last careful look to his airship, tested the motor
+and dynamos, took a hasty survey of the storeroom, to see that
+nothing had been forgotten, and gave the word to get aboard.
+
+They took their places in the cabin. Outside a crowd of natives, and
+white traders of many nationalities had gathered. Tom pulled the
+starting lever. The Black Hawk shot across a specially prepared
+starting ground, and, attaining sufficient momentum, suddenly arose
+into the air.
+
+There was a cheer from the watching crowd, and several superstitious
+blacks, who saw the airship for the first time, ran away in terror.
+
+Up into the blue atmosphere Tom took his craft. He looked down on
+the city over which he was flying. Then he pointed the prow of the
+Black Hawk toward the heart of the dark continent.
+
+"Off for the interior!" he murmured. "I wonder if we'll ever get out
+again?"
+
+No one could answer. They had to take their chances with the dangers
+and terrors of elephant land, and with the red pygmies. Yet Tom
+Swift was not afraid.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+ANCHORED TO EARTH
+
+
+With the voyage on the steamer, their arrival in Africa, the many
+strange sights of the city of Majumba, and the refitting of the
+airship, our friends had hardly had time to catch their breath since
+Tom Swift's determination to go elephant hunting. Now, as the Black
+Hawk was speeding into the interior, they felt, for the first time
+in many weeks, that they "could take it easy," as Ned Newton
+expressed it.
+
+"Thank goodness," said the bank clerk, "I can sit down and look at
+something for a while," and he gazed out of the main cabin windows
+down at the wild country over which they were then flying.
+
+For, so swiftly had the airship moved that it was hardly any time at
+all before it had left Majumba far behind, and was scudding over the
+wilderness.
+
+"Bless my camera," exclaimed Mr. Damon, who had brought along one of
+the picture machines, "bless my camera! I don't call that much to
+look at," and he pointed to the almost impenetrable forest over
+which they then were.
+
+"No, it isn't much of a view," said the old elephant hunter, "but
+wait. You'll soon see all you want to. Africa isn't all like this.
+There are many strange sights before us yet. But, Tom Swift, tell us
+how the airship is working in this climate. Do you find any
+difficulty managing it?"
+
+"Not at all," answered Tom, who was in the cabin then, having set
+the automatic steering apparatus in the pilot house, and come back
+to join the others. "It works as well as it did in good old York
+State. Of course I can't tell what affect the continual hot and
+moist air will have on the gas bag, but I guess we'll make out all
+right."
+
+"I certainly hope so," put in Mr. Anderson. "It would be too bad to
+be wrecked in the middle of Africa, with no way to get out."
+
+"Oh, you needn't worry about that," said Ned with a laugh. "If the
+airship should smash, Tom would build another out of what was left,
+and we'd sail away as good as before."
+
+"Hardly that," answered the young inventor.
+
+"But we won't cross a bridge until we hear it coming, as Eradicate
+would say. Hello, that looks like some sort of native village."
+
+He pointed ahead to a little clearing in the forest, where a number
+of mud and grass huts were scattered about. As they came nearer they
+could see the black savages, naked save for a loin cloth, running
+about in great excitement, and pointing upward.
+
+"Yes, that's one of the numerous small native villages we'll see
+from now on," said Mr. Durban. "Many a night have I spent in those
+same grass huts after a day's hunting. Sometimes, I've been
+comfortable, and again not. I guess we've given those fellows a
+scare."
+
+It did seem so, for by this time the whole population, including
+women and children, were running about like mad. Suddenly, from
+below there sounded a deep booming noise, which came plainly to the
+ears of the elephant hunters through the opened windows of the
+airship cabin.
+
+"Hark! What's that?" cried Tom, raising his hand for silence.
+
+"Bless my umbrella! it sounds like thunder," said Mr. Damon.
+
+"No, it's one of their war drums," explained Mr. Durban. "The
+natives make large ones out of hollow trees, with animal skins
+stretched over the ends, and they beat them to sound a warning, or
+before going into battle. It makes a great noise."
+
+"Do you think they want to fight us?" asked Ned, looking anxiously
+at Tom, and then toward where his rifle stood in a corner of the
+cabin.
+
+"No, probably that drum was beaten by some of the native priests,"
+explained the hunter. "The natives are very superstitious, and
+likely they took us for an evil spirit, and wanted to drive us
+away."
+
+"Then we'll hustle along out of their sight," said Tom, as he went
+to the pilot house to increase the speed of the airship, for he had
+been letting it drift along slowly to enable the adventurers to view
+the country over which they were passing. A few minutes later, under
+the increased force of the machinery, the Black Hawk left the native
+village, and the crowd of frightened blacks, far behind.
+
+The travelers passed over a succession of wild stretches of forest
+or jungle, high above big grassy plains, over low but rugged
+mountain ranges, and big rivers. Now and then they would cross some
+lake, on the calm surface of which could be made out natives, in big
+canoes, hollowed out from trees. In each case the blacks showed
+every appearance of fright at the sight of the airship throbbing
+along over their heads.
+
+On passing over the lake, Ned Newton looked down and cried out
+excitedly:
+
+"Look! Elephants! They're in swimming, and the natives are shooting
+them! Now's our chance, Tom!"
+
+Mr. Anderson and Mr. Durban, after a quick glance, drew back
+laughing.
+
+"Those are hippopotami!" exclaimed the old elephant man. "Good
+hunting, if you don't care what you shoot, but not much sport in it.
+It will be some time yet before we see any elephants, boys."
+
+Ned was rather chagrined at his mistake, but the African travelers
+told him that any one, not familiar with the country, would have
+made it, especially in looking down from a great height.
+
+They sailed along about half a mile above the earth, Tom gradually
+increasing the speed of the ship, as he found the machinery to be
+working well. Dinner was served as they were crossing a high grassy
+plateau, over which could be seen bounding a number of antelopes.
+
+"Some of those would go good for a meal," said Mr. Durban, after a
+pause during which he watched the graceful creatures.
+
+"Then we'll go down and get some for supper," decided Tom, for in
+that hot climate it was impossible to carry fresh meat on the
+airship.
+
+Accordingly, the Black Hawk was sent down, and came to rest in a
+natural clearing on the edge of the jungle. After waiting until the
+fierce heat of noonday was over, the travelers got out their rifles
+and, under the leadership of Mr. Durban and Mr. Anderson, who was
+also an experienced hunter, they set off.
+
+Game was plentiful, but as they could only eat a comparatively small
+quantity, and as it would not keep, they only shot what they needed.
+Tom had his electric rifle, but hesitated to use it, as Mr. Durban
+and Mr. Anderson had each already bowled over a fine buck.
+
+However, a chance came most unexpectedly, for, as they were passing
+along the banks of a little stream, which was almost hidden from
+view by thick weeds and rank grass, there was a sudden commotion in
+the bushes, and a fierce wild buffalo sprang out at the party.
+
+There are few animals in Africa more dreaded by hunters than the
+wild buffalo, for the beast, with its spreading sharp horns is a
+formidable foe, and will seldom give up the attack until utterly
+unable to move. They are fierce and relentless.
+
+"Look out!" yelled Mr. Durban. "To cover, everybody! If that beast
+gets after you it's no fun! You and I will fire at him, Mr. Anderson!"
+
+Mr. Durban raised his rifle, and pulled the trigger, but, for some
+reason, the weapon failed to go off. Mr. Anderson quickly raised
+his, but his foot slipped in a wet place and he fell. At that moment
+the buffalo, with a snort of rage, charged straight for the fallen man.
+
+"Tom! your electric rifle!" yelled Ned Newton, but he need not have
+done so, for the young inventor was on the alert.
+
+Taking instant aim, and adjusting his weapon for the heaviest
+charge, Tom fired at the advancing beast. The result was the same as
+in the case of the whale, the buffalo seemed to melt away. And it
+was stopped only just in time, too, for it was close to the
+prostrate Mr. Anderson, who had sprained his ankle slightly, and
+could not readily rise.
+
+It was all over in a few seconds, but it was a tense time while it
+lasted.
+
+"You saved my life again, Tom Swift," said Mr. Anderson, as he
+limped toward our hero. "Once on Earthquake Island, and again now. I
+shan't forget it," and he shook hands with the young inventor.
+
+The others congratulated Tom on his quick shot, and Mr. Damon, as
+usual blessed everything in sight, and the electric rifle
+especially.
+
+They went back to the airship, taking the fresh meat with them, but
+on account of the injury to Mr. Anderson's ankle could not make
+quick progress, so that it was almost dusk when they reached the
+craft.
+
+"Well, we'll have supper, and then start off," proposed Tom, "I
+don't think it would be wise to remain on the ground so near the
+jungle."
+
+"No' it's safer in the air," agreed Mr. Durban. The meal was much
+enjoyed, especially the fresh meat, and, after it was over, Tom took
+his place in the pilot house to start the machinery, and send the
+airship aloft.
+
+The motor hummed and throbbed, and the gas hissed into the bag, for
+the ground was not level enough to permit of a running start by
+means of the planes. Lights gleamed from the Black Hawk and the big
+search-lantern in front cast a dazzling finger of light into the
+black forest.
+
+"Well, what are you waiting for?" called Ned, who heard the
+machinery in motion, but who could not feel the craft rising. "Why
+don't you go up, Tom?"
+
+"I'm trying to," answered the young inventor. "Something seems to be
+the matter." He pulled the speed lever over a few more notches, and
+increased the power of the gas machine. Still the Black Hawk did not
+rise.
+
+"Bless my handkerchief box!" cried Mr. Damon, "what's the matter?"
+
+"I don't know," answered Tom. "We seem to be held fast."
+
+He further increased the speed of the propellers, and the gas
+machine was set to make vapor at its fullest capacity, and force it
+into the bag. Still the craft was held to the earth.
+
+"Maybe the gas has no effect in this climate," called Ned.
+
+"It can't be that," replied Tom. "The gas will operate anywhere. It
+worked all right today."
+
+Suddenly she airship moved up a little way, and then seemed to be
+pulled down again, hitting the ground with a bump.
+
+"Something is holding us!" cried Tom. "We're anchored to earth! I
+must see what it is!" and, catching up his electric rifle, he dashed
+out of the cabin.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+AMONG THE NATIVES
+
+
+For a moment after Tom's departure the others stared blankly at one
+another. They could hear the throbbing and hum of the machinery, and
+feel the thrill of the anchored airship. But they could not
+understand what the trouble was.
+
+"We must help Tom!" cried Ned Newton at length as he caught up his
+rifle. "Maybe we are in the midst of a herd of elephants, and they
+have hold of the ship in their trunks."
+
+"It couldn't be!" declared Mr. Durban, yet they soon discovered that
+Ned's guess was nearer the truth then any of them had suspected at
+the time.
+
+"We must help him, true enough!" declared Mr. Anderson, and he and
+the others followed Ned out on deck.
+
+"Where are you Tom?" called his chum.
+
+"Here." was the answer. "I'm on the forward deck."
+
+"Do you see anything?"
+
+"No, it's too dark. Turn the search-light this way."
+
+"I will," shouted Mr. Damon, and a moment later the gleam of the
+powerful lantern brought Tom clearly into view, as he stood on the
+small forward observation platform in the bow of the Black Hawk.
+
+An instant later the young inventor let out a startled cry.
+
+"What is it?" demanded Mr. Durban.
+
+"An immense snake!" shouted Tom. "It's wound around a tree, and
+partly twined around the ship! That's why we couldn't go up! I'm
+going to shoot it."
+
+They looked to where he pointed, and there, in the glare of the
+light, could be seen an immense python, fully twenty-five feet long,
+the forward part of its fat ugly body circled around the slender
+prow of the airship, while the folds of the tail were about a big
+tree.
+
+Tom Swift raised his electric rifle, took quick aim, and, having set
+it to deliver a moderate charge, pressed the button. The result was
+surprising, for the snake being instantly killed the folds uncoiled
+and the ship shot upward, only, instead of rising on an even keel,
+the bow pointed toward the sky, while the stern was still fast to
+the earth. Tilted at an angle of forty-five degrees the Black Hawk
+was in a most peculiar position, and those standing on the deck
+began to slide along it.
+
+"There's another snake at the stern!" cried Mr. Damon as he grasped
+a brace to prevent falling off. "Bless my slippers! it's the mate of
+the one you killed! Shoot the other one, Tom!"
+
+The young inventor needed no urging. Making his way as best he could
+to the stern of the airship, he killed the second python, which was
+even larger than the first, and in an instant the Black Hawk shot
+upward, this time level, and as it should be. Things on board were
+soon righted, and the travelers could stand upright. High above the
+black jungle rose the craft, moving forward under the full power of
+the propellers, until Tom rushed into the engine room, and reduced
+speed.
+
+"Well, talk about things happening!" exclaimed Ned, when they had
+somewhat recovered from the excitement. "I should say they were
+beginning with a vengeance!"
+
+"That's the way in Africa," declared Mr. Durban. "It's a curious
+country. Those pythons generally go in pairs, but it's the first
+time I ever knew them to tackle an airship. They probably stay
+around here where there is plenty of small game for them, and very
+likely they merely anchored to our craft while waiting for a supper
+to come along."
+
+"It was a very odd thing," said Tom. "I couldn't imagine what held
+us. After this I'll see that all is clear before I try to go up.
+Next time we may be held by a troop of baboons and it strains the
+machinery to have it pull against dead weight in that way."
+
+However, it was found no harm had resulted from this experience,
+and, after reducing the gas pressure, which was taking them too
+high, Tom set the automatic rudders.
+
+"We'll keep on at slow speed through the night," he explained, "and
+in the morning we'll be pretty well into the interior. Then we can
+lay our course for wherever we want to go. Where had we better head
+for?"
+
+"I don't want to interfere with your plans," said Mr. Anderson, "but
+I would like to rescue those missionaries. But the trouble is, I
+don't know just where to look for them. We couldn't get much of a
+line in Majumba on where the country of the red pygmies is located.
+What do you think about it, Mr. Durban?"
+
+"As far as elephant hunting goes we can probably do as well in the
+pygmy land as anywhere else," answered the veteran, "and perhaps it
+will be well to head for that place. If we run across any elephant
+herds in the meanwhile, we can stop, get the ivory, and proceed."
+
+They discussed this plan at some length, and agreed that it was the
+best thing to do. Mr. Durban had a map of the country around the
+center of Africa, and he marked on it, as nearly as he could, the
+location of the pygmies' country, while Mr. Anderson also had a
+chart, showing the location of the mission which had been wiped out
+of existence. It was in the midst of a wild and desolate region.
+
+"We'll do the best we can," declared Tom, "and I think we'll
+succeed. We ought to be there in about a week, if we have no bad
+luck."
+
+All that night the Black Hawk flew on over Africa, covering mile
+after mile, passing over jungle, forest, plains, rivers and lakes,
+and, doubtless, over many native villages, though they could not be
+seen.
+
+Morning found the travelers above a great, grassy plain, dotted here
+and there with negro settlements which were separated by rivers,
+lakes or thin patches of forest.
+
+"Well, we'll speed up a bit," decided Tom after breakfast, which was
+eaten to the weird accompaniment of hundreds of native warning-drums,
+beaten by the superstitious blacks.
+
+Tom went to the engine room, and turned on more speed. He was about
+to go back to the pilot house, to set the automatic steering
+apparatus to coincide with the course mapped out, when there was a
+crash of metal, an ominous snapping and buzzing sound, followed by a
+sudden silence.
+
+"What's that?" cried Ned, who was in the motor compartment with his
+chum.
+
+"Something's gone wrong!" exclaimed the young inventor, as he sprang
+back toward the engine. The propellers had ceased revolving, and as
+there was no gas in the bag at that time, it having been decided to
+save the vapor for future needs, the Black Hawk began falling toward
+the earth.
+
+"We're going down!" yelled Ned.
+
+"Yes, the main motor has broken!" exclaimed Tom. "We'll have to
+descend to repair it."
+
+"Say!" yelled Mr. Damon, rushing in, "we're right over a big African
+village! Are we going to fall among the natives?"
+
+"It looks that way," admitted Tom grimly, as he hastened to the
+pilot house to shift the wings so that the craft could glide easily
+to the ground.
+
+"Bless my shoe blacking!" cried the eccentric man as he heard the
+beating of drums, and the shouts of the savages.
+
+A little later the airship had settled into the midst of a crowd of
+Africans, who swarmed all about the craft.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+ON AN ELEPHANT TRAIL
+
+
+"Get ready with your guns, everybody!" cried the old elephant
+hunter, as he prepared to leave the cabin of the Black Hawk. "Tom
+Swift, don't forget your electric rifle. There'll be trouble soon!"
+
+"Bless my cartridge belt!" gasped Mr. Damon. "Why? What will happen?"
+
+"The natives," answered Mr. Durban. "They'll attack us sure as fate!
+See, already they're getting out their bows and arrows, and
+blowguns! They'll pierce the gas bag in a hundred places!"
+
+"If they do, it will be a bad thing for us," muttered Tom. "We can't
+have that happen."
+
+He followed the old elephant hunter outside, and Mr. Anderson, Ned
+Newton and Mr. Damon trailed after, each one with a gun, while Tom
+had his electric weapon. The airship rested on its wheels on some
+level ground, just in front of a large hut, surrounded by a number
+of smaller ones. All about were the natives, tall, gaunt black men,
+hideous in their savagery, wearing only the loin cloth, and with
+their kinky hair stuck full of sticks, bones and other odd objects
+they presented a curious sight.
+
+ Some of them were dancing about, brandishing their weapons--clubs
+spears, bows, and arrows, or the long, slender blowguns, consisting
+merely of a hollow reed. Women and children there were, too, also
+dancing and leaping about, howling at the tops of their voices.
+Above the unearthly din could be heard the noise of the drums and
+tom-toms, while, as the adventurers drew up in front of their
+airship, there came a sort of chant, and a line of natives, dressed
+fantastically in the skins of beasts, came filing out of the large
+hut.
+
+"The witch-doctors!" exclaimed Tom, who had read of them in African
+travel books.
+
+"Are they going to attack us?" cried Ned.
+
+"Bless my hymn book! I hope not!" came from Mr. Damon. "We wouldn't
+have any chance at all in this horde of black men. I wish Eradicate
+Sampson and his mule Boomerang were here. Maybe he could talk their
+language, and tell them that we meant no harm."
+
+"If there's any talking to be done, I guess our guns will have to do
+it," said Tom grimly.
+
+"I can speak a little of their language," remarked Mr. Durban, "but
+what in the world are the beggars up to, anyhow? I supposed they'd
+send a volley of arrows at us, first shot, but they don't seem to be
+going to do that."
+
+"No, they're dancing around us," said Tom.
+
+"That's it!" exclaimed Mr. Anderson. "I have it! Why didn't I think
+of it before? The natives are welcoming us!"
+
+"Welcoming us?" repeated Ned.
+
+"Yes," went on the missionary seeker. "They are doing a dance in our
+honor, and they have even called out the witch-doctors to do us
+homage."
+
+"That's right," agreed Mr. Durban, who was listening to the chanting
+of the natives dressed in animal skins. "They take us for spirits
+from another land, and are making us welcome here. Listen, I'll see
+if I can make out what else they are saying."
+
+The character of the shouts and chants changed abruptly, and the
+dancing increased in fervor, even the children throwing themselves
+wildly about. The witch-doctors ran around like so many maniacs, and
+it looked as much like an American Indian war dance as anything
+else.
+
+"I've got it!" shouted Mr. Durban, for he had to call loudly to be
+heard above the din. "They are asking us to make it rain. It seems
+there has been a dry spell here, and their own rain-makers and
+witch-doctors haven't been able to get a drop out of the sky. Now,
+they take it that we have come to help them. They think we are going
+to bring rain."
+
+"And if we don't, what will happen?" asked Tom.
+
+"Maybe they won't be quite so glad to see us," was the answer.
+
+"Well, if they don't mean war, we might as well put up our weapons,"
+suggested Mr. Anderson. "If they're going to be friendly, so much
+the better, and if it should happen to rain while we're here, they'd
+think we brought it, and we could have almost anything we wanted.
+Perhaps they have a store of ivory hidden away, Mr. Durban. Some of
+these tribes do."
+
+"It's possible, but the chances for rain are very small. How long
+will we have to stay here, Tom Swift?" asked the elephant hunter
+anxiously.
+
+"Well, perhaps I can get the motor mended in two or three days,"
+answered the young inventor.
+
+"Then we'll have to stay here in the meanwhile," decided Mr. Durban.
+"Well, we'll make the best of it. Ha, here comes the native king to
+do us honor," and, as he spoke there came toward the airship a
+veritable giant of a black man, wearing a leopard skin as a royal
+garment, while on his head was a much battered derby hat, probably
+purchased at a fabulous price from some trader. The king, if such he
+could be called, was accompanied by a number of attendants and
+witch-doctors. In front walked a small man, who, as it developed,
+was an interpreter. The little cavalcade advanced close to the
+airship, and came to a halt. The king made a low bow, either to the
+craft or to the elephant hunters drawn up in front of it. His
+attendants followed his example, and then the interpreter began to
+speak.
+
+Mr. Durban listened intently, made a brief answer to the little man,
+and then the elephant hunter's face lighted up.
+
+"It's all right," he said to Tom and the others. "The king takes us
+for wonderful spirits from another land. He welcomes us, says we can
+have whatever we want, and he begs us to make it rain. I have said
+we will do our best, and I have asked that some food be sent us.
+That's always the first thing to do. We'll be allowed to stay here
+in peace until Tom can mend the ship, and then we'll hit the air
+trail again."
+
+The talk between Mr. Durban and the interpreter continued for some
+little time longer. Then the king went back to his hut, refusing, as
+Mr. Durban said, an invitation to come aboard and see how a modern
+airship was constructed. The natives, too, seemed anxious to give
+the craft a wide berth.
+
+The excitement had quieted down now, and, in a short time a crowd of
+native women came toward the airship, bearing, in baskets on their
+heads, food of various kinds. There were bananas, some wild fruits,
+yams, big gourds of goats' milk, some boiled and stewed flesh of
+young goats, nicely cooked, and other things, the nature of which
+could only be guessed at.
+
+"Shall we eat this stuff, or stick to Mr. Damon's cooking?" asked
+Tom.
+
+"Oh, you'll find this very good," explained Mr. Durban. "I've eaten
+native cookery before. Some of it is excellent and as this appears
+to be very good, Mr. Damon can have a vacation while we are here."
+
+The old elephant hunter proved the correctness of his statement by
+beginning to eat, and soon all the travelers were partaking of the
+food left by the native women. They placed it down on the ground at
+a discreet distance from the airship, and hurriedly withdrew. But if
+the women and men were afraid, the children were not, and they were
+soon swarming about the ship, timidly touching the sides with their
+little black fingers, but not venturing on board.
+
+Tom, with Ned and Mr. Damon to help him, began work on the motor
+right after dinner. He found the break to be worse than he had
+supposed, and knew that it would take at least four days to repair
+it.
+
+Meanwhile the airship continued to be a source of wonder to the
+natives. They were always about it, save at night, but their
+admiration was a respectful one. The king was anxious for the
+rain-making incantations to begin, but Mr. Durban put him off.
+
+"I don't want to deceive these simple natives," he said, "and for
+our own safety we can't pretend to make rain, and fail. As soon as
+we have a chance we'll slip away from here."
+
+But an unexpected happening made a change in their plans. It was on
+the afternoon of their third day in the native village, and Tom and
+his assistants were working hard at the motor. Suddenly there seemed
+to be great excitement in the vicinity of the king's hut. A native
+had rushed into the village from the jungle, evidently with some
+news, for presently the whole place was in a turmoil.
+
+Once more the king and his attendants filed out toward the airship.
+Once more the interpreter talked to Mr. Durban, who listened
+eagerly.
+
+"By Jove! here's our chance!" he cried to Tom, when the little man
+had finished.
+
+"What is it?" asked the young inventor.
+
+"A runner has just come in with news that a large herd of wild
+elephants is headed this way. The king is afraid the big beasts will
+trample down all their crops, as often occurs, and he begs us to go
+out and drive the animals away. It's just what we want. Come on,
+Tom, and all of you. The airship will be safe here, for the natives
+think that to meddle with it would mean death or enchantment for
+then. We'll get on our first elephant trail!"
+
+The old hunter went into the cabin for his big game gun, while Tom
+hastened to get out his electric rifle. Now he would have a chance
+to try it on the powerful beasts which he had come to Africa to
+hunt.
+
+Amid the excited and joyous shouts of the natives, the hunters filed
+out of the village, led by the dusky messenger who had brought the
+news of the elephants. And, as Tom and the others advanced, they
+could hear a distant trumpeting, and a crashing in the jungle that
+told of the near presence of the great animals.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+A STAMPEDE
+
+
+"Look to your guns, everybody!" cautioned Mr. Durban. "It's no joke
+to be caught in an elephant herd with an unloaded rifle. Have you
+plenty of ammunition, Mr. Damon?"
+
+"Ammunition? Bless my powder bag, I think I have enough for all the
+elephants I'll kill. If I get one of the big beasts I'll be
+satisfied. Bless my piano keys! I think I see them, Tom!"
+
+He pointed off through the thick jungle. Surely something was moving
+there amid the trees; great slate-colored bodies, massive forms and
+waving trunks! The trumpeting increased, and the crashing of the
+underbrush sounded louder and nearer.
+
+"There they are!" cried Tom Swift joyously.
+
+"Now for my first big game!" yelled Ned Newton.
+
+"Take it easy," advised Mr. Anderson. "Remember to aim for the spot
+I mentioned to you as being the best, just at the base of the skull.
+If you can't make a head shot, or through the eye, try for the
+heart. But with the big bullets we have, almost any kind of a shot,
+near a vital spot, will answer."
+
+"And Tom can fire at their TOES and put them out of business,"
+declared Ned, who was eagerly advancing. "How about it, Tom?"
+
+"Well, I guess the electric rifle will come up to expectations. Say,
+Mr. Durban, they seem to be heading this way!" excitedly cried Tom,
+as the herd of big beasts suddenly turned and changed their course.
+
+"Yes, they are," admitted the old elephant hunter calmly. "But that
+won't matter. Take it easy. Kill all you can."
+
+"But we don't want to put too many out of business," said Tom, who
+was not needlessly cruel, even in hunting.
+
+"I know that," answered Mr. Durban. "But this is a case of
+necessity. I've got to get ivory, and we have to kill quite a few
+elephants to accomplish this. Besides the brutes will head for the
+village and the natives' grain fields, and trample them down, if
+they're not headed back. So all together now, we'll give them a
+volley. This is a good place! There they are. All line up now. Get
+ready!"
+
+He halted, and the others followed his example. The natives had come
+to a stop some time before, and were huddled together in the jungle
+back of our friends, waiting to see the result of the white men's
+shots.
+
+Tom, Ned, Mr. Damon, and the two older hunters were on an irregular
+line in the forest. Before them was the mass of elephants advancing
+slowly, and feeding on the tender leaves of trees as they came on.
+They would reach up with their long trunks, strip off the foliage,
+and stuff it into their mouths. Sometimes, they even pulled up small
+trees by the roots for the purpose of stripping them more easily.
+
+"Jove! There are some big tuskers in that bunch!" cried Mr. Durban.
+"Aim for the bulls, every one, don't kill the mothers or little
+ones." Tom now saw that there were a number of baby Elephants in the
+herd, and he appreciated the hunter's desire to spare them and their
+mothers.
+
+"Here we go!" exclaimed Mr. Durban, as he saw that Tom and the
+others were ready. "Aim! Fire!"
+
+There were thundering reports that awoke the echoes of the jungle,
+and the sounds of the rifles were followed by shrill trumpets of
+rage. When the smoke blew away three elephants were seen prostrate,
+or, rather two, and part of another one. The last was almost blown
+to pieces by Tom Swift's electric rifle; for the young inventor had
+used a little too heavy charge, and the big beast had been almost
+annihilated.
+
+Mr. Durban had dropped his bull with a well-directed shot, and Mr.
+Anderson had a smaller one to his credit.
+
+"I guess I missed mine," said Ned ruefully.
+
+"Bless my dress-suit case!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "So did I!"
+
+"One of you hit that fellow!" cried Mr. Durban. "He's wounded."
+
+He pointed to a fair-sized bull who was running wildly about,
+uttering shrill cries of anger. The other beasts had gathered in a
+compact mass, with the larger bulls, or tuskers, on the outside, to
+protect the females and young.
+
+"I'll try a shot at him," said Tom, and raising his electric, gun,
+he took quick aim. The elephant dropped in his tracks, for this time
+the young inventor had correctly adjusted the power of the wireless
+bullet.
+
+"Good!" cried Mr. Durban. "Give them some more! This is some of the
+best ivory I've seen yet!"
+
+As he spoke he fired, and bowled over another magnificent specimen.
+Ned Newton, determined to make a record of at least one, fired
+again, and to his delight, saw a big fellow drop.
+
+"I got him!" he yelled.
+
+Mr. Anderson also got another, and then Mr. Damon, blessing
+something which his friends could not make out, fired at one of the
+largest bulls in the herd.
+
+"You only nipped him!" exclaimed Mr. Durban when the smoke had
+drifted away. "I guess I'll put him out of his misery!"
+
+He raised his weapon and pulled the trigger but no report followed.
+He uttered an exclamation of dismay.
+
+"The breech-action has jammed!" he exclaimed. "Drop him, Tom. He's
+scented us, and is headed this way. The whole herd will follow in a
+minute."
+
+Already the big brute wounded by Mr. Damon had trumpeted out a cry
+of rage and defiance. It was echoed by his mates. Then, with
+upraised trunk, he darted forward, followed by a score of big
+tuskers.
+
+But Tom had heard and understood. The leading beast had not taken
+three steps before he dropped under the deadly and certain fire of
+the young inventor.
+
+"Bless my wishbone!" cried Mr. Damon when he saw how effective the
+electric weapon was.
+
+There was a shout of joy from the natives in the rear. They saw the
+slain creatures and knew there would be much fresh meat and feasting
+for them for days to come.
+
+Suddenly Mr. Durban cried out: "Fire again, Tom! Fire everybody! The
+whole herd is coming this way. If we don't stop them they'll overrun
+the fields and village, and may smash the airship! Fire again!"
+
+Almost as he spoke, the rush, which had been stopped momentarily,
+when Tom dropped the wounded elephant, began again. With shrill
+menacing cries the score of bulls in the lead came on, followed this
+time by the females and the young.
+
+"It's a stampede!" yelled Mr. Anderson, firing into the midst of the
+herd. Mr. Durban was working frantically at his clogged rifle. Ned
+and Mr. Damon both fired, and Tom Swift, adjusting his weapon to
+give the heaviest charges, shot a fusillade of wireless bullets into
+the center of the advancing elephants, who were now wild with fear
+and anger.
+
+"It's a stampede all right!" said Tom, when he saw that the big
+creatures were not going to stop, in spite of the deadly fire poured
+into them.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+LIONS IN THE NIGHT
+
+
+Shouting, screaming, imploring their deities in general, and the
+white men in particular for protection, the band of frightened
+natives broke and ran through the jungle, caring little where they
+went so long as they escaped the awful terror of the pursuing herd
+of maddened elephants. Behind them came Tom Swift and the others,
+for it were folly to stop in the path of the infuriated brutes.
+
+"Our only chance is to get on their flank and try to turn them!"
+yelled Mr. Durban. "We may beat them in getting to the clearing, for
+the trail is narrow. Run, everybody!"
+
+No one needed his excited advice to cause them to hurry. They
+scudded along, Mr. Damon's cap falling off in his haste. But he did
+not stop to pick it up.
+
+The hunters had one advantage. They were on a narrow but well-cleared
+trail through the jungle, which led from the village where they
+were encamped, to another, several miles away. This trail was
+too small for the elephants, and, indeed, had to be taken in single
+file by the travelers.
+
+But it prevented the elephants making the same speed as did our
+friends, for the jungle, at this point, consisted of heavy trees,
+which halted the progress of even the strongest of the powerful
+beasts. True, they could force aside the frail underbrush and the
+small trees, but the others impeded their progress.
+
+"We'll get there ahead of them!" cried Tom. "Have you got your rifle
+in working order yet, Mr. Durban?"
+
+"No, something has broken, I fear. We'll have to depend on your
+electric gun, Tom. Have you many charges left?"
+
+"A dozen or so. But Ned and the others have plenty of ammunition."
+
+"Don't count--on--me!" panted Mr. Damon, who was well-nigh
+breathless from the run. "I--can't--aim--straight--any--more!"
+
+"I'll give 'em a few more bullets!" declared Mr. Anderson.
+
+The fleeing natives were now almost lost to sight, for they could
+travel through the jungle, ignoring the trail, at high speed. They
+were almost like snakes or animals in this respect. Their one
+thought was to get to their village, and, if possible, protect their
+huts and fields of grain from annihilation by the elephants.
+
+Behind our friends, trumpeting, bellowing and crashing came the
+pachyderms. They seemed to be gaining, and Tom, looking back, saw
+one big brute emerge upon the trail, and follow that.
+
+"I've got to stop him, or some of the others will do the same,"
+thought the young inventor. He halted and fired quickly. The
+elephant seemed to melt away, and Tom with regret, saw a pair of
+fine tusks broken to bits. "I used too heavy a charge," he murmured,
+as he took up the retreat again.
+
+In a few minutes the party of hunters, who were now playing more in
+the role of the hunted, came out into the open. They could hear the
+natives beating on their big hollow tree drums, and on tom-toms,
+while the witch-doctors and medicine men were chanting weird songs
+to drive the elephants away.
+
+But the beasts came on. One by one they emerged from the jungle,
+until the herd was gathered together again in a compact mass. Then,
+under the leadership of some big bulls, they advanced. It seemed as
+if they knew what they were doing, and were determined to revenge
+themselves by trampling the natives' huts under their ponderous
+feet.
+
+But Tom and the others were not idle. Taking a position off to one
+side, the young inventor began pouring a fusillade of the electric
+bullets into the mass of slate-colored bodies. Mr. Anderson was also
+firing, and Ned, who had gotten over some of his excitement, was
+also doing execution. Mr. Durban, after vainly trying to get his
+rifle to work, cast it aside. "Here! Let me take your gun!" he cried
+to Mr. Damon, who, panting from the run, was sitting beneath a tree.
+
+"Bless my cartridge belt! Take it and welcome!" assented the
+eccentric man. It still had several shots in the magazine, and these
+the old hunter used with good effect.
+
+At first it seemed as if the elephants could not be turned back.
+They kept on rushing toward the village, which was not far away, and
+Tom and the others followed at one side, as best they could, firing
+rapidly. The electric rifle did fearful execution.
+
+Emboldened by the fear that all their possessions would be destroyed
+a body of the natives rushed out, right in front of the elephants,
+and beat tom-toms and drums, almost under their feet, at the same
+time singing wild songs.
+
+"I'm afraid we can't stop them!" muttered Mr. Anderson. "We'd better
+hurry to the airship, and protect that, Tom."
+
+But, almost as he spoke, the tide of battle turned. The elephants
+suddenly swung about, and began a retreat. They could not stand the
+hot fire of the four guns, including Tom's fearful weapon. With wild
+trumpetings they fled back into the jungle, leaving a number of
+their dead behind.
+
+"A close call," murmured Tom, as he drew a breath of relief. Indeed
+this was true, for the tide had turned when the foremost elephants
+were not a hundred feet away from the first rows of native huts.
+
+"I should say it was," agreed Ned Newton, wiping his face with his
+handkerchief. He, as well as the others, was an odd-looking sight.
+They were blackened by powder smoke, scratched by briars, and red
+from exertion.
+
+"But we got more ivory in this hour than I could have secured in a
+week of ordinary hunting," declared Mr. Durban. "If this keeps up we
+won't have to get much more, except that I don't think any of the
+tusks to-day are large enough for the special purpose of my
+customer."
+
+"The sooner we get enough ivory the quicker we can go to the rescue
+of the missionaries," said Mr. Anderson.
+
+"That's so," remarked Tom. "We must not forget the red pygmies."
+
+The natives were now dancing about, wild in delight at the prospect
+of unlimited eating, and also thankful for what the white men had
+done for them. Alone, the blacks would never have been able to stop
+the stampede. They were soon busy cutting up the elephants ready for
+a big feast, and runners were sent to tell neighboring tribes, in
+adjoining villages, of the delights awaiting them.
+
+Mr. Durban gave instructions about saving the ivory tusks, and the
+valuable teeth, each pair worth about $1,000, were soon cut out and
+put away for our friends. Some had been lost by the excessive power
+of Tom's gun, but this could not be helped. It was necessary to stop
+the rush at any price.
+
+There was soon a busy scene at the native village, and with the
+arrival of other tribesmen it seemed as if Bedlam had broken loose.
+The blacks chattered like so many children as they prepared for the
+feast.
+
+"Do white men ever eat elephant meat?" asked Mr. Damon, as the
+adventurers were gathered about the airship.
+
+"Indeed they do," declared Mr. Durban. "Baked elephant foot is a
+delicacy that few appreciate. I'll have the natives cook some for
+us."
+
+He gave the necessary orders, and the travelers had to admit that it
+was worth coming far to get.
+
+For the next few days and nights there was great feasting in that
+African village, and the praises of the white men, and power of Tom
+Swift's electric rifle, were sung loud and long.
+
+Our friends had resumed work on repairing the airship, and the young
+inventor declared, one night, that they could proceed the next day.
+
+They were seated around a small campfire, watching the dancing and
+antics of some natives who were at their usual work of eating meat.
+All about our friends were numerous blazes for the cooking of the
+feasts, and some were on the very edge of the jungle.
+
+Suddenly, above the uncouth sounds of the merry-making, there was
+heard a deep vibration and roar, not unlike the distant rumble of
+thunder or the hum of a great steamer's whistle heard afar in the
+fog.
+
+"What's that?" cried Ned.
+
+"Lions," said Mr. Durban briefly. "They have been attracted by the
+smell of cooking."
+
+At that moment, and instantly following a very loud roar, there was
+an agonized scream of pain and terror. It sounded directly in back
+of the airship.
+
+"A lion!" cried Mr. Anderson. "One of the brutes has grabbed a
+native!"
+
+Tom Swift caught up his rifle, and darted off toward the dark
+jungle.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+SEEKING THE MISSIONARIES
+
+
+"Here! Come back!" yelled Mr. Damon and Mr. Anderson, in the same
+breath, while the old elephant hunter cried out: "Don't you know
+you're risking your life, Tom to go off in the dark, to trail a
+lion?"
+
+"I can't stand it to let the native be carried off!" Tom shouted
+back.
+
+"But you can't see in the dark," objected Mr. Anderson. He had
+probably forgotten the peculiar property of the electric rifle. Tom
+kept on, and the others slowly followed.
+
+The natives had at once ceased their merrymaking at the roaring of
+the lions, and now all were gathered close about the campfires, on
+which more wood had been piled, to drive away the fearsome brutes.
+
+"There must be a lot of them," observed Mr. Durban, as menacing
+growls and roars came from the jungle, along the edge of which Tom
+and the others were walking just then. "There are so many of the
+brutes that they are bold, and they must be hungry, too. They came
+close to our fire, because it wasn't so bright as the other blazes,
+and that native must have wandered off into the forest. Well, I
+guess it's all up with him."
+
+"He's screaming yet," observed Ned.
+
+Indeed, above the rumbling roars of the lions, and the crackling of
+the campfires, could be heard the moaning cries of the unfortunate
+black.
+
+"He's right close here!" suddenly called Tom. "He's skirting the
+jungle. I think I can get him!"
+
+"Don't take any risks!" called Mr. Durban, who had caught up his own
+rifle, that was now in working order again.
+
+Tom Swift was not in sight. He had now penetrated into the jungle--into
+the black forest where stalked the savage lions, intent on
+getting other prey. Mr. Durban and Mr. Anderson vainly tried to
+pierce the darkness to see something at which to shoot. Ned Newton
+had eagerly started to follow his chum, but could not discern where
+Tom was. A nameless fear clutched at the lad's heart. Mr. Damon was
+softly blessing everything of which he could think.
+
+Once more came that pitiful cry from the native, who was, as they
+afterward learned, being dragged along by the lion, who had grabbed
+him by the shoulder.
+
+Suddenly in the dense jungle there shone a purple-bluish light. It
+illuminated the scene like some great sky-rocket for an instant, and
+in that brief time Ned and the others caught sight of a great, tawny
+form, bounding along. It was a lion, with head held high, dragging
+along a helpless black man.
+
+A second later, and before the intense glare had died away, the
+watchers saw the lion gently sink down, as though weary. He stopped
+short in his tracks, his head rolled back, the jaws relaxed and the
+native, who was unconscious now, toppled to one side.
+
+"Tom's killed him with the electric rifle!" cried Mr. Durban.
+
+"Bless my incandescent lamp! so he has," agreed Mr. Damon. "Bless my
+dynamo! but that's a wonderful gun, it's as powerful as a
+thunderbolt, or as gentle as a summer shower."
+
+Mr. Durban seeing that the lion was dead, in that brief glance he
+had had of the brute, called to some of the natives to come and get
+their tribesman. They came, timidly enough at first, carrying many
+torches, but when they understood that the lion was dead, they
+advanced more boldly. They carried the wounded black to a hut, where
+they applied their simple but effective remedies for the cruel bite
+in his shoulder.
+
+After Tom had shot several other of the illuminated charges into the
+jungle, to see if he could discover any more lions, but failed to do
+so, he and his friends returned to the anchored airship, amid the
+murmured thanks of the Africans.
+
+Bright fires were kept blazing all the rest of the night, but,
+though lions could be heard roaring in the jungle, and though they
+approached alarmingly close to the place where our friends were
+encamped, none of the savage brutes ventured within the clearing.
+
+With the valuable store of ivory aboard the Black Hawk, which was
+now completely repaired, an early start was made the next morning.
+The Africans besought Tom and his companions to remain, for it was
+not often they could have the services of white men in slaying
+elephants and lions.
+
+"But, we've got to get on the trail," decided Tom, when the natives
+had brought great stores of food, and such simple presents as they
+possessed, to induce the travelers to remain.
+
+"Every hour may add to the danger of the missionaries in the hands
+of the red pygmies."
+
+"Yes," said Mr. Anderson gravely, "it is our duty to save them."
+
+And so the airship mounted into the air, our friends waving
+farewells to the simple-hearted blacks, who did a sort of farewell
+war-dance in their honor, shouting their praises aloud, and beating
+the drums and tom-toms, so that the echoes followed for some time
+after the Black Hawk had begun to mount upward toward the sky.
+
+The craft was in excellent shape, due to the overhauling Tom had
+given it while making the repairs. With the propellers beating the
+air, and the rudder set to hold them about two thousand feet high,
+the travelers moved rapidly over clearings, forests and jungles.
+
+It was agreed that now, when they had made such a good start in
+collecting ivory, that they would spend the next few days in trying
+to get on the trail of the red pygmies. It might seem a simple
+matter, after knowing the approximate location of the land of these
+fierce little natives, to have proceeded directly to it. But Africa
+is an immense continent, and even in an airship comparatively little
+of the interior can be seen at a time.
+
+Besides, the red pygmies had a habit of moving from place to place,
+and they were so small, and so wild, capable of living in very tiny
+huts or caves, and so primitive, not building regular villages as
+the other Africans do, that as Ned said, they were as hard to locate
+as the proverbial flea.
+
+Our friends had a general idea of where to look for them, but on
+nearing that land, and making inquiries of several friendly tribes,
+they learned that the red pygmies had suddenly disappeared from
+their usual haunts.
+
+"I guess they heard that we were after them," said Tom, with a grim
+smile one day, as he sent the airship down toward the earth, for
+they were over a great plain, and several native villages could be
+seen dotted on its surface.
+
+"More likely they are in hiding because they have as captives two
+white persons," said Mr. Anderson. "They are fierce and fearless,
+but, nevertheless, they have, in times past, felt the vengeance of
+the white man, and perhaps they dread that now."
+
+They made a descent, and spent several days making inquiries from
+the friendly blacks about the race of little men. But scarcely
+anything was learned. Some of the negro tribes admitted having heard
+of the red pygmies, and others, with superstitious incantations and
+imprecations, said they had never heard of them.
+
+One tribe of very large negroes had heard a rumor to the effect that
+the band of the pygmies was several days' journey from their
+village, across the mountains, and when Tom sent his airship there,
+the searchers only found an impenetrable jungle, filled with lions
+and other wild beasts, but not a sign of the pygmies, and with no
+elephants to reward their search.
+
+"But we're not going to give up," declared Tom, and the others
+agreed with him. Forward went the Black Hawk in the search for the
+imprisoned ones, but, as the days passed, and no news was had, it
+seemed to grow more and more hopeless.
+
+"I'm afraid if we do find them now," remarked Mr. Anderson at
+length, "that we'll only recover the bodies of the missionaries."
+
+"Then we'll avenge them," said Tom quietly.
+
+They had stopped at another native village to make inquiries, but
+without result, and were about to start off again that night when a
+runner came in to announce that a herd of big elephants was feeding
+not many miles away.
+
+"Well, we'll stay over a day or so, and get some more ivory,"
+decided Mr. Durban and that night they got ready for what was to
+prove a big hunt.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+SHOTS FROM ABOVE
+
+
+"There they are!"
+
+"My, what a lot of big ones!"
+
+"Jove! Mr. Anderson, see those tusks!"
+
+"Yes, you ought to get what you want this time, Mr. Durban."
+
+"Bless my hatband! There must be two hundred of them!" exclaimed Mr.
+Damon.
+
+"I'm glad I recharged my rifle last night!" exclaimed Tom Swift.
+"It's fully loaded now."
+
+Then followed exulting cries and shouts of the natives, who were
+following our friends, the elephant hunters, who had given voice to
+the remarks we have just quoted.
+
+It was early in the morning, and the hunt was about to start, for
+the news brought in by the runner the night before had been closely
+followed by the brutes themselves, and at dawn our friends were
+astir, for scouts brought in word that the elephants, including many
+big ones, were passing along only a few miles from the African
+village.
+
+Cautiously approaching, with the wind blowing from the elephants to
+them, the white hunters made their way along. Mr. Durban was in the
+lead, and when he saw a favorable opportunity he motioned for the
+others to advance. Then, when he noticed the big bull sentinels of
+the herd look about as if to detect the presence of enemies, he gave
+another signal and the hunters sank out of sight in the tall grass.
+
+As for the natives, they were like snakes, unseen but ever present,
+wriggling along on their hands and knees. They were awaiting the
+slaughter, when there would be fresh meat in abundance.
+
+At length the old elephant hunter decided that they were near enough
+to chance some shots. As a matter of fact, Tom Swift, with his
+electric rifle, had been within range some time before, but as he
+did not want to spoil the sport for the others, by firing and
+killing, and so alarming the herd, he had held back. Now they could
+all shoot together.
+
+"Let her go!" suddenly cried Mr. Durban, and they took aim.
+
+There was a fusillade of reports and several of the big brutes
+toppled over.
+
+"Bless my toothbrush!" cried Mr. Damon, "that's the time I got one!"
+
+"Yes, and a fine specimen, too!" added Mr. Durban, who had only
+succeeded in downing a small bull, with an indifferent pair of
+tusks. "A fine specimen, Mr. Damon, I congratulate you!"
+
+As for Tom Swift, he had killed two of the largest elephants in the
+herd.
+
+But now the hunters had their work cut out for them, since the
+beasts had taken fright and were charging away at what seemed an
+awkward gait, but which, nevertheless, took them rapidly over the
+ground.
+
+"Come on!" cried Mr. Durban. "We must get some more. Some of the
+finest tusks I have ever seen are running away from us!"
+
+He began to race after the retreating herd, but it is doubtful if he
+would have caught up to them had not a band of natives, who had
+crept up and surrounded the beasts, turned them by shouts and the
+beating of tom-toms. Seeing an enemy in front of them, the elephants
+turned, and our friends were able to get in several more shots. Tom
+Swift picked out only those with immense tusks, and soon had several
+to his credit. Ned Newton also bagged some prizes.
+
+But finally the elephants, driven to madness by the firing and the
+yells of the natives, broke through the line of black men, and
+charged off into the jungle, where it was not only useless but
+dangerous to follow them.
+
+"Well, we have enough," said Mr. Durban, and when the tusks had been
+collected it was found that indeed a magnificent and valuable supply
+had been gathered.
+
+"But I have yet to get my prize ones," said the old hunter with a
+sigh. "Maybe we'll find the elephant with them when we locate the
+red pygmies."
+
+"If we do, we'll have our work cut out for us," declared Tom.
+
+As on the other occasion after the hunt, there was a great feast for
+the natives, who invited tribes from miles around, and for two days,
+while the tusks were being cut out and cleaned, there were barbeques
+on every side.
+
+It was one afternoon, when they were seated in the shade of the
+airship, cleaning their guns, and discussing the plans they had best
+follow next, that our travellers suddenly heard a great commotion
+amongst the Africans, who had for the past hour been very quiet,
+most of them sleeping after the feasts. They yelled and shouted, and
+began to beat their drums.
+
+"Something is coming," said Ned.
+
+"Perhaps there's going to be a fight," suggested Tom.
+
+"Maybe it's the red pygmies," said Mr. Damon. "Bless my--"
+
+But what he was going to bless he did not say, for at that instant
+it seemed as if every native in sight suddenly disappeared, almost
+like magic. They sank down into the grass, darted into their huts,
+or hid in the tall grass.
+
+"What can it be?" cried Tom, as he looked to see that his rifle was
+in working order.
+
+"Some enemy," declared Mr. Anderson.
+
+"There they are!" cried Ned Newton, and as he spoke there burst into
+view, coming from the tall grass that covered the plain about the
+village, a herd of savage, wild buffaloes. On rushed the shaggy
+creatures, their long, sharp horns seeming like waving spears as
+they advanced.
+
+"Here's more sport!" cried Tom.
+
+"No! Not sport! Danger!" yelled Mr. Durban. "They're headed right
+for us!"
+
+"Then we'll stop them," declared the young inventor, as he raised
+his gun.
+
+"No! No!" begged the old hunter. "It's as much as our lives are
+worth to try to stop a rush of wild buffaloes. You couldn't do it
+with Gatling guns. We can kill a few, but the rest won't stop until
+they've finished us and the aeroplane too."
+
+"Then what's to be done?" demanded Mr. Anderson.
+
+"Get into the airship!" cried Mr. Durban. "Send her up. It's the
+only way to get out of their path. Then we can shoot them from
+above, and drive them away!"
+
+Quickly the adventurers leaped into the craft. On thundered the
+buffaloes. Tom feared he could not get the motor started quickly
+enough. He did not dare risk rising by means of the aeroplane
+feature, but at once started the gas machine.
+
+The big bag began to fill. Nearer came the wild creatures,
+thundering over the ground, snorting and bellowing with rage.
+
+"Quick, Tom!" yelled Ned, and at that instant the Black Hawk shot
+upward, just as the foremost of the buffaloes passed underneath,
+vainly endeavoring to gore the craft with their sweeping horns. The
+air-travelers had risen just in time.
+
+"Now it's our turn!" shouted Ned, as he began firing from above into
+the herd of infuriated animals below him. Tom, after seeing that the
+motor was working well, sent the airship circling about, while
+standing in the steering tower, he guided his craft here and there,
+meanwhile pouring a fusillade of his wireless bullets into the
+buffaloes. Many of them dropped in their tracks, but the big herd
+continued to rush here and there, crashing into the frail native
+huts, tearing them down, and, whenever a black man appeared, chasing
+after him infuriatedly.
+
+"Keep at it!" cried Mr. Durban, as he poured more lead into the
+buffaloes. "If we don't kill enough of them, and drive the others
+away, there won't be anything left of this village."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+NEWS OF THE RED PYGMIES
+
+
+Seldom had it been the lot of Tom and his companions to take part in
+such a novel hunting scene as that in which they were now
+participating. With the airship moving quickly about, darting here
+and there under the guidance of the young inventor, the erratic
+movements hither and thither of the buffaloes could be followed
+exactly. Wherever the mass of the herd went the airship hovered over
+them.
+
+"Want any help, Tom?" called Ned, who was firing as fast as his gun
+could be worked.
+
+"I guess not," answered the steersman of the Black Hawk, who was
+dividing his attention between managing the craft and firing his
+electric rifle.
+
+The others, too, were kept busy with their weapons, shooting down on
+the infuriated animals. It seemed like a needless slaughter, but it
+was not. Had it not been for the white men, the native village,
+which consisted of only frail huts, would have been completely wiped
+out by the animals. As it was they were kept "milling" about in a
+circle in an open space, just as stampeded cattle on the western
+ranges are kept from getting away, by being forced round and round.
+
+Not a native was in sight, all being hidden away in the jungle or
+dense grass. The white hunters in their airship had matters to
+themselves.
+
+At last the firing proved even too much for the buffaloes which, as
+we have said, are among the most dreaded of African beasts. With
+bellows of fear, the leading bulls of the herd unable to find the
+enemy above their heads, darted off into the forest the way they had
+come.
+
+"There they go!" yelled Mr. Durban.
+
+"Yes, and I'm glad to see the last of them," added Mr. Anderson,
+with a breath of relief.
+
+"Score another victory for the electric rifle," exclaimed Ned.
+
+"Oh, you did as much execution as I did," declared the inventor of
+the weapon.
+
+"Bless my ramrod!" cried Mr. Damon. "I never shot so much in all my
+life before."
+
+"Yes, there is enough food to last the natives for a week," observed
+Mr. Durban, as Tom adjusted the deflecting rudder to send the
+airship down.
+
+"It won't last much longer at the rate they eat," spoke the young
+inventor with a laugh. "I never saw such fellows for appetites! They
+seem to eat in their sleep."
+
+There were many dead buffaloes, but there was no fear that the meat,
+which was much prized by the Africans, would be wasted. Already the
+natives were coming from their hiding places, knowing that the
+danger was over. Once more they sang the praises of the mighty white
+hunters, and the magical air craft in which they moved about.
+
+With the elephants previously killed, the buffaloes provided
+material for a great feast, preparations for which were at once
+gotten under way, in spite of the fact that the blacks had hardly
+stopped eating since the big hunt began. But it was about all they
+had to do.
+
+Some of the buffaloes were very large, and there were a number of
+pairs of fine horns. Tom and Ned had some of the blacks cut them off
+for trophies, and they were stored in the airship together with the
+ivory.
+
+Becoming rather tired of seeing so much feasting, our friends bade
+the Africans farewell the next day, and once more resumed their
+quest. They navigated through the air for another week, stopping at
+several villages, and scanning the jungles and plains by means of
+powerful telescopes, for a sight of the red pygmies. They also asked
+for news of the sacking of the missionary settlement, but, beyond
+meager facts, could learn nothing.
+
+"Well, we've got to keep on, that's all," decided Mr. Durban. "We
+may find them most unexpectedly."
+
+"I'm sorry if I have taken you away from your work of gathering
+ivory," spoke Mr. Anderson. "Perhaps you had better let me go, and
+I'll see if I can't organize a band of friendly blacks, and search
+for the red dwarfs myself."
+
+"Not much!" exclaimed Tom warmly. "I said we'd help rescue those
+missionaries, and we'll do it, too!"
+
+"Of course," declared the old elephant hunter. "We have quite a lot
+of ivory and, while we need more to make it pay well, we can look
+for it after we rescue the missionaries as well as before. Perhaps
+there will be a lot of elephants in the pygmies' land."
+
+"I was only thinking that we can't go on forever in the airship."
+said Mr. Anderson. "You'll have to go back to civilization soon,
+won't you, Tom, to get gasolene?"
+
+"No, we have enough for at least a month," answered the young
+inventor. "I took aboard an unusually large supply when we started."
+
+"What would happen if we ran out of it in the jungle?" asked Ned.
+
+"Bless my pocketbook! What an unpleasant question!" exclaimed Mr.
+Damon. "You are almost as cheerful, Ned, as was my friend Mr.
+Parker, the gloomy scientist, who was always predicting dire
+happenings."
+
+"Well, I was only wondering," said Ned, who was a little abashed by
+the manner in which his inquiry was received.
+
+"Oh, it would be all right," declared Tom. "We would simply become a
+balloon, and in time the wind would blow us to some white
+settlement. There is plenty of material for making the lifting gas."
+
+This was reassuring, and, somewhat easier in mind, Ned took his
+place in the observation tower which looked down on the jungle over
+which they were passing.
+
+It was a dense forest. At times there could be seen, in the little
+clearings, animals darting along. There were numbers of monkeys, an
+occasional herd of buffaloes were observed, sometimes a solitary
+stray elephant was noted, and as for birds, there were thousands of
+them. It was like living over a circus, Ned declared.
+
+They had descended one day just outside a large native village to
+make inquiries about elephants and the red pygmies. Of the big
+beasts no signs had been seen in several months, the hunters of the
+tribe told Mr. Durban. And concerning the red pygmies, the blacks
+seemed indisposed to talk.
+
+Tom and the others could not understand this, until a witch-doctor,
+whom the elephant hunter had met some time ago, when he was on a
+previous expedition, told him that the tribe had a superstitious
+fear of speaking of the little men.
+
+"They may be around us--in the forest or jungle at any minute," the
+witch-doctor said. "We never speak of them."
+
+"Say, do you suppose that can be a clew?" asked Tom eagerly. "They
+may be nearer at hand than we think."
+
+"It's possible." admitted the hunter. "Suppose we stay here for a
+few days, and I'll see if I can't get some of the natives to go off
+scouting in the woods, and locate them, or at least put us on the
+trail of the red dwarfs."
+
+This was considered good advice, and it was decided to adopt it.
+Accordingly the airship was put in a safe place, and our friends
+prepared to spend a week, if necessary, in the native village. Their
+presence with the wonderful craft was a source of wonder, and by
+means of some trinkets judiciously given to the native king, and
+also to his head subjects, and to the witch-doctors (who were a
+power in the land), the good opinion of the tribe was won. Then, by
+promising rewards to some of the bolder hunters, Mr. Durban finally
+succeeded in getting them to go off scouting in the jungle for a
+clew to the red pygmies.
+
+"Now we'll have to wait," said Mr. Anderson, "and I hope we get good
+news."
+
+Our friends spent their time observing some of the curious customs
+of the natives, and in witnessing some odd dances gotten up in their
+honor. They also went hunting, and got plenty of game, for which
+their hosts were duly grateful. Tom did some night stalking and
+found his illuminating bullets a great success.
+
+One hot afternoon Tom and Mr. Damon strolled off a little way into
+the jungle, Tom with his electric weapon, in case he saw any game.
+But no animals save a few big monkeys where to be seen, and the
+young inventor scorned to kill them. It seemed too much like firing
+at a human being he said, though the natives stated that some of the
+baboons and apes were fierce, and would attack one on the slightest
+provocation.
+
+"I believe I'll sit down here and rest," said Tom, after a mile's
+tramp, as he came to a little clearing in the woods.
+
+"Very well, I'll go on," decided Mr. Damon. "Mr. Durban said there
+were sometimes rare orchids in these jungles, and I am very fond of
+those odd flowers. I'm going to see if I can get any."
+
+He disappeared behind a fringe of moss-grown trees, and Tom sat
+down, with his rifle across his knees. He was thinking of many
+things, but chiefly of what yet lay before them--the discovery of
+the red dwarfs and the possible rescue of the missionaries.
+
+He might have been thus day-dreaming for perhaps a half hour, when
+he suddenly heard great commotion in the jungle, in the direction in
+which Mr. Damon had vanished. It sounded as though some one was
+running rapidly. Then came the report of the odd man's gun.
+
+"He's seen some game!" exclaimed Tom, jumping up, and preparing to
+follow his friend. But he did not have the chance. An instant later
+Mr. Damon burst through the bushes with every appearance of fright,
+his gun held above his head with one hand, and his pith helmet
+swaying to and fro in the other.
+
+"They're coming!" he cried to Tom.
+
+"Who, the red pygmies?"
+
+"No, but a couple of rhinoceroses are after me. I wounded one, and
+he and his mate are right behind. Don't let them catch me, Tom!"
+
+Mr. Damon was very much alarmed, and there was good occasion for it,
+as Tom saw a moment later, for two fierce rhinoceroses burst out of
+the jungle almost on the heels of the fleeing man.
+
+Thought was not quicker than Tom Swift. He raised his deadly rifle,
+and pressed the button. A charge of wireless electricity shot toward
+the foremost animal, and it was dropped in its tracks. The other
+came on woofing and snorting with rage. It was the one Mr. Damon had
+slightly wounded.
+
+"Come on!" yelled the young inventor, for his friend was in front of
+the beast, and in range with the rifle. "Jump to one side, Mr.
+Damon."
+
+Mr. Damon tried, but his foot slipped, and there was no need for
+jumping. He fell and rolled over. The rhinoceros swerved toward him,
+with the probable intention of goring the prostrate man with the
+formidable horn, but it had no chance. Once more the young inventor
+fired, this time with a heavier charge, and the animal instantly
+toppled over dead.
+
+"Are you hurt?" asked Tom anxiously, as he ran to his friend. Mr.
+Damon got up slowly. He felt all over himself, and then answered:
+
+"No, Tom, I guess I'm not hurt, except in my dignity. Never again
+will I fire at a sleeping rhinoceros unless you are with me. I had a
+narrow escape," and he shook Tom's hand heartily.
+
+"Did you see any orchids?" asked the lad with a smile.
+
+"No, those beasts didn't give me a chance! Bless my tape measure!
+but they're big fellows!"
+
+Indeed they were fine specimens, and there was the usual rejoicing
+among the natives when they brought in the great bodies, pulling
+them to the village with ropes made of vines.
+
+After this Mr. Damon was careful not to go into the jungle alone,
+nor, in fact, did any of our friends so venture. Mr. Durban said it
+was not safe.
+
+They remained a full week in the native village, and received no
+news. In fact, all but one of the hunters came back to report that
+there was no sign of the red pygmies in that neighborhood.
+
+"Well, I guess we might as well move on, and see what we can do
+ourselves," said Mr. Durban.
+
+"Let's wait until the last hunter comes back," suggested Tom. "He
+may bring word."
+
+"Some of his friends think he'll never come back," remarked Mr.
+Anderson.
+
+"Why not?" asked Ned.
+
+"They think he has been killed by some wild beast."
+
+But this fear was ungrounded. It was on the second day after the
+killing of the rhinoceroses that, as Tom was tinkering away in the
+engine-room of the airship, and thinking that perhaps they had
+better get under way, that a loud shouting was heard among the
+natives.
+
+"I wonder what's up now?" mused the young inventor as he went
+outside. He saw Mr. Durban and Mr. Anderson running toward the ship.
+Behind them was a throng of blacks, led by a weary man whom Tom
+recognized as the missing hunter. The lad's heart beat high with
+hope. Did the African bring news?
+
+On came Mr. Durban, waving his hands to Tom.
+
+"We've located 'em!" he shouted.
+
+"Not the red pygmies?" asked Tom eagerly.
+
+"Yes; this hunter has news of them. He has been to the border of
+their country, and narrowly escaped capture. Then he was attacked by
+a lion, and slightly wounded. But, Tom, now we can get on the
+trail!"
+
+"Good!" cried the young inventor. "That's fine news!" and he
+rejoiced that once more there would be activity, for he was tired of
+remaining in the African camp, and then, too, he wanted to proceed
+to the rescue. Already it might be too late to save the unfortunate
+missionaries.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+AN APPEAL FOR HELP
+
+
+The African hunter's story was soon told. He had gone on farther
+than had any of his companions, and, being a bold and brave man, had
+penetrated into the very fastness of the jungle where few would dare
+to venture.
+
+But even he had despaired of getting on the trail of the fierce
+little red men, until one afternoon, just at dusk he had heard
+voices in the forest. Crouching behind a fallen tree, he waited and
+saw passing by some of the pygmy hunters, armed with bows and
+arrows, and blowguns. They had been out after game. Cautiously the
+hunter followed them, until he located one of their odd villages,
+which consisted of little mud huts, poorly made.
+
+The black hunter remained in the vicinity of the pygmies all that
+night, and was almost caught, for some wild dogs which hung around
+the village smelled him out, and attracted to him the attention of
+the dwarf savages. The hunter took to a tree, and so escaped. Then,
+carefully marking the trail, he came away in the morning. When near
+home, a lion had attacked him, but he speared the beast to death,
+after a hand-to-hand struggle in which his leg was torn.
+
+"And do you think we can find the place?" asked Ned, when Mr. Durban
+had finished translating the hunter's story.
+
+"I think so," was the reply.
+
+"But is this the settlement where the missionaries are?" asked Tom
+anxiously.
+
+"That is what we don't know," said Mr. Anderson. "The native scout
+could not learn that. But once we get on the trail of the dwarfs, I
+think we can easily find the particular tribe which has the
+captives."
+
+"At any rate, we'll get started and do something," declared Tom, and
+the next day, after the African hunter had described, as well as he
+could, where the place was, the Black Hawk was sent up into the air,
+good-bys were called down, and once more the adventurers were under
+way.
+
+It was decided that they had better proceed cautiously, and lower
+the airship, and anchor it, sometime before getting above the place
+where the pygmy village was.
+
+"For they may see us, and, though they don't know what our craft is,
+they may take the alarm and hide deeper in the jungle with the
+prisoners, where we can't find them," said Tom.
+
+His plan was adopted, and, while it had taken the native hunter
+several days to reach the borders of the dwarfs' land, those in the
+airship made the trip in one day. That is, they came as far toward
+it as they thought would be safe, and one night, having located a
+landmark which Mr. Durban said was on the border, the nose of the
+Black Hawk was pointed downward, and soon they were encamped in a
+little clearing in the midst of the dense jungle which was all about
+them.
+
+With his electric rifle, Tom noiselessly killed some birds, very
+much like chicken, of which an excellent meal was made and then, as
+it became dark very early, and as nothing could be done, they
+lighted a campfire, and retired inside their craft to pass the
+night.
+
+It must have been about midnight that Tom, who was a light sleeper
+at times, was awakened by some noise outside the window near which
+his stateroom was. He sat up and listened, putting out his hand to
+where his rifle stood in the corner near his bunk. The lad heard
+stealthy footsteps pattering about on the deck of the airship. There
+was a soft, shuffling sound, such as a lion or a tiger makes, when
+walking on bare boards. In spite of himself, Tom felt the hair on
+his head beginning to creep, and a shiver ran down his back.
+
+"There's something out there!" he whispered. "I wonder if I'd better
+awaken the others? No, if it's a sneaking lion, I can manage to kill
+him, but--"
+
+He paused as another suggestion came to him.
+
+The red pygmies! They went barefoot! Perhaps they were swarming
+about the ship which they might have discovered in the darkness.
+
+Tom Swift's heart beat rapidly. He got softly out of his bunk, and,
+with his rifle in hand made his way to the door opening on deck. On
+his way he gently awakened Ned and Mr. Durban, and whispered to them
+his fear.
+
+"If the red pygmies are out there we'll need all our force," said
+the old elephant hunter. "Call Mr. Damon and Mr. Anderson, Ned, and
+tell them to bring their guns."
+
+Soon they were all ready, fully armed. They listened intently. The
+airship was all in darkness, for lights drew a horde of insects. The
+campfire had died down. The soft footsteps could still be heard
+moving about the deck.
+
+"That sounds like only one person or animal," whispered Ned.
+
+"It does," agreed Tom. "Wait a minute, I'll fire an illuminating
+charge, and we can see what it is."
+
+The others posted themselves at windows that gave a view of the
+deck. Tom poked his electric rifle out of a crack of the door, and
+shot forth into the darkness one of the blue illuminations. The deck
+of the craft was instantly lighted up brilliantly, and in the glare,
+crouched on the deck, could be seen a powerful black man, nearly
+naked, gazing at the hunters.
+
+"A black!" gasped Tom, as the light died out. "Maybe it is one from
+the village we just left. What do you want? Who are you?" called the
+lad, forgetting that the Africans spoke only their own language. To
+the surprise of all, there came his reply in broken English:
+
+"Me Tomba! Me go fo' help for Missy Illingway--fo' Massy Illingway.
+Me run away from little red men! Me Christian black man. Oh, if you
+be English, help Missy Illingway--she most die! Please help. Tomba
+go but Tomba be lost! Please help!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+THE FIGHT
+
+
+Surprise, for the moment, held Tom and the others speechless. To be
+answered in English, poor and broken as it was, by a native African,
+was strange enough, but when this same African was found aboard the
+airship, in the midst of the jungle, at midnight, it almost passed
+the bounds of possibility.
+
+"Tomba!" mused Tom, wondering where he had heard that name before.
+"Tomba?"
+
+"Of course!" cried Mr. Anderson, suddenly. "Don't you remember?
+That's the name of the servant of Mr. and Mrs. Illingway, who
+escaped and brought news of their capture by the pygmies. That's who
+Tomba is."
+
+"Yes, but Tomba escaped," objected Mr. Durban. "He went to the white
+settlements with the news. How comes he here?"
+
+"We'll have to find out," said Tom, simply. "Tomba, are you there?"
+he called, as he fired another illuminating charge. It disclosed the
+black man standing up on the deck, and looking at them appealingly.
+
+"Yes, Tomba here," was the answer. "Oh, you be English, Tomba know.
+Please help Missy and Massy Illingway. Red devils goin' kill 'em
+pretty much quick."
+
+"Come in!" called Tom, as he turned on the electric lights in the
+airship. "Come in and tell us all about it. But how did you get
+here?"
+
+"Maybe there are two Tombas," suggested Ned.
+
+"Bless my safety razor!" cried Mr. Damon "perhaps Ned is right!"
+
+But he wasn't, as they learned when they had questioned the African,
+who came inside the airship, looking wonderingly around at the many
+strange things he saw. He was the same Tomba who had escaped the
+massacre, and had taken news of the capture of his master and
+mistress to the white settlement. In vain after that he had tried to
+organize a band to go back with him to the rescue, but the whites in
+the settlement were too few, and the natives too timid. Then Tomba,
+with grief in his heart, and not wanting to live while the
+missionaries whom he had come to care for very much, were captives,
+he went back into the jungle, determined, if he could not help them,
+that at least he would share their fate, and endeavor to be of some
+service to them in their captivity.
+
+After almost unbelievable hardships, he had found the red pygmies,
+and had allowed himself to be captured by them. They rejoiced
+greatly in the possession of the big black man, and for some strange
+reason had not killed him. He was allowed to share the captivity of
+his master and mistress.
+
+Time went on, and the pygmies did not kill their prisoners. They
+even treated them with some kindness but were going to sacrifice
+them at their great annual festival, which was soon to take place.
+Mr. and Mrs. Illingway, Tomba told our friends in his broken
+English, had urged him to escape at the first opportunity. They knew
+if he could get away he would travel through the jungle. They could
+not, even if they had not been so closely guarded that escape was
+out of the question.
+
+But Tomba refused to go until Mr. Illingway had said that perhaps he
+might get word to some white hunters, and so send help to the
+captives. This Tomba consented to do, and, watching his chance, he
+did escape. That was several nights ago, and he had been traveling
+through the jungle ever since. It was by mere accident that he came
+upon the anchored airship, and his curiosity led him to board her.
+The rest is known.
+
+"Well, of all queer yarns, this is the limit!" exclaimed Tom, when
+the black had finished. "What had we better do about it?"
+
+"Get ready to attack the red pygmies at once!" decided Mr. Durban.
+"If we wait any longer it may be too late!"
+
+"My idea, exactly," declared Mr. Anderson.
+
+"Bless my bowie-knife!" cried Mr. Damon. "I'd like to get a chance
+at the red imps! Come on, Tom! Let's start at once."
+
+"No, we need daylight to fight by," replied Tom, with a smile at his
+friend's enthusiasm. "We'll go forward in the morning."
+
+"In the airship?" asked Mr. Damon.
+
+"I think so," answered Tom. "There can be no advantage now in trying
+to conceal ourselves. We can move upon them from where we are so
+quickly that they won't have much chance to get away. Besides it
+will take us too long to make our way through the jungle afoot. For,
+now that the escape of Tomba must be known, they may kill the
+captives at once to forestall any rescue."
+
+"Then we'll move forward in the morning," declared Mr. Durban.
+
+They took Tomba with them in the airship the next day, though he
+prayed fervently before he consented to it. But they needed him to
+point out the exact location of the pygmies' village, since it was
+not the one the hunter-scout had been near.
+
+The Black Hawk sailed through the air. On board eager eyes looked
+down for a first sight of the red imps. Tomba, who was at Tom's side
+in the steering tower, told him, as best he could, from time to
+time, how to set the rudders.
+
+"Pretty soon by-em-by be there," said the black man at length. "Pass
+ober dat hill, den red devils live."
+
+"Well, we'll soon be over that hill," announced Tom grimly. "I guess
+we'd better get our rifles ready for the battle."
+
+"Are you going to attack them at once?" asked Mr. Damon.
+
+"Well," answered the young inventor, "I don't believe we ought to
+kill any of them if we can avoid it. I don't like to do such a thing
+but, perhaps we can't help ourselves. My plan is to take the airship
+down, close to the hut where the missionaries are confined. Tomba
+can point it out to us. If we can rescue them without bloodshed, so
+much the better. But we'll fight if we have to."
+
+Grimly they watched as the airship sailed over the hill. Then
+suddenly there came into view a collection of mud huts on a vast
+plain, surrounded by dense jungle on every side. As the travelers
+looked, they could see little creatures running wildly about. Even
+without a glass it could be noted that their bodies were covered
+with a curious growth of thick sandy hair.
+
+"The red pygmies!" cried Tom. "Now for the rescue!"
+
+Eagerly Tomba indicated the hut where his master and mistress were
+held. Telling his friends to have their weapons in readiness, Tom
+steered the airship toward the rude shelter whence he hoped to take
+the missionaries. Down to the ground swiftly shot the Black Hawk.
+Tom checked her with a quick movement of the deflecting rudder, and
+she landed gently on the wheels.
+
+"Mr. Illingway! Mrs. Illingway! We have come to rescue you!" yelled
+the young inventor, as he stepped out on the deck, with his electric
+rifle in his hand. "Where are you? Can you come out?"
+
+The door of the hut was burst open, and a white man and woman,
+recognizable as such, even in the rude skins that clothed them,
+rushed out. Wonder spread over their faces as they saw the great
+airship. They dropped on their knees.
+
+The next instant a swarm of savage little red men surrounded them,
+and rudely bore them, strugglingly, back into the hut.
+
+"Come on!" cried Tom, about to leap to the ground. "It's now or
+never! We must save them!"
+
+Mr. Durban pulled him back, and pointed to a horde of the red-haired
+savages rushing toward the airship. "They'd tear you to pieces in a
+minute!" cried the old hunter. "We must fight them from the ship."
+
+There was a curious whistling sound in the air. Mr. Durban looked
+up.
+
+"Duck, everybody!" he yelled. "They're firing arrows at us! Get
+under shelter, for they may be poisoned!"
+
+Tom and the others darted into the craft. The arrows rattled on deck
+in a shower, and hundreds of the red imps were rushing up to give
+battle. Inside the hut where the missionaries were, it was now
+quiet. Tom Swift wondered if they still lived.
+
+"Give 'em as good as they send!" cried Mr. Durban. "We will have to
+fire at them now. Open up with your electric rifle, Tom!"
+
+As he spoke the elephant hunter fired into the midst of the
+screaming savages. The battle had begun.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI
+
+DRIVEN BACK
+
+
+What the travelers had heard regarding the fierceness and courage of
+the red pygmies had not been one bit exaggerated. Never had such
+desperate fighting ever taken place. The red dwarfs, scarcely one of
+whom was more than three feet high, were strongly built, and there
+were so many of them, and they battled together with such singleness
+of purpose, that they were more formidable than a tribe of ordinary-sized
+savages would have been.
+
+And their purpose was to utterly annihilate the enemy that had so
+unexpectedly come upon them. It did not matter to them that Tom and
+the others had arrived in an airship. The strange craft had no
+superstitious terror for them, as it had for the simpler blacks.
+
+"Bless my multiplication tables!" cried Mr. Damon. "What a mob of
+them!"
+
+"Almost too many!" murmured Tom Swift, who was rapidly firing his
+electric rifle at them. "We can never hope to drive them back, I'm
+afraid."
+
+Indeed from every side of the plain, and even from the depths of the
+jungle the red dwarfs were now pouring. They yelled most horribly,
+screaming in rage, brandishing their spears and clubs, and keeping
+up an incessant fire of big arrows from their bows, and smaller ones
+from the blowguns.
+
+As yet none of our friends had been hit, for they were sheltered in
+the airship, and as the windows were covered with a mesh of wire, to
+keep out insects, this also served to prevent the arrows from
+entering. There were loopholes purposely made to allow the rifles to
+be thrust out.
+
+Mercifully, Tom and the others fired only to disable, and not to
+kill the red pygmies. Wounded in the arms or legs, the little
+savages would be incapable of fighting, and this plan was followed.
+But so fierce were they that some, who were wounded twice, still
+kept up the attack.
+
+Tom's electric rifle was well adapted for this work, as he could
+regulate the charge to merely stun, no matter at what part of the
+body it was directed. So he could fire indiscriminantly, whereas the
+others had to aim carefully. And Tom's fire was most effective. He
+disabled scores of the red imps, but scores of others sprang up to
+take their places.
+
+After their first rush the pygmies had fallen back before the
+well-directed fire of our friends, but as their chiefs and head men
+urged them to the attack again, they came back with still fiercer
+energy. Some, more bold than the others, even leaped to the deck of the
+airship, and tried to tear the screens from the windows. They partly
+succeeded, and in one casement from which Ned was firing they made a
+hole.
+
+Into this they shot a flight of arrows, and one slightly wounded the
+bank clerk on the arm. The wound was at once treated with
+antiseptics, after the window had been barricaded, and Ned declared
+that he was ready to renew the fight. Tom, too, got an arrow scratch
+on the neck, and one of the barbs entered Mr. Durban's leg, but the
+sturdy elephant hunter would not give up, and took his place again
+after the wound had been bandaged.
+
+From time to time as he worked his electric gun, which had been
+charged to its utmost capacity, Tom glanced at the hut where the
+missionaries were prisoners. There was no movement noticed about it,
+and no sound came from it. Tom wondered what had happened inside--he
+wondered what was happening as the battle progressed.
+
+Fiercely the fight was kept up. Now the red imps would be driven
+back, and again they would swarm about the airship, until it seemed
+as if they must overwhelm it. Then the fire of the white adventurers
+was redoubled. The electric rifle did great work, and Tom did not
+have to stop and refill the magazine, as did the others.
+
+Suddenly, above the noise of the conflict, Tom Swift heard an
+ominous sound. It was a hissing in the air, and well he knew what it
+was.
+
+"The gas bag!" he cried. "They've punctured it! The vapor is
+escaping. If they put too many holes in the bag it will be all up
+with us!"
+
+"What's to be done?" asked Mr. Durban.
+
+"If we can't drive them back we must retreat ourselves!" declared
+Tom desperately. "Our only hope is to keep the airship safe from
+harm."
+
+Once more came a rush of the savages. They had discovered that the
+gas bag was vulnerable, and were directing their arrows against
+that. It was punctured in several more places. The gas was rapidly
+escaping.
+
+"We've got to retreat!" yelled Tom. He hurried to the engine-room,
+and turned on the power. The great propellers revolved, and sent the
+Black Hawk scudding across the level plain. With yells of surprise
+the red dwarfs scattered and made way for it.
+
+Up into the air it mounted on the broad wings. For the time being
+our friends has been driven back, and the missionaries whom they had
+come to rescue were still in the hands of the savages.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII
+
+A NIGHT ATTACK
+
+
+"Well, what's to be done?"
+
+Tom Swift asked that question.
+
+"Bless my percussion cap! They certainly are the very worst imps for
+fighting that I ever heard of," commented Mr. Damon helplessly.
+
+"Is the gas bag much punctured?" asked Ned Newton.
+
+"Wait a minute," resumed the young inventor, as he pulled the speed
+lever a trifle farther over, thereby sending the craft forward more
+swiftly, "I think my question ought to be answered first. What's to
+be done? Are we going to run away, and leave that man and woman to
+their fate?"
+
+"Of course not!" declared Mr. Durban stoutly, "but we couldn't stay
+there, and have them destroy the airship."
+
+"No, that's so," admitted Tom, "if we lost the airship it would be
+all up with us and our chances of rescuing the missionaries. But
+what can we do? I hate to retreat!"
+
+"But what else is there left for us?" demanded Ned.
+
+"Nothing, of course. But we've got to plan to get the best of those
+red pygmies. We can't go back in the airship, and give them open
+battle. There are too many of them, and, by Jove! I believe more are
+coming every minute!"
+
+Tom and the others looked down. From all sides of the plain,
+hastening toward the village of mud huts, from which our friends
+were retreating, could be seen swarms of the small but fierce
+savages. They were coming from the jungle, and were armed with war
+clubs, bows and arrows and the small but formidable blowguns.
+
+"Where are they coming from?" asked Mr. Damon.
+
+"From the surrounding tribes," explained Mr. Durban. "They have been
+summoned to do battle against us."
+
+"But how did the ones we fought get word to the others so soon?" Ned
+demanded.
+
+"Oh, they have ways of signaling," explained Mr. Anderson. "They can
+make the notes of some of their hollow-tree drums carry a long
+distance, and then they are very swift runners, and can penetrate
+into the jungle along paths that a white man would hardly see. They
+also use the smoke column as a signal, as our own American Indians
+used to do. Oh, they can summon all their tribesmen to the fight,
+and they probably will. Likely the sound of our guns attracted the
+imps, though if we all had electric rifles like Tom's they wouldn't
+make any noise."
+
+"Well, my rifle didn't appear to do so very much good this time,"
+observed the young inventor, as he stopped the forward motion of the
+ship now, and let it hover over the plain in sight of the village,
+the gas bag serving to sustain the craft, and there was little wind
+to cause it to drift. "Those fellows didn't seem to mind being hurt
+and killed any more than if mosquitoes were biting them."
+
+"The trouble is we need a whole army, armed with electric rifles to
+make a successful attack," said Mr. Durban. "There are swarms of
+them there now, and more coming every minute. I do hope Mr. and Mrs.
+Illingway are alive yet."
+
+"Yes," added Mr. Anderson solemnly, "we must hope for the best. But,
+like Tom Swift, I ask, what's to be done?"
+
+"Bless my thinking cap!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "It seems to me if we
+can't fight them openly in the daytime, there's only one other thing
+to do."
+
+"What's that?" asked Tom. "Go away? I'll not do it!"
+
+"No, not go away," exclaimed Mr. Damon, "but make a night attack. We
+ought to be able to do something then, and with your illuminating
+rifle, Tom, we'd have an advantage! What do you say?"
+
+"I say it's the very thing!" declared Tom, with sudden enthusiasm.
+"We'll attack them to-night, when they're off their guard, and we'll
+see if we can't get the missionaries out of that hut. And to better
+fool the savages, we'll just disappear now, and make 'em believe
+we've flown away."
+
+"Then the missionaries will think we're deserting them," objected
+Mr. Anderson.
+
+But there was no help for it, and so Tom once more turned on the
+power and the craft sailed away.
+
+Tomba, the faithful black, begged to be allowed to go down, and tell
+his master and mistress that help would soon be at hand again, even
+though it looked like a retreat on the part of the rescuers, but
+this could not be permitted.
+
+"They'd tear you in pieces as soon as you got among those red imps,"
+said Tom. "You stay here, Tomba, and you can help us to-night."
+
+"A'right, me glad help lick red fellows," said the black, with as
+cheerful a grin as he could summon.
+
+The Black Hawk circled around, with Tom and the others looking for a
+good place to land. They were out of sight of the village now but
+did not doubt but that they were observed by the keen eyes of the
+little men.
+
+"We want to pick out a place where they won't come upon us as we
+descend," declared Tom. "We've got to mend some leaks in the gas
+bag, for, while they are not serious, if we get any more punctures
+they may become so. So we've got to pick out a good place to go
+down."
+
+Finally, by means of powerful glasses, a desolate part of the jungle
+was selected. No files of the red dwarfs, coming from their
+scattered villages to join their tribesmen, had been noted in the
+vicinity picked out, and it was hoped that it would answer. Slowly
+the airship settled to earth, coming to rest in a thick grove of
+trees, where there was an opening just large enough to allow the
+Black Hawk to enter.
+
+Our friends were soon busy repairing the leaks in the bag, while Mr.
+Damon got a meal ready. As they ate they talked over plans for the
+night attack.
+
+It was decided to wait until it was about two o'clock in the
+morning, as at that hour the dwarfs were most generally asleep,
+Tomba said. They always stayed up quite late, sitting around camp-fires,
+and eating the meat which the hunters brought in each day. But their
+carousings generally ended at midnight, the black said, and then they
+fell into a heavy sleep. They did not post guards, but since they knew
+of the presence of the white men in the airship, they might do it
+this time.
+
+"Well, we've got to take our chance," decided Tom. "We'll start off
+from here about one o'clock, and I'll send the ship slowly along.
+We'll get right over the hut where the captives are, if possible,
+and then descend. I'll manage the ship, and one of you can work the
+electric rifle if they attack us. We'll make a dash, get Mr. and
+Mrs. Illingway from the hut, and make a quick get-away."
+
+It sounded good, and they were impatient to put it into operation.
+That afternoon Tom and his friends went carefully over every inch of
+their craft, to repair it and have it in perfect working order. Guns
+were cleaned, and plenty of ammunition laid out. Then, shortly after
+one o'clock in the morning the ship was sent up, and with the
+searchlight ready to be turned on instantly, and with his electric
+rifle near at hand, Tom Swift guided his craft on to the attack.
+Soon they could see the glow of dying fires in the dwarfs' village,
+but no sound came from the sleeping hordes of red imps.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII
+
+THE RESCUE
+
+
+"Can you make out the hut, Tom?" asked Ned, as he stood at his
+chum's side in the steering tower, and gazed downward on the silent
+village.
+
+"Not very clearly. Suppose you take a look through the night-glasses.
+Maybe you'll have better luck."
+
+Ned peered long and earnestly.
+
+"No, I can't see a thing." he said. "It all looks to be a confused
+jumble of huts. I can't tell one from the other. We'll have to go
+lower."
+
+"I don't want to do that," objected Tom. "If this attack succeeds at
+all, it will have to be sharp and quick. If we go down where they
+can spot us, and work our way up to the hut where the captives are,
+we'll run the chance of an attack that may put us out of business."
+
+"Yes, we ought to get right over the hut, and then make a sudden
+swoop down," admitted Ned, "but if we can't see it--"
+
+"I have it!" cried Tom suddenly. "Tomba! That African can see in the
+dark like a cat. Why, just before we started I dropped a wrench, and
+I didn't have any matches handy to look for it. I was groping around
+in the dark trying to get my hands on it, and you know it was pretty
+black in the jungle. Well, along come Tomba. And he spotted it at
+once and picked it up. We'll call him here and get him to point out
+the hut. He can tell me how to steer."
+
+"Good!" cried Ned, and the black was soon standing in the pilot
+house. He comprehended what was wanted of him, and peered down,
+seeking to penetrate the darkness.
+
+"Shall I go down a little lower?" asked Tom.
+
+For a moment Tomba did not answer. Then he uttered an exclamation of
+pleasure.
+
+"Me see hut!" he said, clutching Tom's arm. "Down dere!" He pointed,
+but neither Tom nor Ned could see it. However, as Tomba was now
+giving directions, telling Tom when to go to the left or the right,
+as the wind currents deflected they were certain of soon reaching
+the place where Mr. and Mrs. Illingway were concealed, if they were
+still alive.
+
+The Black Hawk was moving slowly, and was not under as good control
+as if she had been making ninety miles an hour. As it was desired to
+proceed as quietly as possible, the craft was being used as a
+dirigible balloon, and the propellers were whirled around by means
+of a small motor, worked by a storage battery. While not much power
+was obtained this way, there was the advantage of silence, which was
+very necessary. Slowly the Black Hawk sailed on through the night.
+In silence the adventurers waited for the moment of action. They had
+their weapons in readiness. Mr. Durban was to work the electric
+rifle, as all Tom's attention would be needed at the machinery. As
+soon as the craft had made a landing he was to leap out, carrying a
+revolver in either hand, and, followed by Tomba, would endeavor to
+gain entrance to the hut, break through the flimsy grass-woven
+curtain over the doorway, and get Mr. and Mrs. Illingway out. Ned,
+Mr. Damon and the other two men would stand by to fire on the red
+pygmies as soon as they commenced the attack, which they would
+undoubtedly do as soon as the guards of the captives raised the
+alarm.
+
+The airship was in darkness, for it would have been dangerous to
+show a light. Some wakeful dwarf might see the moving illumination
+in the sky, and raise a cry.
+
+"Mos' dere," announced Tomba at length. And then, for the first
+time, Ned and Tom had a glimpse of the hut. It stood away from the
+others, and was easy to pick out in daylight, but even the darkness
+offered no handicap to Tomba. "Right over him now," he suddenly
+called, as he leaned out of the pilot house window, and looked down.
+"Right over place. Oh, Tomba glad when he see Missy an' Massy!"
+
+"Yes, I hope you do see them," murmured Tom, as he pulled the lever
+which would pump the gas from the inflated bag, and compress it into
+tanks, until it was needed again to make the ship rise. Slowly the
+Black Hawk sank down.
+
+"Get ready!" called Tom in a low voice.
+
+It was a tense moment. Every one of the adventurers felt it, and all
+but Tom grasped their weapons with tighter grips. They were ready to
+spring out as soon as a landing was made. Tom managed the machinery
+in the dark, for he knew every wheel, gear and lever, and could have
+put his hand on any one with his eyes shut. The two loaded revolvers
+were on a shelf in front of him. The side door of the pilot house
+was ajar, to allow him quick egress.
+
+Tomba, armed with a big club he had picked up in the jungle, was
+ready to follow. The black was eager for the fray to begin, though
+how he and the others would fare amid the savages was hard to say.
+
+Still not a sound broke the quiet. It was very dark, for nearly all
+the camp fires, over which the nightly feast had been prepared, were
+out. The hut could be dimly made out, however.
+
+Suddenly there was a slight tremor through the ship. She seemed to
+shiver, and bound upward a little.
+
+"We've landed!" whispered Tom. "Now for it! Come on, Tomba!"
+
+The big black glided after the lad like a shadow. With his two
+weapons held in readiness our hero went out on deck. The others,
+with cocked rifles, stood ready for the attack to open. It had been
+decided that as soon as the first alarm was given by the dwarfs,
+which would probably be when Tom broke into the hut, the firing
+would begin.
+
+"Open!" called Tom to Tomba, and the big black dashed his club
+through the grass curtain over the doorway of the hut. He fairly
+leaped inside, with a cry of battle on his lips.
+
+"Mr. Illingway! Mrs. Illingway!" called Tom, "We've come to save
+you. Hurry out. The airship is just outside!"
+
+He fired one shot through the roof of the hut, so that the flash
+would reveal to him whether or not the two missionaries were in the
+place. He saw two forms rise up in front of him, and knew that they
+were the white captives he had observed daring the former attack.
+
+"Oh, what is it?" he heard the woman ask.
+
+"A rescue! Thank the dear Lord!" answered her husband fervently.
+"Oh, whoever you are, God bless you!"
+
+"Come quickly!" cried Tom, "we haven't a moment to lose!"
+
+He was speaking to absolute blackness now, for it was darker
+immediately following the revolver flash than before. But he felt a
+man's hand thrust about his arm, and he knew it was Mr. Illingway.
+
+"Take your wife's hand, and follow me," ordered Tom. "Come, Tomba!
+Are there any of the red pygmies in here?"
+
+He had not seen any at the weapon's flash, but his question was
+answered a moment later, for there arose from within and without the
+hut a chorus of wild yells. At the same time Tom felt small arms
+grasp him about the legs.
+
+"Come on!" he yelled. "They're awake and after us!"
+
+The din outside increased. Tom heard the rifles of his friends
+crack. He saw, through the torn door curtain, the flashes of fire.
+Then came a blue glare, and Tom knew that Mr. Durban was using the
+electric weapon.
+
+By these intermittent gleams Tom managed to see sufficiently to
+thrust Mr. and Mrs. Illingway ahead of him. Tomba was at their side.
+The yells inside the hut were almost deafening. All the red dwarfs
+left to guard the captives had awakened, and they could see well
+enough to attack Tom. Fortunately they had no weapons, but they
+fairly threw themselves upon the sturdy lad, trying to pull him
+down.
+
+"Go on! Go on!" he yelled to the captives, fairly pushing them
+along. Then, knowing they were out of the way, he turned and fired
+his two revolvers as fast as he could pull the triggers, into the
+very faces of the red imps who were seeking to drag him down. Again
+and again he fired, until he had emptied both cylinders of his
+weapons.
+
+He felt the grasps of the fiendish little men relax one by one. Tom
+finally dragged himself loose, and staggered out of the hut. The
+captives and Tomba were right in front of him. At the airship, which
+loomed up in the flashes from the guns and electric rifle, Tom's
+friends were giving battle. About them swarmed the hordes of
+savages, with more of the imps pouring in every moment.
+
+"Get aboard!" cried Tom to the missionaries. "Get on the airship,
+and we'll move out of this!"
+
+He felt a stinging pain in his neck, where an arrow struck him. He
+tore the arrow out, and rushed forward. Fairly pushing Mr. and Mrs.
+Illingway up on deck before him, Tom followed. Tomba was capering
+about his master and mistress, and he swung his big club savagely.
+He had not been idle, and many a red imp had gone down under his
+blows.
+
+"Rescued! Rescued!" murmured Mr. Illingway, as Tom hastened to the
+pilot house to start the motor.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV
+
+TWO OTHER CAPTIVES
+
+
+But the rescue was not yet accomplished. Those on the airship were
+still in danger, and grave peril, for all about them were the red
+savages, shouting, howling, yelling and capering about, as they were
+now thoroughly aroused, and realized that their captives had been
+taken away from them. They determined to get them back, and were
+rallying desperately to battle. Nearly all of them were armed by
+this time, and flight after flight of spears and arrows were thrown
+or shot toward the airship.
+
+Fortunately it was too dark to enable the pygmies to take good aim.
+They were guided, to an extent, by the flashes of fire from the
+rifles, but these were only momentary. Still some of our friends
+received slight wounds, for they stood on the open deck of the
+craft.
+
+"Bless my eye-glasses!" suddenly exclaimed Mr. Damon. "I'm stuck!"
+
+"Don't mind that!" advised Ned. "Keep on pouring lead into them.
+We'll soon be away from here!"
+
+"Don't fire any more!" called Mr. Durban. "The gun-flashes tell them
+where to shoot. I'll use the electric rifle. It's better."
+
+They followed his advice, and put aside their weapons. By means of
+the electric flash, which he projected into the midst of the
+savages, without the glare coming on the airship, Mr. Durban was
+able to tell where to aim. Once he had a mass of red pygmies
+located, he could keep on shooting charge after charge into their
+midst.
+
+"Use it full power!" called Tom, as he opened the gas machine to its
+widest capacity, so the bag would quickly fill, and the craft be
+sent forward, for it was so dark, and the ground near the huts so
+uneven, that the Black Hawk could not rise as an aeroplane.
+
+The elephant hunter turned on full strength in the electric gun and
+the wireless bullets were sent into the midst of the attackers. The
+result was surprising. They were so closely packed together that
+when one was hit the electrical shock was sent through his nearly
+naked body into the naked bodies of his tribesmen who pressed on
+every side of him. In consequence whole rows of the savages went
+down at a time, disabled from fighting any more.
+
+Meanwhile Tom was working frantically to hasten the rising of the
+airship. His neck pained him very much where the arrow had struck
+him, but he dared not stop now to dress the wound. He could feel the
+blood running down his side, but he shut his teeth grimly and said
+nothing.
+
+The two missionaries, scarcely able to believe that they were to be
+saved, had been shown into an inner cabin by Tomba, who had become
+somewhat used to the airship by this time, and who could find his
+way about well in the dark, for no lights had yet been turned on.
+
+Hundreds of pygmies had been disabled, yet still others came to take
+their places. The gas bag was again punctured in several places, but
+the rents were small, and Tom knew that he could make the gas faster
+than it could escape, unless the bag was ripped open.
+
+"They're climbing up the sides!" suddenly called Ned Newton, for he
+saw several of the little men clambering up. "What shall we do?"
+
+"Pound their fingers!" called Mr. Anderson. "Get clubs and whack
+them!" It was good advice. Ned remembered on one occasion when he
+and Tom were looking at Andy Foger's airship, how this method had
+been proposed when the bank clerk hung on the back fence. As he
+grabbed up a stick, and proceeded to pound the hands and bare arms
+of the savages who were clinging to the railing, Ned found himself
+wondering what had become of the bully. He was to see Andy sooner
+than he expected.
+
+Suddenly in the midst of the fighting, which was now a hand-to-hand
+conflict, there was a tremor throughout the length of the airship.
+
+"She's going up!" yelled Ned.
+
+"Bless my check-book!" cried Mr. Damon, "if we don't look out some
+of these red imps will go up with us, too!"
+
+As he spoke he whacked vigorously at the hands of several of the
+pygmies, who dropped off with howls of anguish.
+
+The craft quickly shot upward. There were yells of terror from a few
+of the red savages who remained clinging to different parts of the
+Black Hawk and then, fearing they might be taken to the clouds,
+they, too, dropped off. The rescuers and rescued mounted higher and
+higher, and, when they were far enough up so that there was no
+danger from the spears or arrows, Tom switched on the lights, and
+turned the electric current into the search-lantern, the rays of
+which beamed down on the mass of yelling and baffled savages below.
+
+"A few shots for them to remember us by!" cried Mr. Durban, as he
+sent more of the paralyzing electric currents into the red imps.
+Their yell of rage had now turned to shouts of terror, for the
+gleaming beam of light frightened them more than did the airship, or
+the bullets of the white men. The red pygmies fled to their huts.
+
+"I guess we gave them a lesson," remarked Tom, as he started the
+propellers and sent the ship on through the night.
+
+"Why, Tom! You're hurt!" cried Ned, who came into the pilot house at
+that moment, and saw blood on his chum.
+
+"Only a scratch," the young inventor declared.
+
+"It's more than that," said Mr. Durban who looked at it a little
+later. "It must be bound up, Tom."
+
+And, while Ned steered the ship back to the jungle clearing whence
+they had come to make the night attack, Tom's wound was dressed.
+
+Meanwhile the two missionaries had been well taken care of. They
+were given other garments, even some dresses being provided for Mrs.
+Illingway, for when the voyage was begun Tom had considered the
+possibility of having a woman on board, and had bought some ladies'
+garments. Then, having cast down to earth the ill-smelling skins
+which formed their clothes while captives, Mr. and Mrs. Illingway,
+decently dressed, thanked Tom and the others over and over again.
+
+"We had almost given up hope," said the lady, "when we saw them
+drive you back after the first attack. Oh, it is wonderful to think
+how you saved us, and in an airship!" and she and her husband began
+their thanks over again.
+
+A good meal was prepared by Mr. Damon, for the rescuers and rescued
+ones were hungry, and since they had been held prisoners the two
+missionaries had not been given very good food.
+
+"Oh, it hardly seems possible that we are eating with white men
+again," said Mr. Illingway, as he took a second cup of coffee,
+"hardly possible!"
+
+"And to see electric lights, instead of a camp-fire," added his
+wife. "What a wonderful airship you have, Tom Swift."
+
+"Yes, it's pretty good," he admitted. "It came in useful to-night,
+all right."
+
+They were now far enough from the savages, and the pygmies' fires,
+which had been set aglow anew when the attack began, could no longer
+be observed.
+
+"We'll land at the place where we camped before," said Tom, who had
+again assumed charge of the ship, "and in the morning we'll start
+for civilization."
+
+"No can get two other white men?" suddenly asked Tomba, who had been
+sitting, gazing at his recovered master and mistress. "Fly-ship go
+back, an' leave two white mans here?" the black asked.
+
+"What in the world does he mean?" demanded Tom. "Of course we're not
+going to leave any of our party behind!"
+
+"Let me question him," suggested Mr. Illingway, and he began to talk
+to the African in his own tongue. A rapid conversation followed, and
+a look of amazement spread over the faces of the two missionaries,
+as they listened.
+
+"What is it?" asked Mr. Durban. "What does Tomba say?"
+
+"Why the pygmies have two other white men in captivity," said Mr.
+Illingway. "They were brought in yesterday, after you were driven
+away. Two white men, or, rather a white man and a youth, according
+to Tomba. They are held in one of the huts near where we were, but
+tied so they couldn't escape in the confusion."
+
+"How does Tomba know this?" asked Mr. Damon.
+
+"He says," translated Mr. Illingway, after more questioning of the
+black, "that he heard the red pygmies boasting of it after we had
+escaped. Tomba says he heard them say that, though we were gone, and
+could not be killed, or sacrificed, the other two captives would
+meet that horrible fate."
+
+"Two other white captives in the hands of the red imps!" murmured
+Tom. "We must rescue them!"
+
+"You're not going to turn back now, are you?" asked Mr. Durban.
+
+"No, but I will as soon as I look the ship over. We'll come back
+to-morrow. And we'll have to make a day attack or it will be too late
+to save them. Two other white captives! I wonder who they can be."
+
+There was a big surprise in store for Tom Swift.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV
+
+THE ROGUE ELEPHANT--CONCLUSION
+
+
+Early the next day the airship was again afloat. The night, what
+little of darkness remained after the rescue, had been spent in the
+clearing in the dense jungle. Some slight repairs had been made to
+the craft, and it was once more in readiness to be used in battle
+against the relentless savages.
+
+"We can't wait for darkness," declared Tom. "In the first place
+there isn't time, and again, we don't know in what part of the
+village the other captives are. We'll have to hunt around."
+
+"And that means going right down into the midst of the imps and
+fighting them hand to hand," said Ned.
+
+"That's what it means," assented Tom grimly, "but I guess the powder
+bombs will help some."
+
+Before starting they had prepared a number of improvised bombs,
+filled with powder, which could be set off by percussion. It was the
+plan to drop these down from the airship, into the midst of the
+savages. When the bomb struck the ground, or even on the bodies of
+the red dwarfs, it would explode. It was hoped that these would so
+dismay the little men that they would desert the village, and leave
+the way clear for a search to be made for the other captives.
+
+On rushed the Black Hawk. There was to be no concealment this time,
+and Tom did not care how much noise the motors made. Accordingly he
+turned on full speed.
+
+It was not long before the big plain was again sighted. Everything
+was in readiness, and the bombs were at hand to be dropped
+overboard. Tom counted on the natives gathering together in great
+masses as soon as they sighted the airship, and this would give him
+the opportunity wanted.
+
+But something different transpired. No sooner was the craft above
+the village, than from all the huts came pouring out the little red
+men. But they did not gather together--at least just then. They ran
+about excitedly, and it could be seen that they were bringing from
+the huts the rude household utensils in which they did their
+primitive cooking. The women had their babies, and some, not so
+encumbered, carried rolls of grass matting. The men had all their
+weapons.
+
+"Bless my wagon wheel!" cried Mr. Damon. "What's going on?"
+
+"It looks like moving day," suggested Ned Newton.
+
+"That's just what it is!" declared Mr. Durban. "They are going to
+migrate. Evidently they have had enough of us, and they're going to
+get out of the neighborhood before we get a chance to do any more
+damage. They're moving, but where are the white captives?"
+
+He was answered a moment later, for a crowd of the dwarfs rushing to
+a certain hut, came out leading two persons by means of bark ropes
+tied about their necks. It was too far off to enable Tom or the
+others to recognize them, but they could tell by the clothing that
+they were white captives.
+
+"We've got to save them!" exclaimed the young inventor.
+
+"How?" asked Mr. Damon. And, indeed, it did seem a puzzle for, even
+as Tom looked, the whole tribe of red imps took up the march into
+the jungle, dragging the white persons with them. The captives
+looked up, saw the airship, and made frantic motions for help. It
+was too far off, yet, to hear their voices. But the distance was
+lessening every moment, for Tom had speeded the motor to the highest
+pitch.
+
+"What are you going to do?" demanded Ned.
+
+"I'll show you," answered his chum. "Take some of those bombs, and
+be ready to drop them overboard when I give the word."
+
+"But we may kill those white people," objected Ned.
+
+"Not the way I'm going to work it. You drop them when I give the
+word."
+
+Tom steered the airship toward the head of the throng of blacks. The
+captives were in the rear, and the van of the strange procession was
+near the edge of the jungle now. Once the red dwarfs got into the
+tangle of underbrush they could never be found, and their captives
+would die a miserable death.
+
+"We've got to stop them," murmured Tom. "Are you ready, Ned?"
+
+"Ready!"
+
+"Then drop the bombs!"
+
+Ned dropped them. A sharp explosion was heard, and the head of the
+procession was blown apart and thrown into confusion. The throng
+halted.
+
+"Drop more!" cried Tom, sending the ship about in a circle, and
+hovering it over the middle of the press of savages.
+
+More of the deadly bombs exploded. The pygmies were running about
+wildly. Tom, who was closely watching the rear of the cavalcade,
+suddenly called out:
+
+"Now's our chance! They've let their captives go, and are running
+into the jungle. We must swoop down, and get the prisoners!"
+
+It was no sooner said than the nose of the Black Hawk was pointed
+downward. Onward it flew, the two captives wildly waving their hands
+to the rescuers. There was no more danger from the red savages. They
+had been thrown into panic and confusion, and were rapidly
+disappearing into the forest. The terrible weapons of the whites had
+been too much for them.
+
+"Quick! Get on board!" called Tom, as he brought the machinery to a
+stop. The airship now rested on the ground, close to the former
+captives. "Get in here!" shouted the young inventor. "They may
+change their minds and come back."
+
+The two white persons ran toward the Black Hawk. Then one of them--the
+smaller--halted and cried out:
+
+"Why, it's Tom Swift!"
+
+Tom turned and glanced at the speaker. A look of astonishment spread
+over his face.
+
+"Andy Foger--here!" gasped Tom. "How in the world--?"
+
+"I dink besser as ve git on der board, und dalk aftervard!"
+exclaimed Andy's companion, who spoke with a strong German accent.
+"I like not dose red little mans."
+
+In another minute the two rescued ones were safe on Tom Swift's
+airship, and it had arisen high enough to be out of all danger.
+
+"How in the world did you ever get here?" asked Tom of the lad who
+had so often been his enemy.
+
+"I'll tell you soon," spoke Andy, "but first, Tom, I want to ask
+your forgiveness for all I've done to you, and to thank you, from
+the bottom of my heart, for saving us. I thought we were going to be
+killed by those dwarfs; didn't you, Herr Landbacher?"
+
+"Sure I did. But ve are all right now. Dis machine is efen besser as
+mine vot vos lost. Is dere anyt'ing to eats, on board, if you vill
+excuse me for being so bolt as to ask?"
+
+"Plenty to eat," said Tom, laughing, "and while you eat you can tell
+us your story. And as for you, Andy, I hope we'll be friends from
+now on," and Tom held out his hand.
+
+There was not much to tell that the reader has not already guessed.
+Andy and the German, as has been explained, went abroad to give
+airship flights. They were in the lower part of Egypt, and a sudden
+gale drove them into Africa.
+
+For a long time they sailed on, and then their fuel gave out, and
+they had to descend into the jungle. They managed to fall in with
+some friendly blacks, who treated them well. The airship was useless
+without gasolene, and it was abandoned.
+
+Andy and the German inventor were planning to walk to some white
+settlement, when the tribe they were with was attacked by the red
+dwarfs and vanquished. Andy and his friend were taken prisoners, and
+carried to the very village where the missionaries were, just before
+the latter's rescue.
+
+Then came the fight, and the saving of Andy and the German, almost
+at the last minute.
+
+"Well, you certainly had nearly as many adventures as we did," said
+Tom. "But I guess they're over now."
+
+But they were not. For several days the airship sailed on over the
+jungles without making a descent. Mr. and Mrs. Illingway wished to
+be landed at a white settlement where they had other missionary
+friends. Tom would go with them. This was done, and Tom and the
+others spent some time in this place, receiving so many kinds of
+thanks that they had to protest.
+
+Andy and Herr Landbacher asked to be taken back to the coast, where
+they could get a steamer to America. Andy was a very different lad
+now, and not the bully of old.
+
+"Well, hadn't we better be thinking of getting back home?" asked Tom
+one day.
+
+"Not until we get some more ivory," declared Mr. Durban. "I think
+we'll have to have another elephant hunt."
+
+They did, about a week later, and got some magnificent tusks. Tom's
+electric rifle did great work, to the wonder of Andy and Mr.
+Landbacher, who had never before seen such a curious weapon. They
+also did some night hunting.
+
+"But we haven't got that pair of extra large tusks that I want,"
+said the old hunter, as he looked at the store of ivory accumulated
+after the last hunt. "I want those, and then I'll be satisfied.
+There is one section of the country that we have not touched as yet,
+and I'd like to visit that."
+
+"Then let's go," proposed Tom, so, good-bys having been said to the
+missionaries, who sent greetings to their friends in America, and to
+the church people who had arranged for their rescue, the airship was
+once more sent to the deepest part of a certain jungle, where Mr.
+Durban hoped to get what he wanted.
+
+They had another big hunt, but none of the elephants had any
+remarkable tusks, and the hunter was about to give up in despair,
+and call the expedition over, when one afternoon, as they were
+sailing along high enough to merely clear the tops of the trees, Tom
+heard a great crashing down below.
+
+"There's something there," he called to Mr. Durban. "Perhaps a small
+herd of elephants. Shall we go down?"
+
+Before Mr. Durban could answer there came into view, in a small
+clearing, an elephant of such size, and with such an enormous pair
+of tusks, that the young inventor and the old hunter could not
+repress cries of astonishment.
+
+"There's your beast!" said Tom. "I'll go down and you can pot him,"
+and, as he spoke, Tom stopped the propellers, so that the ship hung
+motionless in the air above where the gigantic brute was.
+
+Suddenly, as though possessed by a fit of rage, the elephant rushed
+at a good-sized tree and began butting it with his head. Then,
+winding his trunk around it he pulled it up by the roots, and began
+trampling on it out of a paroxysm of anger.
+
+"A rogue elephant!" exclaimed Mr. Durban. "Don't go down if you
+value your life, or the safety of the airship. If we attacked that
+brute on the ground, we would be the hunted instead of the hunters.
+That's a rogue elephant of the worst kind, and he's at the height of
+his rage."
+
+This was indeed so, for the beast was tearing about the clearing
+like mad, breaking off trees, and uprooting them in sheer
+wantonness. Tom knew what a "rogue" elephant was. It is a beast that
+goes away from the herd, and lives solitary and alone, attacking
+every living thing that comes in his way. It is a species of
+madness, a disease which attacks elephants and sometimes passes
+away. More often the afflicted creature gives battle to everything
+and every animal he meets until he is killed or carried off by his
+malady. It was such an elephant that Tom now saw, and he realized
+what the hunter said about attacking one, as he saw the brute's mad
+rushes.
+
+"Well, if it's dangerous to attack him on the ground, we'll kill him
+from up above," said the young inventor. "Here is the electric
+rifle, Mr. Durban. I'll let you have the honor of getting those
+tusks. My! But they're whoppers! Better use almost a full charge.
+Don't take any chances on merely wounding him, and having him rush
+off to the jungle."
+
+"I won't," said the old hunter, and he adjusted the electric rifle
+which Tom handed him.
+
+As the great beast was tearing around, trumpeting shrilly and
+breaking off trees Mr. Durban fired. The creature sank down,
+instantly killed, and was out of his misery, for often it is great
+pain which makes an otherwise peaceable elephant become a "rogue."
+
+"He's done for," said Ned. "I guess you have the tusks you want now,
+Mr. Durban."
+
+"I think so," agreed the hunter, and when the airship was sent down,
+and the ivory cut out, it was found that the tusks were even larger
+than they had supposed. "It is a prize worth having," said Mr.
+Durban. "I'm sure my customer will think so, too. Now I'm ready to
+head for the coast."
+
+Tom Swift went to the engine room, while the last big tusks were
+being stored away with the other ivory. Several parts of the motor
+needed oiling, and Ned was assisting in this work.
+
+"Going to start soon?" asked Mr. Durban, appearing in the doorway.
+
+"Yes; why?" inquired Tom, who noted an anxious note in the voice of
+the hunter.
+
+"Well, I don't like staying longer in this jungle than I can help.
+It's not healthy in the first place, and then it's a wild and
+desolate place, where all sorts of wild beasts are lurking, and
+where wandering hands of natives may appear at any time."
+
+"You don't mean that the red pygmies will come back; do you?" asked
+Ned.
+
+"There's no telling," replied Mr. Durban with a shrug of his
+shoulders. "Only, as long as we've got what we're after, I'd start
+off as soon as possible."
+
+"Yes, don't run any chances with those little red men," begged Andy
+Foger, who had given himself up for lost when he and his companion
+fell into their hands.
+
+"Radder vould I be mit cannibals dan dose little imps!" spoke the
+German fervently.
+
+"We'll start at once," declared Tom. "Are you all aboard, and is
+everything loaded into the airship?"
+
+"Everything, I guess." answered Mr. Anderson.
+
+Tom looked to the motor, saw that it was in working order, and
+shoved over the lever of the gas machine to begin the generating of
+the lifting vapor. To his surprise there was no corresponding hiss
+that told of the gas rushing into the bag.
+
+"That's odd," he remarked. "Ned, see if anything is wrong with that
+machine. I'll pull the lever again."
+
+The bank clerk stood beside the apparatus, while Tom worked the
+handle, but whatever was the matter with it was too intricate or
+complicated for Ned to solve.
+
+"I can't see what ails it," he called to his chum. "You better have
+a peep."
+
+"All right, I'll look if you work the handle."
+
+The passengers on the airship, which now rested in a little clearing
+in the dense jungle, gathered at the engine room door, looking at
+Tom and Ned as they worked over the machine.
+
+"Bless my pulley wheel!" exclaimed Mr. Damon "I hope nothing has
+gone wrong."
+
+"Well something has!" declared the young inventor in a muffled
+voice, for he was down on his hands and knees peering under the gas
+apparatus. "One of the compression cylinders has cracked," he added
+dubiously. "It must have snapped when we landed this last time. I
+came down too heavily."
+
+"What does that mean?" asked Mr. Durban, who did not know much about
+machinery.
+
+"It means that I've got to put a new cylinder in," went on Tom.
+"It's quite a job, too, but we can't make gas without it!"
+
+"Well, can't you do it just as well up in the air as down here?"
+asked Mr. Durban. "Make an ascension, Tom, and do the repairs up
+above, where we've got good air, and where--"
+
+He paused suddenly, and seemed to be listening.
+
+"What is it?" asked the young inventor quickly. There was no need to
+answer, for, from the jungle without, came the dull booming of the
+war drums of some natives.
+
+"That's what I was afraid of!" cried the old elephant hunter,
+catching up his gun. "Some black scout has seen us and is summoning
+his tribesmen. Hurry, Tom, send up the ship, and we'll take care of
+the savages."
+
+"But I CAN'T send her up!" cried Tom.
+
+"You can't? Why not?"
+
+"Because the gas machine won't work until I put in a new cylinder,
+and that will take at least a half a day."
+
+"Go up as an aeroplane then!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my monkey
+wrench, Tom, you've often done it before."
+
+For answer Tom waved his hand toward the thick jungle all about
+them.
+
+"We haven't room to get a running start of ten feet." he said, "and
+without a start the airship can never rise as a mere aeroplane. The
+only way we can get up from the jungle is like a balloon, and
+without the gas--"
+
+He paused significantly. The sound of the war drums became louder,
+and to it was added a weird singing chant.
+
+"The natives!" cried Mr. Anderson. "They're coming right this way!
+We must fight them off if they attack us!"
+
+"Where's the electric rifle?" asked Ned. "Get that out, Tom!"
+
+"Wait!" suggested Mr. Durban. "This is serious! It looks as if they
+were going to attack us, and they have us at a disadvantage. Our
+only safety is in flight, but as Tom says we can't go up until the
+gas machine is fixed, he will have to attend to that part of it
+while we keep off the black men. Tom, we can't spare you to fight
+this time! You repair the ship as soon as you can, and we'll guard
+her from the natives. And you've got to work lively!"
+
+"I will!" cried the young inventor. "It's luck we have a spare
+cylinder!"
+
+Suddenly there was a louder shout in the jungle and it was followed
+by a riot of sound. War drums were beaten, tom-toms clashed and the
+natives howled.
+
+"Here they are!" cried Mr. Anderson.
+
+"Bless my suspenders!" shouted Mr. Damon. "Where is my gun?"
+
+"Here, you take mine, and I'll use the electric rifle," answered the
+elephant hunter. As he spoke there was a hissing sound in the air
+and a flight of spears passed over the airship.
+
+The defenders slipped outside, while Tom, with Ned to help him,
+worked feverishly to repair the break. They were in a serious
+strait, for with the airship practically helpless they were at the
+mercy of the natives. And as Tom glanced momentarily from the
+window, he saw scores of black, half-naked forms slipping in and out
+among the trees and trailing vines.
+
+Soon the rifles of his friends began to crack, and the yells of the
+natives were changed to howls of anguish. The electric weapon,
+though it made no noise, did great execution.
+
+"I only hope they don't puncture the gas bag," murmured Tom, as he
+began taking the generating machine apart so as to get out the
+cracked cylinder.
+
+"If they do, it's all up with us," murmured Ned.
+
+After their first rush, finding that the white men were on the
+alert, the blacks withdrew some distance, where their spears and
+arrows were not so effective. Our friends, including Andy Foger, and
+the German, kept up a hot fire whenever a skulking black form could
+be seen.
+
+But, though the danger from the spears and arrows was less, a new
+peril presented itself. This was from the blow guns. The curious
+weapons shot small arrows, tipped with tufts of a cottony substance
+in place of feathers, and could be sent for a long distance. The
+barbs were not strong enough to pierce the tough fabric of the gas
+bag, as a spear or arrow would have done, but there was more danger
+from them to our friends who were on deck.
+
+"Those barbs may be poisoned," said Mr. Durban, "and in case any one
+is wounded, the wound, though it be but a scratch, must be treated
+with antiseptics. I have some."
+
+This course was followed, the elephant hunter being wounded twice,
+and Andy Foger and Mr. Damon once each. There was not a native to be
+seen now, for they were hiding behind the trees of the jungle, but
+every now and then a blowgun barb would whizz out of the forest.
+
+Finally Mr. Durban suggested that they erect improvised shelters,
+behind which they could stand with their rifle, and breastworks were
+made out of packing boxes. Then our friends were comparatively safe.
+But they had to be on the alert, and it was nervous work, for they
+could not tell what minute the blacks would rush from the jungle,
+and, in spite of the fire from the electric rifle and other guns,
+overwhelm the ship.
+
+It was very trying to Tom and Ned, for they had to work hard and
+rapidly in the close engine room. The sweat dripped down off them,
+but they kept at it. It was three hours before the broken cylinder
+was removed, and it was no light task to put in the other, for the
+valves had to be made very tight to prevent leakage.
+
+The two lads stopped to get something to eat, while the guards kept
+sharp watch against a surprise. At intervals came a flight of barbs,
+and occasionally a black form could be seen, when it was instantly
+fired at. Several times the barbaric noise of the tom-toms and war
+drums, with which the shouts of the natives mingled, broke out
+deafeningly.
+
+"Think you can repair it by night?" asked Mr. Durban anxiously of
+Tom.
+
+"I hope so," was the response.
+
+"Because if we have to stay here after dark--well, I don't want to
+do it if I can help it," finished the hunter.
+
+Neither did the young inventor, and he redoubled his efforts to make
+the repairs. It was getting dark when the last belt was in place,
+and it was high time, too, for the natives were getting bolder,
+creeping up through the forest to within shooting distance with
+their arrows and spears.
+
+"There!" cried Tom at length. "Now we'll see if she works!" Once
+more he pulled the starting lever, and this time there was the
+welcome hiss of the gas.
+
+"Hurrah!" cried Ned.
+
+The young inventor turned the machine on at full power. In a few
+minutes the Black Hawk trembled through her length.
+
+"She's going up! Bless my balloon basket! She's going up!" cried Mr.
+Damon.
+
+The natives must have suspected that something unusual was going on,
+for they made a sudden rush, yelling and beating their drums. Mr.
+Durban and the others hurried out on deck and fired at them, but
+there was little more need. With a bound the airship left the earth,
+being rapidly carried up by the gas. The blacks sent a final shower
+of spears after her, but only one was effective, slightly wounding
+the German. Then Tom started the motor, the propellers whizzed, and
+the Black Hawk was once more under way, just as night settled over
+the jungle, and upon the horde of black and howling savages that
+rushed around, maddened over the escape of their intended victims.
+
+No further accidents marred the trip to the coast, which was reached
+in due time, and very glad our friends were to be away from the
+jungle and the land of the red pygmies.
+
+A division was made of the ivory, and Tom's share was large enough
+to provide him with a substantial amount. Ned and Mr. Damon were
+also given a goodly sum from the sale of the tusks. The big ones,
+from the "rogue," were shipped to the man who had commissioned Mr.
+Durban to secure them for him.
+
+"Well, now for home," said Tom, when the airship had been taken
+apart for shipment. "I guess you'll be glad to get back to the
+United States, won't you, friends?"
+
+"That's what," agreed Andy Foger. "I think I'm done with airships.
+Ugh! When I think of those red dwarfs I can't sleep nights!"
+
+"Yah, dot iss so!" agreed the German.
+
+"Well, I'm going to settle down for a time," declared Tom. "I've had
+enough adventures for a while, but those in elephant land--"
+
+"They certainly put it all over the things that happen to some
+people!" interrupted Ned with a laugh.
+
+"Bless my fish-line, that's so!" agreed Mr. Damon.
+
+But Tom Swift was not done with adventures, and what farther
+happened to him may be learned by reading the next volume of this
+series, which will be entitled, "Tom Swift in the City of Gold; or,
+Marvelous Adventures Underground."
+
+They all made a safe and pleasant voyage home, and as news of the
+rescue of the missionaries had been cabled to America, Tom and his
+friends were met, as they left the steamer, by a crowd of newspaper
+reporters, who got a good story of the battle with the red pygmies,
+though Tom was inclined to make light of his part in the affair.
+
+"Now for Shopton, home, Dad, Eradicate Sampson and his mule!"
+exclaimed Tom, as they boarded a train in New York.
+
+"And somebody else, too, I guess; eh?" asked Ned of his chum,
+with a laugh.
+
+"That's none of your affair!" declared Tom, as he blushed,
+and then he, too, joined in the merriment.
+
+And now, for a time, we will say good-by to the young inventor
+and his friends.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Tom Swift and his Electric Rifle, by
+Victor Appleton
+
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