“You haven’t anything on hand; have you, Tom?” asked the odd gentleman, after peering through the crack to make sure they were unobserved.

“Nothing at all, if you mean in the line of going off on an adventure trip.”

“That’s what I mean.  Bless my earlaps! but I’m glad of that.  I’ve got just the thing for you.  Tom, I want you to go to a strange land, and bring back one of the biggest men there—­a giant!  Tom Swift, you and I and Ned—­if he wants to go—­are going after a giant!”

Mr. Damon gleefully clapped Tom on the back, with such vigor that our hero coughed, and then the odd gentleman stepped back and gazed at the two lads, a look of triumph shining in his eyes.

For a moment there was a silence.  Tom looked at Ned, and Ned gave his chum a quick glance.  Then they both looked sharply at Mr. Damon.

“A—­a giant,” murmured Tom faintly.

“That’s what I said,” replied Mr. Damon.  “I want you to help me capture a giant, Tom.”

Once more the two youths exchanged significant glances, and then Tom, in a low and gentle voice said: 

“Yes, Mr. Damon, that’s all right.  We’ll get you a giant right away.  Won’t we, Ned?  Now you’d better come in the house and lie down, I’ll have Mrs. Baggert make you a cup of tea, and after you have had a sleep you’ll feel better.  Come on,” and the young inventor gently tried to lead his friend out from behind the shed door.

“Look here, Tom Swift!” exclaimed the odd gentleman indignantly.  “Do you think I’m crazy?  Lie down?  Rest myself?  Go to sleep?  Say, I’m not crazy!  I’m not tired!  I’m not sleepy!  This is the greatest chance you ever had, and if we get one of those giants—­”

“Yes, yes, we’ll get one,” put in Ned soothingly.

“Of course,” added Tom.  “Come on, now, Mr. Damon.  You’ll feel better after you’ve had a rest.  Dr. Perkinby is coming over to see father and I’ll have him—­”

Mr. Damon gave one startled glance at the young inventor and his chum, and then burst into a peal of hearty laughter.

“Oh, my!” he exclaimed at intervals in his pyroxisms.  “Oh, dear!  He thinks I’m out of my head!  He can’t stand that talk about giants!  Oh dear!  Tom Swift, this is the greatest chance you ever had!  Come on in the house and I’ll tell you all I know about giant land, and then if you want to think I’m crazy you can, that’s all I’ve got to say!”

CHAPTER II

THE CIRCUS MAN

Without a word Tom and Ned followed Mr. Damon toward the Swift house.  Truth to tell the youths did not know what to say, or they would have been bubbling over with questions.  But the talk of the odd man, and his strange request to Tom to go off and capture a giant had so startled the young inventor and his chum that they did not know whether to think that Mr. Damon was joking, or whether he had suddenly taken leave of his senses.