There were about ten natives standing in the camp—­veritable giants, big men in every way.  The young inventor had once seen a giant in a circus, and, allowing for shoes with very thick soles which the big man wore, his height was a little over seven feet.  But these South American giants seemed more than a foot higher than that, none of those who had stumbled upon the camp being less than eight feet.

“And I believe there must be bigger ones in their land, wherever that is,” said Tom.  Nor were these giants tall and thin, as was the one Tom had seen, but stout, and well proportioned.  They were savages, that was evident, but the curious part of it was that they were almost white, and looked much like the pictures of the old Norsemen.

But, best of all, they seemed good-natured, for they were continually laughing or smiling, and though they looked with wonder on the pile of boxes and bales, and on the four travelers, they seemed more bewildered and amused, than vindictive that their country should have been invaded.  Evidently the fears of the natives who had told Tom about the giants had been unfounded.

By this time Mr. Damon and Eradicate had come from their tents, and were gazing with startled eyes at the giants who surrounded them.

“Bless my walking stick!” exclaimed Mr. Damon.  “Is it possible?”

“Yes, we’ve arrived!” cried Tom.  “Now to see what happens.  I wonder if they’ll take us to their village, and I wonder if I can get one of these giants for Mr. Preston’s circus?”

“You certainly can’t unless he wants to come,” declared Ned.  “You’d have a hard tussle trying to carry one of these fellows away against his will, Tom.”

“I sure would.  I’ll have to make inducements.  Well, I wonder what is best to do?”

The giant who had looked in the tent of Ned and Tom, and who appeared to be the leader of the party, now spoke in his big, booming voice.  He seemed to be asking Tom a question, but the young inventor could not understand the language.  Tom replied in Spanish, giving a short account of why he and his companions had come to the country, but the giant shook his head.  Then Mr. Damon, who knew several languages, tried all of them—­but it was of no use.

“We’ve got to go back to signs,” declared Tom, and then, as best he could, he indicated that he and the others had come from afar to seek the giants.  He doubted whether he was understood, and he decided to wait until later to try and make them acquainted with the fact that he wanted one of them to come back with him.

The head giant nodded, showing that at least he understood something, and then spoke to his companions.  They conversed in their loud voices for some time, and then motioned to the pack animals.

“I guess they want us to come along,” said Torn, “but let’s have breakfast first.  Rad, get things going.  Maybe the giants will have some coffee and condensed milk, though they’ll have to take about ten cupsful to make them think they’ve had anything.  Make a lot of coffee, Rad.”