“Then these chaps aren’t so wonderful,” replied Ned.

“Oh, we haven’t seen them all yet.  We may find some bigger than these fellows, though any one of these would be a prize for a museum.  Not a one is less than eight feet, and if we could get one say ten feet—­that would be a find.”

“Rather an awkward one,” commented Ned.

It did not seem possible that they were really in giant land, yet such was the fact.  Of course the country itself was no different from any other part of the jungle, for merely because big men lived in it did not make the trees or plants any larger.

“I tell you how I account for it,” said Tom, as they traveled on.  “These men originally belonged to a race of people noted for their great size.  Then they must have lived under favorable conditions, had plenty of flesh and bone-forming food, and after several generations they gradually grew larger.  You know that by feeding the right kind of food to animals you can make them bigger, while if they get the wrong kind they are runts, or dwarfs.”

“Oh, yes; that’s a well-known fact,” chimed in Mr. Damon.

“Then why not with human beings?” went on Tom.  “There’s nothing wonderful in this.”

“No, but it will be wonderful if we get away with one of these giants,” spoke Ned grimly.

Further talk was interrupted by a sudden shouting on the part of the big men.  Oom made some rapid motions to Tom, and a little later they emerged from the woods upon a large, grassy plain, on the other side of which could be seen a cluster of big grass and mud huts.

“There is the city of the giants!” cried Tom, and so it proved, a little later, when they got to it.

Now there was nothing remarkable about this city or native town.  It was just like any other in the wilder parts of South America or Africa.  There was a central place, where, doubtless, the natives gathered on market days, and from this the huts of the inhabitants stretched out in irregular lines, like streets.  Off to one side of the “market square,” as Tom called it, was a large hut, surrounded by several smaller ones, and from the manner in which it was laid out, and decorated, it was evident that this was the “palace” of the king, or chief ruler.

“Say, look at that fellow!” cried Ned, pointing to a giant who was just entering the “palace” as Tom dubbed the big hut.  “He looks eleven feet if he’s an inch.”

“I believe you!” cried Tom.  “Say, I wonder how big the king is?”

“I don’t know, but he must be a top-notcher.  I wonder what will happen to us?”

Oom, who had Tom and his party in charge, led them to the “palace” and it was evident that they were going to be presented to the chief or native king.  Back of our friends stretched out their pack train, the beasts carrying the boxes and bales.  Surrounding them were nearly all the inhabitants of the giants’ town, and when the cavalcade had come to a halt in front of the “palace,” Oom raised his voice in a mighty shout.  It was taken up by the populace, and then every one of them knelt down.