“I guess His Royal Highness is about to appear,” said Tom grimly.

“Yes, maybe we’d better kneel, too,” spoke Ned.

“Not much!  We’re citizens of the United States, and we don’t kneel to anybody.  I’m going to stand up.”

“So am I!” said Mr. Damon.

An instant later the grass mat that formed the front door of the “palace” was drawn aside, and there stood confronting our hero and his friends, the King of Giant Land.  And a mighty king was he in size, for he must have been a shade over ten feet tall, while on either side of him was a man nearly as big as himself.

Once more Oom boomed out a mighty shout and, kneeling as the giants were, they took it up, repeating it three times.  The king raised his hand as though in blessing upon his people, and then, eyeing Tom and his three friends he beckoned them to approach.

“He wants to see us at close range,” whispered the young inventor.  “Come on, Ned and Mr. Damon.  Trail along, Eradicate.”

“Good—­good land ob massy!” stammered the colored man.  And then the little party advanced into the “palace” of the giant king.

CHAPTER XVI

THE RIVAL CIRCUS MAN

Tom Swift gazed fearlessly into the face of the giant ruler who confronted him.  The young inventor said later that he had made up his mind that to show no fear was the only way of impressing the big king, for surely no show of strength could have done it.  With one hand the giant could have crushed the life from our hero.  But evidently he had no such intentions, for after gazing curiously at the four travelers who stood before him, and looking for some time at the honest, black face of Eradicate, the king made a motion for them to sit down.  They did, upon grass mats in the big hut that formed the palace of the ruler.

It was not a very elaborate place, but then the king’s wants were few and easily satisfied.  The place was clean, Tom was glad to note.

The king, who was addressed by his subjects as Kosk, as nearly as Tom could get it, asked some questions of Oom, who seemed to be the chief of the hunters.  Thereupon the man who had looked into Tom’s and Ned’s tent that morning, and who had followed them into the palace, began a recital of how he had found the little travelers.  Though Tom and his friends could not understand a word of the language, it was comparatively easy to follow the narrative by the gestures used.

Then the king asked several questions, others of the hunting party were sent for and quizzed, and finally the ruler seemed satisfied, for he rattled off a string of talk in his deep, booming voice.

Truly he was a magnificent specimen of manhood, being as I have said, about ten feet tall, and built in proportion.  On either side of him, upon rude benches covered with soft jaguar skins, sat two men, evidently his brothers, for they looked much like the king.  One was called Tola and the other Koku, for the ruler addressed them from time to time, and seemed to be asking their advice.