“I wonder what’s up now?” asked Tom, pausing with upraised fork.

“Maybe the king is coming to see us,” suggested Ned.

“I’ll look,” volunteered Mr. Damon, as he went to the door.  Then he called quickly: 

“Tom!  Ned!  Look!  It’s that minister we met on the ship—­Reverend Josiah Blinderpool!  How in the world did he ever get here?  And how strangely he’s dressed!”

Well might Mr. Damon say this, for the supposed clergyman was attired in a big checked suit, a red vest, a tall hat and white canvas shoes.  In fact he was almost like some theatrical performer.

The gaudily-dressed man was accompanied by two natives, and all rode mules, and there were three other animals, laden with packs on either side.

“What’s his game?” mused Ned.

The answer came quickly and from the man himself.  Riding forward toward the king’s hut or palace, while the populace of wondering giants followed behind, the man raised his voice in a triumphant announcement.

“Here at last!” he cried.  “In giant land!  And I’m ahead of Tom Swift for all his tricks.  I’ve got Tom Swift beat a mile.”

“Oh, you have!” shouted our hero with a sudden resolve, as he stepped into view.  “Well, you’ve got another guess coming.  I’m here ahead of you, and there’s standing room only.”

“Tom Swift!” gasped the rival circus man.  “Tom Swift here in ahead of me!”

CHAPTER XVII

HELD CAPTIVES

There was a great commotion among the giants.  Men, women and children ran to and fro, and a number of the largest of the big men could be seen hurrying into the palace hut of King Kosk.  If the arrival of Tom and his friends had created a surprise it was more than doubled when the circus man, and his small caravan, advanced into the giants’ city.  His approach had been unheralded because the giants were so taken up with Tom and his party that no one thought to guard the paths leading into the village.  And, as a matter of fact, the giants were so isolated, they were so certain of their own strength, and they had been unmolested so many years, that they did not dream of danger.

As for our hero, he stood in the hut gazing at his rival, while Hank Delby, in turn, stared at the young inventor.  Then Hank dismounted from his mule and approached Tom’s hut.

“Bless my railroad ticket!” exclaimed Mr. Damon.  “This is a curious state of affairs!  What in the world are we to do, Tom?”

“I don’t know, I’m sure.  We’ll have to wait until we see what he does.  He’s been following us all along.  He was that fake minister on the boat.  It’s a wonder we didn’t get on to him.  I believe he’s been trying to learn our secret ever since Mr. Preston warned us about him.  Now he’s here and he’ll probably try to spoil our chances for getting a giant so that he may get one for himself.  Perhaps Andy Foger gave him a tip about our plans.”