It was Tom who asked the question, and Ned who answered it.  It was the day after their sensational escape from the giants’ prison, and they were circling about in the aeroplane which had been the means of getting them away from giant land.  For they were safely away from that strange and terrible place, and they were now seeking the two giant brothers who had promised to meet them at a certain big hill.

For an hour that night Tom and his friends had traveled on the wings of the Lark and when a rising moon showed them a level spot for a landing, they had gone down and made a camp.  They had provisions with them, and plenty of blankets and it was so warm that more shelter was not necessary.

The next day, leaving Mr. Damon, Eradicate and the circus man in the temporary camp, Tom and Ned had gone aloft to see if they could pick up the giant twins, who were to meet them and have some mules ready for the journey back to civilization.

“Well, we’re in no great hurry,” went on Tom, after vainly scanning the ground below.  “They may not have traveled as fast as we thought they could, and the mules may have given trouble.  We’ll stick around here a day or so, and—­”

“Look!” suddenly exclaimed Ned.  “Didn’t you see something moving then.”

“Where?”

“By that big dead tree.”

Tom took a look through a pair of field glasses, while Ned steered the aeroplane.  Then the young inventor cried: 

“It’s all right.  It’s one of the giants, but I can’t tell which one.  Ned, I believe they’re hiding because they’re afraid of us.  They’ve never seen an aeroplane in action before.  I’m going down.”

Quickly and gracefully the Lark was volplaned to a level place near the dead tree.  No one was in sight, and Tom, after looking about, called: 

“Tola!  Koku!  Where are you?  It is I, Tom Swift!  We have escaped!  Where are you?  Don’t be afraid!”

There was a moment’s silence, and then two big forms rushed from the dense bushes, one of them—­Koku—­advancing to Tom, and catching him up in what was meant for a loving hug.

“Oh, I say now, Koku!” cried the young inventor, with a laugh.  “I’ve got ribs, you know.  Easy on that squeeze!”

The two giant twins laughed too, and they were immensely pleased to see their friends again, both talking at once and so fast that not even the circus man could catch what they said.

“Have you got the mules?” asked Tom, for he knew that much depended on the animals.  “Is everything all right?”

“All right,” answered Koku, the talk being conducted in the language of the giants of which Tom was now fairly a master when it was spoken slowly.  Then the brothers explained that they had gotten safely away, had gathered up the mules, and with a supply of food, had hidden the beasts in a nearby valley.  The giant twins were waiting for Tom to arrive, but, though they had seen the areoplanes in the hut they had no idea that it could fly so nearly like a bird, and when they saw it hovering over them they had become frightened, and hidden, until Tom’s voice had reassured them.