“Have a chair,” invited Tom politely.  “This is a new one on me—­ going after giants.  I’ve done almost everything else, though.”

“So Mr. Damon said,” spoke Mr. Preston gravely.  He was much more sedate and composed than one would have supposed after his sensational entrance into the room.  “I am very glad to meet you, Tom Swift, and I hope we can do business together.  Now, if you have a few minutes to spare, I’ll tell you all I know about giant land.”

CHAPTER III

TOM WILL GO

“Jove!  That sounds interesting!” exclaimed Ned, as he settled himself comfortably in his chair.

“It is interesting,” replied the circus man.  “At least I found it so when I first listened to one of my men tell it.  But whether it is possible to get to giant land, and, what is more bring away some of the big men, is something I leave to you, Tom Swift.  After you have heard my story, if you decide to go, I’ll stand all the expenses of fitting out an expedition, and if you fail I won’t have a word to say.  If, on the other hand, you bring me back a giant or two, I’ll pay you ten thousand dollars and all expenses.  Is it a bargain?”

“Let me hear the story first,” suggested our hero, who was a cautious lad when there was need for it.  Yet he liked Mr. Preston, even at first sight, in spite of his “loud” attire, and the rather “circusy” manner in which he had entered the room.  Then too, if he was a friend of Mr. Damon, that was a great deal in his favor.

“I am, as you know, in the circus business,” began Mr. Preston.  “I have a number of traveling shows, and several large museums in the big cities.  I am always on the lookout for new attractions, for the public demands them.  Once get in the rut of having nothing new, and your business will fall off.  I know, for I’ve been in the business, man and boy, for nearly forty years.  I began as a performer, and I can still do a double somersault over fifteen elephants in a row.  I always keep in practice for there’s nothing like showing a performer how to do a thing yourself.”

“But about the giants, which is what I’m interested in most now.  Of course I’ve had giants in my circuses and museums, from the beginning.  The public wanted ’em and we had to have ’em.  Some of ’em were fakes—­men on stilts with long pants to cover up their legs, and others were the real, genuine, all-wool-and-a-yard-wide article.  But none of them were very big.  A shade under eight feet was the limit with me.”

“I also have lots of wild animals, and it was when some of my men were out after some tapirs, jaguars and leopards that I got on the track of the giants.  It was about a year ago, but up to this time I haven’t seen my way clear to send after the big men.  It was this way:” 

Mr. Preston assumed a more comfortable position in his chair, nodded at Mr. Damon, who was listening attentively to all that was said, and resumed.