lank cartridge!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, as he also got up and
came to examine the dead beast. It was the first thing he had said
since the animal had rushed at him, and he had not moved after he fell
down. He had seemingly been in a daze, but when the others heard him
use one of his favorite expressions they knew that he was all right
again. "Bless my hat!" went on the odd man. "What happened, Tom? Is
that beast really dead? How did Koku come to arrive in time?"

"I guess he's dead all right," said Tom, giving the rhinoceros a kick.
"But I don't know how Koku happened to arrive in the nick of time, and
with the gun, too."

"I think maybe I see something to shoot when I come after you, like you
tell me to do," spoke the giant. "I follow your trail, but I see
nothing to shoot until I come here. Then I see that animal run for you,
and I shoot."

"And a good thing you did, too," put in Ned. "Well let's go back. My
nerves are on edge, and I want to sit quiet for a while."

"Take the camera, Koku," ordered Tom, "and I'll carry the electric
rifle--your rifle, now," he added, and the giant grinned in delight.
They reached the airship without further incident, and, after a cup of
tea, Tom took out the exposed films and put a fresh roll in his camera,
ready for whatever new might happen.

"Where is your next stopping place, Tom?" asked Ned, as they sat in the
main room of the airship that evening, talking over the events of the
day. They had decided to stay all night anchored on the ground, and
start off in the morning.

"I hardly know," answered the young inventor. "I am going to set the
camera to-night, near a small spring I saw, to get some pictures of
deer coming to drink. I may get a picture of a lion or a tiger
attacking them. If I could it would be another fine film. To-morrow I
think we will start for Switzerland. But now I'm going to get the
camera ready for a night exposure.

"Bless my check book!" cried Mr. Damon. "You don't mean to say that you
are going to stay out at a spring again, Tom, and run the chance of a
tiger getting you."

"No, I'm merely going to set the camera, attach the light and let it
work automatically this time. I've put in an extra long roll of film,
for I'm going to keep it going for a long while, and part of the time
there may be no animals there to take pictures of. No, I'm not going to
sit out to-night. I'm too tired. I'll conceal the camera in the bushes
so it won't be damaged if ther