approached nearer the ground, he
caught up a pair of binoculars, and focussed them on something on the
trail below.

"What is it?" cried Ned, startled by something in his chum's manner.

"It's them! The Englishmen!" cried Tom. "See, they are racing back
along the trail. Their porters have deserted them. But they have my
camera! I can see it! I'm going down, and get it! Ned, stand by the
wheel, and make a quick landing. Then we'll go up again!"

Tom handed the glasses to his chum, and Ned quickly verified the young
inventor's statement. There were the two rascally Englishmen. The fire
was still some distance in the rear, but was coming on rapidly. There
were no animals to be seen, for they had probably gone off on a side
trail, or had slunk deeper into the jungle. Above the distant roar of
the blaze sounded the throb of the airship's motor. The Englishmen
heard it, and looked up. Then, suddenly, they motioned to Tom to
descend.

"That's what I'm going to do," he said aloud, but of course they could
not hear him.

"They're waiting for us!" cried Ned. "I wonder why?" for the rascals
had come to a halt, setting down the packs they carried on the trail.
One of the things they had was undoubtedly Tom's camera.

"They probably want us to save their lives," said Tom. "They know they
can't out-run this fire. They've given up! We have them now!"

"Are you going to save them?" asked Mr. Damon.

"Of course. I wouldn't let my worst enemy run the chances of danger in
that terrible blaze. I'd save them even if they had smashed my camera.
I'll go down, and get them, and take them back to the native village,
but that's as far as I will carry them. They'll have to get away as
best they can, after that."

It was the work of but a few minutes to lower the airship to the trail.
Fortunately it widened a bit at this point, or Tom could never have
gotten his craft down through the trees.

"Hand up that camera!" ordered our hero curtly, when he had stopped
near the Englishmen.

"Yes, my dear chap," spoke the tall Britisher, "but will you oblige us,
by taking us--"

"Hand up the camera first!" sharply ordered Tom again.

They passed it to him.

"I know we treated you beastly mean," went on Kenneth, "but, my dear
chap--"

"Get aboard," was all Tom said, and when the rascals, with fearful
glances back into the burning jungle, did so, our hero sent his craft
high into the air again.

"Where are you taking us, my dear chap?"