I have too," added Tom. "I'm on my last roll of film, and I can't
take many more pictures. But I guess I have all Mr. Period needs, and
we'll start for home, as soon as I finish the next roll. But I'm going
to save that for a night view. That will be a novelty."

The volcano became active again after dark, and presented a magnificent
though terrifying aspect. As the airship hovered above it, Tom got some
of his best pictures, and then, as the last bit of film slipped along
back of the lens, the airship was headed north.

"Now for Shopton!" cried Tom. "Our trip is ended."

"It's too had you didn't have more film," said Ned. "I thought you had
plenty."

"Well, I used more than I counted on, but there are enough pictures as
it is."

"Plenty," agreed Mr. Nestor. "I'm sure our company will be very well
satisfied with them, Tom. We can't get home any too soon to suit me.
I've had enough excitement."

"And we didn't see anything of those other fellows whom we heard
about," spoke Mr. Damon, as the big airship flew on.

"No," said Tom. "But I'm not worrying about them."

They made another stop in Lima, on their homeward trip, to renew their
supply of gasolene, and there learned that the rival picture men had
arrived at the volcano too late to see it in operation. This news came
to a relative of one of the two men who lived in Lima.

"Then our views of the earthquake and the smoking mountain will be the
only ones, and your company can control the rights," said Tom to Mr.
Nestor, who agreed with him.

In due time, and without anything out of the ordinary happening the
Flyer reached Shopton, where Tom found a warm welcome awaiting him, not
only from his father, but from a certain young lady, whose name I do
not need to mention.

"And so you got everything you went after, didn't you, Tom," exclaimed
Mr. Period, a few days later, when he had come from New York to get the
remainder of the films.

"Yes, and some things I didn't expect," replied Tom. "There was--"

"Yes! Yes! I know!" interrupted the odd picture man. "It was that
jungle fire. That's a magnificent series. None better. And those
scoundrels took your camera; eh?"

"Yes. Could you connect them with Turbot and Eckert?" asked Tom.

"No, but I'm sure they were acting for them just the same. I had no
legal evidence to act on, however, so I had to let it go. Turbot and
Eckert won't be in it when I start selling duplicates of the films you
have. And these last