"They ought to thank Koku for manhandling the fellow--if he does," said
Ned.

"As a matter of fact," replied Tom, "Koku will merely hold to the
fellow until we get there. But my giant's strength is enormous, and he
does not always know the strength of his grasp. He might hurt the
fellow. Come on," and Tom leaped from the doorway of the electric
locomotive.

Ned leaped down the ladder after his chum.

"Which way did they go?" he asked.

"Across the ditch and up the hill," said Tom. "Mr. Damon!" he called
back to that eccentric man, "will you please remain there and watch the
locomotive?"

"I certainly will. And I'm armed, too," shouted Mr. Damon. "Don't fear
for this locomotive, Tom. I am right on the job."

Tom waved his hand in reply, leaped the ditch, and started up through
the wood. Ned was close behind him, and the two young men ran as hard
as they could in the direction Tom had seen Andy O'Malley, followed by
the giant, running.

In places the earth was slippery with pine needles, and the ground was
elsewhere rough. Therefore the chums did not make much speed in running
after the giant and his quarry. But Tom was sure of the direction in
which the two had disappeared, and he and Ned kept doggedly on.

They went over the crest of the hill and lost sight of the siding and
the locomotive. Here was a sharp descent into a gulch, and some rods
away, in the bottom of this gully, the young fellows obtained their
first sight of Koku. He was still running with mighty strides and was
evidently within sight of the man he had set out after in such haste.

"Hey! Koku!" shouted Tom Swift.

The giant's hearing was of the keenest. He glanced back and raised his
arm in greeting. But he did not slacken his pace.

"He must see O'Malley, Tom," cried Ned Newton.

"I am sure he does. And I want to get there about as soon as Koku grabs
the fellow," panted Tom.

"He'll maul O'Malley unmercifully," said Ned.

"I don't want Koku to injure him," admitted Tom, and he increased his
own stride as he plunged down into the gully.

The young inventor distanced his chum within the next few moments. Tom
ran like a deer. He reached the bottom of the gully and kept on after
Koku's crashing footsteps. At every jump, too, he began to shout to the
giant:

"Koku! Hold him!"

The giant's voice boomed back through the heavy timber: "I catch him! I
hold him for Master! I break all um bones! Wait till Koku catch him!"

"Hold him, Kok