, and then he left them alone. It was
rather awkward at first, for though the bench or table looked low in
comparison to the size of the room, yet it was very high, to allow
for the long legs of the giants getting under it.

"If we stay here long enough we can saw off the table legs," said
the young inventor. "Now for our first meal in giant land."

They were just helping themselves when there arose a great shouting
outside.

"I wonder what's up now?" asked Tom, pausing with upraised fork.

"Maybe the king is coming to see us," suggested Ned.

"I'll look," volunteered Mr. Damon, as he went to the door. Then he
called quickly:

"Tom! Ned! Look! It's that minister we met on the ship--Reverend
Josiah Blinderpool! How in the world did he ever get here? And how
strangely he's dressed!"

Well might Mr. Damon say this, for the supposed clergyman was
attired in a big checked suit, a red vest, a tall hat and white
canvas shoes. In fact he was almost like some theatrical performer.

The gaudily-dressed man was accompanied by two natives, and all rode
mules, and there were three other animals, laden with packs on
either side.

"What's his game?" mused Ned.

The answer came quickly and from the man himself. Riding forward
toward the king's hut or palace, while the populace of wondering
giants followed behind, the man raised his voice in a triumphant
announcement.

"Here at last!" he cried. "In giant land! And I'm ahead of Tom Swift
for all his tricks. I've got Tom Swift beat a mile."

"Oh, you have!" shouted our hero with a sudden resolve, as he
stepped into view. "Well, you've got another guess coming. I'm here
ahead of you, and there's standing room only."

"Tom Swift!" gasped the rival circus man. "Tom Swift here in ahead
of me!"

CHAPTER XVII

HELD CAPTIVES

There was a great commotion among the giants. Men, women and
children ran to and fro, and a number of the largest of the big men
could be seen hurrying into the palace hut of King Kosk. If the
arrival of Tom and his friends had created a surprise it was more
than doubled when the circus man, and his small caravan, advanced
into the giants' city. His approach had been unheralded because the
giants were so taken up with Tom and his party that no one thought
to guard the paths leading into the village. And, as a matter of
fact, the giants were so isolated, they were so certain of their own
strength, and they had been unmolested so many years, tha