it in the hut," went on Tom. "Then flee for your lives, for
standing from here, I shall call the lightning down, and you shall
see the hut destroyed."

"Why don't you ask them something about Jake Poddington?" asked Ned.

"Time enough for that after I've shown them what a little powder
will do, when I attach electric wires to it and press a button,"
replied Tom. "I've got that bomb fixed so it will go off by an
electric fuse. If they'll only put it in the hut for me. I'd do it
myself, only they won't let me go out."

The brothers conferred for a moment and then, seeming to arrive at a
decision, Koku, who was slightly the larger, took the bomb, looked
curiously at it, and walked with it toward the empty hut, the
electric wire being reeled out behind him by Tom.

The bomb was left inside the frail structure, the two brothers
hurried away, and, standing at a safe distance from the hut of the
captives, as well as the one that Tom had promised to destroy by
lightning, they waved their hands to show that they were ready.

"Bless my admission ticket!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "You've got quite
an audience, Tom."

And so he had, for there was a crowd in the market square, another
throng about the king's palace, while all about, hidden behind trees
or huts, was nearly the whole population of the giant town.

"That's what I want," said the young inventor. "It will be all the
more impressive."

"And there's the king himself!" exclaimed Ned. "He's standing in the
door of his royal hut."

"Better yet!" cried Tom. "Are those wires all connected, Ned?"

"Yes," answered his chum, after a quick inspection.

"Then here she goes!" cried Tom, as he pressed the button.

Instantly the hut, in which the bomb had been placed, arose in the
air. The roof was lifted off, the sides spread out and there was a
great flash of fire and a puff of smoke.

Then as the smoke cleared away Ned cried out:

"Look, Tom! Look! You've blown a hole in the hut next to the one you
destroyed!"

"Yes, and bless my check book!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "some one is
running out of it. A white man, Tom! A white man!"

"It's Poddington! Poor Jake Poddington. We've found him at last!
This way, Mr. Poddington! This way! Mr. Preston sent us to rescue
you!" cried Tom.

CHAPTER XXI

A ROYAL CONSPIRACY

Howls of terror, cries of anger, and a rushing to and fro on the
part of the giants, followed the latest trick of Tom Swift to
impress them with his