in his eyes, stretched forth his
hands toward Tom, and turned aside. That was too much for our hero.

With one leap he was off his animal, and the next minute he had his
arms around the faithful old colored man.

"By Jove, Rad!" cried Tom, and his own eyes were not dry. "I'm not
going to be deserted by you in that way. You're just the same as
ever to me, giant or no giant, and don't you forget it!" and he
patted the old man on the back affectionately.

"Praise de Lord fo' heahin' yo' say dat, Massa Tom," gasped
Eradicate. "Praise de dear Lord!"

And then, knowing that he still held a place in his young master's
heart, the colored man was content. And from then on he rode on one
side of Tom, while the giant, Koku, strode along on the other. He
had established himself as Tom's bodyguard and even though Eradicate
insisted on remaining, Koku would not go away.

"I guess I'll have to keep 'em both," said Tom, with a grin, "but
I'm going to change Koku's name."

"What are you going to call him?" asked Ned.

"Let's see, what month is this?"

"August," said Mr. Damon.

"Then August is his name!" exclaimed Tom. "Koku sounds too much like
a cocoanut cake. Here, August, shift that package on the white
mule," he called, "it's cutting her back," and the giant, with a
pleased grin, did as he was bid. And August he was called from then
on.

But my story is getting too long, so I must bring it to a close. And
really there is not much to tell. The march back to the coast was
full of hardships, danger and difficulties, but they accomplished
it. The two giants seemed glad that they had left their own country
behind and they were simple and affectionate beings. Tom made up his
mind he would let the circus man have one and keep the other for his
personal attendant.

They traveled by day, and slept at night, shooting game as they
needed it. Several times they narrowly escaped getting mixed up in
the native conflicts. Tom had one striking evidence of his giant
servant's usefulness. One day he was stalking a small beast, like a
deer, when, from a tree overhead, a jaguar sprang down at him. But
Koku--I beg his pardon--August was at hand, and, like Sampson of
old, the giant slew the beast bare-handed, choking it to death.

In fine time our friends reached a native town and the wonder caused
by the giants was no less than the amusement of the big men at the
things they saw. They wondered more when they got to a city, and saw
mor