go, too!" and he struggled fiercely,
but he was no match for giant Koku.

"What was he doing?" asked Tom of his big servant, ignoring the man.
Tom looked closely at him, however, but could not remember to have
seen him before.

"I walking along in woods, listen to birds sing," said Koku simply,
taking a firmer hold on his victim. "I see this fellow come along,
and crawl through grass like so a snake wiggle. I to myself think
that funny, and I watch. This man he wiggle more. He wiggle more
still, and then he watch. I watch too. I see him have knife in hand,
but I am no afraid. I begin to go like snake also, but I bigger
snake than he."

"I guess so," laughed Tom, as he watched the man trying in vain to
get out of Koku's grip.

"Then I see man look up at balloon bag, so as if he like to cut it
with knife. I say to myself, 'Koku, it is time for you to go into
business for yourself.' You stand under me?"

"I understand!" exclaimed Tom. "You thought it was time for you to
get busy."

"Sure," replied Koku. "Well, I get business, I give one jump, and I
am so unlucky as to jump with one foot on him, but I did not mean
it. I go as gentle as I can."

"Gentle? You nearly knocked the wind out of me!" snarled the
prisoner. "Gentle! Huh!"

"I guess he was the unlucky one, instead of you," put in Tom. "Well,
what happened next?"

"I grab him, and--he is still here," said Koku simply. "He throw
knife away though."

"I see," spoke Tom. "Now will you give an account of yourself, or
shall I hand you over to the police?" he asked sternly of the man.
"What were you sneaking up on us in that fashion for?"

"Well, I guess this isn't your property!" blustered the man. "I have
as good a right here as you have, and you can't have me arrested for
that."

"Perhaps not," admitted Tom. "You may have a right on this land, but
if you are honest, and had no bad intentions, why were you sneaking
up, trying to keep out of sight? And why did you have a big knife?"

"That's my business, young man."

"All right, then I'll make it MY business, too," went on the young
inventor. "Hold him, Koku, until I can find Mr. Damon, or Ned, and
I'll see what's best to be done. I wish Mr. Whitford was here."

"Aren't you going to let me go?" demanded the man.

"I certainly am not!" declared Tom firmly. "I'm going to find out
more about you. I haven't any objections to any one coming to look
at my airship, out of curiosity, but when they come up lik