Part 4 (2/2)
”Because news of circus expeditions always leaks out somehow or other. I'm sure Waydell will learn that you are acting for me, and so I warn you in time. In fact, he tried to get ahead of me when I sent Jake Poddington out over a year ago, and I always had my suspicions that he had a hand in Jake's disappearance, but maybe I'm wrong. So that's what I mean when I say beware of Wayland Waydell, Tom.”
”I will!” exclaimed Tom. ”He'll have to get up early to get ahead of us.” But Tom little knew the man against whom he was to pit himself in the search for giants.
CHAPTER V
ANDY FOGER LEARNS SOMETHING
Once Tom Swift made up his mind to do a thing, he did not waste time in setting about it. He had decided to go to giant land, and that was all there was to it. His father talked with him about the matter, pointed out the dangers, and suggested that, as the young inventor had had many adventures in the last few years, and had made considerable money from the discovery of the city of gold, and the platinum mines, the prize offered for a giant was not much of an inducement.
”But it isn't that so much, dad,” explained Tom. ”There's that poor circus man, maybe suffering in the centre of South America. I want to find him, if I can, or get some news that he died a natural death, and is decently buried.”
”You never can do it, Tom.”
”Well dad, I'm going to make a big try!” he returned; and that settled it as far as Tom was concerned.
For several days after the visit of Mr. Preston Tom was busy making plans for his trip to South America. He wanted to lay out a regular schedule before proceeding. Ned Newton had had hard work to persuade his folks to let him go, but they finally consented, and as for Mr.
Damon, his plan was simple.
Without mentioning giants at all, he took Mr. Preston home with him, and the circus man's tale of his a.s.sistant lost in the wilds of South America was too much for Mrs. Damon.
”Go? Of course you'll go!” she said to her husband. ”I demand that you go, and I want you to find that poor man and rescue him. If you could rescue the exiles from uncivilized Siberia I'm sure you can get a man out of a civilized country.”
Mr. Damon did not stop to point out that South America was far less civilized, in some ways, than was Russia. He just kept still, and made his preparations to go. Mr. Preston was a distant relative of the odd man, and that was how he had happened to meet him and hear the story which was destined to play such an important part in the life of Tom Swift.
”Do you think we'll have much trouble after we get to South America, and strike into the interior?” asked Mr. Damon one afternoon, when he and Mr. Preston were helping Tom in the delicate work of packing the wing planes of the Lark.
”No, South America isn't a bad country to travel in,” replied the circus man. ”The natives are fairly friendly, and with a well-organized party, and plenty of money, which I shall see that you have, you ought to get along swimmingly. Only one thing bothers me.”
”What's that?” asked Tom quickly.
”That's my rival, Waydell. He's sure to make trouble if he gets on your trail.”
”Have you heard from him?”
”No, and that's what makes me all the more suspicious. If he'd come out and fight me in the open it wouldn't be so bad. But this underhand business gets on my nerves. I don't know what he's up to.”
”Maybe he isn't up to anything,” suggested Ned. ”He may not even know you are going to make another try for the giants.”
”Oh, yes, he does,” replied the circus man. ”He didn't succeed in beating me when poor Jake was after them, for the simple reason that it was a snap case, and even I didn't know that Poddington was trying for the giants until he had started. But Waydell was soon after him, and he knows that when I once set out for a freak or a certain kind of animal I keep on until I get it. So he has probably already figured out that I'm making new plans to get a giant.”
”But how will he know that I am going?” inquired Tom.
”I don't know how he will know, but he will. We circus men have queer ways of finding out things. I shouldn't be a bit surprised but what he was already plotting and scheming to send an expedition on my trail, to take advantage of anything you may learn.”
”Well, we'll try and fool him, the same as we did the Mexicans when we hunted for the city of gold,” spoke Tom; and then putting aside that worry, he and the others labored hard to get matters in shape for a departure to South America.
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