"He shipped me what few animals he had, and lit out for a three
thousand mile journey. I didn't hear from him for some time, and,
when I did, I got the finest collection of animals I had ever laid
eyes on. I got them about the same time I did a letter from Jake,
for the mail service ain't what you could call rushing in that part
of South America."

"But what about the giants?" interrupted Mr. Damon.

"I'm coming to them," replied the circus man calmly. "It was this
way: At the tail of his letter which he sent with the shipment of
animals Jake said this, and I remember it almost word for word:"

"'If all goes well,' he wrote, 'I'll have a big surprise for you
soon. I've heard a story about a race of big natives that have their
stamping ground in this section, and I'm going to try for a few
specimens. I know how much you want a giant.'"

"Well?" asked Tom, after a pause, for the circus man had ceased
talking and was staring out of the opened library window into the
garden that was just becoming green.

"That was all I ever heard from poor Jake," said Mr. Preston softly.

"Bless my insurance policy!" gasped Mr. Damon. "You didn't tell me
that! What happened to him."

"I never could find out," resumed Mr. Preston. "I never heard
another word from him, and I've never seen him from the time I