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would have taken Tom's camera。
〃Don't leave us here！〃 they pleaded。 〃I wouldn't have you on board
my airship another minute for a fortune！〃 declared Tom； as he signalled to
Ned to start the motor。 Then the Flyer ascended on high； leaving the
plotters and started back for the fire； of which Tom got a series of fine
moving pictures。
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A week later our friends were in Paris； having made a quick trip； on
which little of incident occurred； though Tom managed to get quite a
number of good views on the way。
He found a message awaiting him； from Mr。 Period。
〃Well； where to now？〃 asked Ned； as his chum read the cablegram。
〃Great Scott！〃 cried our hero。 〃Talk about hair…raising jobs； this
certainly is the limit！〃
〃Why； what's the matter？〃
〃I've got to get some moving pictures of a volcano in action；〃 was the
answer。 〃Say； if I'd known what sort of things 'Spotty' wanted； I'd never
have consented to take this trip。 A volcano in action； and maybe an
earthquake on the side！ This is certainly going some！〃
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CHAPTER XXIII
AT THE VOLCANO
〃And you've got to snap…shot a volcano？〃 remarked Ned to his chum；
after a moment of surprised silence。 〃Any particular one？ Is it Vesuvius？ If
it is we haven't far to go。 But how does Mr。 Period know that it's going to
get into action when we want it to？〃
〃No； it isn't Vesuvius；〃 replied Tom。 〃We've got to take another long
trip； and we'll have to go by steamer again。 The message says that the
Arequipa volcano； near the city of the same name； in Peru； has started to
'erupt；' and； according to rumor； it's acting as it did many years ago； just
before a big upheaval。〃
〃Bless my Pumice stones！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃And are you expected
to get pictures of it shooting out flames and smoke； Tom？〃
〃Of course。 An inactive volcano wouldn't make much of a moving
picture。 Well； if we go to Peru； we won't be far from the United States； and
we can fly back home in the airship。 But we've got to take the Flyer apart；
and pack up again。〃
〃Will you have time？〃 asked Mr。 Nestor。 〃Maybe the volcano will get
into action before you arrive； and the performance will be all over with。〃
〃I think not；〃 spoke Tom； as he again read the cablegram。 〃Mr。 Period
says he has advices from Peru to the effect that； on other occasions； it took
about a month from the time smoke was first seen coming from the crater；
before the fireworks started up。 I guess we've got time enough； but we
won't waste any。〃
〃And I guess Montgomery and Kenneth won't be there to make trouble
for us；〃 put in Ned。 〃It will be some time before they get away from that
African town； I think。〃
They began work that day on taking the airship apart for transportation
to the steamer that was to carry them across the ocean。 Tom decided on
going to Panama； to get a series of pictures on the work of digging that
vast canal。 On inquiry he learned that a steamer was soon to sail for Colon；
so he took passage for his friends and himself on that； also arranging for
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the carrying of the parts of his airship。
It was rather hard work to take the Flyer apart； but it was finally done；
and； in about a week from the time of arriving in Paris； they left that
beautiful city。 The pictures already taken were forwarded to Mr。 Period；
with a letter of explanation of Tom's adventures thus far； and an account of
how his rivals had acted。
Just before sailing； Tom received another message from his strange
employer。 The cablegram read：
〃Understand our rivals are also going to try for volcano pictures。
Can't find out who will represent Turbot and Eckert； but watch out。 Be
suspicious of strangers。〃
〃That's what I will！〃 cried Tom。 〃If they get my camera away from
me again； it will be my own fault。〃
The voyage to Colon was not specially interesting。 They ran into a
terrific storm； about half way over； and Tom took some pictures from the
steamer's bridge； the captain allowing him to do so； but warning him to be
careful。
〃I'll take Koku up there with me；〃 said the young inventor； 〃and if a
wave tries to wash me overboard he'll grab me。〃
And it was a good thing that he took this precaution； for； while a wave
did not get as high as the bridge； one big； green roller smashed over the
bow of the vessel； staggering her so that Tom was tossed against the rail。
He would have been seriously hurt； and his camera might have been
broken； but for the quickness of the giant。
Koku caught his master； camera and all； in a mighty arm； and with the
other clung to a stanchion； holding Tom in safety until the ship was on a
level keel once more。
〃Thanks； Koku！〃 gasped Tom。 〃You always seem to be around when I
need you。〃 The giant grinned happily。
The storm blew out in a few days； and； from then on； there was
pleasant sailing。 When Tom's airship had been reassembled at Colon； it
created quite a sensation among the small army of canal workers； and； for
their benefit； our hero gave several flying exhibitions。
He then took some of the engineers on a little trip； and in turn； they did
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him the favor of letting him get moving pictures of parts of the work not
usually seen。
〃And now for the volcano！〃 cried Tom one morning； when having
shipped to Mr。 Period the canal pictures； the Flyer was sent aloft； and her
nose pointed toward Arequipa。 〃We've got quite a run before us。〃
〃How long？〃 asked Ned。
〃About two thousand miles。 But I'm going to speed her up to the
limit。〃 Tom was as good as his word； and soon the Flyer was shooting
along at her best rate； reeling off mile after mile； just below the clouds。
It was a wild and desolate region over which the travelers found
themselves most of the time； though the scenery was