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house； and find no one there。 I come out here； and not a soul is about。 Tom
Swift can't have gone off on another one of his wonderful trips； without
sending me word。 I know he wouldn't do that。 And yet； bless my watch
and chain； I can't find any one！〃
It was Mr。 Damon who spoke； as my old readers have already guessed。
He peered into one of the shop windows； and saw something like a fog
filling the place。 〃That's strange；〃 he went on。 〃I don't see Tom there； and
yet it looks as if an experiment was going on。 I wonder〃
Mr。 Damon heard some one coming up behind him； and turned to see
Koku the giant； who was returning 。 from the errand on which Tom had
sent him。
〃Oh； Koku； it's you； is it？〃 the odd man asked。 〃Bless my cuff buttons！
Where is Tom？〃
〃In shop I guess。〃
〃I don't see him。 Still I had better look。 There doesn't seem to be any
one about。〃
Mr。 Damon opened the shop door； and was met by such an outward
rush of choking gas that he staggered back。
〃Bless my〃 he began but he had to stop； to cough and gasp。 〃There
must have been some sort of an accident；〃 he cried； as he got his lungs full
of fresh air。 〃A bad accident！ Tom could never work in that atmosphere。
Whew！〃
〃Accident！ What is matter？〃 cried Koku stepping to the doorway。 He；
too choked and gasped； but his was such a strong and rugged nature； and
his lungs held such a supply of air； that it took more than mere gas to
knock him out。 He peered in through the wreaths of the acid vapor； and
saw the body of his master； lying on the floorheld down by the heavy
iron。
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In another instant Koku had rushed in； holding his breath； for； now that
he was inside the place； the gas made even him feel weak。
〃Come back！ Come back！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 'You'll be smothered！
Wait until the gas escapes！〃
〃Then Mr。 Tom die！〃 cried the giant。 〃I get himor I no come out。〃
With one heave of his powerful right arm； Koku lifted the heavy shaft
from Tom's legs。 Then； gathering the lad up in his left arm； as if he were a
baby； Koku staggered out into the fresh air； almost falling with his burden；
as he neared Mr。 Damon； for the giant was； well…nigh overcome。
〃Bless my soul！〃 cried the odd man。 〃Is heis he〃
He did not finish the sentence； but； as Koku laid Tom down on the
overcoat of Mr。 Damon； which the latter quickly spread on the snow； the
eccentric man put his hand over the heart of the young inventor。
〃It beats！〃 he murmured。 〃He's alive； but very weak。 We must get a
doctor at once。 I'll do what I can。 There's no time to spare。 Bless my〃
But Mr。 Damon concluded that there was no time for blessing anything；
and so he stopped short。
〃Carry him up to the house； Koku；〃 he said。 〃I know where there are
some medicines； and I'll try to revive him while we're waiting for the
doctor Hurry！〃
Tom was laid on a lounge； and； just then； Mrs。 Baggert came in。
〃Telephone for the doctor！〃 cried Mr。 Damon to the housekeeper； who
kept her nerve； and did not get excited。 〃I'll give Tom some ammonia； and
other stimulants； and see if I can bring him around。 Koku； get me some
cold water。〃
The telephone was soon carrying the message to the doctor； who
promised to come at once。 Koku； in spite of his size； was quick； and soon
brought the water； into which Mr。 Damon put some strong medicine； that
he found in a closet。 Tom's eyelids fluttered as the others forced some
liquid between his lips。
〃He's coming around！〃 cried the eccentric man。 〃I guess he'll be all
right； Koku。〃
〃Koku glad；〃 said the giant simply； for he loved Tom with a deep
devotion。
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〃Yes； Koku； if it hadn't been for you； though； I don't believe that he
would be alive。 That was powerful gas； and a few seconds more in there
might have meant the end of Tom。 I didn't see him lying on the floor； until
after you rushed in。 Bless my thermometer！ It is very strange。〃
They gave Tom more medicine； rubbed his arms and legs； and held
ammonia under his nose。 Slowly he opened his eyes； and in a faint voice
asked：
〃WhereamI？〃
〃In your own house；〃 replied Mr。 Damon； cheerfully。 〃How do you
feel？〃
〃I'mallrightnow；〃 said Tom slowly。 He； felt his strength coming
gradually back； and he remembered what had happened； though he did not
yet know how he had been saved。 The doctor came in at this moment； with
a small medical battery； which completed the restorative work begun by
the others。 Soon Tom could sit up； though he was still weak and rather
sick。
〃Who brought me out？〃 he asked； when he had briefly told how the
accident occurred。
〃Koku did；〃 replied Mr。 Damon。 〃I guess none of the rest of us could
have lifted the iron shaft from your legs。〃
〃It's queer how that fell；〃 said Tom； with a puzzled look on his face。 〃I
didn't hit it hard enough to bring it down。 Beside； I had it tied to nails；
driven into the wall； to prevent just such an accident as this。 I must see
about it when I get well。〃
〃Not for a couple of days；〃 exclaimed the doctor grimly。 〃You've got to
stay in bed a while yet。 You had a narrow escape； Tom Swift。〃
〃Well； I'm glad I went to Giant Land；〃 said the young inventor； with a
wan smile。 〃Otherwise I'd never have Koku；〃 and he looked affectionately
at the big man； who laughed happily。 In nature Koku was much like a
child。
Mr。 Swift came home a little later； and Ned Newton called； both being
very much surprised to hear of the accident。 As for Eradicate； the poor old
colored man was much affected； and would have sat beside Tom's bed all
night； had they allowed him。
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Our hero recovered rapidly； once the fumes of the gas left his system；
and； two days later； he was able to go out to the shop again。 At his request
everything had been left just as it was after he had been brought out。 Of
course the fumes of the gas were soon dissipated； when the door was
opened； and the acids； after mingling and giving off the vapor； had become
neutralized； so that they were now ha