TOM MAKES UP HIS MIND
"Great Scott!" yelled the picture man."What in the world happened to me? Did I get kicked by that mule Boomerang of Eradicate's, that I've heard so much about? Or was it an earthquake, such as I want to get a picture of? What happened?"He was still floundering about in the deep bank of snow that was just outside the window.Fortunately the sash had been up, and Koku had tossed Mr.Period through the open window.Otherwise, had there been glass, the well-meaning, but unreasoning giant would probably have thrown his victim through that, and he might have been badly cut.Tom had the window open for fresh air, as it was rather close in the shop.
"Why, Koku!" exclaimed the young inventor, as he leaned out of the window, and extended his hand to the moving picture man to help him out of the drift."What do von mean by that?" Have you gone crazy?""No, but no one shall lay hands on my master!" declared the giant half savagely."I have vowed to always protect you from danger, in return for what you did for me.I saw this man lay his hand on you.In another moment he might have killed you, had not Koku been here.There is no danger when I am by," and he stretched out his huge arms, and looked ferocious."I have turned over that man, your enemy!" he added.
"Yes, you overturned me all right," admitted Mr.Period, as he got to his feet, and crawled in through the window to the shop again."I went head over heels.I'm glad it was clean snow, and not a mud bank, Tom.What in the world is the matter with him?""I guess he thought you were going to harm me, said Tom in a low voice, as the picture man came in the shop."Koku is very devoted to me, and sometimes he makes trouble," the youth went on."But he means it all for the best.I am very sorry for what happened," and Tom aided Mr.Period in brushing the snow off his garments."Koku, you must beg the pardon of this gentleman," Tom directed.
"What for?" the giant wanted to know.
"For throwing him into the snow.It is not allowed to do such things in this country, even though it is in Giant Land.Beg his pardon.
"I shall not," said the giant calmly, for Tom had taught him to speak fairly good English, though sometimes he got his words backwards.
"The man was about to kill you, and I stopped him--I will stop him once more, though if he does not like the snow, I can throw him somewhere else.""No! No! You must not do it!" cried Tom."He meant no harm.He is my friend.""I am glad to hear you say that," exclaimed the picture man."I have hopes that you will do what I want.""He your friend?" asked Koku wonderingly."Certainly; and you must beg his pardon for what you did," insisted Tom.
"Very well.I am glad you did not hurt yourself," said the giant, and with that "apology" he stalked out of the room, his feelings evidently very much disturbed.
"Ha! Ha!" laughed Mr.Period."I guess he can't see any one but you, Tom.But never mind.I know he didn't mean anything, and, as I'm none the worse I'll forgive him.My necktie isn't spotted; is it?""No, the snow didn't seem to do that any harm," replied the young inventor, as he looked at the brilliant piece of red silk around Mr.Period's collar.
"I am very particular about my neckties," went on the picture man."I always wear one color.My friends never forget me then."Tom wondered how they could ever forget him, even though he wore no tie, for his figure and face were such as to not easily be forgotten.
"I'm glad it's not soiled," went on "Spotty" as he liked to be called."Now, Tom, you said you were my friend.Prove it by accepting my offer.Build that wizard camera, and get me some moving pictures that will be a sensation.Say you will!"He looked appealingly at Tom, and, remembering the rather rude and unexpected treatment to which Koku had submitted the gentleman, Tom felt his mind changing.Still he was not yet ready to give in.He rather liked the idea the more he thought of it, but he felt that he had other duties,and much to occupy him at home, especially if he perfected his silent motor.
"Will you go?" asked Mr.Period, picking up his fountain pen and check book, that he had laid aside when he walked over to Tom, just before the giant grasped him."Say you will."The young inventor was silent a moment.He thought over the many adventures he had gone through--in the caves of ice, in the city of gold, escaping from the giants, and the red pygmies--He went over the details of his trips through the air, of the dangers under the seas, of those he had escaped from on Earthquake Island.Surely e was entitled to a little rest at home.
And yet there was a lure to it all.A certain fascination that was hard to resist.Mr.Period must have seen what was going on in Tom's mind, for he said:
"I know you're going.I can see it.Why, it will be just the very thing you need.You'll get more fame out of this thing than from any of your other inventions.Come, say you'll do it.
