"If the
airship should smash, Tom would build another out of what was left,
and we'd sail away as good as before."
"Hardly that," answered the young inventor.
"But we won't cross a bridge until we hear it coming, as Eradicate
would say. Hello, that looks like some sort of native village."
He pointed ahead to a little clearing in the forest, where a number
of mud and grass huts were scattered about. As they came nearer they
could see the black savages, naked save for a loin cloth, running
about in great excitement, and pointing upward.
"Yes, that's one of the numerous small native villages we'll see
from now on," said Mr. Durban. "Many a night have I spent in those
same grass huts after a day's hunting. Sometimes, I've been
comfortable, and again not. I guess we've given those fellows a
scare."
It did seem so, for by this time the whole population, including
women and children, were running about like mad. Suddenly, from
below there sounded a deep booming noise, which came plainly to the
ears of the elephant hunters through the opened windows of the
airship cabin.
"Hark! What's that?" cried Tom, raising his hand for silence.
"Bless my umbrella! it sounds like thunder," said Mr.
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