And you've got to work lively!"
"I will!" cried the young inventor. "It's luck we have a spare
cylinder!"
Suddenly there was a louder shout in the jungle and it was followed
by a riot of sound. War drums were beaten, tom-toms clashed and the
natives howled.
"Here they are!" cried Mr. Anderson.
"Bless my suspenders!" shouted Mr. Damon. "Where is my gun?"
"Here, you take mine, and I'll use the electric rifle," answered the
elephant hunter. As he spoke there was a hissing sound in the air
and a flight of spears passed over the airship.
The defenders slipped outside, while Tom, with Ned to help him,
worked feverishly to repair the break. They were in a serious
strait, for with the airship practically helpless they were at the
mercy of the natives. And as Tom glanced momentarily from the
window, he saw scores of black, half-naked forms slipping in and out
among the trees and trailing vines.
Soon the rifles of his friends began to crack, and the yells of the
natives were changed to howls of anguish. The electric weapon,
though it made no noise, did great execution.
"I only hope they don't puncture the gas bag," murmured Tom. as he
began taking the generating machine apart so as to get out the
cracked cylinder.
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