"I
thought you were that kind of a lad, after I heard Mr. Damon
describe you. You've taken a big load off my heart, Tom Swift. Now
to talk of ways and means! I'll have a giant yet, and maybe I'll get
back the best man who ever shipped a consignment of wild animals,
good Jake Poddington! Now to business!"
CHAPTER IV
"LOOK OUT FOR MY RIVAL!"
"You'll go in an airship of course; won't you, Tom?" asked Mr.
Damon, when they had pulled their chairs up around a library table,
and Mr. Preston had taken some papers from his pocket.
"An airship? No, I don't believe I shall," replied the young
inventor. "In the first place, I'm a bit tired of scooting through
the air so much, though it isn't to be denied that it's the quickest
way of going. But in South America there are so many jungles that it
will be hard to find a level starting ground for a take-off, after
we land. Of course we could go up as a balloon, but this expedition
is going to be different from any we were ever on before."
"How so?" asked Ned.
"Well, in the first place we've got to start at one end of a trail,
and make careful inquiries all along the way.
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