The man did not hear the runabout at first; or, at least, he
did not look over his shoulder. He strode on heavily, but
rapidly. Suddenly the young inventor heard the giant behind him
emit a hissing breath.
"Master!" whispered the giant.
"What's up now?" demanded Tom, but without glancing around.
"The big feet!" exclaimed Koku.
The giant's own feet were shod with difficulty in civilized
footgear, but compared with his other physical dimensions his
feet did not seem large. The man ahead wore coarse boots which
actually looked too big for him! Koku started up in the back of
the car as the latter drew nearer to the stranger.
The man looked back at last and Tom gained a clear view of his
features--roughly carved, dark as an Indian's, and holding a grim
expression in repose that of itself was far from breeding
confidence. In a moment, too, the expression changed into one of
active emotion. The man glared at the young inventor with
unmistakable malevolence.
"Master!" hissed Koku again. "The big feet!" The fellow must
have seen Koku's face and understood the giant's expression. In a
flash he turned and leaped out of the roadway. The sidehill was
steep and broken here, but he went down the slope in great
strides and with every appearance of wishing to evade the two in
the motor-car.
The giant's savage war cry followed the fugitive. Koku leaped
from the moving car.
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