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This last was a word in the giant's own language； meaning 〃hurry。〃
And Koku knew when Tom used that word that there was need of haste。
So； though he had sat down； evidently to take his ease after a long tramp
through the woods； Koku sprang up to obey his master's bidding。
And； as he did so； something happened。 The first spark from the fuse；
ignited by the electric current； had reached the slow…burning powder。
There was a crackle of flame； and a dull rumble。 Koku sprang up from the
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big stone as though shot。 What he saw and heard must have alarmed him；
for he gave a mighty jump and started to run； at the same time shouting：
〃Me come； Master！〃
〃You'd better！〃 cried the young inventor。
Koku got away only just in time； for when he was half way between
the group of his friends and the big rock； the utmost force of the explosion
was felt。 It was not so very loud； but the power of it made the earth
tremble。
The rock seemed to heave itself into the air； and when it settled back it
was seen to be broken up into many pieces。 Koku looked back over his
shoulder and gave another tremendous leap； which carried him out of the
way of the flying fragments； some of which rattled on the roof of the log
hut。
〃There！〃 cried Tom。 〃I guess something happened that time！ The rock
is broken up finer than any like it we tried to shatter before。 I think I've got
the mixture just right！〃
〃Bless my handkerchief！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃Think of what might
have happened to Koku if he had been sitting there。〃
〃Well；〃 said Tom； 〃he might not have been killed； for he would
probably have been tossed well out of the way at the first slow explosion；
but afterwardwell； he might have been pretty well shaken up。 He got
away just in time。〃
The giant looked thoughtfully back toward the place of the
experimental blast。
〃Master； him do that？〃 he asked。
〃I did；〃 Tom replied。 〃But I didn't think you'd walk out of the woods；
just at the wrong time； and sit down on that rock。〃
〃Um；〃 murmured the giant。 〃Kokuhehe Oh； by golly！〃 he yelled。
And then； as if realizing what he had escaped； and being incapable of
expressing it； the giant with a yell ran into the tunnel and stayed there for
some time。 The experiment was pronounced a great success and； now
that Tom had discovered the right kind of explosive to rend the very hard
rock； he proceeded to have it made in sufficiently large quantities to be
used in the tunnel。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
〃We'll have to hustle；〃 said Job Titus。 〃We haven't much of our
contract time left； and I have reason to believe the Peruvian government
will not give any extension。 It is to their interest to have us fail； for they
will profit by all the work we have done； even if they have to pay our
rivals a higher price than we contracted for。 It is our firm that will pocket
the loss。〃
〃Well； we'll try not to have that happen；〃 said Tom； with a smile。
〃If you're going to use bigger charges of this new explosive； Tom；
won't more rock be brought down？〃 asked Walter Titus。
〃That's what I hope。〃
〃Then we'll need more laborers to bring it out of the tunnel。〃
〃Yes； we could use more I guess。 The faster the blasted rock is
removed； the quicker I can put in new charges。〃
〃I'll get more men；〃 decided the contractor。 〃There won't be any
trouble now that the hoodoo of the missing workers is solved。 I'll tell
Serato to scare up all his dusky brethren he can find； and we'll offer a
bonus for good work。〃
The Indian foreman readily agreed to get more laborers。
〃And get some big ones； Serato；〃 urged Job Titus。 〃Get some fellows
like Koku；〃 for the giant did the work of three men in the tunnel； not
because he was obliged to； but because his enormous strength must find an
outlet in action。
〃Um want mans like him？〃 asked the Indian； nodding toward the giant。
He and Koku were not on good terms； for once； when Koku was a hurry；
he had picked up the Indian （no mean sized man himself） and had calmly
set him to one side。 Serato never forgave that。
〃Sure； get all the giants you can；〃 Tom said。 〃But I guess there aren't
any in Peru。〃
Where Serato found his man； no one knew； and the foreman would not
tell； but a day or so later he appeared at the tunnel camp with an Indian so
large in size that he made the others look like pygmies； and many of them
were above the average in height； too。
〃Say； he's a whopper all right！〃 exclaimed Tom。 〃But he isn't as big or
as strong as Koku。〃
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〃He comes pretty near it；〃 said Job Titus。 〃With a dozen like him we'd
finish the tunnel on time； thanks to your explosive。〃
Lamos； the Indian giant； was not quite as large as Koku。 That is； he
was not as tall； but he was broader of shoulder。 And as to the strength of
the two； well； it was destined to be tried out in a startling fashion。
In about a week Tom was ready with his first charges of the new
explosive。 The extra Indians were on hand； including Lamos； and great
hopes of fast progress were held by the contractors。
The charge was fired and a great mass of broken rock brought down
inside the tunnel。
〃That's tearing it up！〃 cried Job Titus； when the fumes had blown away；
the secret shaft having been opened to facilitate this。 〃A few more shots
like that and we'll be through the strata of hard rock。〃
The Indians； Koku and Lamos doing their share of the work； were
rushed in to clear away the debris； so another charge might be fired as
soon as possible。 This would be in a day or so。 The contract time was
getting uncomfortably close。
Blast after blast was set off； and good progress was made。 But instead
of half a mile of the extra hard rock the contractors found it would be
nearer three quarters。
〃It's going to be touch and go； whether or not we finish on time；〃 said
Mr。 Job Titus one afternoon； when a c