“I guess it will have to continue to cover it then,” Jack spoke. “That probably weighs several tons. None of us could move it.” They made their way back to the ship, where they found Washington and Andy discussing the advisability of going off in search of them. “Breakfast is mighty near spoiled,” said the colored man with an injured air. But the travelers did full justice to the meal, notwithstanding this. Deciding there was nothing to be gained by staying in that vicinity, the professor started the ship off again. They traveled several hundred miles in the air, and, as the afternoon was coming to a close, Jack, who was in charge of the conning tower, spied, just ahead of them, another village. “We will descend there for the night,” the professor said. “Does there seem to be any sign of life about?” “None,” replied Mark, who was observing through a telescope the town they were approaching. “It’s as dead as the other one.” The airship settled down in a field back of some of the mound houses. “Now for supper!” cried Jack. “I’m as hungry as——” He stopped short, for, seeming to rise from the very ground, all about the ship, there appeared a throng of men. And such men as they were! For not one was less than ten feet tall, and some were nearly fifteen! “The giants have us!” cried Bill, as he saw the horde of creatures surrounding the ship. CHAPTER XXV HELD BY THE ENEMY “Keep the doors closed!” cried the professor. “It is our only hope! I will send the ship up again!” But it was too late. Washington, who had obeyed the signal from the conning tower to shut off the engines, had disconnected most of them so they could not be started again save from the main room. At the same time there came a yell of dismay from the colored man, who had slid back the steel covering of the main side entrance to the _Mermaid_. “I’m caught!” cried Washington. As the professor and the boys hurried from the tower, they could hear a struggle from where Washington was, and his voice calling: “Let me go! Let me go!” Reaching the engine room, which opened directly on the side entrance, the professor saw a pair of enormous hands and arms dragging poor Washington, feet first, out of the ship. Bill and Tom were crouched in one corner, pale with fright. “Wait until I get my gun!” cried Andy, as he ran for his rifle. “Hold on!” called the professor in a loud voice. “It will be folly to shoot them! We must try strategy!” Washington’s cries ceased as he was drawn entirely from the ship, the giant hands disappearing at the same time. “Follow me!” yelled Mr. Henderson, running out of the door. Hardly knowing what they did, the boys went after him, and their hearts almost stopped beating in fright as they saw the terrible things, which, in the glare of the changing lights, were on every side of them.