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diff --git a/31426.txt b/31426.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1ff32fa --- /dev/null +++ b/31426.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6031 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Eagles of the Sky, by Ambrose Newcomb + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Eagles of the Sky + With Jack Ralston Along the Air Lanes + +Author: Ambrose Newcomb + +Release Date: February 27, 2010 [EBook #31426] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EAGLES OF THE SKY *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.fadedpage.com + + + + + +AVIATION + + + + +EAGLES OF THE SKY + +OR + +With Jack Ralston Along the Air Lanes + +BY + +AMBROSE NEWCOMB + +Author of "The Sky Detectives," etc., etc. + +Published by + +THE GOLDSMITH PUBLISHING CO. + +CHICAGO + + + + +Eagles of the Sky + +Copyright 1930 + +The Goldsmith Publishing Co. + +Made in U. S. A. + + + + +CONTENTS + + I Ready for Business 13 + II The Curtiss-Robin Plane 26 + III Like a Night Owl on the Wing 35 + IV The Dance of the Fireflies 42 + V A Battle Royal 51 + VI The Tear-Bomb Attack 58 + VII A White Elephant on Their Hands 67 + VIII The Spoils of Victory 74 + IX Engineer Perk on Deck 83 + X Tampa Bound 90 + XI Perk Holds the Fort 99 + XII Old Enemies Face to Face 108 + XIII When Greek Met Greek 115 + XIV The Coast Guard Men 124 + XV With the Coming of the Moon 131 + XVI The Lockheed-Vega Flying Ship 140 + XVII Okechobee, the Mystery Lake 147 + XVIII The Master Crook 154 + XIX The Scent Grows Warmer 161 + XX Denizens of a Florida Swamp 168 + XXI The Mysterious Coquina Shack 175 + XXII The Man of Many Faces 182 + XXIII A Pugnacious Rattler 189 + XXIV On Hands and Knees 196 + XXV Perk Demands More Water 203 + XXVI The Fight at the Well 211 + XXVII At Bay 218 + XXVIII The Come-Back 225 + XXIX A Last Resort 232 + XXX Fetching in Their Man 239 + + + + +EAGLES OF THE SKY + + + + +CHAPTER I + +READY FOR BUSINESS + + +When the "Big Boss" at Secret Service Headquarters in Washington sent +Jack Ralston and his pal, Gabe Perkiser, to Florida with orders to comb +the entire Gulf Coast from the Ten Thousand Islands as far north as +Pensacola and break up the defiant league of smugglers, great and small, +that had for so long been playing a game of hide-and-seek with the Coast +Guard revenue officers, the task thus assigned was particularly to the +liking of those two bold and dependable sky detectives. + +They loved nothing better than _action_--never felt entirely happy +unless matching their wits against those of skulking law breakers--while +to sup with danger, and run across all manner of thrilling +adventures--that was a daily yearning with them. + +Since so much of their work must of necessity take them over that vast +stretch of salt water lying between the Florida coast and the far +distant Mexican shore line, the wise men in Washington had supplied Jack +with a speedy plane of the amphibian type, capable of making landings +either on shore or in any of the numerous inlets dotting the coast, it +being equipped with both aluminum pontoons and adjustable wheels. + +Jack had spent several days at the Capital, conferring with various high +officials, being thus put in possession of every available scrap of +reliable information at the disposal of the Department. + +He had also been given documents of authority, calling upon each and +every Government agent in all Florida to afford him any possible +assistance, should he require such backing while learning the identity +of the "higher-up" capitalists guilty of financing the secret clique +that had been giving the revenue men such trouble recently. + +The fact was well known that besides the valuable _caches_ of unset +diamonds, and other precious stones, coming surreptitiously into the +country without yielding the customary heavy duty imposed on them, there +was also being smuggled into the innumerable lonely bayous and inlets of +the lengthy coast line vast quantities of contraband in violation of the +eighteenth amendment, also batches of undesirable aliens like Chinese, +anarchists and Bolsheviks, such riffraff as Uncle Sam had been holding +off under a strict ban. + +So, too, it was understood that besides the fleet of swift, small +power-boats employed night after night in this profitable game of +mocking the Treasury Department, latterly the smugglers had been +freighting their cargoes by means of airplanes that would be able to +land the contraband stuff in lonely places far back of the low coast +sections. + +It was therefore a monumental task, covering a wide field of operation +and with constant peril hovering over the heads of the two adventurous +aviators who had undertaken so joyously to spread the net and draw its +meshes about the offenders. + +Their preparations having been completed, they were waiting in an +isolated little bayou surrounded by inaccessible swamps and mangrove +islands ready to take off with the coming of the friendly shades of +night. + +To those who enjoyed reading the preceding volume of this series of +aviation adventures, where Jack and "Perk," in order to get their +man--one of the boldest and most successful counterfeiters known in the +annals of crime--found it necessary to fly across the Mexican boundary +line and snatch their victim out of an extinct volcano crater that had +once been the fort of the fierce Yaqui Indian tribe,[1] will think it a +rather far cry for the Sky Detectives to be detailed to active duty some +thousands of miles distant, and in the extreme southeastern corner of +the republic. + +So it always must be with the famous Secret Service men--their motto, +like that of our present day Boy Scouts, is "Be Prepared"; for day and +night they must hold themselves in readiness to start to the other side +of the world if necessary--China, Japan, India, the Philippines +perhaps--detailed to fetch back some notorious malefactor wanted by +Uncle Sam, and information of whose presence in distant lands has +reached Headquarters. + +As a rule it was Perk's duty to see that their flying ship was well +stocked with all necessary supplies, from liquid fuel and lubricating +oil down to such food stores as they would require, even if forced to +remain for days, or a week, without connections along the line of +groceries and commissary stuff. + +Perk himself was an odd mixture of New England and Canuck blood, one +branch of his family living in Maine, while the other resided across the +border. Hence Perk sometimes chose to call himself a Yankee; and yet for +a period of several years he had been a valued member of the +Northwestern Mounted Police, doing all manner of desperate stunts up in +the cold regions of Canada. + +He was considerably older than his gifted chum and had seen pretty hot +service flying in France while with Pershing's army in the Argonne. It +was his knowledge of aviation in general that had caused Jack to pick +him as his assistant when the Government decided to fight fire with +fire, by pitting their own pilots and aircraft against those employed by +the powerful combine of smuggling aces. + +Sometimes it chanced that Jack, for good and sufficient reasons of his +own, did not fully explain the necessity for making plans along certain +lines. + +This was not because he lacked confidence in his loquacious chum's +ability to keep a still tongue in his head or exercise due caution, but +usually through a desire to make doubly sure of his own ground before +submitting the arrangement to Perk's sharp criticism, which Jack valued +even more than the other suspected. + +Consequently Perk, with the Yankee half of his blood stirred by an ever +present curiosity, wanted to know and invariably asked numerous +questions in the endeavor to find a leading clue. + +It was in the late Fall and already the advance guard of the winter +tourist crowds had begun to arrive from the North, in ever increasing +numbers, all set for an enjoyable winter in the sunny resorts of both +coasts. + +Jack had already made quite a thorough investigation and picked up some +important clues that he meant to run down in hopes one of them might +lead to definite results. + +The amphibian floated on the surface of the isolated bayou with glimpses +of the open gulf toward the golden west forming an alluring picture as +seen between the jaws of sand points, with palmettoes guarding the +entrance to the sheltered nook. + +It was just sunset, and inside another hour the night would have +advanced far enough to permit their departure on the first leg of their +intended flight up the coast. + +Perk was exceedingly fond of his pipe and choice tobacco, and looked the +picture of contentment as he squatted in his seat, scratching his ankle, +where a burning sensation told him he had once again been visited by the +tiny but venomous red-bug pest which he hated with all his heart. + +"Drat the little beggars," he was muttering as he kept on digging at his +leg, "they sure do beat anything I ever run acrost in all my wanderin's. +It ain't so bad to be slappin' at pesky skeeters, 'cause I'm used to +sich bloodsuckers; but sandflies, and' jiggers, an' redbugs make a +combination that'd be hard to beat." + +"Try that kerosene again, brother," advised Jack, who somehow seemed to +be a favored one, since he was immune from similar attacks, and greatly +envied on that account by his unlucky; pal. + +"Yeah!" growled the usually good tempered Perk, "I've rubbed that on, +an' witch hazel, an' all sorts o' lotions till I guess now I smell like +a stick-pot set out, with old rags smoulderin' to keep the skeets away. +Salt water helps a mite, but this scratchin' which I just can't let up +on to save my life, makes things worse right along." + +Thereupon he kicked off his shoes, removed his socks, and thrust both +feet over the side to dabble them in the saline water of the lagoon. + +"Keep an eye out for that big 'gator we scared off the bank a while +back," warned Jack, wickedly, "he might think it was a wild duck +splashing, and try to pot it for his supper." + +"Huh! mebbe now that's about the only way to get relief--let him snap +the foot off an' it won't itch me any more." + +Nevertheless, despite this reckless assertion Perk quickly ceased his +splashing and resumed his footgear, heroically refraining from rubbing +the affected parts. After a short interval of staring at the glowing +heavens, as if the sight fairly fascinated him, Perk again spoke, this +time finding something of more importance than insect bites to talk +about. + +"Wall," he drawled in his customary slow fashion, "here's hopin' we +ain't agoin' to be knocked out in our calculations tonight, but get a +line on what the boys are doin' up the coast, eh, partner?" + +"Won't be our fault if we don't," said Jack, who doubtless recognized +from the signs that his mate had something in his mind, which he meant +to spring on him by cautious insinuations and half questions. + +"A right decent crate that was we saw pass over early this morning I'd +say, old hoss," continued Perk, nodding his head as if to punctuate his +remarks and also to cause his thoughts to flow more smoothly. "I had a +good peep at it as we lay behind that bunch o' saw palmetto out front, +an' unless I'm away off in my guess, she was a Curtiss-Robin ship--a big +crate in the bargain." + +"They need them big in their line of business," Jack went on +significantly. "A full cargo of wet goods is pretty heavy, you know, +Perk." + +"You said it, partner," assented the other, grinning amiably and yet +with a shade of Yankee cunning. "An' what's more to the p'int the guy +handlin' the stick was no slouch at his job, b'lieve me. I wonder now +could he have been that Oscar Gleeb we been hearin' so much about since +comin' down here,--got an idea he might abeen, ain't you, Boss?" + +"Just as like as not," Jack told him. + +"Huh! Some go as far as to say he used to be a Boche pilot in that fuss +across the big water," continued Perk, reflectively, as though certain +memories of the long-ago had awakened in his brain--recollections that +breathed of action, staccato machine-gun fire, exploding shells, and the +terrible odor of gas that had poisoned so many of his former mates. + +"Yes, they said there wasn't any doubt about that," Jack asserted. +"After the war was over and he couldn't find work in his home country, +he managed to get to America and has cut quite a figure in flying +circles. I reckon he was tempted by the big money in the smuggling game +to take a job with this combine along the coast and has been fetching +heaps of cargoes ashore from vessels anchored far out on the gulf, or +even across from Bimini or Santa Fe Beach near Havana over in Cuba." + +"By jinks!" ejaculated Perk, "that there's the place we learned they was +shippin' Chinks over to Florida from, ain't it Jack, boy?" + +"Just what it was," admitted the other. "It seems that this big combine, +made up of rich American sporting men, with a mixture of Cubans and +adventurers from all nations, doubles up in crashing Uncle Sam's coast +gates with aliens, as well as hard stuff in bottles and barrels." + +"Me, I'm jest awonderin'?" continued Perk, "whether it could a'happened +that this same Oscar Gleeb an' me ever hit it up and had an air duel +tryin' to strafe each other when flyin' across No-Man's-Land over there. +Kinder like to meet up with him so we could run over our scraps an' see +if one o' us sent t'other down in a blazin' coffin. It'd be funny if it +turned out that way." + +"Queer things do happen sometimes," agreed Jack, yawning. "This warm +day's made me feel a bit lazy but as soon as we get a move on all that +will slip away like fog under the morning sun." + +"I say, partner, how 'bout that Greek sponger we talked with when we +dropped in at Tarpon Springs t'other day--you kinder s'pected he knew a +heap more about these goin's-on than he wanted us to grab, even if we +was jest s'posed to be Northern tourists, bent on havin' a fishin' spree +later on when big tarpon strike in around Fort Myers--could them +spongers have a hand afetchin' in bottled stuff, or ferryin' Chinks over +from some island halfway point?" + +"Some folks seem to think that possible," he was told. "After looking +over the ground, and getting the opinion of a heap of people who ought +to have an intelligent opinion covering the facts known and suspected, +I've come to the conclusion that if ever there was a time when you could +play safe by suspecting everybody you met of having some sort of money +interest in this big game, it's down along the Florida west coast and +like as not over toward Miami just the same. I'm not trusting my secrets +to a living soul, saving a few Government agents to whom I've been +directed by my superiors--and I'm even a bit leery about some of that +bunch." + +"Yeah! From this time on seems to me we'd be wise to play a lone hand, +an' not bother about takin' any gyps into our confidence, eh what, +Jack?" + +"You never said truer words, my boy," assented the other, smiling as he +noted the look of pleasure flashing across the bronzed face of his pal +at thus having his own opinion confirmed; for Perk valued a few words of +praise from Jack far above any other source. + +"Kinder get to thinkin' that Greek sponger--Alexis was his name, if my +memory ain't gimme the bounce--was a bit o' a sharper, an' knew beans in +the bargain from the way them black eyes o' his'n kept watchin' us all +the time we asked questions, just like we'd heard people sayin' queer +things concernin' how easy it was to grab any quantity o' bottled stuff +if on'y you had the ready cash, an' a good eye for winkin'." + +"We may know more about Alexis before we're through with this trip," was +all Jack would say concerning the matter. "On my part I'm shaking hands +with myself because we were smart enough to camouflage our ship with +green stuff for that pilot passed over and could have glimpsed our crate +lying half hidden here, and through his glasses--which I understand they +all carry--made out how it didn't match up with any of the aircraft they +use in their business." + +"Thanks to you, partner," Perk hastened to confess. "If it all depended +on my poor head I kinder guess I'd a'slipped up right then an' there an' +give the hull scheme away which would a'been a danged shame, an' busted +the game higher'n a kite." + +"We make a pretty good team, matey," said Jack. "Sometimes it's you that +goes loco, and threatens to step off your base, and then another time I +feel myself side-slipping and have to lean on you to hold my own. That's +just how it should be with partners--give and take, with never a bleat +if our calculations go wrong." + +"It's right nice o' you to talk that way, brother," Perk hastened to +assert, beaming with pride and making out as if tempted to begin +scratching again when Jack reaching around, gently steered his clutching +fingers away from the itching locality, at which Perk heaved a relieved +sigh and nodded his thanks. + +"The sky has lost most of that glorious color," mentioned the head +pilot, "and before long now we can be hopping-off. Our first job will be +to swing down the coast and learn if there seems to be anything going on +among the southern islands in this beastly mangrove section where a man +could easy enough lose himself for keeps among the countless water +passages and inlets. See here, what's the matter with you, staring that +way, Perk?" + +"Wouldn't that jar you now," snapped the other, "that Robin ship is +headin' back this way; or else some other crate that looks like its +twin!" + +[Footnote 1: See "_The Sky Detectives_; or _How Jack Ralston Got +His Man_."] + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE CURTISS-ROBIN PLANE + + +Jack, a bit startled by his companion's sudden exclamation, took a good +look and hastened to remark: + +"Reckon now you hit the nail on the head that time, Perk and it's +heading this way in the bargain. Why d'ye suppose we didn't see the +crate before?" + +"Huh! I kinder guess now," Perk went on to say, "she bust out o' that +little fog cloud right to the south--a'swoopin' up the coast, you +notice, partner, don't you?" + +"Sure is," assented Jack, as though that small circumstance assumed some +importance in his eyes, as well as those of his comrade. + +"Ginger pop! but mebee I ain't glad we didn't show any hurry to kick off +this camouflage green stuff, thinkin' it'd served its purpose okay and +could be knocked into the discard. See how they keep dodging' in an' out +like they might be scourin' every foot o' shore line, little bays back +o' these mangrove islands an' all. Strikes me they're a'searchin' for +somethin', Jack, which might be the pair o' us, eh, what?" + +"Right you are!" snapped Jack, without hesitating a second. + +"Which, I take it, would mean there might a'been some sort o' little +leak up at Headquarters, hang the luck, when we figured we'd got the +gang buffaloed right smart. Don't think they c'n lamp us lyin' here, do +you, Boss?" + +"Small chance of that, boy, if only we lie low, and make no move apt to +attract their attention," Perk was told in a confident tone that +effectually calmed his rising alarm. + +He hastened to settle down in a position where he could thrust his +glasses between interstices in the green covering of the fusilage and +wings so as to keep close tabs on the advancing plane without making any +particular movement of arms or body. + +"How?" asked Jack, a few seconds later, when he fancied his mate must +have made up his mind as to the identity of the flying ship. + +"Curtiss-Robin crate, that's right, Jack an' the same we saw before," +replied the observer, excitedly. "Hey! guess now they got a glass up +there too. I sure saw the sun shinin' on somethin' bright, 'cause the +old boy's still on deck to chaps that high up." + +"I've discounted that fact long ago, Perk; men engaged in the desperate +game they're playing night after night would need such a useful +instrument, so's to keep a sharp lookout for Coast Guard boats or +bunches of revenue men lying in ambush close to the place they expected +to land a wet cargo, or a couple of high-pay Chinks, it might be." + +"Then you got an idea they must have a spy up in Washington--a sneaker +who c'n find out what's bein' hatched up so's to cook their goose an' +that he manages to get warnin' down here to the workin' crews so's to +put 'em on their guard--is that it, partner?" + +"Looks that way--that's all I can say, Perk. Now lie low and don't do +any talking, though with their crate kicking up all that row I reckon +there'd be small chance of their hearing us even if we shouted." + +Perk was chuckling to himself at a great rate and could not keep from +taking advantage of the invitation Jack had really extended to say: + +"Yeah! an' I kinder guess now we got one thing they ain't, which is a +silencer on our engine that'll keep it muzzled, even if it does knock +off a bit o' our speed when we happen to use it. Luckiest thing ever you +managed to get the Big Boss to send us such a bully contrivance that +seems to work jest great. Listen to the racket they're kickin' up right +now--enough to tell any chump ten miles off a crate's headin' his way. +Jerusalem crickets! but ain't I glad we're fixed as we are." + +The ship far up in the heavens was almost directly over them by this +time and Perk relapsed into silence, being vastly interested in watching +it passing over. + +Possibly he had his eyes glued on the figures--there were two occupants +in the Robin's cabin he could easily see--leaning over and doubtless +closely scrutinizing the intricacies of the ragged shoreline below, +hoping to make important discoveries. + +If the leading figure, piloting the craft, was actually Oscar Gleeb, +onetime noted Hun ace over in the Argonne, it might be Perk, with his +past war history rising up to thrill him afresh, may have found himself +half expecting to hear a terrific explosion close by on the shore as the +German flier let drop some sort of bomb, with the idea of striking their +concealed bus which his keen eyes might have detected despite their +wonderful camouflage. + +But nothing like that came to pass and the cruising ship kept moving in +a northerly direction, growing less distinct as miles were being covered +at the fast clip it swept along. + +"Cripes! that was worth somthin' to glimpse, bet your sweet life, +partner," Perk finally observed as he ventured to make a little +movement, feeling dreadfully cramped and the danger of discovery growing +momentarily less as the first shades of coming evening began to gather +around the secluded cove. "Jest as like as not they started away down +toward the tip o' the mainland, an' hev been examinin' every mile o' the +coast, bent on doin' a clean job while they're at it. An' if they meet +up with no luck mebbe now they'll make up their minds it was only a +false alarm, and let her go at that." + +Presently they could no longer glimpse the faintest sign of the scout +plane--when last seen it was still heading up the coast as though making +for some destination where action awaited the members of its daring +crew. + +"The passing of that crate settles one thing, anyway," observed Jack +presently. + +"As what, partner?" queried Perk, who had already begun to denude the +anchored amphibian of its covering, as though it was settled they need +no longer fear being spied upon from above. + +"We needn't bother striking into the south when starting out to look for +suspicious lights, such as would tell of business being put +through--those boys are right now heading for their rendezvous and it's +our game to chase after them, as soon as nightfall makes it safe to get +a move on." + +"That suits me fine, Jack old hoss. I'm right sick o' keepin' our nose +stuck so close to the ground--me for the high places where I c'n get my +lungs filled with clean air--this swamp stuff don't make no sort o' hit +with me, I'm tellin' you. Gosh! looky at that bunch o' measly big +pelicans flappin' their wings as they fly close to the water, headin' to +some island where they have a rookery, like as not. An' Jack, honest to +goodness if I didn't see the head an' knobby eyes o' a monster scaly +'gator stickin' up out o' the water in the lagoon jest now. Got me +goofy, this sorter thing, an' I'm asighin' for the air lanes two miles +high." + +"I understand just how you feel, Perk, but hold your horses a bit. Hurry +is something we've got to fight shy of in this game of hide-and-seek +with these dangerous smugglers of the gulf coast. As smart a group of +men as we can ever claim to be, have bucked up against the gang and +dropped out of the chase--more than a few of whom have disappeared +mysteriously, and up at Headquarters it's believed they've met with foul +play. This big Mex gulf hides a heap of secrets and has ever since old +Blackbeard and that crowd of buccaneers used to sink Spanish galleons +after looting them of their gold cargo and sending hundreds of poor +wretches to a watery grave." + +"I'm wise to all them facts, partner," piped up Perk, grinning amiably, +"an' I sure don't hanker after bein' sent down to that port o' missin' +men in no hurry. I'll stick it out on this line jest as long as you say +an' try to keep from grumblin'. Thar goes the last o' the rotten stuff +overboard, Boss, an' we're all clear again. While we're a'waitin' till +the last speck o' daylight slickers away, wouldn't it be right smart if +we set our teeth in some o' that fine grub I laid in, to keep us from +starvin' to death?" + +"Suits me okay, buddy; suppose you trot it out and we'll pas the time +away bolstering up our strength--no telling what we may have before us +tonight if we happen to strike rich pay-dirt." + +Accordingly they busied themselves with what to Perk especially was a +most agreeable occupation, for it must be confessed that the Maine lad +possessed a fairly good appetite while his capacity for storing away +good things was something close to marvelous. + +So the night settled down around them--sounds indicative of a Florida +coast camping ground began to make themselves manifest--mullet jumped up +out of the brackish water where some stream emptied its tide straight +from the Everglades into the gulf, to fall back again with resounding +splashes. Now and then there was a rush, and a great deal of agitation +of the water close to one of the mangrove islands, showing where some +fierce piratical deep water fish was making an evening meal of the +unlucky mullet--several wild ducks came spinning along from other shore +places to settle further in where the reedy islands offered effectual +shelter from night-raiding owls and hawks that could see in the dark. + +"Gee whiz!" Perk was saying as he finished eating and started to put +away what sandwiches and other stuff had been left over, "this sure must +be a dandy place to do some shore shootin' an' if I hadn't other fish to +fry I'd like to hang around a week'r so, takin' toll o' ducks, turkey, +an' deer up on the mainland, with like as not a bobcat, or even a +panther in the bargain!" + +"All very fine for those who are down here sporting for sport, brother," +Jack told him, "but our bunch has another kind of game to pull in and +you've got to forget all this temptation so as to buckle down to +business. Reckon it's time for us to be hopping-off and getting that +taste of cool, clean air a mile or so up. Shake a leg, buddy, and we'll +shove off." + +Jack, of course, had long since figured just what he meant to do when +the moment arrived to leave their hiding place and take to their wings +again, so after their little anchor had been drawn out of the mud, +carefully washed, and then stowed away where it would take little room +and not be in the way, each of the occupants of the double cockpit set +about carrying out their customary duties when a launching was in order. + +"All set, Mister Pilot!" remarked Perk, finally, "give her the gun, +boy!" + +With only a fraction of the rush and roar usually connected with a +start, the amphibian, with cut-out choked down, commenced to glide +through the water of the partly enclosed bay, heading straight for the +jaws of land beyond which lay the open and mighty gulf. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +LIKE A NIGHT OWL ON THE WING + + +The rush and gurgle of the water parted by the pontoons beneath the +fuselage of the plane was sounding most delightful to the ears of Perk +as he sat there watching the jaws of land draw rapidly nearer. + +Resting up was always a painful thing to Perk whose nerves called for +action and had done so ever since he served in the flying corps across +the Atlantic when men's souls thrilled with frequent contacts in the +line of equally daring Hun war pilots. + +Now they had shot past the twin points and were out upon the open gulf, +their speed increasing every second as Jack pulled the stick closer +against his chest. Then the experienced pilot lifted her in a zoom that +was simply magnificent, and they were off on their adventure at last. + +Rising fast, the boat was soon at a good ceiling for flying. So too the +night promised all manner of favorable things for men of their +calling--up where they were the wind did not amount to much but it was +blowing at quite a lively rate closer to the earth and doubtless the +broad palmetto leaves must be making a considerable slashing as they +struck one another, dead and withered ones sawing like some giant violin +bow. + +This, with the wash of the waves upon the pebbled beach, would make +enough noise to effectually deaden the whirr of the propeller--the new +and novel muffler or silencer, fashioned very much on the order of such +a contraption as successfully applied to small firearms, was doing +wonderfully, and Perk every little while made motions as though shaking +hands with himself because of this addition to their security, for under +the usual conditions prevailing anything like secrecy in a noisy airship +had been unknown to the sky detectives. + +Perk had been under a strange hallucination when that other plane was +soaring overhead--in fact he was once again back in the Argonne, with +his boat hugging the earth, and an enemy swooping in circles +overhead--he had even gone so far as to imagine the German war ace might +be maneuvering so as to drop one of his bombs straight down on the +stranded craft, with results that must spell a complete wipeout. + +When they did not have their handy earphones in service Jack and his +right bower had arranged a secret alphabet of signals, consisting of all +manner of pokes and nudges, by means of which they were enabled to +communicate along professional lines at least. If it seemed necessary to +Perk to ask questions not down on the brief list thus worked out, all he +had to do was to adjust Jack's harness and then his own little outfit, +enabling him to chatter away to his heart's content--and often to the +annoyance of his less talkative chum. + +But first of all he proceeded to make good use of the binoculars upon +which so much depended. From side to side he would swing the glasses and +search for anything that looked like a suspicious light on land or water +then turn to what lay dead ahead. + +In this region of the Ten Thousand Islands--all fashioned from the queer +spreading mangrove that drops its long seeds so that they stick upright +in the mud, and, quickly developing roots, spring up to add to the +dimension of the original "island" there were never at any time many +settlers so that the coast has been reckoned as the "loneliest ever," on +which account Perk realized that if he should happen to glimpse a light, +whether on land or gulf, the chances were fifty to one it might have +some connection with the operations of the smuggler league. + +Perk remembered how that Curtiss-Robin ship had finally disappeared in +the haze lying to the north and from this he sucked more or less +consolation, since it seemed evident the location of their job must lie +in that quarter toward which they were now bound like a great owl +swooping on noiseless pinions to seize its prey. + +A delicious thrill ran through his frame from time to time. If any one +could "get a kick" from such a situation it was Perk, who was already +visioning some sort of a battle royal when they struck the smuggling +gang in the midst of their lawless work. The gang did their best to +create a reign of terror. + +Once far out toward the west, where rolled the tides of the broad gulf +that stretched for a distance of five hundred miles across to the Coast +of Mexico, he certainly did glimpse a light, low down on the horizon +where just the faintest gleam of the late departed day still lingered. +Ha! the mother ship no doubt, riding at anchor some miles out where the +gulf was shallow and holding ground good--a heavily laden sailing craft, +coming possibly from the Bahamas, and passing into the gulf between the +Florida keys. Its captain knowing that the cargo they carried could be +much more easily landed there than around Miami, where the Coast Guard +was more vigilant. + +Long and earnestly did Perk stare, picturing the shore motorboats +speeding out through the gloom toward that signal light to take aboard +their several loads and make for certain secluded harbors where trucks +would be waiting to transfer the illicit stuff to its destined markets +where prices ranged high with the holidays approaching and rich, thirsty +tourists to be supplied. + +"Bang! it's gone blooie!" Perk suddenly told himself as he no longer +found himself able to distinguish that suspicious gleam which had +gradually grown dim and then utterly vanished from view. "Now, what in +thunder does that mean I want to know--why should they douse the glim in +such a hurry--wonder if they could have caught any sound from us to give +'em a scare? I'm in a tail-spin, seems like. Oh I shucks! mebee it was +on'y a measly star after all, that's set back o' the horizon. Who got +fooled that time, I want to know, Gabe Perkiser, you smarty?" + +He took it humorously, happening to be one of those sensible lads +capable of laughing, even when the joke was on himself. + +Shortly afterwards Perk picked up what seemed to be a low-lying light, +this time off toward the east, where he knew the land lay. + +"Huh! I kinder guess that ain't a silly star," was the way he expressed +his feelings as he continued to watch the glimmering object that rose +and then grew dim, only to once more flash brightly. "Might be some +squatter sittin' alongside his campfire--mebbe a fishing camp, on'y I +got an idea the light comes from a big lantern and not a blazing fire. +Strikes me it oughter bear watchin' just the same." + +A minute afterwards and he could no longer see the object of his +concern. + +"By jinks! what sort o' hocus-pocus might _that_ be, I want to +know--did somebody blow that light out just when I was hopin' big things +might come from it, or was it only a bunch o' cabbage palms that come in +between me an' the glow?" + +It did not reappear, although Perk kept turning his glasses in that +particular quarter time after time, as fresh hopes awakened. + +The amphibian was running as smooth as silk, Perk told himself more than +once--why not, when they had most carefully checked it over with +scrupulous exactness, so as to be able to pronounce it in perfect +condition. That new muffler did the work like magic and Perk really +began to feel as though the efficiency of their aerial mount had been +increased a hundred per cent by the installation of such an up-to-date +contrivance, even if it did cut their speed down more or less--when they +had good need of swift wings it could be done away with, since racket +was powerless to hurt them then. + +A few clouds had started up and were drifting overhead by this time. +Perk gave them several hasty looks, possibly wondering whether there +could be any chance of a sudden blow arising since indeed they came from +the southwest, where many of the rains and high winds had their brewing +place, far out on the mighty gulf to be followed in turn by a "norther," +cold and violent. + +"That might be rotten luck for us," he grumbled, sensing trouble in +putting Jack's scheme into operation, "but I guess there ain't anything +to it--right cool even downstairs, I noticed an' they tell me it always +heats up afore one o' these fall rains come along." + +He put that matter out of his mind as hardly worthy of attention then a +minute later he made another discovery. Again his attention was turned +toward the west, for a light had appeared low down, a light that +actually moved, this fact convincing the vigilant observer it could by +no possibility be another setting star in the bright firmament above. + +"That's the genuine stuff, or I'll eat my hat!" was his characteristic +way of confirming this fresh discovery, and there was certainly a trace +of triumph noticeable in his voice, as though this would wipe out his +former blunder. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE DANCE OF THE FIREFLIES + + +Perk, now fully convinced that he had "struck oil," as he mentally +termed it, laid the binoculars down on the front seat beside his pal and +gave him certain nudges in his side, thereby telling him he, Perk, would +take over the controls while the head pilot used the glasses. + +When this had been accomplished Perk managed to point toward the west, +so as to draw the attention of his mate thither without any waste of +precious time. + +Of course Jack immediately located the light and was watching it +closely. He could easily make it out to be a lantern that must be on the +deck of a vessel, since he discovered a mast and rigging near by, also +the moving figures of several men. + +The lantern did not remain stationary more than a few seconds at a time, +but kept up a swinging movement that was eccentric to say the least, now +passing back and forth like the weighty pendulum in an old-fashioned +"grandfather" clock; then with an up-and-down action and, as a windup +performing a circular movement, repeated twice. + +Of course Jack understood that those on board the smuggler must be +trying to signal to those of their group who were on shore, the land +workers of the hard-working bunch, which conclusion caused him to turn +his attention in that quarter. + +At first he was not rewarded by any discovery but not in the least +discouraged he continued to wave his glasses back and forth, feeling +certain those continuous signals from out on the gulf must be noticed +and returned. + +He chanced to be again watching the moving gleam when he felt Perk +trying to gain his attention and when this had been accomplished +pointing eagerly off to the east. + +Yes, there it was as plain as anything--in fact there seemed to be two +separate lights looking like twin stars and even as Jack watched he saw +them carry on in a most remarkable fashion. Now one would be in violent +motion, perhaps doing some intricate figure that had a meaning; then the +other would join in, with the pair swinging back and forth, crossing +each other's path, and going through the most wonderful evolutions. + +To Jack's mind they looked like a pair of gigantic fireflies gone loco +with excitement and carrying on in the most astonishing manner. Indeed, +he could easily picture it as a wild dance of make-believe insects on a +greatly magnified scale. + +Of course Jack never had the slightest doubt as to what all this +mystifying activity must be--the two extremes of the smuggling +fraternity were exchanging signals--each and every movement had a +meaning of its own and conveyed such information as was most valuable to +the business in hand--in Jack's mind it was as though the conversation +might be running something after this fashion: + +"Well, here we are on hand according to promise, with a full cargo of +the finest wet stuff you ever had drop down on your coast. How does the +land lie over there?" + +"Coast all clear--we will start the fleet out to lighten your cargo +right away--keep the beacon burning so they'll make a straight line to +your anchorage, which will mean a saving of time." + +"We get your meaning--glad you are so prompt to send back word--come +right along and get your invoice--the more the merrier, boys. Wind +getting rougher, and we ought to be off this shallow shore before it +swings around any more. Don't hold back--Merry Christmas to you all, +boys!" + +Perk on his part was also trying to keep tabs on all that was going on, +not neglecting his duties with the controls, it can be set down as +certain. He twisted his neck and cast swift glances first to the right +and then in the opposite direction, fascinated by that flashing beacon +conversation. + +"By gum! if they ain't holdin' a regular confab with them lights," Perk +was telling himself, delighted with his opportunity to witness such a +proceeding, knowing as he did what this all meant to himself and Jack. +"That guy on shore is sure some punkins about this signal layout--works +jest like a Boy Scout might, sending a message across to another o' the +troop standin' on top o' a high peak--makes me think I'm back on the +front, with Signal Corps men wigwaggin' for all that's out. Huh! There +goes them twin lights, showin' the chinnin' must be over with both sides +posted on the program. Say, ain't this the boss job though? I guess I +never did get half as much fun outen any game I tackled before." + +Just then Jack signalled that he wished to handle the stick once more, +which the other was indeed not sorry for, since it began to look as +though they were close to a critical moment when considerable skill +would be required in manipulating the ship so as to accomplish their +ends without unduly alarming those they spied upon. + +Already they had managed to collect a certain amount of valuable facts +which were only guessed at previously, so cleverly had these transfer +bases been kept concealed from the most skillful of the Government +agents. Perk himself felt confident that they were as yet only on the +threshold of still more important discoveries. + +It was one of Perk's peculiar little eccentricities that he could do +better thinking if only he had a bit of chewing gum between his teeth, +just to keep some muscles at work, he said, and in some mysterious +fashion having this energy pass from his working jaws to his brain and +hasten its activities. + +So what did he do now but fumble in a pocket of his oily dungarees and +produce a slab of his favorite brand, Perk thrusting it into his mouth +and savagely rolling it between his teeth, really believed this helped +his brain to function more easily. + +Perhaps it may have done so--some people have all manner of strange +hallucinations, which, being favored, bring satisfaction to their train +of thought. If Perk actually believed in his remedy that was half the +battle and no other person's business whatsoever. + +Looking out to sea he could still find that lone beacon, even without +the aid of his binoculars. It was easy for such an imaginative fellow to +picture in his mind the lingering sloop, loaded to the gunwales with +case goods, worth almost a millionaire's ransom--the dark sailors from +Bimimi lolling around on deck, ready to up-sail and flee should the +slightest sign of a Coast Guard raid make itself manifest. From off +toward the distant shore line there came dully to their listening ears +the repeated throb of one or more speed boats hastening to lay alongside +and transfer their prearranged quota of cases, after which the burden of +getting the illicit cargo safely landed would rest on the shoulders of +those who manned the smaller smuggler craft. + +It was a beautiful little game, Perk was assuring himself, when he +realized how everything had been arranged to make things work as though +greased. As the isolated places along the gulf coast were without number +and the enforcement agents woefully pressed to even half cover their +allotted territory, the reason for the few arrests that had rewarded the +most strenuous efforts on the part of the Coast Guard could be easily +comprehended. + +"And that's just why they picked out Jack, out of all the boys in the +service, loaded him up with this here amphibian crate that c'n drop down +on land or water, it don't matter a darn which, got him a sort o' side +partner to help make things go and turned him loose to pull in the net. +Huh! we'll know before long just what this racket is goin' to wind up +in, for we've made our first move, our hat's thrown into the ring, and +we'll either make Pike's Peak, or--bust!" + +Presently Perk began to convince himself he could at times pick up the +throbbing sound of a humming motor, undoubtedly one of those on their +way out to the supply boat off shore some miles and ready to deliver +such number of high-priced cases as the lists called for. + +Yes, when the night wind veered or shifted a bit he was absolutely +certain about picking up the chug-chug-chug that betrayed the presence +of the leading speed boat. + +About this time Perk noticed two separate things that had a bearing on +their mission--the first was that for some reason they no longer romped +along at their earlier speed, showing that the pilot had seen fit to +slacken his craft to a considerable degree, though keeping up steerage +way. The second thing that struck Perk was the fact that they were +slowly but surely making a decided swing off to the west, which if +continued would make their immediate course a complete circle. + +"Go to it, old hoss!" he was saying, just as if he expected the other to +hear every word which was out of the question with that whirring +propeller keeping up its low, sing-song tone. "You got 'em beat a mile +when it comes to playin' safe, that's right. Don't want to rile the +water an' let everybody in on the fact that we're hangin' around here, +waitin' for somethin' to turn up. 'Sides, it ain't good policy to make +the ten-strike till they got the stuff on board the chuggin' speed +boat." + +He was intensely interested in Jack's play for time and listened with +his heart almost up in his throat, fearing lest the steady chugging +should suddenly stop and the game be thrown by default. But no, it was +keeping on in perfect rhythm, sounding in Perk's ear something like the +tattoo of a machine-gun in action and sending out its swarm of leaden +missiles--a sound that had long ago become so familiar to his ears as +never to be forgotten, despite the lapse of time. + +Surely by now that leading boat must be getting close to the schooner so +that the transfer would soon be an accomplished fact, after which the +return trip was due to be started which was when they meant to break +into the game. + +"Ginger pop! if I don't ketch the grumble o' a second tug further away, +and I guess now a consid'able bigger craft than the leadin' one. Get a +move on, fellers--the dinner gong's struck and the grub's on the table +waitin' to be swallered--first come, first served's the rule things go +by, so stir your stumps, an' put in the best licks you know how--an' may +the devil take the hindmost. Hey there! that drummin' noise, it's +stopped--wonder if they got out to the sloop or else smell a rat an' are +lyin' low till they make it a dead certainty? Gosh, but ain't this all +mighty thrillin' though, and how it does tickle me most to death," +muttering which Perk, still listening, actually held his breath the +better to catch any sound from below. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +A BATTLE ROYAL + + +Jack, being desirous of ascertaining just what was taking place over +where the sloop laden with contraband was anchored, did his best glide +or coast, a feature at which he was most competent. + +When the engine ceased to function and the whizzing propeller lost much +of its dizzy momentum, both he and Perk strained their ears so as to +catch any sound calculated to inform them as to what was going on. + +The trick proved worth while, for plainly they could make out human +voices; also a certain rumbling sound that Jack imagined might be caused +by the rush back and forth of a small hand truck on which cases of +imported liquid refreshment were loaded. + +This told the story to the effect that the speed launch must have +reached the schooner and was lying alongside with its intended cargo +being delivered with no loss of time. Probably, if everything went with +machine-like precision, the speed boat would soon be fully laden and +started back toward some secret haven where big motor trucks would be +waiting to transport the cargo to Tampa, St. Petersburg, or some other +city to the north. + +Meanwhile the second boat was due around that time--they could hear her +hoarse exhaust as she bucked the billows rolling in toward the shore +line and a moving light about half a mile distant betrayed her position. + +If one thing tickled Perk more than another just then it was the +realization that he and Jack held aces in the game--their possession of +that almost priceless muffler, by means of which they could approach +fairly close without the working motor betraying their coming, gave them +an enormous advantage. + +"We sure have got the upper hand in this tangle," Perk was telling +himself in great glee as he listened to the chugging of the second +transfer boat. "Huh! I kinder guess them guys been sleepin' at the +switch not to savvy what a bully thing one o' these here silencers'd be +to the smugglin' game. Looks like it might be a walk-over for our team, +if the luck on'y holds good." + +Jack had about decided on his course of action. He did not mean that +either of those boats should get safely ashore with their loads, if he +had anything to say about it, and he reckoned he had. + +Still, it was not politic to be too quick on the trigger--they could +just continue to hang around and be ready to pounce down on their +intended prey after the fashion of a hungry eagle striking a fat duck +that had been selected out of the flock on the feeding grounds. + +One thing he did do was to cut his intended wide circle short and again +head toward the scene of action, a move that certainly afforded the +eager Perk more or less satisfaction, he being thrilled with the +expectation of breaking into the game without much more loss of time. + +But you never can tell just what may happen when rival forces are +striving against one another. The best laid plans often go wrong and +there was always a chance of the unexpected happening. + +Hardly had the airship whipped around again so as to head into the north +than Perk became aware of the fact that there was a sudden accesssion of +weird noises springing up from the goal toward which they were now +aiming. Jack, too must have caught the increased volume, for he sheered +off as if to hold back a bit so as to grasp the meaning of the new +racket. + +Men were no longer simply talking or laughing as they so cheerfully +labored in transferring some of the contraband from the sloop to the +deck of the speedboat--their voices were raised to shouts in which +surprise, even the element of near-panic, could be detected. + +Then came a flash, succeeded by a sharp report, undoubtedly standing for +the discharge of some species of firearm! Others of a similar character +immediately followed until there were all the elements of a genuine +rough and tumble fight discernible in the growing confusion and uproar. + +Perk was astounded by such unaccountable goings-on. Whatever could +possess these smugglers to start a fight among themselves, when such a +disturbance was likely to be heard by any Coast Guard boat that might +happen to be cruising within ten miles of the spot and bring down all +manner of serious trouble on their heads, certainly breaking up the fine +combination that had been effected for that especial delivery? + +"Holy smoke! they sure must a'gone looney!" Perk was telling himself, +lost in wonder and dismay, for he began to suspect that this would be +apt to mix their own plans and upset all Jack's calculations. + +It would seem to be the only explanation possible--that some of the case +goods had been tampered with, the result being that the willing workers +were not only hilarious, but ready to start a rough-house then and there +on the deck of the schooner. + +Then suddenly remembering how both he and Jack had their head-phone +harness attached, and could thus exchange words when they pleased, Perk +broke loose in his usual impulsive fashion, seeking the light which he +somehow had reason to believe his chum could give him. + +"Gee whiz! partner, what's broke loose, would you say?" he demanded. +"Them guys act like they'd been tryin' out the high power stuff they +fetched all the way from the Bahamas. Danged if it don't sound to me +like a reg'lar old Irish Tipperary Fair fight--listen to 'em shootin' +things up to beat the band! Say, if they keep agoin' like that, they'll +smash every case they got an' we won't find any evidence to grab. Got a +line on the racket, old boss?" + +"It's a fight, and a lively one at that," admitted the pilot, "but I +reckon you're away off when you figure it's a ruction between those on +the schooner and the boys of that speedboat." + +"You got me guessin' partner," said the puzzled Perk; "then who's mixed +up in the shindy, I want to know?" + +"Sounds a whole lot like hijackers to me, Perk." + +"Ginger pop! Is _that_ what it means then, Jack--some tough guys +been out there on the gulf keepin' a close watch on the schooner that +came up the coast loaded to the gun'ls with case goods, an' crept in +with small boats to make a big haul! Listen to 'em squabble, will you, +boy? What wouldn't I give for daylight so's to see that boss +shindy--shootin' keeps a'goin' on like the old days over there--wow! +They must be a bunch o' rotten marksmen, or the whole lot'd be wiped out +afore this time. What're we a'goin' to do 'bout it, Jack--we ought to +have some say what's to be done with all that stuff--no use bein' eagles +o' the skies if we gotter stick around an' let a measly set o' hawks get +away with the game." + +"Don't worry, that's what we're _not_ aiming to do!" snapped Jack, +as he banked, and once again headed in the direction of the spot where +all that wild commotion was taking place. + +"I get you, boy--the machine-gun, is it?" barked Perk, starting up from +his seat as though to make ready. + +Before he could throw off his head-harness Jack stopped him. + +"Wait--you got me wrong--let the gun lie where it is. You know we never +expect to use it unless our lives are in danger. Get the bombs, +Perk--the simple tear bombs--they ought to fill the bill!" + +Perk evidently not only understood now but was fully in sympathy with +the scheme Jack had hatched out under the spur of necessity--quick +thinking was one of young Ralston's strong points and his cleverness +along those lines had served him wonderfully on more than a few previous +occasions, where the situation looked desperate. + +They were sliding down a steep glide with the engine shut off. The deck +of the nearby schooner was plainly visible due to the lights aboard, and +the successive discharges of firearms, each looked like a miniature +flash of lightning. As they approached the scene of confusion the racket +grew in volume,--a dozen men seemed to be whooping things up as though +under the impression that the battle could be won by sheer noise--and +broken heads. + +Perk kept his wits, and managed to locate the small stock of tear bombs +that had been given into their charge, with the idea they might find +them more or less useful should they strike a superior force of reckless +law breakers and get into what Perk would call a "jam." + +Already he had succeeded in clutching a couple of the round missiles +that were charged with the acrid gas that could play such havoc with +human eyes as to render the strongest men as weak as babes and settled +down in a position where he could throw them to advantage. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE TEAR-BOMB ATTACK + + +It was certainly a thrilling moment for Perk as he crouched there in his +awkward cubicle back of the pilot and waited for the proper second to +arrive when his accuracy at throwing the bombs would be tested. + +Jack meanwhile had his hands full attending to his part of the +business--it was of course of prime importance that they should drop +down as close to the deck of the schooner as possible so the full effect +of the bursting tear-bombs might be felt by those struggling smugglers +and hijackers, but there was the mast of the cruising vessel to bear in +mind since it towers many feet in the air. + +To strike this spar would entail danger of a crash, or having their +landing-gear torn away, which would prove a disaster. Consequently Jack +held himself in readiness to once more start his engine when +sufficiently near the object of his attack. + +Perk knew just when their downward velocity terminated, for not only +were they again on a level keel, but the motor commenced working with +its customary intensity and the whole fusilage quivered as usual when +they were under way. + +All this had consumed mere fragments of a minute and Perk had already +drawn back his hand to make ready for his first toss. It was his +intention to follow this up with a second bomb, hurled in double-quick +order, for a dual fire would make the results more complete. + +Jack left it completely to his comrade to decide just when to let fly, +relying on the lessons Perk had taken along those lines in order to make +himself as near perfect as possible. If it so chanced that their initial +attack turned out to be futile, it was always possible for the fighting +airship to swing around so as to permit a second attempt. + +Much would depend on just how those who were struggling like mad wolves +on the deck of the schooner to gain or retain possession of the spoils +took the attack from the air. Jack rather fancied they would be panic +stricken at having a grim spectre of the skies descend on them like a +plunging eagle and before they could possibly recover sufficient energy +to strike back, the monster roc must have winged past, and the pungent +gas started to affect their eyes, rendering them frantic with a +threatened temporary blindness. + +Then Perk began his share of the vicious attack. He followed out his +prearranged programme with machine-like movements, sending his first +bomb with such cleverness that it struck close to the stern, for Jack +had made his hawk-like swoop so as to pass completely along the entire +length of the deck--this in order to give his working pal a better +chance to fulfill his assignment. + +Even before that missile struck, Perk had instantly changed the other +bomb to his eager right hand and in a rapid-fire way sent it, too, +hurtling downward, to crash further on close to the bow. + +Then they were speeding into space beyond the bowsprit of the anchored +rum-runner, with Jack starting to climb in order to bank and swing +around, so as to complete the job if his first endeavor lacked in any +detail. + +Lucky indeed for the two aviators that they had their goggles on, else +they too might have suffered from the fumes that so quickly spread in +every direction as though fanned by the night breeze. Perk afterwards +admitted that he had caught a whiff of the penetrating gas despite the +covering helmet and close-fitting goggles but thanks to the haste with +which Jack carried their ship past, the gas had little or no effect. + +The clamor still continued, if anything, redoubled, for now the element +of fear had gripped the hearts of every man on board both boats as they +felt that terrible, unseen agency stabbing at their eyes and making the +stoutest writhe with agony and alarm, thinking they must be doomed. + +Jack could easily comprehend why they should be demoralized under the +prevailing conditions--there had been enough excitement in the air to +start with when the hijacker crowd boarded the rum-runner and joined +issues with the crews of the two allied boats but when from out of the +skies there descended a swooping monster, apparently about to fall upon +them as might a stray meteor from unlimited space in the firmament, and +that strange, racking pain gripped their eyes, nothing but panic could +describe their condition with any degree of accuracy. + +But one element was now lacking in the dreadful turmoil--Perk could no +longer detect the quick percussion of blows, as fists and clubbed +firearms clashed against human bodies backed by a fierce anger that had +been fanned into a blaze by injuries received and a sense of impending +victory, with the spoils in sight. + +Apparently every man among them was thinking of nothing save his own +individual sufferings and terror--unable to see with any degree of +certainty, they must be staggering this way and that, colliding with +each other and then one by one either falling into the water or else +jumping aboard the speedboat so conveniently nearby. + +Jack had by this time brought the ship around again so as to head into +the wind as before. Perk, divining that this meant a second slash at the +mob on the sloop's deck reached out for another relay of missiles. Now +that he had got started he was in prime condition to "keep the ball +rolling" until there did not remain a single hijacker or smuggler aboard +the rum-runner. + +But Jack, more inclined to pity than the former war ace, did not make +that second dip--he had a good idea the punishment thus dealt out with +their initial swoop would be severe enough to clear the deck and set the +late rival forces to quitting the vicinity of the ill smelling sloop +with the utmost speed, regardless of the means employed to accomplish +such a retreat while the going held good. + +Perk could hear splash after splash, as though the frenzied sufferers in +their agony had been seized with the possibility of cooling water being +a sovereign remedy for the ills that had so suddenly gripped their +aching eyeballs. + +Perk was chuckling to himself, even as he continued to crouch there, and +held a third tear bomb ready for instant use when Jack was pleased to +give him a fitting opportunity to throw it. + +"Zowie!" he was telling himself, "if that don't make me think o' the +times when us boys lined up on a dock and made the dive, one right after +another--plunk--plunk--plunk! Go to it, you terriers--swim for the +shore, boys, and good luck to you all. Our job'll be to pick up the +rum-boat with her juicy cargo, an' hand her over to some Government +official Jack knows about around these diggings. High--low--Jack an' the +smugglin' game--that spells the hull thing I kinder guess!" + +Perk was by no means so lacking in sagacity not to understand just why +his comrade was hanging fire and keeping at a respectful distance from +the sloop. He wished sufficient time to elapse so that most of the +penetrating gas from the tear bombs would be carried off on the night +wind and it might be reckoned safe for them to go aboard. + +He could vision the terrified hijackers after their speedy plunge +overboard managing to find their several boats and dragging themselves +over the gunwales with but one thought in their bewildered minds, and +that to put as much distance between themselves and the rum-runner as +possible. + +He even told himself he could catch the sound of splashing and oars +working madly in the locks, although this may have been only imagination +on Perk's part, but for one thing, he did glimpse a moving light and +could detect a chugging movement such as would accompany the inglorious +flight of the speedboat, racing for some shore harbor. + +Silence followed, as though all the human elements in that late wild +tumult had managed to leave the scene of their defeat. Still Jack +continued to swing around in a short circle, showing how even with the +spoils of victory close within their reach he could keep to his standard +maxim of "watch your step!" + +Minutes passed, and it went without question that the penetrating gas +must be well swept away by the night wind so that it would be safe for +them to board their prize and take a quick inventory of the illicit +cargo. + +Perk knew the time for action had arrived when he felt the plane head +toward the surface of the gulf, as though it was Jack's intention to +drop just back of the sloop's stern when they could taxi alongside and +readily climb to the low deck. + +There was nothing surprising about their coming in contact with the +surface of the water--Jack had acquired a habit of making perfect +landings whether ashore or with pontoons. Knowing this, Perk never +looked for anything else. + +They came down with hardly any more of a splash than a pelican might +have made and almost instantly Jack started taxiing ahead in the +direction of the nearby anchored sloop. + +Perk had set the third tear-bomb down with the belief that there would +be no necessity for his using it. Silence hung about the sloop, and he +had decided there could be no one around, unless, when they clambered +over the side, they should discover some poor chap who had succumbed to +the provoking gas or else been stunned by a blow in the wild melee that +had raged previously. + +Just the same wise old Perk did not mean to be caught off his guard and +so he dragged out a formidable looking automatic, supplied by the Secret +Service to all its accredited agents as a means for compelling a +surrender on the part of any "wanted man" when overtaken in his flight. + +The head-phones had been disconnected so there was nothing to hinder a +prompt boarding of the captured boat when Jack gave the word. With the +glorious flush of victory thrilling his whole frame Perk stood by to +fend off as they drew close to the squatty stern. It would be his duty +to clamber out on one wing and get aboard, carrying a rope by means of +which the floating airship could be secured to the water craft. + +This he managed to accomplish without much difficulty, wondering while +so doing whether he and Jack might not be making history, for he +suspected that never before in the annals of aviation had an amphibian +plane been afforded a chance to take a prize of war in such an original +fashion as bombarding the enemy crew with tear-gas bombs and causing +them to flee in mad haste. + +It was an exultant Perk who stood erect on the deck and waved his flying +helmet with the proud air of a neophyte hunter planting his foot on the +body of his first slain lion or tiger. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +A WHITE ELEPHANT ON THEIR HANDS + + +"Come on in, Jack old hoss, the water's fine!" was the way Perk greeted +his chum after gaining the deck of the captured rum-runner. + +"First make that rope fast somehow so we'll run no risk of losing our +floating crate," Jack advised him. + +"Yeah, that's just what I'm goin' to do, buddy," continued the other, as +he proceeded to make fast to the sloop's wheel after which Jack managed +to clamber aboard. + +There were lanterns scattered around, and in the haste with which the +afflicted crew had abandoned their ship no one had bothered about +extinguishing them. By means of the meagre illumination afforded by +them, the two airmen were able to take a fairly comprehensive survey of +their surroundings. + +"Huh! I kinder guessed we'd find a bunch o' the scrappin' critters +stretched out, an' lookin' all bloody like," ventured Perk, with +possibly a shadow of regret in his voice and manner, "but shucks! never +a one do I set my lamps on. Here's a case or two o' wet goods been +busted open, seems like, in all that kickup an' mebbe now some o' the +wild boys got a taste that helped keep 'em in the roarin', tearin' fight +they had but looks as if every man must a' been mighty keen on jumpin' +his bail. Wow! I can't blame 'em any, if the way my eyes feel is a fair +sample o' what they got served out to 'em!" + +"You said it, partner," echoed Jack, "but keep from rubbing it in, if +you know what's good for you. The gas is being carried away right along +by the breeze, so let's forget it and take a look around." + +"Let's," echoed Perk, always more or less curious and eager to "peek" +when the chance offered. + +It seemed as though they were alone on the anchored sloop that was +rising and falling on the long rollers coming in off the wide gulf. +Piles of cases lay on the deck around them, ready to be transferred to +such smaller craft as were expected to draw alongside with orders for +them from some mysterious central clearing house. Possibly there were +many more similar packages down below, for the sloop was evidently +heavily laden. + +Now and then the voluble member of the firm would let out a crisp +exclamation as though those keen eyes of his had run across some visible +sign of the recent rough-house disagreement that tickled him more or +less. + +"We sure broke in on a sweet little party all right, Jack," he observed, +at one time with a chuckle, "see, here's a broken bottle that I guess +must a' been smashed on some poor guy's bean and from the blood spots +hereabout he had a plenty, but still he managed to skip out when the +grand march started. An' looky what I found--a coat that's tore into +shreds. Gee whiz! but that was some hot tamale scrap, believe me. I'd +give somethin' for a chance to look in on the round." + +Jack was apparently puzzling his own head over something that did not +hit him as so very humorous. + +"Yes," he told Perk, with a grimace, "we've made a bully capture all +right, partner, but when you come to think twice it may be we've got a +white elephant on our hands after all." + +"Huh! what d'ye mean by sayin' that, old pal?" questioned the other, who +apparently saw nothing in the affair calculated to create any tendency +toward dismay in his mind. "You got me in a tail spin, partner--lift the +lid, won't you, an' gimme a look in?" + +"Well, we've got the rum-boat okay, haven't we?" demanded Jack. + +"Looks thataways, I guess," Perk admitted. + +"Just so, and what d'ye reckon we're going to do with it?" continued the +head pilot, hitting straight from the shoulder as usual. + +"Why--er--ginger pop! that's so, old hoss, _what?_ Mebbe now the +shoe's on the other foot, an' it's the blamed sloop that's got us held +up. Would it be proper to set the bally boat afire and see all this hot +stuff go up in flames? or we might knock a hole in the bottom, an' sink +her right where she stands, though that might get us in Dutch with our +people, since the rum-runners could come around an' salvage this case +stuff again. Only way to settle the puzzle'd be for us to have a bargain +day sale, opening case after case, knockin' the neck off each and every +bottle and makin' all the fish in this corner o' the gulf dizzy with a +mixture o' rum an' seawater." + +Jack laughed at hearing all this wild stuff come from the bewildered +Perk. + +"Strikes me I'm not going to get much satisfaction from you, partner," +he bluntly told the other. "Our folks expect to see some evidence to +prove the big yarn we're bound to tell--about our dropping those tear +bombs and scattering the fighting hijackers and rum-runners and all that +stuff which means that by hook or by crook we've just _got_ to get +clear with this sloop and all the contraband that's aboard--hand it over +to some of Uncle Sam's agents along the gulf coast, whose addresses I +was given before leaving Washington, to be used in just such +circumstances as these. So try again, and see if you can suggest some +way it can be put through." + +Thereupon Perk started scratching his tousled head in a fashion he +always followed when given a problem to solve, since his wits were apt +to be a bit rusty and in need of oiling so as to cause them to function +properly. + +"Wouldn't that jar you?" he finally exploded, "we jest can't load our +crate with the bally stuff, 'cause it couldn't lift a tenth o' the cargo +we grabbed so easy-like. An' as to towin' the sloop after us by a +hawser, it'd be too much like a caterpiller creepin' along. I own up +it's got me buffaloed. Jack, an' if anything's goin' to be done it's +bound to come out o' your own coco." + +"No hurry at all, brother," the other told him, little chance of those +lads making back this way in a hurry, since they got the scare of their +lives tonight. "Let's look around some more and possibly a suggestion +will pop up to give us the glad hand and see us out of the mire." + +"Suits me okay old hoss," agreed Perk, nodding his head confidently as +though he had known all along that such a clever partner as Jack would +have a spare card up his sleeve to play when things began to look +unusually gloomy. + +Perk picked up one of the lanterns, for he knew they would need some +sort of illumination if they intended to explore the regions below deck +which he termed the "hold," not being much of a sea-going man, although +capable of filling quite a number of different callings from engineer to +air pilot. + +He had not taken half a dozen steps after descending the short flight of +steps leading below when he came to a sudden halt. + +"Glory be! what was that?--sounded real like a groan, Jack!" he +exclaimed, trying to peer into the gloom of the hold, where there seemed +to be row after row of the same type of wooden cases with foreign +inscriptions burned on them. + +"Just what it was, Perk," agreed his chum, pressing close behind the +holder of the lantern, "lift the light a bit, I think I can make out +something stretched out flat--yes, it must be a man, I'm certain." + +"Kinder guessed we'd run across one or two o' the scrappers knocked out +an' left behind in the getaway rush," commented Perk who had drawn his +automatic before starting to explore the lower regions of the +rum-runner, not knowing what they were apt to meet there. + +He continued to advance, and presently they were bending over a dismal +looking object, undoubtedly a man who might be a member of the crew, +judging from his rough sea clothes and his bare feet. + +There could be no question but that he had been in the fight, since his +face was bloody and his general appearance betokened rough treatment. +Undoubtedly he had been senseless at the time the tear-gas penetrated +every part of the small vessel, and was only now coming to. + +Jack lost no time in examining the pitiful looking object while Perk +waited to hear what his verdict would be. After all the old fighter bore +no malice toward any of these reckless men who were so assiduously +engaged in breaking the law of the land by running contraband goods into +Uncle Sam's domains and he was just as willing to bind up the wounds of +this luckless adventurer as if the other had only been an ordinary +sailor in sore trouble. + +"Nothing serious, it seems," was Jack's decision. "He has had a pretty +hard knock that started the blood from his nose and as like as not laid +him out here senseless for there's a fine big lump on his head." + +"So we'll have _one_ prisoner to fetch in after all," chortled +Perk, as if pleased by the prospect of being able to produce a witness +to testify to the work they had just accomplished. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE SPOILS OF VICTORY + + +"Take hold, Perk," continued Jack, without losing any time. "We've got +to get this poor chap out in the open air for it's pretty bad down below +here, and bothers my eyes more or less." + +So between them they managed to carry the wounded rum-runner to the +deck, where he was laid down, still groaning, although showing no other +signs of life. + +"Step lively, brother, and see if you can run across any fresh water, +so's to pour a little down his throat," Jack went on to say. "I can dip +up some salty stuff by reaching down over the gun'l and mop his forehead +so's to fetch him around." + +"Okay, boss!" snapped the ever ready Perk, "kinder guess I spied a +barrel with a faucet--hope now she don't hold spirits instead o' water. +Watch my smoke, that's all." + +He was indeed back in what he would term a "jiffy," bearing a battered +and rusty tin kettle in his hand which proved to contain something that +might, with reservations, be called "drinking" water though it proved to +be lukewarm and possibly full of "wigglers," as the larvae of mosquitoes +are called. + +Jack raised the man's head, which he had succeeded in washing to some +extent, and forcing open his mouth allowed some of the contents of the +pannikin to drain down his throat. + +This set him to coughing and so he came to, showing all the signs of +bewilderment that might be expected after going to sleep in the midst of +a most clamorous battle with the reckless hijackers, and now waking up +to find strange faces bending over him, heads that were encased in +close-fitting helmets and the staring goggles of airmen. + +"You're all right, brother," Jack assured the man, on seeing how alarmed +he appeared to be. "Your crew skipped out and deserted you, but we'll +stand by. Consider yourself a prisoner of Uncle Sam, although you'll not +be punished any to speak of if only you open up and tell all you know +about the owners and the skipper of this smuggler craft. What's her name +and where are you from?" + +The man had by this time recovered sufficiently to understand what was +required of him. Jack's manner was reassuring, and he came out of his +half panic so as to make quite a civil reply to the questions asked. + +So they learned that the sloop had been known as the _Cicade_, +which Jack knew to mean a locust and that her home port was in the +Bahamas, hot-bed of the smuggler league, Bimini, in fact, being its +chief port of departure. + +"What're we goin' to do with this chap?" Perk was asking. "We don't want +him to give us the slip, since he's the on'y prisoner we got, do we, +partner?" + +"I reckon not, brother, and to make certain that doesn't happen we'll +have to tie him up or fasten him to the mast here while we finish +looking around. I hope to run across the ship's papers, if they've got +any such things aboard." + +"Leave that to me, Jack, I'm some punkins when it comes to splicin' up a +prisoner o' war, so he can't break away." Perk proved himself a man of +his word by securing a piece of rope, wrapping it several times around +the ankles of the seaman, and finishing with a succession of hard knots +such as would require the services of a sharp knife blade when it came +time to liberate the captive. + +The man was a pretty tough looking customer, thanks to the treatment he +had met with in the merry time the rival parties had had aboard the +sloop, but at least he knew when he was well off and something in Jack's +manner as well as his voice told him these strangers would go easy him +if only he gave them as little trouble as possible. + +So once again the pair set out to finish their exploration of the object +of their latest "strafing" feat when a battle had been brought to an +abrupt close with all hands in full flight simply by a dextrous movement +of Perk's arm and the tossing of a couple of innocent looking tear-bombs +into the midst of the warring factions. + +This time it was Jack who made the discovery. Perk saw him step over, +while they were still on deck, and lift a ragged tarpaulin that seemed +to cover some bulky object toward the stern of the sloop. After that one +look Jack gave the well-worn covering a hitch and a toss that sent it +flying revealing something that caused Perk's eyes to stick out with +astonishment, not mentioning a sudden spasm of delight. + +"Wow! what's this I'm seein' partner?" he yelped joyously. "A reg'lar +engine or I'm a crocodile from the Nile! Why, this must be what they +call an auxiliary craft, fitted to use canvas or hoss power, whichever +fills the bill best. You c'n ditch me if this ain't what I'll call luck. +An' heaps of it." + +"I had a sneaking suspicion we'd run across something like this," +confessed Jack, who nevertheless seemed just as well pleased as his +comrade over the find. "It's taking too big a chance to ship a cargo as +rich as this one in a tub like this with only rotten sails to speed the +craft if she happened to run afoul of a revenue cutter or one of those +new sub-chasers the Coast Guard's been fitted out with. And now the +problem's been solved, just as we hoped it would be." + +"Meanin' we c'n get somewhere without tryin' to tow the rum-boat behind +our crate, and making a long and tiresome job o' it, eh what, partner?" +Perk suggested, with considerable animation. + +"Take a look at this engine, Perk, and tell me if you reckon you could +run the thing if it became necessary." + +Accordingly the other investigated and it was not long before he +ventured to give his decision. + +"Seems okay to me, Boss. Course I can't jest say for sure till I tries +it out, but the chances are three to one she'll work for me." + +"We'll soon have a chance to put that to the test, for it's our only way +to hang on to our spoils and have something to turn in for the night's +work." + +"I'm laughin' to see how things keep happenin' jest to suit our crowd, +old hoss," Perk went on to remark, still chuckling at a great rate. "Do +we tow the ship behind the sloop, partner?" + +"Not that you could notice," he was informed. "I aim to have you stick +to the rummy, while I get up a thousand feet or so and kind of play the +part of an aerial scout, just like you've told me you used to do when +you were running one of those war sausages, known as blimps in these +up-to-date times. No objections, have you, Perk?" + +"What, me? I should guess not," the other exploded. "Why, it'll be jest +a rummy time with this kid, runnin' off with the old sloop and a +prisoner on board to boot. I'm tickled pink to know we're right in +action at last, after waitin' so long, an' ding-dongin' around till we +both got stale. But how 'bout draggin' that ere mudhook up off the +ground--think we c'n tackle the job between us, Jack?" + +"Oh! That can be put through without much trouble, I reckon," Perk was +assured by the confident one. "I think if you investigate you'll find +they've got some sort of winch, a bit like the old-fashioned windlass we +used to wind up whenever we pulled the old oaken bucket up from the +country well. Let's take a peek and make sure." + +It took them but a minute to have Jack's guess verified, for there was a +winch, with the rope of the anchor attached; all that would be necessary +was to start winding and by main strength the anchor must be hauled out +of the mud and lifted to the vessel's bow, there to hang until needed +again. + +"No use of our stickin' 'round these diggin's any longer, partner," Perk +suggested. "The canvas is all clewed up or reefed, whatever they call +it, so we won't have it flappin' around after the ship gets under way. +Say the word, Boss, an' leave the rest to me." + +"But nothing has been said as to what port we're meaning to strike out +for," observed Jack, "and that's a matter of considerable importance. +First of all it would be apt to queer our business some if we sailed +openly into Tampa, St. Petersburg, or even Key West; for some of those +smart newspaper reporters would be bound to get on to the facts and like +as not we'd have our pictures printed in all the papers. A fat chance +we'd stand to do any more work ripping this contraband conspiracy up the +back, after _they_ got through telling things." + +"Well, I guess now that would queer our game, wouldn't it, partner?" +bleated the annoyed Perk, then brightening up as he eyed his chum in a +suggestive fashion as though anticipating further interesting remarks +along that particular line, he went on to add: "S'pose I'm let into the +plan I know you've got all fixed up for us to foller." + +"All things considered," began Jack, thus urged, "I reckon it would be +the best scheme if we managed to get the rum-runner anchored back in +that big bunch of mangrove islands on the outer edge of which we lay low +with our crate so nicely camouflaged. For that matter we could cover the +deck the same way, since it'll be from the air most likely the danger is +bound to come--through Oscar Gleeb, the German ex-war pilot." + +"Sounds good to me, buddy!" snapped Perk, grinning. + +"I'll swing around overhead, and have my eye peeled for any sign of +trouble," continued Jack, "and also keep tabs on you while on the trip +south. Of course we don't know just what speed you can coax out of that +rusty old engine, but even at a minimum of six or eight miles per hour, +we surely ought to get in hiding before sun-up." + +"Easy enough, Boss, and mebbe long before," Perk agreed. "Didn't you get +the far away grumble of a marine engine working just when we climbed +aboard this junk--I didn't say anything at the time, but I guessed as +how it might be that second tub turnin' tail an' puttin' for the shore." + +"I made up my mind that was what it stood for," Jack told his companion. +"They listened to all that terrible racket and just made up their minds +it was too hot out this way for them to make the riffle. Oh, well! two +may be company, but three's considered a crowd and we might have found +we'd bitten off more than we could chew, so what does it matter?" + +"We've gathered in the booze," Perk was saying proudly, "or most of it +anyway, together with the rum-runner, and one o' the crew to turn +State's evidence, so what else could we wish for--I for one don't feel +greedy. Plenty more where this one came from, and the smuggling season +is long. What we got to pay most attention to is liftin' the lid, so's +to find out just who the big guns are, backing this racket an' chances +are we're on the right road to doin' that this very minute." + +"That's correct, Perk, but let's get a move on and be going." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +ENGINEER PERK ON DECK + + +Everything else being in readiness Jack and his muscular comrade started +to work the deck winch in order to get the anchor "apeak," as Perk +called it, being desirous of showing off with his limited knowledge of +things nautical. + +"She's amovin' okay, old hoss!" gasped Perk who had been doing +considerable straining, anxious to display his ability as a mudhook +lifter. "A few more good pulls an' we'll have the old gink where we want +it." + +The task being completed, the sloop began to move backward, very much +like those fiddler crabs Perk had watched retreating before his attack +on one of the sandy Florida beaches. + +"Looks like I'd better go aboard our ship and get away from here before +anything happens to disable a wing," Jack hastened to remark, sensing +possible trouble which would be in the nature of a serious calamity just +then. + +"Go to it then, matey," Perk told him, light-heartedly enough, "I'm +ready to do my stuff as a half-cooked engineer. Don't worry a bit about +my gettin' there with both feet if the bally motor only holds together. +Don't like its looks any too much, but then Lady Luck seems to be givin' +us a heap o' favors, so we're goin' to finish after the Garrison +style--heavy on the home stretch." + +Before Perk reached the last word his chum had gained his seat in the +cubbyhole of the amphibian, and almost immediately called out: + +"Cut that rope and let me get away, partner--hurry up before I get +another and harder bump!" + +Ten seconds afterward the airship was entirely free from contact with +the drifting sloop. Then came the roar of the motor showing that Jack +had given her the gun. Instantly there was a forward movement of the +amphibian, which increased rapidly until it was rushing along with great +speed presently lifting its nose toward the heavens and leaving the +rolling surface of the gulf, soared aloft in repeated circles. + +Perk, after seeing that his pal was well on his way, turned his +attention to his own job. He had no particular trouble in coaxing the +engine to start, although it did considerable "grunting" as though its +joints might be rusty and in need of lubricating oil, thus telling that +the late skipper had allowed his engineer to neglect his duties in a +climate where the salt in the air always rusted the inside of gun +barrels, machinery of all descriptions, and in many ways played havoc +with exposed metal parts. + +However, after the engine got well warmed up it began to work more +smoothly so that Perk lost some of his first anxiety. + +"Goin' to get along okay I guess," he assured himself and then, keeping +the prow of his vessel headed due south, he found time to try and +discover where Jack and his soaring crate might be. + +The engine was a gas motor and well supplied with an abundance of fuel, +since the winds on their recent voyage around the Florida Keys must have +been favorable as a whole and with the motive power idle there had been +no drain on the gas. + +Perk was feeling prime at that particular moment in his checkered +career. It afforded him much pride to thus be in sole charge of a +captured rum-runner with a cargo of contraband aboard. Then, too, all +doubts concerning his ability to serve as an engineer were already +dissipated for the sloop was making fair time and carried a bone in her +teeth, as the white lines of foam running out on either side attested. + +Perk was softly singing to himself some marine ditty he had picked up in +the course of his adventurous life afloat and ashore and which had for a +title "Rolling Down to Old Mohea"--it thrilled him to the core to feel +that he was luckily able to afford Jack just the assistance the other +required so as to perfect his plan of campaign. + +Now he believed he could glimpse the amphibian overhead--yes, the moon, +poking her nose out from behind a bank of clouds, allowed him to make +certain--Jack had swung back and was circling, so as to keep the sloop +within range of his vision. + +"Just like a guardeen angel," mused the enraptured Perk, standing at his +post and sending frequent curious as well as proud glances aloft, "as he +told me he meant to be. Say, ain't this simply great stuff we've +struck?--never felt so joyous in all my life as when I smashed them two +tear-bombs down on the deck here an' busted up that fightin' mob. Zowie! +how quick they got a move on, every single man but the one lone dickey +we found knocked out down below-stairs. Ev'rything movin' along like +silk--who cares whether school keeps or not, with us boys on the top +wave o' success." + +Then he concluded to stop premature boasting, knowing very well that as +in a game of baseball nothing is settled until the last man has been put +out. + +So the voyage down the coast continued steadily enough, the minutes +running along into hours, with faithful Perk keeping steadfastly at his +new job. + +From time to time he would find the plane hovering directly over his +head, and was able to catch certain signals which he could understand +because of a previous arrangement he and Jack had. + +Although the moving sloop was not over a mile or so from the shore line, +it was next to impossible for Perk to catch a fleeting glimpse of land, +so as to get his bearings. + +"Huh!" he told himself at one time after he had received instructions to +draw a bit further toward the open gulf, as he was approaching some +point of land jutting into the water, and thus making a shoal possibly +covered with coon-oysters, on which he was apt to pull up hurriedly with +disastrous results, "this here is like flyin' blind at a five +thousand-foot ceilin',--Jack, he c'n see the land by usin' the night +glasses, so it's a good thing I c'n get tips from him right along. Gee! +this sure is gettin' some monotonous, keepin' this old motor hummin' +when it's on the blink so bad. Must be a wheen past midnight, I'd say, +an' we ought to be clost to them Ten Thousand Islands by now." + +He had been keeping close watch on the stars and although making no +claims to being a first-class woodsman, Perk could tell the time of +night by the heavenly bodies setting one after another, which would +account for his late confident assertion that morning could not be so +very far distant. + +Once only during all this time did Perk happen to see a far distant +light out at sea. It interested him more or less and naturally caused +him to speculate as to whether it might have any connection with the +great game in which he and Jack were now engaged. Everything he had ever +heard or read connected with the Mexican Gulf seemed to pass in review +through his active mind--there was a halo of romance hovering about that +historical sheet of salt water and while Perk was not much given to +flights of fancy, he found himself picturing some of the thrilling +scenes he had recently read about, after learning that the next locality +in which he and Jack would play their adventurous part was along the +Florida Gulf Coast. + +Then he suddenly found himself listening intently, for above the +pounding of the old motor, with an occasional "miss" to break the +monotony, he fancied he had caught the signal Jack was to give him when +the time arrived for making a turn toward the coast. + +"Bully boy, Jack!" Perk cried out when he found that he had not been +deceived. "I'll be right pleased to drop this tiresome job an' think +myself some lucky to miss havin' the tub run on a reef, or the bally +motor kickin' off an' quittin' cold. Yes, an' there's what looks like a +bunch o' cabbage palms stickin' their tops against the sky-line. Better +slow up, Perk, old scout, afore you hit some stump or get aground off +shore." + +So he throttled the motor a bit and fairly crept along. He even found +himself wishing he had fixed things so that the prisoner might stand by +with a sounding pole in the bow of the sloop to sing out the depth and +give warning of sudden shallows but it was too late now to attempt such +a thing, even if he had dared take the chance of the fellow jumping +overboard and either drowning or getting ashore to give warning as to +the menace hovering above the operations of the far-flung smuggler +combine. + +But fortune was still kind and presently Perk found himself softly +gliding past the outermost mangrove islands. Here, he remembered, it was +his duty to come about and lay to until Jack could drop down and taxi +over to where the sloop lay so as to consider their further plans in the +coming dawn. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +TAMPA BOUND + + +"Congrats, Perk," said Jack, as soon as he came close enough, "you did +the thing up in first-class shape. If all other jobs went back on you I +reckon you could get your papers along the engineering line. A bit tired +in the bargain I take it, partner?" + +"Lay off on that stuff, matey," replied the other, scornfully, "me, I +never get what you'd call tired, but jest the same I'm right glad it's +all over an' the rotten crate didn't get sunk out there--hate to lose +all this bottled juice we come by in such a queer way. Climb aboard, +Jack, an' let's have a little talk-fest while we rest up." + +"Later on I'd be glad to do that," he was told. "We'd be wise to push +further in among these islands before morning comes along if any sponger +or fisherman happened to glimpse this pair of odd sea and air craft he'd +spread the story far and wide and get us in Dutch. I'll fasten a tow +line on to the ship here, if you'll toss me a coil and taxi away back +where there wouldn't be one chance in a thousand of our being seen." + +"I get you, buddy," Perk hastened to say, as he made ready to toss the +bight of stout rope to his waiting chum, "and it's all to the good with +me. Dandy luck we've been havin' for a fact, on'y hope it keeps on that +way to the finish line. Here you are, Boss!" + +After Jack had made the small hawser fast he started the taxi stunt and +presently they were moving past the outlying clumps of mangroves with +never a bit of trouble. Perk made himself comfortable by throwing his +really fatigued form flat on the deck and stretching his muscles to the +limit. + +This continued for some little time until finally Jack shut off his +power and came alongside, ready to climb aboard the sloop. + +"We'll tie her up to this nearby clump of mangroves, where you'll notice +there's a bunch of tall palmetto trees growing, showing there must be +ground, such as few of these islands can boast. I'm picking this place +especially because those cabbage palms will keep the mast of the sloop +from sticking up and betraying its location to any flyer passing over." + +"I'd call that a mighty fine idea, partner," declared Perk +enthusiastically. "Never would athought o' anything like that myself--my +old bean don't work along them lines I guess. An' when I've done that +camouflage act again nobody ain't agoin' to spy out a single thing down +this-aways. Great work, if I do say it myself, Jack old boy." + +After he had managed to fasten the bow of the sloop to one of the +palmetto trees, Jack crawled aboard. He must have also felt more or less +tired, after being caged in the small confines of the cockpit so long, +for he followed Perk's example and dropped down on the deck to stretch +out while they exchanged opinions. + +"None too soon for our safety," was the first remark Jack made, "see, +there in the east the sky has begun to take on a faint rosy tint which +means the sun must be making ready to rise." + +"Things are workin' just lovely for us, I'd mention, old hoss," +suggested Perk, with one of his good-humored chuckles that told how well +pleased he must be on account of the many "breaks" that persisted in +coming their way. "Let the mornin' come along when it pleases, it don't +matter a red cent to us back here in this gloomy solitude." + +They started to exchange opinions concerning the remarkable happenings +of the night just passed and in this way many things that had not been +very clear to Perk were made plain. On his part he was able to offer +several suggestions that added to the stock of knowledge Jack already +possessed so that it was a mutual affair after all. + +"I rather reckon somebody's going to get a surprise packet when I finish +explaining just how this contraband sloop and cargo fell into our +hands," Jack was saying at one time, apparently vastly amused himself. +"Fact is, I wouldn't blame the Commissioner for believing I was drawing +the long bow when he hears about those tear-bombs you tossed out that +scattered the crowd like I've heard you tell a shell used to do when it +dropped into a dugout over in the Argonne." + +As they lay there taking things easy, the heavens in the east assumed a +most wonderful range of various delicate tints that made even Perk gasp +with admiration. Birds started singing, mocking birds and cardinals +among others, crows could be heard cawing close by as though there might +be a hidden bird roost not far distant. This was corroborated later on +when streams of white egrets flew past, scattering to find their morning +meal. + +So, too, circling buzzards could be seen far above as they searched for +signs of a feast in the shape of a dead fish cast ashore on some sandbar +or mudbank--a heavy plunge not far away told of a monster alligator that +had been lying asleep on some log, taking a dive as he noticed the +presence of two-legged human enemies whom he had reason to suspect of +designs on his life. + +"How about a little grub for a change, partner?" demanded Perk, after +they had been talking for quite some time. + +"I reckon it wouldn't come amiss," admitted Jack; "but if you've got any +idea of starting a fire and making coffee, better throw that overboard +right away, for in the first place you'd find it a hard job to run +across any solid ground among all these mangrove islands and then +besides it might not be the wisest thing going to send up a column of +smoke to attract attention to this quarter. Get that do you, Perk?" + +"Y--es," admitted the other, with a disconsolate shrug of his shoulders +as if he had no liking for the scheme being thus tabooed, "s'pose it's +jest like you put it, Jack, though I own up I was hopin' we might make a +pot o' coffee. Just the same we got plenty o' fresh water along, even if +it is sorter warm an' coffee'd taste just prime, but I c'n stand +anything when necessity drives. So let's get our teeth in some eats +without botherin' further, 'cause I'm half starved an' them sandwiches'd +go fine." + +Accordingly they started operations, Perk clambering aboard the +amphibian to fish out the package of "eats", he knowing best where it +had been secreted on the previous evening after they had supper near +this same spot. + +As they munched their dry food they continued to talk, finding plenty of +subjects bearing on their work that would be the better for further +study. + +"There's only one way we can arrange things so as to keep our clutch on +the spoils we've rustled so far and do our duty according to orders." + +"I kinder guess I c'n smell a rat already, Jack," chuckled Perk as he +wrapped up the remnant of the food supply which he had taken from their +main stock--"I'm the goat in the deal--you figger on me stayin' here in +this 'gator hole to stand by the ship an' knock the block off'n anybody +what tries to get away with our property--how's that for a straight hit +square in the bullseye?" + +"Go up head, Perkiser--you got the answer first clip, for that's just +what has to be put through. I'll start off presently and make a bee line +for Tampa where they told me our immediate boss, Colonel Tranter, is +stopping with his sick wife. I'll make my report direct to him and take +further orders. He'll like enough detail a couple of revenue men on duty +along the East Coast to come back with me to where you're lying here so +they can take the sloop and her wet cargo to Tampa to be given over to +the proper officers who will see that no clever smuggler has half a +chance to run away with her." + +"I c'n easy enough see how you've thunk ev'ry thing out, an' on'y need a +little time to put the scheme through with a rush. Tell me, Jack, will +you be apt to get any further lines on the way things stand down +here?--there was some talk, I 'member, about them bein' able to give us +a few pointers concernin' them higher-ups the Government is so anxious +to cage so as to break this whole gang up for keeps." + +"Certainly, I intend to ask about that very thing," came Jack's ready +reply, "and I'm also in great hopes they'll be able to add some news +worth while, that, in conjunction with what we already know, or suspect, +will put us sleuth hounds on the hot trail of the big millionaire they +feel certain has been the main backing of the whole ugly bunch while +keeping in the background himself all the while. They're depending on +you and me, Perk, to produce the evidence that's going to convict him of +conspiracy against the Government, which may send him to Atlanta for a +dozen years or more." + +"Know how long you'll be away, Jack?" demanded the other casually as if +it was really a matter of but little moment to him what the answer might +be, since he could be depended on to hold to their booty with the +tenacity of a leech. + +"That all depends on circumstances--I may be back by noon, and again not +till late in the afternoon or evening. I expect to fetch a couple of +sandbaggers along who will take over the sloop and stuff that's aboard. +Having washed our hands clean of those encumbrances we'll be in fit +shape to delve deeper into the game and see what we get out of the +grab-bag. Anyway, don't expect me until you see me heading this way and +keep a sharp lookout, for from all accounts this crowd we're up against +is said to be a tricky combination, always stepping on their toes and +doing big things." + +"Yeah, we've heard lots o' that kind o' stuff but just the same the lads +makin' up the crew o' this sloop didn't keep their eyes open, or they'd +never been taken unawares by them hijackers. Leave it to Gabe Perkiser +to hold fast to what he's got; they'd have to be a regiment, armed with +machine-guns, bombs, an' even gas, to knock _me_ off'n my perch an' +I don't mean that for boastin' either, Jack." + +Later on Jack decided it would be just as well for him to jump off and +be on his way to Tampa. Contrary winds or something else might delay his +arrival, and an early start was bound to be of much help toward bringing +a quick return. + +He first used the binoculars in order to scan the heavens as well as +they could be covered when he was so surrounded by those strange +mangrove islands and discovering no sign of any cruising, spying crate, +he bade Perk goodbye and taxied in the direction of the open gulf, which +he knew lay due west. + +Perk answered his signal ere the amphibian turned a bend in the tortuous +channel and saw Jack vanish from view; nor could he long detect any +sound to indicate the presence of an airship since cautious Jack had +again made use of that wonderful "silencer" which they had found so +useful while conducting their search during the preceding night. Then +the appointed guardian of the captured contraband sloop turned his +attention to matters which had to do with his making the tied-up craft +as thoroughly invisible from the upper air as he knew how. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +PERK HOLDS THE FORT + + +First of all Perk set about getting the one boat that had been left +aboard the smuggler sloop into the water as he would need it for +conveying his green material with which he intended to cover the exposed +deck. + +There was little trouble about accomplishing that and when he dropped +into the rowboat with a pair of excellent oars in his possession, he +felt considerably encouraged. + +So he started to poke around, hoping to run across some island that was +more than a mere patch of the omnipresent mangrove tangle. This he +succeeded in doing without much loss of time and his pleasure redoubled +at finding a mass of dwarf saw palmetto that would yield him a plentiful +supply of fronds with their queer serrated edges such as would stab +cruelly unless one took care to handle them properly. + +Here, too, were some young palmetto trees with the new leaves within +easy reach. Working with a vim Perk speedily loaded his small boat with +green stuff, after which he returned to the sloop and proceeded to +scatter his material to the best advantage all over any exposed part of +the contraband vessel. + +It necessitated a second trip before he felt satisfied for whatever his +shortcomings might be in other respects, Perk always tried to fulfill +his whole duty whenever he tackled a job. + +By the time he had finished he was "reeking wet" as he called it, with +"honest-to-goodness sweat," not perspiration, but it was worth all it +cost to be able to feel that the sharpest vision on the part of a sky +pilot passing over the spot, and even equipped with powerful binoculars, +would not be able to detect the presence of the sequestered runaway +sloop. + +"Good enough," he told himself, as he lay down to rest a bit and scan +the blue heavens so as to learn whether there was any sign of a cloud +chaser from horizon to horizon where the clumps of mangroves allowed him +a clear vision. + +Several times he gave a little start, and proceeded to strain his eyes +so as to make doubly sure, but in every instance the moving dot he had +noted far away to the north or nor'east proved to be a circling buzzard, +keeping up his eternal weaving to and fro in search of a belated +breakfast after his own peculiar kind. + +So the time passed, and Perk even dozed, lying there amidst his "Palm +Sunday greens," as he fancifully called the camouflage stuff, for the +climbing sun kept getting warmer, and induced somnolence, especially +after such an eventful night as the one he and Jack had just passed. + +Later in the morning he sat up, took another cautious look around at the +clear sky, and then proceeded to enjoy a good, old-fashioned smoke, for +Perk was a lover of his under-slung pipe _a la Dawes_. + +Noon found him thus, picturing his chum arriving at Tampa and +interviewing the Government official who could give him what assistance +he required so as to turn over the captured sloop and the contraband it +carried, both above and below decks. + +At one time Perk out of curiosity--as well as a desire to be in a +condition to state the amount of spoils he and Jack had "corraled" in +their swoop upon the fighting smugglers and hijackers--took a pad of +paper and a pencil and proceeded to go over the entire vessel, securing +a rough invoice of the numerous piled-up cases bearing that foreign, +burnt brand. + +Then a temptation gripped him, and, as he took another "eyeful" sweep of +the azure arch overhead, to again find the coast clear, he tortured +himself with the vision of a pot of boiling coffee to go with his +otherwise dry midday snack of lunch. + +"Huh! no use talkin', I jest _can't_ stand it any longer--got to +have my coffee if I want to keep happy as a clam at high tide. Nothin' +to prevent me paddlin' across once more to where I got these here +greens. I noticed heaps an' heaps o' dry wood, broken branches, stems o' +palmetto leaves an' such dandy trash for a quick fire. Might as well +tote the machine-gun along, so's to be ready for anything that comes--it +could be a frisky twelve-foot 'gator wantin' to climb me or mebbe one o' +them sly painters I been told they got down in this queer old country. +Anyway, here you go, Perk, coffee pot an' all." + +He was soon busily engaged in building his little fire, hoping no +hostile eyes might detect the trailing smoke ascending above the tops of +that palmetto clump. Then came the pleasing task of watching his coffee +pot as it stood on the tilting firewood, a job that required constant +vigilance if he hoped to save its precious contents from spilling. + +Presently the odor began to fill him with delight and later on he found +himself sitting cross-legged, like a Turk, and swallowing gulp after +gulp of the amber fluid he loved so well. + +Taken altogether it proved to be as satisfactory a little lunch as Perk +had partaken of in some time. After finishing the entire contents of his +coffee pot, he concluded it would be just as well for him to clean up, +destroying all signs of the fire, and return to the sloop. + +He had good reason to shake hands with himself because of this +exhibition of caution, for later on, as the afternoon began to lengthen, +with the sun starting down toward the western horizon, he suddenly began +to catch faint sounds such as sent a sudden thrill through his whole +nervous system. + +"Dang it if I ain't hearin' somethin' right like human voices," he told +himself, cocking up his head the better to listen, and applying a cupped +hand to his right ear. "Yep, that's a fact, an' over in that quarter to +boot," nodding toward the northeast where his instinct told him the +mainland must lie, even if some miles distant. + +So, too, he decided later that the suspicious sounds kept growing +louder, from which fact he judged the speakers were slowly but surely +approaching his hiding place. + +"All right, let 'em come along," Perk muttered grimly as he clutched +that deadly little hand machine-gun with which he could pour a rain of +missiles in a comparatively speedy passage of time. "They can't ditch +me, I kinder guess, an' nobody ain't agoin' to grab this crate if I have +to shoot up the hull mob o' galoots." + +Nevertheless, since there was always a fair chance that the secreted +sloop might escape discovery, Perk finally concluded to dispose of his +own person, at the same time meaning to keep in readiness to give the +intruders a hot reception, did the occasion warrant such a course. + +Then he could hear what he knew to be the splash of oars, and squeaking +sounds of the row-locks. But he had already discounted this fact, +knowing as he did the impossibility of anyone ever reaching the fringe +of that vast wilderness of mangrove islands in which many a fisherman +had been lost, never to find his way out of the myriad of zigzag +channels without the possession of some manner of boat. + +On they came until finally Perk realized they were just around the +corner, for he could pick up every word that was uttered as well as see +specks of foam from the working oars as it carried past, the tide being +on the ebb just then. + +"Told yuh it was a steamer runnin' past thet sent up yer smoke trail, +Zeb," a harsh jeering voice was saying, accompanying the words with a +string of oaths as though he felt more or less "mad" because of the +exertion necessitated in working at the oars so long and on a bootless +errand at that. + +"Wall," came another drawling voice in which keen disappointment could +be detected. "I judged it shore lay in this direction, but like yuh +says, it must'a ben a steamer out yonder on the gulf--mebbe thet rev'nue +boat they done tole us to watch out fur er else some o' them spongers +frum up Tarpon Springs way. Anyhow, I got all I wants o' exercise so I +move weuns call hit a day an' get back to the shanty." + +"Yas, thet's the best thing we kin do," agreed the other, with a snarl +in his heavy voice, "we got heaps o' work ahead tonight, if so be thet +Fritz airpilot does drop over with his batch o' yeller boys like weuns +been told he'd do. I'd like tuh see the whole caboodle o' Chinks dropped +inter the middle o' the gulf, I hate 'em so, but thar's good money in +the game, we happens tuh know, Zeb, which I jest caint hold back on +nowhow. Les go!" + +Greatly to the relief of the listening Perk he heard the sound of +splashing gradually recede until finally it died away completely. This +gave him a feeling bordering on relief, for while Perk was an old hand +at the fighting game and stood ready to give a good account of his +ability to defend their prize; at the same time he had no violent desire +to open up on the two occupants of the unseen rowboat nor yet was the +idea of the sloop being discovered at all to his taste. + +"Lucky lads you might count yourselves if on'y you knew how I was layin' +right here in ambush, ready to sink that boat an' make the biggest sort +o' a splash. An' I'm guessin' I got off right smart 'bout that cookin' +fire racket, come to think of it--might a'spilled the beans all right, +and made all sort o' trouble for our crowd." + +Talking in this fashion to himself, Perk again set about taking things +comfortably nor did he ever hear of that pair again. Still, he treasured +up in his mind what he had heard the man with the harsh voice say in +connection with the smuggling of unwelcome Chinese immigrants who were +ready to pay so well for an opportunity to beat the Government +regulations in their eagerness to join the foreign colony in Mott +Street, New York City, where the vast majority of them were bound. It +would naturally interest Jack when he heard the news, although it could +hardly be considered startling, since they already knew full well this +sort of thing was being carried on by daring airplane pilots in the +service of the far-flung smuggling combine. + +By now it was well past the middle of the afternoon. Light fleecy, white +clouds had been drifting up from the direction of the Dry Tortugas and +Key West but this far they did not look at all portentous, as though any +kind of a storm might be brewing. Perk hoped that would not turn out to +be the case since they had work planned for a part of the coming night, +which would be greatly hampered by unsettled weather. + +Then, on making one of his habitual observations of the upper air, he +discovered a moving speck that he soon decided must be a plane heading +in his direction. At first Perk fancied it must be Jack on his way back, +but later on he realized the air craft bore a great resemblance to the +Curtiss-Robin boat which they had figured belonged to the Hun pilot, +Oscar Gleeb. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +ODDENEMIES FACE TO FACE + + +"Je-ru-salem crickets!" Perk told himself as he stared, "I do b'lieve +that's the same Curtiss-Robin crate we saw before, an' making direct for +this here section o' the map in the bargain! Now I wonder what he wants +to barge in for when things seem to be doin' their prettiest for us +fellers? Guess I'd better get ready for boarders. If that smart guy took +a notion to swoop down for a close-up o' these mangrove islands, he'd be +apt to pick me up, 'specially if he happens to own a pair o' glasses, +which stands to reason he sure does. Huh! what a bother. Better be slow +'bout foolin' with a buzz-saw, that's all I c'n say to him." + +No sooner said than done, which was Perk's usual way of playing the +game. He changed his position for one that offered less chance for +discovery and while about it Perk started to build up something in the +shape of a formidable fortification. + +"What luck to have all these logs lyin' around when I need them," he +went on to tell himself with many a dry chuckle. "Guess now they had 'em +aboard to pull the wool over the eyes o' any customs men that happened +to board the sloop lookin' for contraband stuff--meant to claim they was +fetchin' mahogany logs to a States market. Gee whiz! they sure are a +tough proposition to move around but here's the cutest little fort any +playboy could wish for. Let him come along--who cares a red cent what he +does, so long's I got this here machine-gun with plenty o' cartridges in +the belts to riddle things with. Ring up the curtain, an' let the play +start. Makes me think I'm back in the old line again along the Argonne, +an' say, jest 'magine how it all works out with one o' them same Hun +pilots swooping down on me! It sure is to laugh, boys." + +By this time the oncoming plane was drawing perilously near and Perk +wisely settled himself so that he could see all that occurred. + +He possessed a pair of marvelously keen eyes and while it would have +simplified matters considerably had he been handling those wonderful +binoculars, just the same he could get on without them. + +By close application he was able to see a figure bending over the ledge +of the cabin window, apparently scrutinizing the queer combination of +mangrove patches and crooked water passages between. The plane was +rushing down a steep slant in a clever dive, or glide, so that with the +passage of each second the chances for the pilot to make a discovery +increased. + +"Gosh! but ain't this the life, though?" muttered the watcher, thrilled +to the core with what was hovering over his head yet not so much as +making the slightest movement that would attract attention. If discovery +must come, Perk was determined that no act of his would hasten it along +and no responsibility for the tragedy--if such there followed--could be +laid at his door. + +He had discovered some time back that the rival crate resembled their +own, in that it was in the amphibian class--could hop-off either from +the land or when on the water. + +Really he had taken it for granted that such would turn out to be the +case, since occasions without number must arise when, for instance, the +smugglers wished to take alien Chinamen from some schooner or speedboat +by means of which the first part of their journey to the Promised Land +had been carried through, when it would be necessary for the plane to +drop alongside the boat from Cuba or other foreign ports and make the +transfer. + +The prospect was far from displeasing to Perk--he felt positive that it +would be the first time on record when one of Uncle Sam's Secret Service +men fought it out with a taxiing seaplane on the subtropical waters of +the great gulf. + +The outcome of course was hidden behind a haze of mystery--one, or both +of those engaged might never live to tell the story but then that sort +of uncertainty had been his daily portion during his thrilling service +on the French front and its coming to the surface again after all these +years of less arduous labor only made Perk hug himself, theoretically +speaking. + +Now the flying ship was passing directly over his place of concealment, +although at rather a high ceiling. Would the Argus-eyed pilot make any +suspicious discovery, or, failing to do so, continue his scrutiny along +the many leagues of similar mangrove islands stretching far into the +south? + +Perk saw him pass the spot, which caused him to imagine the game was all +off, and he would have nothing but his trouble for his pains. Indeed a +sense of heavy disappointment had even begun to grip his heart when he +saw the other suddenly bank and swing as though meaning to come back +again. + +"Zowie! kinder looks like he _did_ glimpse somethin' that struck +him as wuth a second scrutiny," chuckled the anxious watcher, that +delicious thrill once more sweeping over his whole frame. + +Indeed, it was a moment of more or less suspense, although Perk was +telling himself he did not care a particle whether the smuggler pilot +discovered the mast of the sloop, with its camouflaged deck below or +not. + +He was only hoping that the other might not take a notion to fly +overhead and try to drop some sort of a miserable bomb down upon the +spot where things looked a bit suspicious to him. Possibly Perk still +seemed to get a faint whiff of the tear-gas that had drenched the +smugglers' boat at the time he himself hurled those two bombs with such +deadly accuracy and the possibility of being himself made the target of +a similar attack was anything but pleasing for him to contemplate. + +This time the Curtiss-Robin sped past not much more than three hundred +feet above, so that he could plainly make out a head, with its +protecting helmet, earflaps, and goggles, that was projected from the +cabin. + +"Darn his nerve, if he ain't wavin' his hand to me to say, 'I see you +little boy, you're it!' Spotted me, danged if he didn't, by ginger! an' +now the fun's a'goin' to start right along. Wow! this is what I like, +an' pays up for a wheen o' lazy days. How the blood does leap through a +feller's veins when he feels he's in action again. Oscar, old boy, +here's wishin' you all the compliments o' the season an' I hereby +promise to send back whatever you throw me. Go on and do your stuff, old +hoss--I'm on to your game okay!" + +He found further cause for congratulation when he made certain that the +plane was now headed for the smiling surface of the little bay close by, +showing that the pilot intended to make his little splash, and take a +look at the hidden sloop with its illicit cargo of many cases that had +been so mysteriously snatched from the hands of those with whom he was +in close association. + +This was as Perk would have it if given any decision in the matter. Once +the amphibian started to taxi toward him and they would be placed on the +same footing, each with a machine-gun to back him up and former +experience in handling such a weapon equally balanced. Could anything be +fairer than that, Perk asked himself, preparing for business at the drop +of the hat? + +The plane had made contact with the water and was floating there like an +enormous aquatic fowl of some unknown species. Now the pilot was making +a right turn as though meaning to come down on Perk with the western +breeze--his motor was keeping up more or less of a furore, which told +Perk that shrewd though these up-to-date contraband runners might be, at +least they had slipped a cog by failing to keep up with the inventions +of the times, for undoubtedly this pilot had no silencer aboard his +craft to effectually muffle the exhaust of his engine. + +However, this was no time to bother about such minor things when the +main issue was whether he was destined to "get" the ex-war ace, or the +other put him out of action when the battle was on. + +Perk shifted his gun so that its muzzle kept following the moving +seaplane in its advance. Let Oscar but make a start in his projected +bombardment, and Perk stood ready to answer with a similar fusilade that +must rather astonish the other, for as yet he could have no assurance +that the concealed sloop was manned--doubtless he would figure the +seized craft had been hidden here and temporarily abandoned until such +convenient time as the captors could return with recruits and run it to +some port where the confiscated shipment might be turned over to the +proper authorities. + +Just the same Oscar Gleeb might think it good policy to make sure of his +ground by spraying the boat's deck with a round or two of searching +missiles before attempting to board it. + +Whatever way the cat was going to jump, Perk knew the issue was bound to +be joined before many more seconds slipped past, and he held himself +ready. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +WHEN GREEK MET GREEK + + +The seaplane had stopped short, although its engine still rattled away +as vehemently as ever. Perk understood the reason for this--Oscar may +have been a hot-headed youngster away back when the great war was on, +but apparently his later experiences had cooled his blood to some extent +and he did not mean to be too rash. + +Doubtless he could by this time plainly make out the sloop which was so +skillfully concealed, especially from the air above, and there may have +been a sufficiently menacing air about it that called for caution. He +was not such a fool as to blindly walk into what might prove to be a +clever trap, set by a bunch of those despised Government workers to +catch him napping. + +Accordingly he considered it good policy to hold off and pepper the +sloop from stem to stern before taking any further steps at doing any +boarding and seizing it for its rightful owners. + +Then again, in order to get the best work from his firearms and have his +hands free, he knew he should fix matters so he could drop the controls +and pay strict attention to his other job. + +Perk was lying low, holding himself in readiness for action. He believed +he would be amply protected by the logs he had piled up, but just the +same he did duck his head involuntarily at the first crack of the +machine-gun the pilot of the Curtiss boat was handling so lovingly, as +though it might be an old and valued "baby" in his estimation. + +But just the same Perk could not allow any misunderstanding to keep the +other in ignorance of how matters stood--he had sent out his impudent +challenge, and Perk was quick to accept it. + +So the din was further increased by a second barrage, chiming in with +perhaps its notes ranged along a little higher key, but on the whole +playing skillfully and merrily its own part in the mad chorus that +reigned. + +How the chatter of those two rapid-fire guns did carry on, with the +splinters flying every-which way as the missiles tore them loose from +the logs and the coaming of the sloop's deck. + +Perk was compelled to do most of his work while keeping his head down, +lest he be potted in that rain of bullets the other fighter was pouring +in on him. Consequently he could hardly be expected to do himself full +justice. Perhaps Oscar on his part was working under a similar +disadvantage, for he really had little in the way of a barricade to +intercept the shower to which he was being subjected. + +Lucky for him he had shown the good sense to stop his advance with +considerable distance separating him from the hidden sloop--had they +been closer there was not one chance in ten that some damage would not +have placed his seaplane out of commission, even though the pilot +himself escaped death. + +Then suddenly a white flag shot up from the sloop's breastworks. Oscar, +with the gallantry such as had ever distinguished the air fighters on +both sides in those days that tried men's souls, ceased firing. + +"Give up?" he was bawling, as the rapid-fire guns both became silent, +while their hot barrels cooled off a bit. + +"Not so you could notice it," Perk shouted. "Jest wanted to exchange a +few words with you, if you're Oscar Gleeb, an' it's true that you was a +live-wire over there in France an' the Argonne--say, is that all to the +good, Mister Pilot?" + +The other did not answer immediately. Plainly he must have been +considerably astonished at the queer turn the engagement had taken; and +then again possibly he did not exactly like the idea of being compelled +to acknowledge his identity, fearing it might be only a trap to ensnare +him in the meshes of the law he had been defying so flagrantly. + +"What's that matter to you?" he finally yelled testily, so that Perk +began to suspect he must have touched up the other with one of the +bullets that struck the seaplane. + +"Oh! nothin' much," sang out the complaisant Perk, cheerfully, "on'y I +wanted to let you know I was over there in the same line and had the +good luck to send down a few o' you Hun pilots in a blazin' coffin. +Wondered now if me'n an' you mightn't a had a private scrap o' our own +in them bully times. Allers did hanker to have a talk-fest with you, +sense I heard 'bout you bein' one o' them bloomin' hot Junker pilots." + +A hoarse laugh greeted this amazing sally of Perk's. + +"Say, what sort of a crazy gyp are you to want to talk things over while +we got this scrap on?" bellowed the helmeted man in the shot torn cabin +of the amphibian. "That's our boat you're standin' on, and we need it in +our business, see? Give you three minutes to clear out, for I'm comin' +aboard. Get that, Kamarad?" + +"Sure thing, Oscar old hoss, but when you do it'll be feet first, for +I'm fixed to fill your carcass so full o' lead it wouldn't need any +cannon ball to sink you if you died at sea. So mind your step, Mister +Pilot--jest been gettin' my hand in so far, but what's comin' next'll be +a whole lot different, bet your boots!" + +The other did not show the white feather but immediately set to work +once more with his weapon. No sooner was its chatter "on the air" than +Perk started giving his own gun a chance to show its worth. This made it +lively again and once more those aggravating splinters began to scatter, +worrying Perk not a little, for strange to say he dreaded lest one of +them find lodgment in his anatomy and this troubled him much more than +the possibility of being struck by a speeding bullet. + +It was quite warm while it lasted, but presently Perk realized that the +opposition had suddenly ceased. Being a polite man and always pleased to +meet his antagonist on even terms, Perk also stopped firing. If Oscar +had decided to advance once more and try conclusions at close quarters +where it would be give and take, he, Perk, could prove himself a most +accommodating chap. + +Sure enough the engine of the amphibian had started up with increased +vigor and Perk, cautiously lifting his head, saw that the plane was +really in motion. But it was also veering to one side, which action +might mean either one of two things--that the other had had quite enough +of this exchange of hot fire and was pulling out, or else that in his +crafty German way he was meaning some sort of flank attack in hopes of +carrying the fort. + +Faster and faster was the taxiing airship rushing through the water and +Perk continued to hold his fire, realizing that the fight was over. + +"Go to it, Oscar old hoss!" he burst out, as he grasped this clinching +finish of the strange engagement with the rival gunmen separating after +a hot exchange of compliments, each apparently able to move off under +his own steam, "Beat it for all you're worth while the goin' is good. +There, he's lifted his crate in one big pull an' I kinder guess he ain't +hurt much either, else he couldn't show so much steam. Wall, here Perk's +been left in possession, after all that bluff he put up. But it sure was +a dandy jig while it lasted." + +At that Perk began to laugh as though the true perspective had flashed +before his eyes for then, and later on, too, he was ready to declare +that a more ridiculous as well as unprofitable battle had never been +waged between two rival pilots of the upper air lanes. + +Now the fleeing ship had mounted to a fair ceiling and was rushing off +in a roaring zoom but Perk noticed his late foe was heading due east as +though bent on picking out an entirely different direction from the one +he had used when coming with an impetuous rush to investigate the +mysteries of the mangrove islands. + +"Huh! that strikes me as a bit queer," Perk was telling himself as he +gazed after the ship, now growing smaller and smaller as it placed miles +between them. "Looks like Oscar might a remembered a mighty important +engagement he ought to keep. Oh well, I've had my little shindig, and +it's just as well we both came through okay--them as 'fights an' runs +away, may live to fight another day,' that old sayin' has it which is +sure a true thing. Hey! what's this mean--seems like I didn't come +through as soft-like as I figgered I had--blood on my hand, yep, an' on +my face ditto. Guess one o' them nasty zippin' bullets must a creased my +ear, and fetched the juice a little. Shucks! nothin' to bother about I'd +say." + +He took his old red bandanna and dabbed at his right ear with many a +grunt as well as chuckle. + +"Seems like it's the only time I've weltered in my own gore for a coon's +age," Perk was saying as he looked at the stains on his faithful if +faded rag that had been his close companion on many a long flight +through fog and storm, wintry cold and summer heat. "But then I got a +notion Oscar must a'been nipped, too, mebbe a whole lot worse'n me. +Honors are 'bout even, I guess, and if ever I do run across that lad +again I'm meanin' to shake hands with him, jest out o' consideration for +the fox an' geese game us air pilots used to play in the big ruction +over there." + +By chance Perk turned his gaze in another direction for he no longer +found any interest in keeping tabs on his late antagonist whose ship was +now growing dim in the distance, having entered among a bunch of fleecy +clouds. + +Hardly had Perk turned his head than he gave utterance to a low cry. + +"What do I see but another crate humping along this way, an' outen the +no'th in the bargain?" he observed, with ill concealed eagerness in his +tones. "Could it be Oscar, an' the other skunks got 'em a hull fleet o' +airships to carry on their trade o' smugglin' in licker, diamonds an' +Chinks that want to get in this country more'n they do the yeller man's +Paradise? Oh! rats, what'm I thinkin' about--wake up, Gabe Perkiser, an' +use your noodle like it was given to you to handle. To be sure that +second plane is our own bus, with my pal handlin' the stick. An' I guess +Oscar must a glimpsed him headin' this way, which made him reckon this +wasn't the healthiest place in the country for a feller o' his size, so +he skipped out _pronto_. Yep, that's my pal for a cookey, I'd know +his way o' handlin' a ship in a dozen an' as far as I could lamp the +boat." + +On the whole he was extremely glad to see Jack returning, although also +pleased to know he had had his little frolic in a miniature battle that +for the brief period of its life had been able to give him a most +delicious thrill. + +He watched the oncoming ship grow in size and noted the significant fact +that its approach was so lacking in all the customary racket that +deafens the human ear. + +Then presently a hand waved to him, Jack swung around and dropped with a +little splash upon the water--just where Oscar had so recently left +it--to taxi along and pull up close to the camouflaged sloop. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE COAST GUARD MEN + + +Perk made a discovery just then that afforded him more or less +satisfaction. This was the fact that apparently Jack's mission to Tampa +had not been in vain for he could see several heads in the cabin of the +amphibian beside that of his best chum. + +"Huh! 'pears like Jack fetched through okay, an' has ferried some guys +back with him to take this stuff off'n our hands," Perk was muttering, +even as Jack started to clamber aboard the sloop, being closely followed +by a couple of determined looking young men. + +"Back again, brother," Jack observed, as he clasped the extended hand of +his partner, then, gave a queer grimace upon taking note of the +splintered coaming of the sloop as well as the badly pockmarked +barricade of mahogany logs. "Say, what's all this mean, I want to +know--looks like you might have been mixed up in some sort of rumpus +while I was away!" + +Perk grinned and nodded his head cheerfully. + +"Had a heap o' fun, old boss, an' got loads o' thrills out o' it. Mebbe +now you noticed some sort o' crate just vanishing among them clouds off +toward the east as you breezed along?" + +"Thought I did," came the immediate reply, "but the visibility was +getting poor, and I couldn't be sure it wasn't a buzzard, or even an +eagle ducking in and out. What's it mean, Perk--was he kicking up a mess +around here?" + +"You said it, partner, an' his name was sure Oscar--Oscar Gleeb, 'cause +he got mad as hops when I asked him, an' told me that wasn't any o' my +business. But we sure did have a nice hot spell, Oscar'n me." + +"Yes, and I reckon now you got your old right ear touched up again, +Perk, for I can see streaks of half-dried blood running down your +cheek." + +"Yeah, he nicked me okay, an' if this keeps on much further I'll soon be +taken for the Manassa Mauler, 'cause it'll gimme a cauliflower ear. Who +are these two lads, Jack--look like they might belong to the Coast +Guard." + +"Just what they are--meet Tom Cairns and Red McGrath, who have been sent +along with me to take charge of this contraband and hand it over to Mr. +Philip Ridgeway, temporarily in charge of the Treasury Department +interests along the West Coast here, with headquarters in Tampa--this is +the fine pal you heard me speaking about a few times, boys--Gabe +Perkiser, commonly known simply as Perk, a veteran of the big scrap over +in France where he flew one of those sausage observation blimps, and was +later on considered something of an ace in our flying corps." + +So Perk gladly shook the hands extended to him, grinned in his genial +fashion, and from that moment on they were as brothers all. + +"While we're stretching our legs, after being cooped up in that cramped +cabin for some hours," suggested Jack, whose curiosity had naturally +been aroused by the multitude of signs all around indicative of a warm +session, "suppose you sketch your little adventure for us, Perk. And I +want to say that Oscar was pretty much of a fool if he reckoned on +snatching this boat away from an old fighter like _you_, when you +had a nice new machine-gun to back up your claims." + +"Shucks! he showed the right stuff for a scrapper," expostulated the +honest Perk, anxious to give credit where credit was due. "We stopped +the barrage at one point to have a little chin, but unable to agree, we +jest started all over again. An' I kinder guess I must've notched the +critter some, for he hauled off an' skinned the cat by kickin' out. I +was jest tellin' myself it sure turned out to be a good thing he didn't +have any Chinks aboard at the time, 'cause they might've lost the number +o' their mess in the racket--I'm willin' to stop the yeller boys from +crashin' Unc' Sam's gates, but I don't crave the job o' sendin' the poor +dicks along to their worshipped ancestors, not me." + +"Well, get a move on you, Perk, and let's have the story of your +fight--did he drop down, and have it out with you on the water; or was +he circling above your head all the while?" + +"If you'll take another squint at these bullet marks, old hoss," said +Perk, reproachfully, "you'll see they passed along on the level. Yeah, +he was a square shooter I want to say and some day I'm hopin' me'n Oscar +c'n shake hands, since the war's long past an' German is being taught +again in our public schools." + +Then he launched forth in a graphic, if terse, description of the +remarkable battle that had so recently taken place. The others listened +with intense interest, for if Perk did have a way of cutting his +sentences short and never going into lengthy descriptions, nevertheless +he made his points tell, and kept his audience of three breathing fast +with the thrill they received. + +"Now let's get a move on," Jack was saying after Perk had finished the +exciting description of his adventure, "and go over all this mess of +cases, so these boys can give us a little document to say how we turned +over that number of boxes to their charge, together with the sloop. +McGrath here used to run the engine of a tug in New York harbor and is +well able to manage this rusty cub here--we found it capable of doing a +day's work, you know Perk, on the way here." + +Jack's word was law, since he was in command. Accordingly they started a +systematic check of every case of bottled goods to be found aboard the +confiscated vessel, above and below decks. + +"Just an even two hundred and twenty-six," announced Jack, after they +had gone over the entire lot twice with the same result. "I reckon a few +got away aboard that speedboat but they didn't have much time to work +the racket before the hijacker mob swarmed aboard and kicked up that +riot--then along came Perk, with his armful of tear-bombs and broke up +the Boston tea party in great shape. I'll make out a paper for both of +you to sign, after which you can kick-off when you please." + +All this was satisfactory to McGrath and his comrade and the paper +having been duly signed, they set about examining the engine so as to +learn whether it could have been injured in any way from the storm of +missiles that came aboard during the hostilities so lately ended. + +"The bally old thing seems to be in fairly decent shape for running," +was McGrath's verdict after the checking had been completed, "and since +we've got some distance to cover before we make Tampa Bay, p'raps we'd +better be shoving off." + +"No such big hurry as that, boys," observed Jack. "I'm a bit hungry +myself and reckon you both must be in the same boat. We've got plenty of +grub, and to spare, also Perk here knows a few wrinkles along the +cooking line. Suppose we have some sort of spread to celebrate Perk's +victory." + +"Huh! pleases me okay, brother," announced the expectant _chef_. +"I've run across a little rusty kerosene burnin' stove here in what I'd +call the cook's galley, an' we might as well have some hot coffee with +the eats." + +As there were no dissenting votes the motion was carried unanimously; +whereupon Perk bustled around and soon had his coffee pot over an +apology for a flame which would, however, answer their purpose. + +It was only a simple supper, but with good appetites to back them, every +one of the quartette declared it was great and would long be remembered. + +Then the mess of saw palmetto leaves and other stuff utilized for +camouflage purposes was cast overboard after which McGrath "fiddled" +with the engine and soon had it running, limp and all, for its misses +were plentiful, although the engineer allowed there did not seem to be +anything fundamentally wrong. + +"If we have fair luck," he announced, confidently, "we ought to fetch +our Tampa dock, where all prizes are tied-up, before morning comes +along. On the other hand, if we break down we'll either hang on to the +sloop, or if luck runs against us, sink her, after smashing every bottle +aboard." + +"Good enough, Red," Jack told him as they shook hands for the last time. +"I hope we run across you boys again some day, and please keep your lip +buttoned about our being down here with an amphibian to knock some of +these smugglers of Chinks and rum galley-west." + +"You can depend on us to keep mum, Jack," the red-headed ex-harbor tug +engineer assured him. + +So the last line was cast off, Jack and Perk retired to their own ship, +and with many a wheeze and complaint the sloop started to pass out to +the open gulf, and commence the night journey to Tampa Bay. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +WITH THE COMING OF THE MOON + + +"Wall," Perk was remarking as the sloop passed beyond range of their +vision amidst the gathering shades of night, already drawing her sable +curtains close, "I hopes they get through without runnin' smack against +a bunch o' the racketeers." + +"With fair luck they ought to manage to slip along," Jack went on to +observe, confidently. "You heard me warn them to keep a watchful eye out +for smugglers and hijackers by land and sea and air? Anyway we've +finished our part of the job and this paper proves that our find was all +I cracked it up to be when I talked with Mr. Ridgeway." + +"Course, you knocked up against the gent then, eh Jack?" + +"Sure, or I shouldn't have been able to fetch those lads back with me to +take over the sloop and contraband cargo," the other told him. "But I +was in a tail spin at first when I learned that Mr. Ridgeway had gone +down to St. Pete to interview some people who had reasons for not +wanting to be seen going into his Government offices in Tampa. But I got +his address and jumped my boat, slipped down Tampa Bay, and pulled in at +the long municipal pier at St. Petersburg." + +"I first hired a dependable man to keep watch over my ship while I was +off hunting my superior officer but I found him after a bit and he was +sure glad to see me, shook hands like a good sport, and asked me a bunch +of questions before starting to tell me what important fresh news he had +picked up through his agents working the spy game for all it was worth." + +"Was he tickled to learn how we managed to run off with that slick +little sloop that carried so neat a pack o' cases marked with foreign +stamps?" + +"Seemed to be," came the ready answer. "He isn't a man of many words, +you know, Perk, but what he says he means. He told me they were banking +on the pair of us to bring the high-hat chaps at the head of this +smuggler league to the bar, with plenty of evidence that would convict +them, no matter how many big lawyers they employed to beat the case." + +"That sounds all to the good with me, old hoss," snapped the pleased +Perk. "'Taint often we get half the praise that's comin' to us--not that +I care a whiff 'bout that, though--satisfied to do my duty by Unc' Sam, +an' let them high-ups have the main credit. But I guess we'll get some +kick out o' the game just the same an' that's worth all it costs us. +Tell me, did this Mr. Ridgeway fork over any news worth knowin'?" + +"He did," the other assured him. "I showed him those papers I found +hidden in the cabin of the sloop, with a fine list of names, such as +would cover customers who'd ordered the stuff they had aboard and he +reckoned that several of them might point to the heads of the combine +swinging the big smuggling deal." + +"That would be a clue worth while, I'd say," Perk asserted warmly, his +eyes flashing with renewed zeal as though he might be telling himself +they must be getting on a pretty warm scent which would soon lead them +to the party they sought above every one else--the capitalist whose word +was _law_, and whose money purchased all the supplies, from liquor +and vessels to aircraft and everything else needful for carrying on +their business of swindling the Government through the Treasury +Department. + +Just as he always did in forestalling any likely move when an important +case was placed in the hands of himself and Jack, Perk was already +engaged in mentally spreading the net destined to gather in the chief +culprits--the outlook promised a multitude of warm episodes calculated +to stir the blood to fever heat and afford him the wild excitement +without which life lost much of its charm--in his eyes at least. + +The pulsating throb of the old engine aboard the sloop had long since +ceased to make itself heard, so that they could with reason believe +McGrath and his pal well on the way to their distant goal, with no sign +of stormy weather to be seen in the southwestern heavens. + +"How 'bout spendin' the night here, partner?" Perk queried, as he sat +contentedly smoking his favorite pipe after the manner of a man who had +good reason to congratulate himself on the close of a perfect day. + +"I was just thinking that over, Perk. We might be in a worse situation +than this, if locality was all that mattered. I don't believe the +'gators would keep us awake with their splashing and roaring along +towards early morning, but then I'm a bit bothered thinking of the man +who skipped out after having his little machine-gun duel with you." + +"You're jest crampin' my style when you say that, partner," complained +Perk. "That Oscar happens to be a German, we both know, an' from what I +learned about the breed when over there, they're some obstinate, once +they get workin' in a game--hate to give it up wuss'n pizen." + +"I see you're of the same opinion as myself, buddy," Jack remarked, +nodding his head. "You reckon there might be some chance for him to pick +up a bunch of his mates and swing back here to do a little bombing on +his own account. Well, we're not hankering to try our own medicine, not +if we know it, and on that account I think we'd be wise to pull out of +this and find a new refuge--perhaps on some lake back from the coast +where we might pick up something interesting in our line." + +"Je-ru-salem crickets! I kinder guess now you've got somethin' danglin' +back o' them words old hoss," broke out the newly interested Perk, +showing considerable animation. He was used to most of Jack's habits and +could in many instances tell that something lay hidden back of his +word--something of a character to promise great happenings when followed +to a finish. + +That seemingly casual mention of a freshwater lake was not made without +some deep meaning--Jack must have been told something very important by +the Government official with whom he had gone into conference at Tampa +and this was his sly way of starting Perk's wits to working overtime in +the endeavor to figure things out. + +"Wait and see what's in the wind, Perk," said the head pilot, with a +chuckle. "I promise to let you into all I know or suspect before a great +while passes. Just now I'll own up this scheme of slipping over to a +certain sheet of fresh water for a change of base has a meaning that +connects with our big game of Blind Man's Buff." + +This seemed to square things with Perk, for he beamed as though pleased. +Whatever Jack decided was always all right in his eyes because he felt +certain that the bright mind of his comrade just could not make a +blunder. + +"When do we hop-off, then?" he said. + +"Oh, when the moon shows up will be plenty of time," came the ready +answer. "Our objective isn't so very far distant and you know we can +make a hundred miles an hour if necessary. I'd like to pick up a bit of +my lost sleep while we wait, unless you object to standing sentry." + +"Not me, matey, I managed to snooze some during the time you were away. +Lucky I had everything fixed for company and wasn't caught nappin' when +our friend Oscar tipped his hat an' made his bow. Now I was wonderin' if +he had that ole quick-firin' gun away back when he was riddlin' things +along in the Argonne--wouldn't it be a queer thing if true? He knew how +to rattle that cantankerous bus to beat the band an' he did nick me in +that silly o' ear o' mine that keeps on gettin' in the way every time I +have a little spat with a sassy guy." + +Perk insisted on his chum making himself as comfortable as possible, +considering the cramped quarters they occupied in the cluttered cabin of +their ship, which continued to keep up a soothing movement with the +successive waves that worked in from the open gulf inclining a sleepy +person to slumber. + +"I'll jest sit here an' ruminate while I consume my tobacco," announced +the accommodating Perk, making light of his job. "Once in so often I'll +take a look skyward with the glasses, so's to know if there's any chance +o' Oscar comin' back here to try it all over again. When the moon peeps +up in the east yonder I'll put a hand on your arm, so's to let you know +it's near time. Go to it, partner--do your stuff." + +Jack was feeling pretty tired, since he had enjoyed mighty little decent +sleep from one cause or another during the last few nights. It was not +at all surprising, therefore, that he should be in slumberland before +five minutes passed after he and Perk had exchanged the last word. + +The self-posted sentinel did just as he had promised, every little while +he would quietly stand up and with the glasses take a keen observation, +covering the blue vault above from one horizon to another, then, finding +all serene, he would silently resume his seat, with only a sigh to +indicate how he felt. Once more he filled his everlasting pipe, began to +puff delightedly, and finally lay back in a half reclining position to +smoke it out. + +He was a great hand at ruminating, as he called it--allowing his +thoughts to travel back to events that may have occurred months, and +even years before, but which had been of such a nature as to fix +themselves in his memory most tenaciously. This afforded him solid +enjoyment, together with the charm of his adored pipe and he asked for +nothing better. + +Thus an hour, two of them, and more passed, with nothing out-of-the-way +taking place to attract his attention. He figured that if the pilot of +the Curtiss-Robin crate intended to come back that night, he was subject +to some sort of delay. + +There was frequent splashing in the lagoon near by--at times Perk could +tell it must be caused by jumping mullet, but on other occasions the +sound being many times exaggerated, he reckoned it had been made by an +alligator plunging off a log into the water, either alarmed by some +sound further off, or else possessed of a desire to enter a secret +underwater den he laid claim to. This would probably have a second +entrance, or exit, up on some hummock that Perk had failed to discover +when poking around on the preceding day hunting green stuff with which +to conceal the deck of the sloop. + +Suddenly Perk noticed a slim streak of pale light fall athwart the +propeller blade just before him and looking hastily up discovered the +smiling face of the moon--a bit battered it is true, for the silvery +queen of night was just then on the wane. + +It was high time they were moving and making for the goal Jack had +mentioned as an inland lake, though at no time did he give the name by +which it was known to the settlers and tourists who flocked to Florida +during the late Fall and early Winter. So he touched Jack on the +shoulder, just he he had promised he would do, nor did he have to give +the slightest shake for the other stirred and raised his head, showing +he was wide awake. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE LOCKHEED-VEGA FLYING SHIP + + +"Moon coming up, partner!" was all Perk said. + +"Then it's time we were moving," Jack told him as he started to stretch +his cramped arms and yawn. "Feel a heap better now after that little nap +and ready for what's coming." + +They did not have much to do, since everything was in perfect condition +for hopping-off--trust Jack for that, with his slogan of "be prepared." + +"All set, Perk?" asked the pilot, presently. + +"Shoot!" was the terse answer. + +The bright moon would have to take the place of the customary equipment +of a landing field in the way of guidelights, markers, and +search-lights, but there was no necessity for so much light with the +channel before him along which he could taxi unerringly, until, arriving +at the point where the great gulf stretched out toward the western +horizon, the speed must be advanced for the take-off. + +Now they were free from the mangroves and Jack accelerated the pace of +his ship accordingly--two twin foam-crested waves rolled out from the +pontoons as they sped along until, testing things, Jack found that his +charge was impatient to leave the water and leap upward into space. + +Perk looked backward toward the scene of his amazing afternoon +battle--how many times in the future would the picture rise in his +memory to haunt him and bring that quizzical grin to his face. + +With the newly risen moon gilding the small waves of the gulf below +them, the picture looked most peaceful. Perk, although not much inclined +to romance, could not but admire the spectacle after his own rude +fashion while Jack fairly drank it in as he continued to pay attention +to his manifold duties. + +Their course was almost due north, Jack keeping out a score or more of +miles from the coast, having reasons of his own for so doing--perhaps he +found the wind more favorable out there and this is always an important +factor in the calculations of a pilot of experience. Just as in the +earlier days of ocean steamers when they were also equipped with masts +and sails, the latter were always hoisted when the wind favored, since +this helped them make progress and saved coal at the same time. + +They had been booming along for something like half an hour when +watchful Perk, the observer, made a discovery worth while he believed. +He communicated with his companion, the useful earphones chancing to be +in place--trust Perk for that. + +"Somethin' doin' out there to the west, partner--look up to a higher +ceilin' an' you'll see it. Headin' to cross over our trail in the +bargain, I guess." + +"A crate, all right," commented Jack, whose quick eyesight had +immediately picked up the moving object. + +"Looks like it might a come all the way across the gulf--d'ye think from +some Mexican port, Jack?" + +"Like as not," assented the other. "These crooks make a start from any +one of a score of jumping-off places, but always with a specified +landing field ahead." + +"Then you figger," continued Perk, "he might be one o' the gang, +fetchin' Chinks across or mebbe precious stones, bought in Paris, and +shipped to Mexico on the way to New York, eh, partner?" + +"Chances are three to one that's what it means," Jack told him. + +Perk continued to wield his important binoculars and presently, when the +lofty plane was passing over, he stated his opinion. + +"'Taint _him_, anyway, that's dead sure, Jack, I guess I ought to +know a Lockheed-Vega crate, no matter how far away, or by what tricky +moonlight either, 'cause you see I used to run one o' that breed for +nearly a year when I took a whirl at the air-mail business up north out +o' Chicago till I had a bad crash an' quit cold." + +"That settles it then, partner," said the pilot, still observing the +speck swinging past out of the tail of his eye. "I hadn't any idea it +could be the same chap you had your little picnic with some hours back, +for you told me he'd blown off toward the east." + +"Jest what he did," replied the observer. "Ginger pop! but what wouldn't +I give right now to know jest whar that galoot was meanin' to drop down, +once he gets over the land. How 'bout that, old hoss?" + +"It might help out considerable," admitted Jack although not as much +interested as Perk considered he might be. "We'll sift things out in +good time, and for all we know, run across a few surprises in the +bargain." + +Perk studied that last part for a minute, feeling almost certain Jack +had some deep meaning back of his words, but it proved too much for his +capacity in the line of figuring out mysteries, and so he dropped it +"like a hot potato," as he told himself. + +The mysterious air voyager had by now disappeared entirely, although +they might still have caught the throbbing of his madly working motor +had it not been for their own engine kicking up so much racket, Jack not +being inclined to make use of the capable silencer just then. + +Perk had made up his mind that the unknown aviator, even if other than +Oscar Gleeb, was undoubtedly working the same profitable line of +business as the pilot of the Curtiss-Robin ship. So, too, Perk +considered it worth while to try and figure out the exact course of the +high flyer as he was probably making directly for his intended goal and +this knowledge was likely to prove useful to them later on. + +This he was able to accomplish. Working mental problems come easily to +one who has played the part of a navigator aboard a modern galleon of +the clouds. + +"Huh!" grunted Perk after figuring out his problem twice and both times +reaching the same conclusion, "the guy's really striking in to mighty +near the same point Jack's meanin' to make and mebee now our lines might +cross if we both kept on goin' long enough." + +He studied this matter for some time, wondering if Jack also realized +the fact and had kept silent about it for good and sufficient reasons. + +It afforded the ambitious Perk considerable satisfaction to hug the idea +to his heart that possibly the chance might be given Jack and himself to +locate some of these land stations where all this flagrant smuggling +business was going on--the prospect of their's being the force to deal +the outlaw organization a killing blow brought in its train the thrill +he loved so well. + +Then came the moment when Jack banked and changed his course radically, +heading directly into the east where lay the peninsula of Ponce de Leon, +seeker after the Spring of Eternal Youth, and finding instead, a land of +flowers. + +Perk knew what this evidently meant--that Jack had flown far enough up +the west coast and was now bent on making for that inland sheet of fresh +water he had mentioned to his comrade as a likely place for them to drop +down and pass the balance of the night. + +The uncertainty was keeping Perk keyed up to a high tension--something +told him in no uncertain tones that Jack had a vastly more important +reason for attaining that lake than the mere desire to avoid attracting +attention--just what it might mean he could not guess, for when he +attempted to solve the enigma he found himself floundering in a +shoreless sea of doubt and uncertainty that was baffling, to say the +least. + +Perk was mumbling to himself as if he might be on the verge of reaching +some sort of decision. He bent forward several times as if about to make +an important remark and on each occasion drew back, as though he could +hardly decide how to approach the matter he had in his mind. Then he +would chuckle, as if it might have its humorous side as well as a +serious one. + +Already had they reached a point where he could easily see the shore +several thousand feet below and now Jack was sliding down as if bent on +striking a ceiling that would be only a few hundred feet above the +palmetto fringe Perk could distinguish running along the coast. + +It seemed a fitting time for him to give Jack the start he contemplated +and so, summoning his courage, Perk began to talk in as unconcerned a +tone as possible. + +"Partner, would you mind tellin' me what about this here Oswald Kearns?" + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +OKEECHOBEE THE MYSTERIOUS + + +"Say that again, Perk!" demanded the startled pilot, as though that +apparently innocent question had given him a severe jolt. + +"Oswald Kearns--kinder queer name, I kinder guess now, an' I'm wonderin' +if I ever heard it before--that's all, Jack." + +The pilot was busy with his work in handling the ship and therefore +debarred from turning his head to look at his companion but at least he +could put the astonishment he felt into words. + +"So--you think that's a queer name, do you? Well, I'm asking you again, +where did you ever run across it--who ever spoke it in your hearing, +Perk?" + +"Why--er, guess it was on'y _you_, partner," came the hesitating +reply. + +"You don't say?" gasped Jack, tremendously excited, "please tell me when +that happened because I don't remember doing such a thing, though I +meant to carry out our partnership arrangement this very night when we +had settled down and could have a nice quiet confab--go on, though, and +say when I lifted the lid, and let you into this part of our big game, +Perk." + +"Huh! you talked in your sleep some, old hoss--first time ever I knew +you to do sech a thing--said that name exactly three times, like it +meant a heap in the bargain." + +"You mean _tonight_ while I was picking up a few winks of sleep--is +that a fact, Perk?" + +"Sure thing, boss--course I knew somethin' must be pesterin' you like +all get-out, so I made up my mind to ask you who that Oswald might be +an' what we'd got to do with such a critter." + +Then Jack laughed as the humorous side of his recent thrill had begun to +grip him. + +"Well, well, seems like I'll soon have to put a padlock on my lips after +this when I hit the hay. It's a serious offence for a fellow in +_our_ profession to give away his secrets like that! Never knew +myself to be guilty of babbling that way before. Lucky you were the only +one to hear me give the game away so recklessly. The joke is on me, +partner." + +"But say, Jack, whoever is this Kearns guy anyhow--I sure never heard +his name before tonight an' I kinder got the idee in my head he must be +some big-wig you ran up against when in Washington--somebody who had the +orderin' around o' poor dicks like me'nd you." + +"That's a far guess, brother," Jack told him, "for the fact of the +matter is, this Oswald Kearns happens to be a certain party just now +under suspicion as being the king-pin of these smugglers who're giving +Uncle Sam a run for his money down along this gulf coast!" + +Perk took it with a little break, as though the information fairly +staggered him, but he was quickly back again at his fly-casting--seeking +information at the fount in which he had so much faith. + +"You sent me into a reg'lar tail spin that time, Jack, but after tellin' +me so much, it'd be right cruel to keep me a'guessin' any longer." + +"I don't mean to keep you in the dark after this, Perk," he was told in +jerky, broken sentences, as though Jack found it difficult to talk and +pay the proper attention to what he was doing, for the amphibian had +again commenced a steep dive, seeking a much lower altitude. "There are +too many things connected with the story to try and spin it now--just +hold your horses till we settle down on that lake, and you'll get +it--all I know, or suspect, anyhow. Just now I can only tell you that +this Kearns is a most remarkable personage, a baffling mystery to the +Department who's outsmarted the whole Service and played his game of +hide-and-seek before their very eyes--nobody so far has been able to +pick up a shred of positive evidence that would convict him. + +"Gosh, amighty, we're flyin' high, buddy!" was what Perk exclaimed and +immediately his wits went into a huddle. He must get busy and figure +things out, just as football teams do when a change in signals becomes +essential. + +They had been passing over the land for some little time and still Jack +kept heading almost directly into the northeast. He knew just where he +expected to make his goal, due to a close application to his charts and +maps of the Florida region. + +Debarred from fishing for information while the flight was on, Perk was +forced to seek consolation in making good use of his binoculars, +sweeping the heavens for signs of other suspicious planes or endeavoring +to make out the character of the terrain over which they were speeding. + +Occasionally he managed to discover some tiny light and this gave him an +opportunity to speculate as to its meaning--if isolated he concluded it +must either be a campfire made by alligator hunters, or a street light +in some small hamlet, such as he imagined might be found in this almost +wild section of lower Florida where the Everglades with their eternal +water kept settlers from picking out locations for starting truck +patches or citrus groves--all of which would probably be vastly changed +when the great reclamation plans for draining had been fully carried +out. + +He often felt certain he glimpsed water below and had enough knowledge +of the country to understand what that would mean. + +"Wonder jest how long he means to keep this up," Perk was saying to +himself when the better part of an hour had passed since they left the +open gulf behind, "huh! by this time we must a'gone more'n sixty miles +an' say, in places the hull State ain't more'n a hundred across from the +Atlantic Ocean to the Mex. Gulf. Whoopee! could it mean he's aimin' to +strike that terrible, big lake--Okeechobee--that overflowed its banks +not long ago when they had that nasty hurricane and drowned a wheen o' +poor folks around Moore Haven? Gee whiz! it's got me a'guessin' but then +Jack knows what he's tryin' to do, an' I'm goin' to leave it all up to +him to settle." + +Somehow this suggestion appealed to Perk as being quite in line with the +magnitude of their tremendous task--it was only appropriate to have the +scene of their coming operations the biggest freshwater lake by long +odds in the entire State, barring none--it would have been what Perk +might term as "small pertatoes, an' few in a hill," to have such a +wizard of an operator as Oswald Kearns pick out an ordinary body of +water, say of a mile in diameter, as his secret headquarters where he +could continue to keep his whereabouts unknown to the Government revenue +men. + +Lake Okeechobee--well, that certainly offered some scope for any display +of their own cleverness in finding the proofs they so yearned to possess +in rounding up the "cantankerous varmint," as Perk was already calling +Kearns in his Yankee vernacular. + +It could not be much longer delayed, Perk assured his eager self--less +than another hour of this sort of work would take them entirely across +the peninsula, and cause the plane to fetch up somewhere along the +Atlantic coast between Miami and Palm Beach. Much as Perk would like to +set eyes upon those two opulent Southern winter resorts in the midst of +their splendor, he felt that such a thing would hardly be proper under +the conditions by which their visit would have to be governed--small +chance for anything bordering on secrecy to be carried out in such a +region of sport seeking and excitement day after day. + +Ah! it must be coming closer now, he decided on noting how, far below +the plane, he could make out what looked like a vast sea with little +wavelets glimmering in the light of the moon--assuredly that must indeed +be the lonely lake, long known as the home of mystery, Okeechobee, the +mightiest stretch of fresh water in the whole country of the South. + +Jack was passing up along the western shore line as though his plan of +campaign called for a descent in some obscure quarter where they could +find a hideout in which to park their aircraft while they pursued their +urgent call ashore. + +Not the faintest gleam of light anywhere proved that settlers were +indeed few and far between and this fact would also explain just why +Oswald Kearns, wishing for secrecy and isolation, had selected this +region as best suited to his purpose. + +Now Jack was dropping steadily, his silencer in full play--it was time +for Perk to get busy and through the use of his marine night glasses +keep his pilot posted regarding what lay below them. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE MASTER CROOK + + +One thing Perk noticed with more or less satisfaction as they drew +closer to the surface of the water was the fact that quite a stiff +breeze seemed to be blowing out of the north. The waves were running up +along the shore with considerable vigor and noise while the dead leaves +hanging from the palmetto trees fringing the bank above the meagre beach +kept up a loud rustling, such as would effectually drown any ordinary +splash made by the contact of their pontoons with the surface of the +lake. + +Conditions could hardly have been more favorable for an undetected +landing--the time was late, so that it hardly seemed as though any one +would be abroad, the moon kept dodging behind successive clumps of dark +clouds that had swept up from the southwest and everything seemed to be +arranged just as Jack would have wished. + +Perk had received instructions from his mate to keep on the watch for +certain landmarks that would serve to tell them they were not far +distant from their intended location. When in due time he made out the +wooded point that jutted out so commandingly from the mainland and had +communicated that fact to the pilot, Jack turned the nose of his craft +sharply downward, proving that the decisive moment was at hand. + +Noted for his ability to carry through a delicate landing, Jack +certainly never did a prettier drop into a body of water, fresh or salt, +with less disturbance than on this momentous occasion, and they were +soon riding like a wild duck, just within sight of the shore. + +There were no signs of anything stirring along the waterfront, Perk +observed, and yet if his suspicions were correct, there must have been +considerable activity around that same spot, with a ship coming in laden +with stupefied Chinamen, terrified by making such a trip from Cuba or +some Mexican port in a "flying devil" that could soar up among the very +clouds and span the widest of angry seas--perhaps on the other hand the +incoming aircraft would bring a cargo of precious cases, each almost +worth its weight in silver or maybe the skipper would carry a small +packet in his pocket that might contain a duke's ransom in diamonds that +would never pay custom duties to the Government. + +No wonder then Perk was thrilled to the core with the sense of mystery +that brooded over this most peculiar locality--to him it already assumed +a condition bordering on some of those miraculous things he could +remember once reading in his boyhood's favorite book "The Arabian +Night's Entertainment," the glamour of which had never entirely left +him. + +But already Jack was casting about, as though eager to find some place +of concealment where they could stow the ship away and so prevent prying +eyes from making a disastrous discovery--disastrous at least to those +plans upon which Jack was depending for the successful outcome of his +dangerous mission. + +"We've got to taxi up the shore a mile or so," he was telling Perk in +the softest manner possible, although the noise made by the rolling +waves and the clashing dead palmetto leaves dangling from the lofty +crowns of the numerous trees would have deadened voices raised even to +their natural pitch. + +"So," was all Perk allowed himself to say, but it testified to his +understanding of the policy involved in Jack's general scheme of things. + +This was done as quietly as the conditions allowed, and how fortunate it +was they had held off from crossing over from the gulf until the middle +of the night--but then it might be expected that Jack would consider all +such things in laying out his movements. + +In the end they managed to get the amphibian between two jutting banks +where the vegetation was so dense that there was no chance of a trail or +road passing that way. In the early morning Jack planned to once again +conceal his ship, even as the captured sloop had been camouflaged by +Perk's clever use of green stuff. + +"That part of the job's done and without any slip-up," Jack was saying, +vastly relieved, "and now we can take things easy for a spell, during +which time I'll try and post you as far as I can about this queer fish, +Oswald Kearns, and what they've begun to suspect he's been doing all +this while." + +"In the first place he's about as wealthy as any one would want to be, +so the reason for his playing this game doesn't lie back of a desire to +accumulate money. Some say he must have run afoul of the customs service +in the days when he hadn't fallen heir to his fortune and all this is +just spite work to get even--a crazy idea, but there may be a germ of +truth in it after all." + +"He has a wonderful place not far out of Miami--they all say it's a +regular palace, where he entertains lavishly and yet not at any time +have they known of a raid staged on his castle, as some call the +rambling stone building that shelters a curio collection equal to any in +the art museums of New York City." + +"Every little while Oswald Kearns disappears and no one seems to know +his whereabouts--some guess he's fond of tarpon fishing and goes out +with a pal to indulge in the sport, his destination being kept secret so +that the common herd can't swarm about the fishing grounds and annoy +him; then another lot say he is not the bachelor he makes out, but has a +little cozy home somewhere else with a wife who detests society and +that's where he goes when away from the Miami paradise." + +"Both of these guesses are wide of the truth--what they told me up at +the Treasury Department set me thinking and I found some papers aboard +that sloop we captured that opened up a startling line of action that +might be unbelievable if it were any other man than the eccentric Oswald +Kearns." + +"By the way, Perk, after I'd committed the contents of those papers to +memory I sent them by registered mail to Headquarters because, you see, +something might happen to us before we get to the end of this journey +and I reckoned the Department would like to be able to take advantage of +our discoveries." + +"You did jest right there, partner," Perk told him--he was sitting there +drinking it all in with the utmost eagerness. "It sure would be a pity +if we kicked off an' Uncle Sam couldn't profit by what work we'd done. +But what you've already told me 'bout this here queer guy gets my goat, +like as not there never was a feller as full o' kinks as he is." + +"I'm pretty certain of that, partner," Jack assured him, "there's no +doubt about his having been gassed in the war and that might account for +his actions--he's dippy along certain lines and he finds this way of +defying the Government gives him the one big thrill he wants. It's +almost incredible, I own up, but I believe we're going to prove it +before we quit. + +"Some men you know find this excitement in driving a speeding car along +the beach up at Daytona at a hundred miles and more an hour, others go +out and hunt tigers in India, lions and elephants in wildest Africa, but +with this wealthy sportsman the craze takes the form of snapping his +fingers in contempt at Uncle Sam's Coast Guard and all the revenue men +in Florida. + +"I was a bit skeptical at first, it all seemed so silly, such a whimsey +for a rich man to fancy--taking such big risks just for the thrill he +got--but the more I picked up about the man the less inclined I became +to doubt, and by now I'm convinced it is the truth." + +"But what makes him keep all this smuggling business clear of this +wonderful show place near Miami?" asked Perk, apparently still groping +as though in a daze. + +"Just wants to be living his double life," explained Jack, "with one +line never crossing the other--you might call it a Jekyll and Hyde sort +of an existence. But the truth will come out in broad daylight if ever +we _do_ round him up and catch him with the goods." + +"Er--'bout how long will we be in makin' some sort o' start, boss?" +asked Perk anxiously. + +"We may have to stick around here for some days while we do a little spy +work and lay our net," Jack told him. "A great deal depends on, how the +land lies and what success we strike in making our approach--you know +how it is with all golfers--approach means a whole lot to them. But if +we have the good fortune to nab our man after making certain we have +plenty of convincing evidence to be used against him, why there's our +boat ready to spirit him away before his gang can forcibly take him off +our hands." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE SCENT GROWS WARMER + + +It all seemed so simple, as Jack put it, that Perk felt everything was +bound to come their way eventually if not just then. All the same his +sound common sense told him there was apt to be some pretty lively times +in store for them before the end they sought had been obtained. + +He had the feeling of one who had been fed up on thrilling details and +figured on having a great volume of tragic possibilities to mull over in +his customary fashion--for all the world, as Jack often told him, like a +cow chewing her cud. + +Realizing that Jack had now posted him thoroughly, Perk managed to curb +his curiosity besides, the chances were his pal would be likely to frown +on anything approaching garrulity. + +Several hours passed and most of this time they spent taking short naps +in order to keep in condition for anything that might crop up. Then came +the dawn, to find Perk pawing over his haversack in which he had food +stowed away, with which he calculated to meet any "hold-over" that might +come along. + +That dawn was a wonderful one, especially for those unaccustomed to what +Florida could offer in the way of sunrises. Even while the pair partook +of their limited breakfast, they kept an eye on the amazingly delicate +shades of color that marked the approach of the sun above the eastern +horizon. + +But they had work ahead and could not waste time by lingering over the +early morning meal. In order to lessen the chances of discovery it would +be necessary for them to conceal the ship from spying eyes and with his +former effectual result in camouflage as a sample of how it could best +be accomplished, Perk took it upon himself to repeat the operation. + +They had aboard the amphibian a cleverly arranged collapsible canvas +boat that could be launched in short order and was to be propelled by +means of a short but serviceable paddle. While up in Canada with the +Mounties, Perk had become quite proficient in the use of a paddle and +also in balancing by sheer instinct while in a tipsy little canoe. + +Accordingly he convinced his chum that since both of them could hardly +expect to occupy the small shallop and carry any quantity of greens, it +was up to him, Perk, to put the job through in good shape. Jack could be +checking up his motor and taking a survey of the boat so as to make +certain it was in serviceable condition. + +"Cause you know, partner," Perk went on solemnly, "when we _do_ +want to skip out it's bound to be in a hoppin' hurry an' there'd be no +time to look her over then, by jiminy. Jest lie around an' take things +easy-like--your work is a'goin to be mostly with the brain, while I'm +the lad to use the muscle." + +Jack felt that since the canoe was so diminutive, Perk's logic was +unanswerable, so he agreed to the division of labor. + +"Only, if it turns out that the job's a bigger one than you reckon on, +buddy, you'll let me take a whirl at it," he suggested, to which the +other simply grinned and nodded his head. + +The work went on steadily and Perk eventually had every part of the +amphibian covered with deceptive green stuff, well calculated to +hoodwink any air pilot passing directly over the spot. + +This accomplished, he was ready to call it a day and drop down close to +Jack for a resting spell. When they talked it was in low tones, almost +bordering on whispers, for Jack took no chances of some enemy being +within gunshot range of their hideout, whose ears would be likely to +catch the sound of ordinary voices. + +Jack, observing what his chum had accomplished, felt compelled to give +the artist his meed of commendation. + +"You sure made a fine job of smothering things with all this stuff, +Perk," he told him, which was music in the other's ears, since he would +rather have Jack praise him than any one he knew. "No easy thing to hide +these stretched-out wings and the fuselage, too, as well as the shiny +parts of the crate--motor, propeller, and such, but _you_ fixed it +to beat the band." + +"Can that sort o' talk, partner--it was a soft job an' anybody with +sense could a'done it as good as yours truly. Goin' to be a sure enough +long day, 'cordin' to my way o' lookin' at it." + +"Oh! nothing like having a little patience," commented Jack calmly, for +he seldom showed signs of being in a hurry. "Men in our line of business +must learn to just hang on and wait for the proper minute to strike the +hook home in the fish's jaw." + +"Yeah, an' then hang on some more, after they git the barb well hooked, +with the game fish kickin' up an awful row," chuckled Perk. "Huh! don't +I know how impatience is my besettin' sin and ain't I always a'tryin' to +curb it? That's why I'm crazy to work in double harness with you, +brother, 'cause you hold me in when I feel like spreadin' myself +brashly. Guess I know when I'm well off. Time to take another spin in +dreamland, seems like," with which remark Perk assumed as easy a +position as the crowded cabin of the ship admitted, closed his eyes, and +so far as Jack could tell from his regular breathing was asleep. + +It was indeed a long morning for them both. + +Came noon and they again proceeded to enjoy a snack, for appetites have +a habit of growing rampant despite any lack of expenditure in the way of +muscular activity. + +"I was jest thinkin," Perk remarked as they chewed their dry food, more +as a duty than because they enjoyed it, "that we might be put on short +rations if we're held up on this here job any great length o' time." + +Jack refused to be disturbed by such a possibility. + +"Oh! I reckon there isn't much chance of _that_ happening," he said +in his usual optimistic manner. "If things get pretty bad we can make a +foray on the pantry of the shack where our friend puts up when over +here. Knowing that he's fond of his grub, with oceans of the long green +to lay in the best of supplies with, I rather think he keeps a +well-stocked larder at all times. I don't figure on either of us being +starved out while there's a flock of eatables close by," and from the +way in which Perk licked his lips on hearing this said, it was plainly +evident he fully agreed with his pal. + +After that wonderful sunrise, which even Perk had called glorious, the +sky clouded up around noon and there were even signs to warn them that +rain might come along by nightfall. The visibility, too, became somewhat +poor which possibly was one reason that influenced Jack to make a +certain decision which Perk heard later on with unbounded pleasure. + +"It's getting on my nerves a bit, too, I must confess, Perk," was the +way he started to state his case, "and since there would be small chance +of discovery, thanks to this muggy atmosphere, what's to hinder our +taking a little stroll, keeping a wary eye out for stragglers?" + +"I get you, partner," was the eager way Perk snapped him up on the +proposition which exactly tallied with what he himself had been wishing. +"I calculate now it means we c'n move around an' get tabs on this here +hideout o' the gent we're so much in love with, eh, what?" + +"Wouldn't do any harm to learn the lay of the land," Jack told him, +"especially since we mean to do most of our snooping under cover of +night. So let's step out and take our little saunter. We know right well +in a general way that the shack must lie down the shore, by that point +jutting out a mile away. Let's hope we'll be able to run across some +kind of trail by following which we'll fetch up as close as we want to +go for the first time. Both of us must make a mental map of everything +we see so as to feel sure of our ground when darkness comes." + +"That's the ticket, partner, let's go!" + +Perk lost no time in picking up the small hand machine-gun, that could +be used much after the fashion of a long barreled German Luger +quick-firing pistol and when Jack looked dubiously at it his chum +hastened to explain his reason for lugging such a weapon along. + +"Huh! the weight don't count with such a husky as me, old hoss an' how +do we know what's goin' to happen before we gets back here? These guys, +I take it, are quick on the trigger and if we got to fight we'd have a +better chance to pull out alive if we carried this little pill-box." + +"Oh, well! have it your own way, brother," Jack told him, evidently +impressed with Perk's logic; and so they started forth. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +DENIZENS OF THE FLORIDA SWAMPS + + +After all it was perhaps a wise determination on the part of Jack to +thus take time by the forelock and endeavor to learn the lay of the land +while a fitting opportunity lasted. To start out when darkness lay over +everything, with no knowledge whatever concerning the prospect before +them, would have doubled the chances for some grievous calamity +overtaking them even before they were ready to strike their first blow. + +Jack had a pretty strong suspicion they were in the neighborhood of some +stretch of swampland--he was backed in this supposition by several +things--the general low lay of the ground bordering the great lake and +also the fact that snowy white egrets, as well as cranes, flew to and +fro during the early morning, as though they must have a roost not far +away and he had been told that as a rule these gathering places were to +be found in the gloomy depths of a swamp. + +If they should chance to lose their way in those dark and dismal swamps +and find themselves mired in the mud holes, they would be in a sorry +fix, and they might even be forced to shout for assistance in order to +save their lives, thus revealing themselves to their enemy, for the +tenacious muck had a tendency to act in the same treacherous fashion as +quicksand, clutching the victim and dragging him down, inch after inch +into its unfathomable depths. + +Hardly were they started than one pleasing discovery was made. Just as +Jack had hoped might be the case, a dim trail was struck not far back +from the border of the silent lake, that gave promise of leading them in +the course they planned to go. + +Jack made certain that there were no signs of this trail having been +used by human beings--at least in recent times; possibly it may have +originally been an Indian trail in those days when Osceola and his +gallant followers dared defy the powers at Washington and declare open +war upon the few white squatters at that time in the southern portions +of the Florida peninsula. Or, what was more probable still, it might be +only the pathway used for ages by innumerable four-footed denizens of +the swamp,--deer, panthers, raccoons, 'possum, foxes, wildcats and the +like. + +It was a meandering trail, evidently following the path of least +resistance for on both sides the shrubbery, together with wild +grape-vines and various other climbers, made a solid barrier that even a +weasel might have found difficult to negotiate. + +Presently their road skirted the border of the swamp Jack had felt so +certain could not be far away. Here new and wonderful sights greeted +their eyes and Perk in particular stared with all his might, taking in +the flowers that festooned many of the trees--palmetto, live-oaks, wild +plum, gumbo limbo, and queer looking cypress, with their cumbersome +butts rising several feet from the ooze in which they grew. Most of the +trees were festooned with long trailing banners of gray Spanish moss +that gave them a most unusual appearance. + +Since it was Perk's first hand knowledge concerning the looks of a +genuine Southern swamp, he felt justified in making frequent halts in +order to gaze and wonder. Particularly was he impressed with the giant +alligator that had been sunning himself on a half-submerged log and had +slid off with a splash at their approach, also the multitude of water +moccasins to be seen on stumps and other objects, looking most vicious +with their checkered backs and dusty bellies. + +"You want to take particular notice of those dirty looking boys," Jack +told him in a low tone, pointing to a bunch of the reptiles as he spoke, +"for they are water moccasins, cowardly enough, but always ready to give +you a sly stab and I've been told they are so poisonous that even if a +man didn't die after being struck, his wound would never heal properly +and his life become a burden to him. Give the critters a wide berth +always, partner." + +"Huh! you jest better believe I will, Jack--never did care much for +snakes, even the harmless kinds an' I'd jump three feet in the air when +out West, if ever I heard a locust buzz, thinkin' it must be a rattler. +Me an' the crawlin' breed don't mix, that's what." + +Hardly three minutes after Perk had given expression to his dislikes, +Jack caught him by the arm and with a trace of excitement that was +really foreign to his nature, pointed to some object close to the trail +they were following. + +"Jeru-salem crickets!" gasped Jack, possibly a bit louder than +discretion would warrant but Jack felt there was some measure of excuse +for his outburst. + +There a monstrous diamondback rattlesnake, fully five feet long and as +thick through the body as a good-sized man's thigh, had just raised its +enormous flat head and opened its jaws to display its terrible fangs. +Even as the two stood there and stared, the rattle began to whirr its +deadly warning. + +"It's all right, Perk," said Jack soothingly, not certain what the +effect of so dangerous a neighbor might have upon his sensitive pal, "we +can pass him by out of reach. A rattler, unless madly in earnest, never +tries to strike further than his length for he has to get back in his +coil in a hurry, being helpless to defend himself unless curled up." + +Jack showed that this was true by passing the spot, with the venomous +reptile only increasing his rattle and drawing back his head. Then Perk +shut his teeth hard and followed suit but it might have been noticed +that he kept to the extreme edge of the narrow trail and had his muscles +all set, as if in readiness to make a mighty spring if he thought the +snake was about to launch his coils forward. + +"Whew!" hissed Perk, after he had safely negotiated the peril that lay +in the road, "I'm a'thinkin' what risks we got to run tonight when we +come a'snoopin' 'long this way. Nigh makes my hair curl to figure on +that baby comin' slap up against my leg. Wish now I had my old leather +huntin' leggings with me to ward off them terrible fangs, each one an +inch long, seemed like to me." + +"Between us, brother, I myself don't seem to hanker traveling along this +trail after dark, and I mean to carry that small flash of mine, turning +the light on every few seconds for I don't believe it would be noticed. +But they tell me these whoppers are rather scarce around these +sections--there may not be another inside of five miles." + +"Glory! I should hope not," said the still trembling Perk, "but I just +can't forget we've got even one here to bother us. If only I dared use +my gun, I'd soon knock spots out o' him, bet you a cookey, Jack." + +"Nothing doing, so forget that, partner. On the way back, if he's still +holding the fort, we might get a couple of long, stout poles, and try to +knock him on the head if it can be done with little confusion--he won't +make any noise outside of whirling his rattlebox and we could keep our +lips buttoned tight. Yes, that would be the best way to fix things, I +reckon." + +Really Jack was saying this so as to comfort his mate; he realized that +Perk had received a severe shock at sight of the diamondback crawler and +it might affect his desire to do any prowling around after nightfall +which would throw the entire burden of so doing on his, Jack's +shoulders. Besides, there was a fair chance that the snake would have +withdrawn from his self-imposed task of guardian of the swamp trail and +taken himself off to other pastures. + +They resumed their forward progress, with Perk keeping a watchful eye +out for other lurking perils--how were they to know but that an angry +bobcat, bent on disputing this invasion of his tangled realm, might make +a sudden spring from some limb of a live oak and land upon their backs +to commence using his keen claws, tearing and stripping and snarling +like a devil, such as these beasts always were reckoned in such sections +of the country as he, Perk, had hunted. + +Ten minutes, fifteen, passed then Jack again caught his chum's arm and +with a finger pressed on his own lips to betoken the necessity for +silence, pointed to something ahead that must have just caught his +attention. And Perk, looking, saw a sight that afforded him a sense of +satisfaction both deep and profound. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE MYSTERIOUS COQUINA SHACK + + +"Hot Ziggetty! so _this_ is where he dropped down, is it?" Perk was +muttering in subdued excitement as his astonished eyes fell upon a plane +bobbing on its pontoons in a sheltered little cove, "meet that spruce +Lockheed-Vega bus, partner, that clipped past away over our heads, an' +the woozy pilot never dreamin' our crate was within a hundred miles o' +him. Kinder guess the pirate roost must lie around here somewhere." + +"That's a dead sure thing, Perk," whispered Jack, "and chances are it's +hid in the midst of that live-oak clump yonder, where I take it the land +lies high and dry." + +"I swan but this is gettin' real excitin' an' suits me okay," breathed +the duly thrilled Perk, who felt there was no longer any reason for +calling things tame. + +"By changing our base a bit," suggested Jack almost as equally pleased +over their success as his nervous chum, "we might even be able to get a +squint at the shack, let's try, buddy." + +He lost no time in creeping inch by inch along toward the right, having +apparently figured out that such a course would give them a better +all-around opportunity to gratify their curiosity. + +It proved to be a wise move for presently they managed to glimpse what +seemed to be the corner of a small cottage, built of coquina rock and +altogether attractive in appearance, proving that the Big Boss never +hesitated to spend money when he could secure results. + +"Huh!" gurgled Perk, stretching his neck so as to see better through the +narrow opening that served them as a lookout, "some toney, strikes me, +considerin' the desolate country round-about this section. Must be his +high-hat tastes foller him, no matter where he goes--sorter dude, I'd +call him, partner." + +"That may be," agreed Jack, "I understood he ran in that groove but just +the same they say this Kearns is a real he-man an' can put up a warm +scrap when necessary--the dude racket is only a thin veneer hiding the +genuine article. I was warned never to let him get a chance to beat me +to the draw--some call him a rattlesnake, only he lacks that reptile's +honesty in always giving warning when about to strike. Don't forget, +Perk, in dealing with this slick article you've got to be on your guard +every minute of the time." + +"Glad you told me that, Jack, I might a'been fooled, an' treated him as +a soft guy. Looky thar, will you, boy--two--three fellers jest swarmed +out o' the shack an' gone into a huddle like they had some sorter game +to set up. Wonder now if one o' the bunch could be _him_!" + +"I reckon not, Perk," came in a low tone from Jack, whose head was only +a few inches away from the other's, "none of them answer the description +that was given to me. I even saw a snapshot taken of several society +folks in front o' his Miami castle, with him standing in the center. One +of this lot's the flying man connected with that crate--you can see he's +still wearing his greasy dungarees and has his helmet on his head, like +he expected to be hopping-off any minute now; a second chap is short and +thick, not at all like the one we've come so far to buck up against, +while the third, while tall, looks like a roughneck skipper of a +speedboat." + +"Guess you hit the nail on the head, Jack," muttered the convinced Perk, +for they were at some little distance away from the consulting trio, and +their whispers could never have been heard with the dead leaves on +nearby palmetto trees keeping up their harsh clashing when whipped by +the gusts of wind. + +Both of the spies must have had a host of speculations passing in review +through their active minds as they lay there watching the conspirators +so earnestly talking and gesticulating. From time to time Jack and his +chum would cast further glances in the quarter where the trim aircraft +lay anchored, bobbing up and down like a restive horse eager to be off. + +What did they fetch on their voyage through the upper air lanes, coming +from some unknown port--hardly "case stuff," Jack told himself, since +space aboard the Lockheed-Vega crate would be limited--then it must be +either yellow Chinks trying to crash the gates of the country that +banned some of their race as undesirable aliens, or possibly the winged +courier carried a batch of precious stones from far-away Paris, +forwarded in a round-about, surreptitious way and intended to reach a +ready market in the wealthiest country in the world, of course, without +paying the usual heavy customs duty--which saving alone would likely +reach well into six figures. + +The trio seemed to have finished their discussion, whatever its nature +might have been, for they sauntered down to the edge of the water where +the man in the dungarees proceeded to embark by means of a small boat +that he could leave secured to the mooring rope of the amphibian when he +took off. + +"Making off to pick up another cargo, I reckon," Jack ventured. "And so +this is where our friend has his secret hideout at such times when he so +mysteriously disappears from his big show place near Miami? Mighty +interesting, I'd call it and the chances are he's been keeping up this +double play racket for many months, perhaps even for years, for he came +to Florida not long after the war, fishing for tarpon down around the +Ten Thousand Islands where we lay concealed lately." + +"But what's the big idea, partner?" Perk wanted to know--"why under the +sun does he play both ends o' this queer game--what's the sense o' his +havin' this wee shack in the wilderness when he could carry on his +racket just as well on the eastern shore?" + +"Just because he fancies the idea of keeping his two personalities as +far apart as possible, Perk. Uncle Sam's Coast Guards, revenue officers +and even Secret Service men fairly swarm around Miami most of the year +so they'd be apt to make it more or less unpleasant for the elegant +Oswald Kearns in his society functions if he had his pals dodging in and +out of his princely palace. He prefers to drop over here in this +desolate place instead when he has a lot of business to transact. He's a +wonder, all right, in his double line, Perk, and not to be underrated, +understand." + +"Seems that way, partner," grumbled the other quickly adding, "there +goes the Lockheed-Vega spinnin' out o' the lagoon to the open lake so's +to get up enough speed for the take-off. Must be somethin' mighty +special to coax that pilot to risk bein' seen in open daylight. So he +used to fish in them passages 'tween the mangrove islands years ago, did +he, Jack?" + +"Sure did, and they told me his guide some years ago down there used to +be a notorious smuggler and gulf-stream pirate, no other than Jim +Alderman, right now in the jug over at Fort Lauderdale on the eastern +shore and waiting to get a hempen collar for murdering three law +officers in August two years back. Of course, he hadn't started his real +career of crime when he used to be a guide for Roosevelt, Zane Grey, the +writer, and some other famous sportsmen." + +"Do tell," murmured Perk, duly thrilled by what his pal was telling him +concerning one of the most turbulent characters known along the Florida +coasts since those days of old when buccaneers like Blackbeard, +Gasparilla and others of their ilk roamed the subtropical waters and +swarmed aboard such unfortunate Spanish galleons as chance threw their +way. + +"I wouldn't be surprised," Jack went on to whisper, "if he goes under +quite another name while over in this hideout and even manages to alter +his looks more or less. He's capable of playing many parts if he's half +as good an actor as I suspect. But we'll be apt to know a heap more +before a great while slips by." + +"There he goes, Jack, swingin' off toward the east in the bargain, but +then it's just as easy for a flier to strike across the lower end o' +Florida, if the notion strikes him, day or night. Crates are gettin' to +be a common sight these days down here. I read they expected to have a +full hundred at Miami this very winter, takin' part in a big air derby +that's scheduled to be pulled off." + +They watched the other two men walk back and enter the coquina bungalow +and a little later Jack was saying: + +"Strikes me we'd better pull up stakes and clear out of this, Perk, +don't forget we've got to pass that rattlesnake cove on the way back, +and for one, I'm not so keen about doing it in pitch darkness." + +"Don't get me goofy, partner," whimpered Perk with a shudder. "But hold +on a bit--mebbe now somethin's a'goin' to strike up we'll both be sorter +glad to set eyes on--looky there, old hoss, what do you see?" + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE MAN OF MANY FACES + + +A man had come out of the odd-looking shack constructed from the coquina +rock found in different parts of Florida, and formed by insects, science +has decided. Neither Jack nor his companion had ever set eyes on him +before, he was an entirely different personage from the short party and +the longer-limbed man they had so lately been watching before the +reckless pilot of the Lockheed-Vega plane departed toward the east. + +This individual was also tall and was dressed in well-worn outing +garments that gave him the appearance of a man of leisure taking a day +off. + +"Think that's this here Kearns, partner?" whispered Perk, eagerly. + +"Just who it must be, Perk," came the cautious reply. "Be careful about +making any sort of little move that might catch his attention, and keep +your eyes fastened on him. Whatever under the sun is he doing, I +wonder?" + +"Looks to me he's got some sorter bird there--I c'n see red +feathers--yep, that's what it is for a fact, Jack!" + +"Working over a bird with red feathers," said Jack, as if to himself, so +low was his voice. "Now, that makes me remember something I was told +only a short time back--something connected with that wonderful place he +owns over on the East Coast--about birds too--stuffed birds, in fact!" + +"Do you mean he's got a collection there, Jack?" breathed the intently +watching assistant in his companion's ear. + +"Just that," came the ready reply, "a mighty fine collection too, from +all accounts, of native Florida birds and filling a number of glass +cases. We already know this party is a man of contradictory habits, +being one thing among society people and just the opposite when he gets +in a different atmosphere. Chances are he's a pretty fine amateur +taxidermist--those birds have all been secured by himself and mounted in +the bargain--that when he drops out of sight around Miami it's to come +over here to do some hunting in the swamps and the Everglades, eager to +run across some rare bird that he needs to make his collection +complete." + +"Now wouldn't that jar you?" he gasped, vastly astonished at hearing +Jack air his conviction. + +"I'm not much of an authority on rare birds," Jack admitted softly as he +continued to use his eyes to advantage, "but I've got a hunch that skin +he's handling right now might be a roseate spoonbill--I'm sure it isn't +a red ibis, for the bill seems different." + +"Whee! sounds queer to me, I must say Jack--such a man, such a man--to +play so many different parts! Say, d'ye know I kinder guess he ain't +such a tough guy under all the varnish--must have a heap o' human natur' +under it all to fall for such a decent game as taxidecentry or whatever +you call this pluggin' dead birds an' makin' 'em sit up on boughs like +they might be all to the good!" + +"Put it mostly on that war experience he went through, Perk--they say +once a man was gassed pretty badly over there, he'd always prove to be a +queer fish--changeable, nervous and apt to do all manner of strange +things." + +"But see here, partner," whispered Perk, uneasily, "that ain't a'goin to +make any perticular difference with our billet, is it--jest 'cause he's +got this funny streak runnin' through his doin's we don't reckon to +throw up our hands an' call it all off, do we?" + +Jack chuckled. + +"Not any, buddy--we only know that Uncle Sam wants his activities cut +short--it may be exciting sport for him to ferry Chinks across from Cuba +or Honduras, land big cargoes of booze on our shores with his thumb to +his nose insofar as the Government is concerned, and such capers as +that, but it means heaps of trouble for the revenue boys as well as +holding our laws up to contempt. He must be brought to book, and his +game stopped without any more delay than is necessary, no matter how +many other innocent recreations he's engaged in." + +"Hot ziggetty! that gives me a warm feelin' again, partner an' I guess +we're the boys to knock the underpinnin' loose so's to make him drop +with a splash." Saying which, Perk relapsed into utter silence. + +For some further time they stuck it out, watching every little movement +of the remarkable character proceeding with his labor, not a hundred +feet distant. Jack himself began to grow a bit nervous, for the sun was +just hovering above the western horizon and twilight does not last any +length of time in the South. If they delayed much longer it would mean a +walk in the dark over that dangerous dimly marked trail. + +They could have no further doubt concerning the nature of the work that +was giving the suspected man so much genuine pleasure, he had held up +the object of his labor several times so they could plainly identify it +as a birdskin with the most lovely rosy-tinted feathery plumage, long +legs and a spoon-shaped bill. + +Then greatly to the relief of the uneasy Perk, the short man came out of +the shack and said something that caused the other to accompany him +back, thus clearing the field. + +"Now let's skip out," Jack said softly. + +Accordingly both watchers commenced sliding and creeping for all the +world copying the movements of a cat ambushing a feeding sparrow in the +back yard of a suburban place. Although so anxious to get started on +their way back to where they had left their camouflaged ship, neither +Jack nor his comrade would take chances in trying to make haste; they +had long ago learned the folly of one false move when engaged in their +accustomed job of spying upon a suspected law-breaker whom they had +tracked down after an arduous chase. + +When finally they reached a point where it was safe to pick up a little +speed, Jack hastened to do so. For a wonder Perk was not saying a +word--the truth was he had his mind so filled with bewilderment in +connection with the queer happenings of the last hour that he could not +think of any further questions to ask his chum. + +Then, too, Perk kept on the alert for any peril that might by chance lie +in wait along the trail--there were other dangers besides that solitary +rattlesnake that might suddenly crop up to give them a chill--how about +those nasty looking water moccasins that swarmed in the oozy +swamp?--what of the ferocious bobcats such as were said to crouch on the +lower limb of some tree close beside a woods trail, waiting to drop down +on any moving object that came along?--yes, and other things just as +creepy that his excited mind could readily conjure up? + +They were, as Perk judged, about halfway to the spot where they had seen +Mr. Rattler earlier in the day and the dusk was certainly beginning to +make all objects look more or less dim, when Jack suddenly stopped, +giving Perk quite a shock. + +"Listen!" Jack was saying huskily. + +A far-away and faint buzzing sound came to Perk's ears but instead of +adding to his excitement it really seemed to cool his blood, for surely +this had nothing whatever to do with snakes of any kind. + +"Huh! must be a crate partner!" bubbled the relieved Perk. + +"No question about that, Perk, and growing clearer right along, showing +it's heading this way." + +"Mebbe the Lockheed-Vega comin' back again?" ventured Perk. + +"Hardly likely," he was told instantly, "For one thing you'll notice +this motor racket swings up to us from the southwest, while the other +ship struck off toward the east." + +"That's straight goods," Perk hastened to admit. "Funny I didn't get on +to that right away. Means our gent has a raft o' ships comin' an' goin' +when he takes a notion to drop over here once in a while." + +"Well, we can't stop to listen any longer," said Jack again starting off +with the other trailing close at his heels. + +The buzzing grew rapidly in volume, proving that no matter where the +advancing plane came from, its destination must be that secluded little +cove close to the coquina shack sheltering the man of many faces, who +went from fields of excitement to those connected with society +functions, entertaining guests in royal style or following his favorite +pursuit along the enchanting line of adding to his prized collection of +Florida birds. Presently Perk heard a splash and knew the amphibian must +have reached its goal. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +A PUGNACIOUS RATTLER + + +In good time they reached the narrow point on the animal trail which +marked the scene of their adventure with the rattlesnake. Perk, wishing +to be prepared for anything that might greet them, had picked up a stout +cudgel with which he believed he could give a good account of himself +should the occasion arise. + +But they passed the place and he was beginning to breathe easier when he +was thrilled by a brisk and ominous sound from just ahead. Instinctively +Perk clutched his chum by the arm and dragged him back a pace although +this was really unnecessary, since Jack had stopped walking at the same +instant as Perk. + +"Gosh all hemlock!" broke out Perk, "what d'ye think o' that--jest +awaitin' round for us to come along--what a 'commodatin' little pet he +is!" + +Jack could see the suggestive bulk of the coiled snake lying on the +path, with scant room on either side for them to pass--oozy depths of +the swamp on one side and an angry rattler on the other. + +"Just blocks our game whichever way you choose to look at it," chuckled +Jack with a shrug. "If we were monkeys, we could shin up a tree and +climb over to that other one beyond, but since we're neither simians nor +fox squirrels, we'll have to settle this thing some other way. Drop that +club, brother--it's too short for this business by three feet. To try +and use it on that chap you'd have to step up within range of his spring +and before you could get in your lick it'd all be over." + +"Jest as you say, partner," remarked Perk, throwing the stocky club +away. "Wait up for me, Jack, an' don't let him skin out till I get back. +I saw a stick just back a bit that ought to fill the bill okay." + +Jack stood on guard and waited but not for long, since Perk speedily +rejoined him, carrying a pole about eight feet in length and stout in +proportion. + +"Careful how you work it," advised Jack, who would rather have done the +job himself but knew he would not be allowed by the ambitious one. + +As Perk slowly advanced, waving his pole, the coiled serpent displayed +signs of redoubled anger--louder buzzed his rattle while he drew back +his flat head as though in readiness for action. + +"Hold it there, buddy!" snapped Jack. "Now get a firm grip on your pole +and draw back for a vicious rap--you've got to get him square in the +middle and follow it up with more whacks in a big hurry. Don't step any +closer whatever you do. Now, give him fits, Perk!" + +This the other proceeded to do with might and main. The sprightly buzz +suddenly ceased as the great folds of the monster began to squirm and +writhe--Perk lifted his pole and put in another blow for good measure. + +"Huh!--guess now he's got his for keeps," gasped the victor in the +singular duel as he managed to get in a third and deciding stroke that +crushed the flat head of the reptile and forever ended its capacity for +business. + +They were soon bending over the still squirming snake, Perk eagerly +measuring its length by footing it off and announcing it to be just one +inch over five feet. + +"Gimme just a minute so's to whip off that bully rattle, partner," he +was saying as he produced a big pocketknife and opened its large blade. +"I want it to show if any guy ever questions the truth o' my yarn 'bout +these here Florida rattlers. There you are, an' now I'm ready to move +on. But we got to keep our eyes peeled, 'cause I been told these +critters nearly allers have a mate somewhere near by. An' I'm meanin' to +hang on to this bully pole, since we got to come back this way more'n a +few times, seems like." + +Nothing else cropped up to disturb their peace of mind and in due time +the pair arrived at the secluded lagoon where they had left their +aircraft so artfully concealed. Apparently nothing had happened in this +quarter since they started forth on their mission, and yet what strange +things had they not seen inside those few hours. + +"Seems like supper'd come in fair good jest new," Perk remarked after +they had climbed carefully aboard and were once more comfortably seated +in their accustomed places, "but sorry to say it's bound to be only a +'pology for real grub--dry fare and never even a drop o' water to wash +it down with." And he emitted a disgusted grunt, as if to display a +proper amount of displeasure over the doleful fact. + +"I noticed a well of some sort just back of that shack," remarked Jack +as if he too, shared in this moan over the absence of drinking water. +"When we go back we'll try and snatch a drink apiece so as to take the +rusty feeling out of our throats. Until then we'll have to put up with +it, partner." + +Necessity knows no law and so Perk was compelled to grin and bear it. +Just the same, as they were munching their simple fare,--and little of +that in the bargain--Jack could hear him muttering to himself and +chuckling from time to time as though he managed to squeeze more or less +pleasure in simply mulling over a multitude of his favorite dishes until +one would have imagined it was a waiter in a cheap eating joint down on +the Bowery enumerating what the house offered for dinner--_a la_ O. +Henry. + +Later on Perk gave signs of being what he called dopey, whereupon Jack +asked whether he felt inclined to start out again or should it be left +to just one of them--meaning himself, of course,--to undertake the +further job of spying. + +"Not much you don't monopolize the fun," Perk told him point blank. "I'm +bound to step along with you even if there'd be a legion o' them +rattlebugs lyin' in the trail awaitin' to sting us. When I get started +on anything I gen'rally keeps right on with it, even if I have to wade +through hell-fire. An' that goes, partner, see?" + +"I knew you'd say that, brother," Jack assured him, seeing Perk act as +though hurt by the insinuation that anything would tempt him to let his +pal meet the danger alone. "If you feel a bit empty down below, just rub +your tummy briskly, then pull in your belt a notch or two and it'll make +you imagine you're full-up to the brim. I'll be ready to start off +inside another ten minutes." + +Jack spent most of this time rummaging around in the locker where he +kept his own personal belongings. Perk knew when he got out that little +but valuable hand flashlight, by means of which they expected to be able +to keep on the winding and narrow trail when heading once more toward +the lonesome coquina shack on the border of the great inland sea. + +"But I'm up in the air when it comes to knowin' what else he's stuck in +his pockets," Perk told himself, though somehow he managed to refrain +from asking questions nor did Jack seem anxious to enter into any +explanations. + +"We'll leave things here all fixed so as to make a quick take-off," was +what the chief pilot remarked as they prepared to step ashore and while +he did not see fit to offer any explanation with regard to just what he +had in mind, Perk felt thrilled to believe there was already some daring +plan taking form in his comrade's wide-awake brain that might be carried +out if only the conditions seemed favorable, and the weather proved +considerate. + +As they walked slowly along Jack kept frequently snapping his light on +and off so that they could take an instantaneous inventory of what lay +just beyond their feet for the night proved exceedingly dark although +all that would be changed after a while, when the late moon climbed into +sight. + +Perk, just as he promised himself, had made certain to pick up that +serviceable pole with which he had dispatched the rattlesnake and this +he kept poking out ahead, as if to stir up any lurking reptile that +might be lying coiled in the path. + +His nervousness increased as they drew near the spot where the one-sided +fight had taken place. He had apparently been brooding over the matter, +wondering if the mate of his victim could have come upon the scene of +the tragedy and sensing what had happened, was lurking thereabouts, bent +on exacting a terrible revenge in payment for the untimely demise of her +partner. + +When he felt certain they had passed this particular narrow part of the +trail, Perk began to breathe easier, but he soon had reason to fear lest +he was crowing too soon for just then he felt Jack buck up against him +and heard him saying in a low but distinct voice: + +"Hold up and listen, partner!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +ON HANDS AND KNEES + + +Even while Jack was saying those few words, Perk had recovered from his +sudden alarm, since he already knew the reason for the other's bringing +him to a halt. + +"Huh! that crate's startin' off again, seems like," he muttered. + +Indeed, it was a foregone certainty for the splash of water told the +story as well as the abrupt explosions of a working motor. Then, too, +these suggestive sounds all came from directly ahead. + +Then Perk had another gripping fear which he imagined must have also +seized his companion--that the chief object of their concern might be a +passenger aboard that ship, heading once more across the state to Miami +and that in consequence, all of Jack's carefully laid plans would meet +the same untimely fate as befalls an ambitious soap-bubble when struck +by a stray puff of air. + +So they continued to stand there and listen to the telltale sounds with +sinking hearts. Perk in particular seemed to be dreadfully put out by +this fresh upset and was grinding his strong teeth as though desirous of +letting out an explosive but restrained by the fact of Jack being so +close at hand. + +"Gee whiz! this here is what I call tough luck, Boss," he grumbled, more +because he hoped Jack might be able to dispel his fit of the blues in +some way or other, having a much clearer vision than he himself +possessed. + +"Oh! I don't know, partner," said Jack in a wholesome, optimistic tone. +"It looks a little dark, but just wait a minute or so before you +croak--after all, the thing may not be so bad--it doesn't pay to jump at +conclusions." + +"Shucks! that's me all over, old hoss, but I'm sure glad to hear you say +the last chance ain't snuffed out yet," mumbled Perk contritely, but at +least he had gained his point which was to coax Jack to mix a little +good cheer in with the gloom that had descended on his, Perk's soul. + +"There, he's off!" declared Jack as a significant change in the clatter +so thoroughly understood by any airman announced the hop-off from the +surface of the lake. + +"An' nothin' happened to give him a spill, either," Perk went on to say +and the disconsolate vein in his tone told plainly enough how he had +been secretly hugging to his heart a hope that the motor of the +Lockheed-Vega crate might suddenly develop some fault, compelling the +flight to be abandoned in its inception. + +"Even that fact may yet turn out to be the best thing we could wish +for," Jack told him confidently, being built on the order of a fellow +who could see something to rejoice over in nearly every occurrence, no +matter how thick the gloom surrounding it. + +"There he swings up an' is off--a slick jump, b'lieve me an' that guy's +some square shooter in the bargain--knows his business okay anyway. But +Jack, tell me, you don't think he's got our man alongside him, do you?" + +"Well, one thing seems to tell me that isn't a fact, Perk." + +"Yeah, an' what might that be?" demanded the other quickly. + +"Notice that he's already banking, so as to lay his course toward Cape +Sable--square in the south--get that, don't you Perk?" + +"I swan, but you're right there, Jack--which looks kinder like he didn't +mean to strike out for Miami, don't it?" + +"More than likely he's hitting out for Cuba, or if he veers to the west, +it's Mexico or Honduras he means to head for." + +Perk heaved a big sigh of relief. + +"Hot ziggetty! but that sounds good to me, partner," he observed with +renewed animation as hope again sang a sweet song in his heart. "Then +there's a real chance he ain't got our man alongside." + +They stood there and continued to listen as the sounds made by the +flight of the retreating seaplane gradually grew fainter and even for +brief spells died out altogether. + +"He's out o' the pictur' anyhow," Perk finally commented when they could +no longer catch the least thud of the working motor--only a more +pleasing sound in the shape of gentle wavelets running up the shore of +the great lake being borne to their ears. + +"Yes, and since that's settled we'd better be making a further move +ahead," Jack was saying, in his sensible way. + +Accordingly the advance was renewed, nor did they take any less +precaution because of the departure of the flying boat. + +As before, Jack continued to frequently make good use of his little +flashlight, which proved its worth just as had been expected. So speedy +were the flashes that it did not seem possible for any one to notice +them unless he chanced to be on the watch for something suspicious and +Jack hardly anticipated such a thing as that. + +Apparently the one who had planned the raid believed there was only one +course for them to pursue and that was to keep on as though everything +was just as they had hoped. Even though an adverse Fate chose to cheat +them them of their intended prey on this particular occasion there would +be other days to come,--and had he not promised to trap his man as well +as to procure all needful proof to secure his conviction? + +They were soon drawing close to their goal--already Jack had glimpsed a +shred of light gleaming through the intervening brush which proved most +conclusively that the shack could not be wholly deserted. + +"Good enough!" Perk whispered when this comforting fact had been brought +to his attention, "we'll get his goat yet, partner." + +Their progress was slowed up at this point for Jack no longer believed +it good policy to make use of his flashlight. They had to partly feel +their way along, using both hands and feet to detect the presence of any +obstacle that was apt to cause them trouble. + +Still, the night was long and there was no desire to make haste--if they +waited until those in the shack were apt to be sound asleep it would be +much easier to carry out their plan of campaign without any chance of +interruption. + +Now they could get faint glimpses of the little cove, which the visiting +planes were wont to use as a hiding place, taxiing thither after +splashing down on the surface of the nearby lake. + +Perk made a mental note of the fact that the cove was quite empty, no +hostile crate bobbing up and down on the water--possibly this induced +the dreamer to indulge in a hope that should the occasion warrant such a +thing, they might taxi their own ship around and make use of that snug +harbor safe from any ordinary gale that chanced to strike treacherous +Okeechobee. + +Now they could see the light much better and even make out that it came +from a certain window of the coquina shack--up to then Perk acknowledged +to himself that he had not known whether the modest little building +boasted of windows or not, having discovered no evidence of their +presence. + +So, too, he now made but a certain dark spot just beyond the shack which +he strongly suspected might be the well shed of which the more observant +Jack had spoken earlier in one of their pow-wows. + +Now that he found himself so near the spot where it seemed likely he +could refresh his dry throat with a cup of fresh water, Perk was growing +wild with the eager desire to be doing so. He Wondered whether his +companion could have forgotten his promise and even opened his mouth to +remind him concerning it but thought better of it for already Jack had +changed the line of his advance and was beginning to steer his pal in +the direction of the well. + +In order not to take any unnecessary chances it was found that they must +make a little detour in order to get past that shaft of light proceeding +from the window in the rear of the shack. Perk even begrudged the brief +time taken in making this half circuit, though recognizing the wisdom +governing Jack's change of course. He dared not try to whisper now, lest +his hoarseness cause him to make a sound so harsh and loud that it might +be carried to hostile ears and be the cause of their undoing. + +Then, after another delay when Jack imagined he had caught a suspicious +little scratching sound, as of something moving, they drew up on hands +and knees alongside what seemed to be a rustic shelter covering an +opening with a real windlass, rope and all, to fill Perk's heart with +joy in the belief that his throat was in a fair way of having its +roughness relieved in short order. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +PERK DEMANDS MORE WATER + + +It was queer what chanced to be passing through the mind of Jack Ralston +while they were thus creeping toward the little well in the rear of the +lonesome shack on the bank of Okeechobee. He had been reading a novel +that was supposed to cover the famous and successful attempt on the part +of General Fred Funston to penetrate the mighty wilderness in the north +of Luzon, the main island of the Philippine group and effect the capture +of the native rebel chieftain, Aguinaldo who, with some of his +associates, had taken refuge in a lonely cabin at a most inaccessible +point. + +So vividly had the author described the manner in which the soldier and +his companions crept up when making ready to seize their prey, that it +was still haunting the mind of the airman and somehow the conditions +just then confronting himself and Perk seemed to be very similar. He +only hoped they would prove to be just as successful in their mission as +Funston was when he carried Aguinaldo back to Manila, and thus broke the +backbone of the native uprising against the authority of Uncle Sam. + +Perk was already reaching out toward the bucket he discovered perched on +the rocky border of the well. Jack could hear him give a chuckle of +satisfaction on rinding it half full of water and felt himself a bit +tickled to see the way in which his chum proceeded to greedily fill up +with the precious liquid. + +Little Perk cared if the water chanced to be stale--he had no complaint +coming on that score as long as his parched throat and tongue came in +for a good soaking and the choking sensation was immediately relieved. + +Perk must have suddenly remembered his lapse of manners, for in the +midst of his drinking spree he stopped short and stepped back as though +to invite his comrade to take his turn. + +This Jack showed no hesitation in doing, drinking long and with +considerable ardor though he knew when to stop, which was what Perk did +not for no sooner had the other released his hold on the bucket than +Perk took another turn. + +In the end Jack was compelled to almost drag the other away from the +well possibly for fear he burst or else some one come out of the shack +and discover them prowling there, unwelcome intruders on Oswald Kearns' +privacy and a positive threat to his peace of mind. + +It was hardly a time and place for doing any talking, no matter how +subdued their voices. Jack kept hold of the other's arm and thus started +to steer him in the direction of the lighted window. + +Perk must have guessed what his pal had in mind for he made no +resistance whatever, just allowed himself to be steered as his comrade +wished. Stooping down they crawled past, and then closer until they +could begin to glimpse the interior of the room where the light was +dispelling the darkness. + +The first thing that struck Jack was the fact that the place had been +fixed up with an eye to comfort--it looked almost luxurious with its +easy chairs and imported rugs that must have cost a considerable sum. +Evidently Oswald Kearns had been too long accustomed to comfort to deny +himself such luxuries even when seeking seclusion in this out-of-the-way +retreat. + +Then Jack found himself looking upon the man who had for years been one +of the greatest mysteries the Treasury Department at Washington had ever +endeavored to trap, He was sitting in a big leather-covered easy-chair, +smoking a cigar and busily engaged with a sheaf of important looking +papers. From time to time he would refer to a volume that had the +appearance of a ledger or account book and to which he seemed to attach +great importance. + +How the sight sent a succession of thrills through the whole being of +the Secret Service sleuth--here he found himself within arms length of +the master crook who had laughed to scorn all previous efforts of the +Government to take him with the goods on. + +Vainly had every possible attempt been made to catch him off his guard; +he had proved himself to be too crafty for the best revenue officers put +upon his track. And when failure after failure became the rule, the Big +Boss had decided to change the policy they had hitherto followed and put +an air pilot on the job as being able to go swiftly and easily where +others had been so cleverly balked. + +Then Jack began to wonder where the other two men might be, for thus far +he had failed to discover either in the room of the lighted window. +Could it be possible both of them had sailed away aboard that +Lockheed-Vega ship, bent on some important mission which the Master had +entrusted to their care? + +He could not bring himself to believe this possible--that he against +whom so many hostile hands were raised would be willing to stay all by +himself in such a lonesome place unless it seemed unavoidable. One or +both of those aids must be somewhere around. + +Just the same he could see no other room connected with the stone +building--it was always possible, however, that there might be another +shack--perhaps a crude palmetto-leaf hut, such as the poor whites in the +backwoods lived in, somewhere not far away that served them for a +shelter when it rained or a bustling Norther came howling down from the +regions of snow and ice and zero temperatures. + +Jack had about reached this conclusion when he discovered a figure, +covered with a fancy Navajo blanket, on a cot in a corner of the +place--yes, there was a head on a sofa pillow such as would be more in +place over at the beautiful Miami estate than here in such a desolate +region. + +Somehow he quickly assumed this must be the shorter party--which would +go to prove the other fellow might have accompanied the pilot of the +departed airship. + +When he had decided this to his entire satisfaction, Jack was able to +figure on certain matters. It undoubtedly meant that he and Perk would +have just two pitted against them in case things came to a showdown, +making it an even fight with victory perching on the side that was +quickest at the draw. + +He seemed to remember every warning he had received in connection with +not under-rating this remarkable man, so greedy for excitement that +wealthy though he was, he would seek all manner of thrilling adventures +just to have the laugh on the Government, especially the Secret Service +men toward whom he was said to entertain a feeling of almost wolfish +hatred. + +So too, did Jack take note of every object spread before his searching +gaze in the shack where Oswald Kearns seemed to be busying himself in +the pleasing occupation of making up his secret accounts. + +That book, as well as the sheaf of papers rather fascinated the watcher +outside the window--somehow Jack conceived the idea that there before +him was spread all the incriminating evidence needful to bring the +erratic career of this amazing man to an abrupt end--to put a stop to +the mammoth illegal operations he had so long conducted in secret and by +which he had impudently flaunted all the powers in Washington, just as +though he had sent them a message worded, "Well, what are you going to +do about it? Break up this fine game if you can." + +If only they were able to get him fast in the net before he could make +any attempt to destroy that book and those papers--Jack felt convinced a +generous Fortune had not allowed him to see such a prize only to snatch +it out of his reach through fire or some similar means of destruction. + +But here was Perk pulling at his sleeve as though he had a communication +of the utmost importance to pass along. Accordingly, Jack, who himself +was ready to effect a change of base so that speedy action might be +decided on, moved back from the window. + +"What is it, Perk?" he whispered, at which the other began to make +suggestive gestures toward his throat, and nod his head violently. + +"I c'n feel it comin' on again, partner--the ticklin' feelin' you know, +an' I'm afraid I'll start acoughin' to beat the band--must have more +drink." + +It seemed nothing could be done until Perk's sensitive throat had been +properly attended to, so once more they crept and trailed along until +the vicinity of the well had been reached. Here Perk started to swill, +as though his capacity for holding water had no limit. It was just at +this particular moment, when both of them were hanging over the well +curb that a shaft of light suddenly enveloped them as the back door of +the shack opened and the figure of the short man came in sight with a +new tin or aluminum bucket in his hand as though his purpose was to get +a supply of fresh water. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE FIGHT AT THE WELL. + + +"Gosh!" + +Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing +at sight of the figure in the doorway. Jack was not a breath behind him, +both acting through mere intuition or instinct. + +Whether they had been seen was the important question flashing through +the mind of each. There was no sudden outcry which seemed a favorable +sign, Jack decided and the short, muscular man was even then emerging +from the interior of the shack, evidently bent on replenishing the +drinking water supply. + +Perk thrust his eager hand into the pocket of his leather jacket to grip +his automatic with the idea that he would be needing it before many more +seconds had ticked off. In his mind he entertained a comprehensive view +of what their plan of action would most likely be--to down this husky +chap, either by means of a blow or else a bit of lead delivered where it +would do the most good--then a swift rush into the shack and crushing +the ex-war veteran before he could fully grasp the meaning of it all. + +Easy enough to figure it out after this manner, but there must be +considerable chance that matters would not work so smoothly. For one +thing it must be considered that Oswald Kearns was no weakling, but a +more or less athletic figure, accustomed to feats of strength and +agility beyond the measure of an ordinary man. Then, too, he was known +to be irrational, even to the length of being considered dangerous when +thoroughly aroused and it went without saying that he must always be +well armed for in his reckless way of living he must many times be in +close touch with desperate characters, some of whom might conceive it +worth while to plot against his liberty, with a heavy ransom in their +mind's eye. + +It was quite too late for either of them to think of slipping off, since +the light from the interior of the shack poured through the open door +and dissipated the friendly darkness in that especial vicinity. + +Consequently all they could do was to continue to crouch there in the +shadow of the well curbing, and await whatever was scheduled to come to +pass. + +If Perk had been so eagerly praying for something to breeze along that +would give him the thrill he loved so well, his wish seemed well on the +road of being realized since everything was set for a dramatic discovery +with its attendant speedy action. + +It was apparent that after all the man could not have glimpsed their +vanishing faces as they ducked so swiftly, for he continued to advance +in the direction of the well and Perk could hear him softly singing, +just as though he might be a "musical cuss," as Perk told himself with +one of his customary chuckles since his first stab of alarm had passed +off under the realization that they had another chance. + +Jack, too, was telling himself what a peculiar state of affairs had come +upon the stage--here, with an ambush lying in wait before him, this man +could step blithely along, swinging his aluminum bucket and softly +warbling one of the most recent hits from a comic opera--Jack had +himself heard the song on the boards of a great metropolitan theatre in +New York--had even caught himself whistling the catchy air more than a +few times since. + +The man who seemed to be so well pleased with his fortunes while basking +in the favor of the wealthy chief of smugglers had a little surprise +waiting for him at the end of his rainbow--if those lurking shadowy +figures knew their business and managed it as they should, he would be +singing quite a different air before a great while, perhaps interlarding +his humming with a choice variety of expletives concerning the cruelty +of Fate. + +A few more steps and he would have reached the well--then what must take +place? Perk was asking himself as he crouched there, his muscles set and +his breath coming in little noiseless gasps--he resembled nothing so +much as a cat ready poised to make a deadly leap upon a fat robin +struggling with a worm that it had pulled halfway out of its hole. + +There was not one chance in twenty that the man could actually reach the +well, drop the bucket down, switch it around in order to induce water to +enter and then make use of the windlass so as to draw it to the top, +without discovering the presence of those two huddled forms; so Perk did +not deceive himself in the least with any extravagant hopes of the +affair passing off smoothly and their plans being uninterrupted. + +Now the man had set his pail down and was giving the well bucket a +switch as though intending to dislodge any stale water it might contain. +From this little incident Jack understood that undoubtedly the man must +himself have left the water they had used up in the bucket when last at +the well and subconsciously remembered the fact. + +He went about the job of lowering the rope with the manner of one quite +familiar with the necessary movements, pulling the rope from the barrel +of the windlass hand over hand. Then there came a splash, a gurgle and +following these symptoms of success the man, with a jerk at the rope, +managed to sink the bucket. + +Next he started to turn the handle in order to fetch the bucket to the +top of the well. In order to get a better purchase on the handle, he +took a step to the left, and as luck would have it, struck his knee +against the crouching form of Perk. + +Then came a quick look downward, since he was naturally curious to know +what sort of object he had collided with--possibly he may even have had +a sudden suspicion it would turn out to be some native beast from the +neighboring swamp--possibly a panther, since such animals had been known +to frequent the western shore of Okeechobee as a hunting-ground in days +gone by. + +Of course he instantly made a startling discovery, since there was +enough light to show him the form of a man doubled up against the rocky +well curbing. + +It would have been instinctive for the man to have let out a yell on +making this discovery but he did not have the chance to give tongue, at +least fully, for Perk made a lightning-like spring and had both hands +clasped about his throat effectually throttling the intended shout so +that it emerged only as a queer sound, rather on the order of a bull +alligator's bellowing suddenly cut short. + +That was but the beginning of the affair as Perk knew only too well it +must prove to be. He found he had a tough proposition on his hands for +the man struggled desperately, as who would not on finding his wind +suddenly cut entirely off with a pair of iron-like hands pressing his +throat as though it were gripped in a vise? + +Jack sprang up, ready to lend his pal any necessary assistance if only +the opportunity showed itself. Just then all he could make out in the +dim light was a whirling set of wildly struggling figures, looking for +all the world like one of those teetotums children delight in +spinning--only on an exaggerated scale. + +Then they went down with a crash, first one on top and then the other in +rapid succession. It would have made an excellent picture for the silver +screen, Jack could not help thinking while he drew his automatic and +kept tabs on that open door, more than half expecting to see Oswald +Kearns dash wildly out with some sort of machine-gun in his hands, ready +to take a chance in the game, knowing that the attack must have +everything to do with his own safety. + +Perk seemed to be hanging on with the tenacity of a bulldog, for not +another peep did the wolfish man, whose throat he squeezed, give vent to +as the slam-bang fight continued. It was lucky indeed there chanced to +be a raised wall about the well or in their frantic staggering this way +and that the wrestlers might have plunged down into the yawning +aperture, much to their mutual discomfiture--as it was they smashed up +against the curbing several times, to emit grunts at the rough contact. + +Finally, Jack, to his relief, saw Perk slam his now weakening adversary +to the ground and immediately follow this up by sending in a number of +furious blows that took every atom of fight out of the unfortunate chap +who collapsed as if wholly done for. + +Perk himself was far from fresh--his breath came in gasps and he must +have been trembling in every joint from the tremendous exertion put +forth but as always, victory was sweet in his nostrils and after +assuring himself that nothing further need be feared from the man he had +downed, he struggled to his feet, and ranged himself alongside Jack, as +if to declare his readiness to fight it out along those lines if it took +all night. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +AT BAY + + +Jack had been keeping a watchful eye on the nearby shack, not knowing +what moment a raging figure might come dashing forth armed with a +rapid-fire gun and ready to sweep up the earth with the mangled bodies +of himself and Perk. + +Somewhat to his surprise, and greatly to his relief as well, nothing of +the kind came to pass. Suddenly he realized that the door of the squatty +little coquina rock building had been closed, for no longer did the +light spread a banner out into the black night. + +"Drag him back of the well here, Perk," he said softly, "we've got to +make certain he'll give us no further trouble. Got that piece of stout +rope I gave you?" + +"Right here, partner--wrapped around my waist," and as he thus managed +to make himself heard, even while so short of breath, Perk caught hold +of the nearest leg of his late antagonist and without the least ceremony +dragged the senseless man several feet just as he might a bag of +meal--when head-over-heels in a real scrap Perk counted his opponents as +so much junk whose fate it was to be handled without ceremony and yet +after the row was over, no one could be more solicitous about binding up +their hurts than Gabe Perkiser. + +"Use the rope to fasten his ankles together," advised Jack, standing +guard meanwhile with his automatic ready for business and his keen eyes +roving around in search of signs along the trouble line, "and knot it +half a dozen times so it would take a knife blade to get free." + +"All done up brown and slick, Jack old hoss, now what?" announced Perk a +minute or so later. + +"Clap that new pair of bracelets on his wrists," further explained the +head pilot briskly, "and be sure to frisk him for a gat or even a knife. +You see, we're going to have our hands full with the boss and can't fool +around with this chap any longer." + +"His name is Mud!" scornfully declared Perk briskly as he completed his +task with the manner of one to whom it had become an old story. + +The fellow, it seemed, had recovered his senses for he tried to bite +Perk's hand and received a solid thump on the head for his pains. + +"So far, good," Jack was saying, half to himself. "Now let's move along +to the house and make sure our bird hasn't skipped out while we were so +busy at the well here. Got all the drink you want, Perk--we can't be +coming back every little while just to wet your long neck!" + +"It's okay with me, boy, let's go," the other announced with a chuckle. + +Leaving their prisoner lying there they started an advance on the shack. +Both eyed it carefully as they crept along and it was Perk who noticed +the first favorable sign. + +"Door's shut, partner, but the light's still on--you c'n lamp a streak +down near the sill, think he's on deck yet--ain't cut an' run like a +blue streak?" + +"We'll soon find out," Jack assured him. "'Twouldn't be like a guy with +his reputation as a scrapper to clear out so quick. I'm wondering +whether he's fixing up some hot reception for us when we break in." + +"Hot ziggetty! that is sure some rummy scrap," Perk muttered as he kept +close tabs on the shack now close by as though he more than half +anticipated seeing it suddenly burst into flames, or go up in fragments +under the influence of an explosion. + +Now they had reached the door and Jack made a slight effort to open it, +but with no success. + +"No use," he whispered to his kneeling mate, "it's got the bar down in +place. Listen and see if you can catch a sound from inside." + +A minute passed with both straining their hearing to the utmost--Perk +even laid his head against the closed door so as to better catch any +suspicious sound from within. + +"Huh! guess they ain't nothin' doin', partner," he hissed in a +disappointed tone, "thought I did get a little ruslin' sound, like paper +bein' crumpled up when you're a'makin' a fire, but don't hear it no +longer." + +"Paper, you say?" snapped Jack uneasily, "I don't like that any too +much." + +"Why not?" asked the other, evidently at a loss to understand why such a +simple little thing like that could annoy any one--what if the man at +bay figured on setting fire to the hidden little retreat he had arranged +here close to the lonely lake where he could slip away whenever he felt +like shunning those society people over at crowded Miami--he surely had +no intention of cremating himself and they could nab him if he started +to make off. + +"Paper--don't you know what he was doing when we peeped in--that book +ought to be worth its weight in gold to us as evidence and that stack of +papers that he was looking through--if he's given enough time he may put +a match to the bunch and destroy everything that could be used against +him. We've got to keep him from doing that, brother." + +"Yeah--but how?" gasped the other, showing renewed signs of excitement +as he visioned the holocaust with their fine plans going up in fire and +smoke just when they seemed about to corral success. + +Jack answered that question by striking the door with his foot, the +result being a loud thump. Then he caught hold of his chum and dragged +him to one side. None too soon was this done, for there came a series of +staccato explosions from inside the shack and tiny gleams of light in +various sections of the door told that bullets had passed through the +wood in a number of places. Only for this prompt action on the part of +the cautious one, either or both might have had leaden pellets lodged +promiscuously about their persons with resultant painful sensations. + +"Wow! that was what I'd call a close shave," whispered the kneeling Perk +as he surveyed those suspicious holes in the badly riddled door, all on +a line with any crouching human figure without. + +There could no longer be any doubt as to the warlike intentions of the +man they had at bay, his fighting spirit, first fed during those bloody +days and nights in the Argonne, had burst into flame again and he shed +his free and easy character as the lord of that wonderful palace at +Miami to assume the rough and ready type of an adventure-loving smuggler +chief, quick to defy all authority while the red blood rioted in his +veins. + +"We've just got to keep him on the jump," Jack was saying, "so's to +occupy his attention and keep him from putting a match to those papers +and that priceless account book with its addresses. Here, find a way to +get in a smash or two on the door, like we meant to break in--I'll slip +around and see what can be done at the window." + +"Jack, I 'member there's a log a'lyin' right over there--why couldn't I +use that an' really break through?" + +"Too dangerous, buddy--he'd turn that terror of a machine-gun on and +wipe us off the map. Do what I'm telling you, only keep back so he can't +get you when he shoots again." + +"Just watch my smoke," grunted Perk, stooping to feel around for some +object that could be made available for the purpose of a door knocker. + +"Wait," he heard the other saying as he was starting to move off. +"Here's a little pile of rocks--pick up one and toss it on the roof of +the shack--make him think we're climbing up, meaning to break in that +way--anything to keep him so busy dodging and firing he'll have no time +to start that blaze." + +Perk grasped the main idea, which was to fight for time--given even half +a chance, he knew his pal would find some way to accomplish the end he +had in view which was to take Kearns a prisoner with enough positive +evidence of his guilt to convict him when placed on trial in a Federal +court. + +Hastily then did Perk scramble for the rocks mentioned by his +companion--it was much too dark for him to see where they lay, but he +used his common sense with such signal success that almost immediately +he found what he sought. + +To toss up a good-sized rock with such vim that it came down on the roof +with a loud bang was the work of a few seconds. Hardly had the crash +sounded than Perk had another missile on its way and as long as the pile +held out he meant to keep up a continual fusillade that would have the +man inside guessing. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +THE COME-BACK + + +It was more or less fun for Perk to keep up that bombardment as long as +he had any ammunition left--the heavy thumps on the roof continued to +follow each other, like blasts in a quarry or an admiral's salute when +the "old man" took a notion to come aboard. + +So, too, would each concussion be followed by a spurt of gunfire from +behind the closed door of the shack showing that Oswald was alive to the +situation and must be enjoying his share in the strange engagement quite +as much as the fun-loving Perk did his part. + +If the little rock pile held out and there were enough ammunition belts +for the machine-gun handy, the chances were that the roof of the +bungalow would assume the nature of a sieve and leak when the next heavy +rain storm set in. + +Perk was fully aroused now, and awake to his part of the +bombardment--his mind began to figure just what other means lay within +his reach to continue engaging the attention of the rat in the trap +after the last rock had been fired. + +Some of them he knew had rolled off the slightly sloping roof after +accomplishing their duty. If only he could lay hands on them they might +be made to serve again but the darkness would make this problematical. +There was that log he had mentioned to Jack--with it he fancied he might +do something to keep up the feverish interest in the game and hold +Oswald's undivided attention. + +What added more or less to the thrill he was enjoying was the fact that +at any minute the ready marksman inside might succeed in reaching him +with a bullet fired at some new angle. Jack had told him how Kearns was +said to be quite a wizard at making bullseyes in a flying target either +with a pistol or a rifle. + +He was still going heavy although nearing the end of his ammunition, +when something not on the calendar came along, something so unexpected +that Perk was taken quite by surprise. A weighty and metallic object +struck him on the head with such violence that he saw a million stars +all at once, as though a myriad of rockets had exploded simultaneously +high in the air. + +He went down like a stone, his senses reeling under that frightful +impact and yet half conscious of the fact that some one must have come +up behind him in the darkness and struck him with a heavy weight. + +Now he could feel hands groping about his person as though seeking to +find where to follow up that first blow with another that would +effectually wind up his career for keeps. + +Rendered desperate by the nature of his situation Perk threw up both +hands and chancing to come in contact with a human form, closed in with +what might almost be called a death grip--his one object being to thus +hold the unseen enemy close and prevent him giving a second blow that +would be in the nature of a knockout. + +He met with fierce resistance, but no matter how desperately the other +struggled and fought he was unable to break Perk's terrible hold, so +like that of a fighting bulldog, once its teeth have closed for keeps. + +There the two antagonists rolled to and fro, striving in turn to get on +top, only to be over-turned in rotation. What made it all the more +exciting was the fact that the man in the shack, hearing all those queer +noises, must imagine his enemies were trying to burrow under the door +for he kept up frequent furious bursts of gunfire and at any moment an +unlucky roll was apt to bring the wrestlers within range of the hail of +bullets. + +One thing favored Perk--he was by degrees getting over the deadening +sensation following that frightful blow on his head--apparently the +other was weakening in the same proportion that Perk was gaining +strength, showing that he must have been in anything but prime condition +when the tussle started. + +It was this potent fact that gave Perk his first inkling as to the +identity of the man with whom he struggled. At first he took it for +granted the fellow was the tall confederate they had noticed with Kearns +during the late afternoon, and who had perhaps been away and returned to +the shack just at this interesting moment to find it in a state of +siege. + +He had hardly begun to get an inkling as to the true state of affairs +when one of his hands, in seeking to get a firmer hold, chanced to come +in contact with something cold and hard. Then he understood just why his +antagonist seemed to be so handicapped in the scramble--he could stretch +his hands apart only so far--they were apparently held fast in some +mysterious fashion. + +It burst upon Perk like a bomb from a sky chaser--why, after all this +was an old friend of his, one whom he had only recently been hugging +with all his might and main--in fact no other than the short confederate +of Kearns whom they had left beside the well but a brief time +previously. + +In some manner, which was a complete mystery to Perk, he had managed to +get his legs free from that binding rope which had been wound around and +around his ankles in many coils and then knotted half a dozen times. +Perk found it hard to realize this puzzling fact, but just the same he +knew it must be the truth. + +He proceeded to continue his rolling process with additional vim, partly +because he now knew the other could not get a chance to whack him again +with both hands handcuffed--for that was what had actually occurred and +it proved his first surmise--that hard metal had come in contact with +his cranium. + +Presently it came about that Perk was enabled to clutch the throat of +his antagonist and for the second time close his fingers on his larynx, +shutting off his wind completely and causing history to repeat itself. + +The fellow gave up immediately, thus hoping Perk would diminish that +paralyzing grip which the other condescended to do. When this had been +carried through Perk made up his mind not to trust to a rope again--in +the first place he had no rope and even if this were not the case he had +for the time being lost all confidence in ropes as restraining agents. + +He remembered he had a second pair of steel bracelets in one of his +pockets, having fetched two pair along with the idea they might have to +include some pal of Kearns' before finishing their job. + +He quickly had the fellow lying inert and acting as though he did not +have another bit of fight left in him. Managing to pull out the +handcuffs, Perk first tested them for size, and finding he could snap +them shut after circling the ankles of his prisoner he did so with a +vim. This would effectually prevent the man from getting any distance +away, since he could move his feet only a few inches at a time at the +best. + +Perk struggled to his feet, feeling more or less dizzy. His first +natural act was to put a hand to his head, and feel it gently, in order +to ascertain the character and extent of his injuries. There was a cruel +lump on his crown and he knew blood was streaking his face but on the +whole he did not believe he was very badly hurt--perhaps after the +double beating the other fellow had received at his hands he was worse +off than Perk--an idea that started the latter chuckling, even if the +act caused him a sudden dart of pain that made him wince. + +Then he remembered what was going on, knowledge of which had been +knocked out of his head by the unexpected fight that had taken place. +How about Jack? + +He dimly remembered hearing further shots from behind the barrier, +although unable to decide whether the bullets continued to break through +close to the bottom of the door or otherwise. Could this later fire have +been directed at Jack, who had unwisely exposed himself at the side +window? + +Perk was strongly tempted to disobey orders and hasten around the corner +in order to learn the worst. If that daredevil inside had hurt his pal +he would be mad enough to find some way of blowing up the shack and the +gas-mad ex-soldier along with it, regardless of consequences. He only +waited long enough to run his swollen hands over the recumbent figure of +the man in irons so as to make sure he could not play the same mean +trick a second time. Finding everything fast, he turned away from the +scene of his recent ruction, and hurried around the corner of the shack, +bent on backing up Jack or, in case his pal had been placed out of the +running, to avenge his injuries without delay. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +A LAST RESORT + + +Meanwhile how fared Jack in his share of the attempt to corner the +defiant and persistent law-breaker? + +He had crept around the corner after leaving his chum, fully convinced +that some sort of heroic measures must be brought to bear on the ugly +situation if they hoped to succeed. + +One thing had already been amply proved--this was the unmistakable fact +that Oswald Kearns must be having one of his occasional brain sprees, +the result of his wartime gassing when he was apt to tip over his +balance and for the time being imagine himself beset by a myriad of +bitter foes whom it was his duty, as well as privilege, to mow down, +regardless of everything. Acting under this delusion he was doubtless +resting under the belief that these were Hun machine-gun squads secreted +in nests in the Argonne and that he was duly recruited by Heaven to +round them up, disseminate their number, and fetch a goodly bunch into +the American lines as prisoners of war. + +His readiness to shatter the door of his own lodge was evidence of his +obsession, Jack firmly believed and from which he deduced the opinion +that as long as his equipment held out he was ready to keep up that hot +bombardment under the belief that the enemy were falling like dead +leaves in the frosts of late Fall. + +This being the case, Jack understood how exceedingly careful he must be +not to expose even the tip of his nose, since everybody said Oswald was +a most wonderful hand with firearms. + +No sooner had he turned the corner of the rock shack than he made a +discovery that gave him some satisfaction. At least the man inside had +not considered it necessary that he extinguish the lamp for there was a +certain amount of light coming from the window--only tiny lances, +showing that some sort of shade had been drawn down as far as it would +come. + +So Jack crawled hastily forward, bent on taking a peep if it could be +accomplished without too much risk. Having gained a position directly +under the window, he considered just how he must go about it and so +discovered that a plant of some sort--perhaps a young orange tree, was +growing alongside the shack. + +Taking hold of a sprig, he gently moved it across a portion of the +opening and on finding it attracted no attention from within he next +pushed his head up with the bunch of green foliage. + +This resulted in giving him a quick survey of the interior--he could see +what had come before his vision on his previous survey but at first he +failed to discover any human presence. The fact gave him a feeling of +chagrin, under the impression that Kearns might in some mysterious way +have been able to quit the rock house without being discovered and that +they had been outwitted. + +In that brief period of time Jack seemed to glimpse all manner of +strange tunnels leading from the secret retreat of the smuggler to +certain exits back in the pine woods, craftily constructed for just such +an emergency as had now come to pass. + +Then he suddenly changed his mind on realizing how next to impossible it +would have been to construct such underground exits when the near +presence of great Okeechobee would make digging quite out of the +question, since water must of necessity seep into any such passage and +fill it full. + +Jack, looking further, had just managed to discover a leg that was +thrust into view when Perk's first rock crashed on the roof, making a +terrific noise. Following this came a burst of gunfire with the acrid +powder-smoke filling the room and making seeing next to impossible. + +Jack crouched down to do a little thinking as well as listen to the +exchange of compliments between the warring forces--every loud +detonation as a lump of coquina rock fell on the roof would be followed +by its complement of rapid gunfire, just as though the man at bay was +bound to keep up his side of the battle even if he had to create a +shortage in his ammunition supply. + +It was fierce work, yet bordering on the ludicrous, Jack told himself, +meanwhile wondering just how long Perk's heap of missiles would persist, +also what was bound to happen when the rock pile was gone. Doubtless the +near-demented man inside must be working up to a feverish pitch under +the impression that he was specially designed by Providence to +annihilate the whole German army and open a clear path to an Allied +march all the way to Berlin! + +Then silence came--a silence that seemed to brood over the scene of +hostilities as might a sea fog drifting in along the coast and baffling +the most skillful of flyers. + +Jack had discovered a stick that was some three feet in length and +remembering an old and often tried trick known to frontiersmen away back +in the Kentucky days of Daniel Boone, he meant to try it out in order to +see if the ammunition of the besieged man had run out on him or +not--something that was really essential he should know before +proceeding to extremes and breaking into the fortress that was holding +himself and Perk so persistently at bay. + +Removing his leather cap with its dangling earlaps, he perched it on the +point of his stick and proceeded to elevate the contrivance so that it +might be seen by the vigilant eyes within. + +The result was all that he could have asked, showing that this venerable +Indian trick was just as workable as in the days of old. + +A single shot sounded dully within the shack--there was a tinkling sound +as if a speeding bullet had bored a hole through a pane of glass and +down fell his helmet. Jack picked it up and chuckled to find he could +poke an investigating finger through a hole that had certainly not been +there before. What great luck his head had not been inside that helmet, +he was telling himself on thus learning the wonderful accuracy of the +marksman. + +Things were again at a standstill, for as long as the half demented +Kearns was able to make such excellent use of his firearm it would be +suicide for either of them to try and break into the shack. + +One thing Jack had managed to discover with that brief peep back of the +friendly bunch of orange leaves--there was a little heap of papers in +the fireplace, also the precious book he yearned to possess--yes, and he +could even make out a smudge as though a match had been used to start a +conflagration but owing to some puff of contrary air the blaze had +fizzled and gone out--an especially providential favor in their behalf +Jack had told himself. + +Still, at any moment now the man with the crooked mind was apt to notice +how his purpose had been baffled. Then he would make a second and +possibly more successful attempt to destroy all incriminating evidence +as to his connection with the smuggling of rum, aliens and precious +stones into the country, contrary to the laws of the land. + +What could he do should this crisis come upon him, Jack was asking +himself as he crouched there and counted the minutes passing by? There +was only one means for counteracting such a move on the part of the +enemy and Jack had already convinced himself the occasion was fully ripe +for it to be tried out. + +On a previous occasion the same thing had handily proved its efficacy, +so why not again? Desperate cases require desperate remedies, he kept +telling himself as he groped in his pocket and extracted some small +object therefrom, holding it tightly clinched while he again moved the +orange leaves across the lower part of the window without extracting a +shot from the guardian of the shack. + +Then he nerved himself to take a look and received a shock for he was +just in time to see Kearns down on his knees striking a match which he +hastened to apply to the crumpled papers. + +Seeing there was not a second to waste, Jack proceeded to hurl the +tear-bomb he had been holding in his fist straight through the glass, so +as to strike against the stone chimney and be shattered, releasing its +powerful contents that would almost instantly fill the room and blind +the man whose fingers held the burning match. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +FETCHING IN THEIR MAN + + +There was now no further need for caution. + +Jack saw the man inside stagger to his feet, drop his gun and throw both +hands up to his face--he was starting to rub his eyes as though they had +already commenced to feel the terrible effect of the pungent acid that +would start the tears flowing in streams and render him temporarily +blind before he could exercise his brain sufficiently to unbar the door +and rush outside. + +But already that tiny blaze on the open hearth was increasing, and would +presently gain such headway as to threaten the utter destruction of the +precious papers that they had come so far and braved all sorts of +dangers to get. Something must be done instantly in order to prevent +this threatening catastrophe. + +So Jack, always quick to act, with one smashing blow sent the entire +window sash flying into the room. He did not even stop to learn whether +he had cut himself, but gave an upward spring, gained a precarious +knee-hold on the window-sill and allowed himself to fall inside the room +with its unseen gas contents which would of necessity act upon his eyes +even as it already had done in the case of his intended prey. + +Across to the fireplace went Jack--he could never tell just how he made +that trip of a dozen feet with his sight already growing dim and his +senses commencing to reel, but he knew that he started to stamp out +every atom of those greedy flames, working like one possessed. + +Then he clutched the reeling man by the arm and dragged him across to +the window and bundled him out with as little ceremony as if he had been +a sack of oats. + +Blinded himself by this time and hardly knowing what he was doing, Jack +managed to climb through the opening and drop down on top of the +writhing figure on the ground. + +Here Perk found them both as he came full tilt around the corner, +realizing something not down on the bills as far as his knowledge went, +must have taken place. + +"Jack--what's happened--are you bad hurt, buddy?" Perk demanded +excitedly as he bent down over his chum. + +"All right--only had to use the tear-gas again--be better right +off--don't let Kearns get away on your life!" + +"Hot ziggetty! you jest bet I won't old hoss!" whooped the delighted +Perk as he squatted alongside the still writhing Oswald, his automatic +held in readiness only waiting for Jack to recover enough to take things +in charge. + +"Look in the room--see if the papers are safe--in the fireplace--he +started to burn the whole batch and beat us to the scratch--had to give +him the whole works to save 'em!" + +Thus enlightened, Perk stood up and took a look then burst out in a +joyous shout that would have done credit to any cow-puncher on earth. + +"It's all dandy, Jack--papers safe an' we got our man ditto. Mebbe now +I'll soon get a chance to treat my tummy to some decent grub, 'cause my +ribs're stickin' to my backbone, I'm that empty." + +Before long Jack's eyes ceased to sting and his vision once more became +almost normal. By then, too, Kearns had come to his senses, with Perk +keeping him subdued by means of prodding a weapon in his ribs. + +Jack hunted around and found some rope with which they temporarily bound +the arms and ankles of their prisoner. That accomplished he made haste +to secure all the papers as well as the ledger which Kearns had been so +eager to destroy when realizing that at last his scorn for the minions +of the law had reaped its inevitable result--the pitcher gone once too +often to the well--and that his game was up. + +"What next, Boss?" Perk was asking, "mean to kidnap both o' these guys +Jack?" + +"It'll make our chances better with one showing a yellow streak and +turning on his employer for State's evidence," was Jack's quick +rejoinder, the idea being quite to Perk's liking as he speedily made +manifest. + +"Jumpin' jimcracks! we c'n tote the pair right nifty an' I'm meanin' to +see that other guy gets all that's comin' to him, after that nasty crack +on the coco he gimme with them irons. Say Jack, take a look at my head +an' see if it's sound still--gee whiz! but it felt like the sky'd gone +an' dropped down on me." + +Jack speedily reassured him that although there was a lovely lump on the +top of his head, it was nothing very serious. It was understood that +there was not a minute to waste if they were wise. The Lockheed-Vega +might blow in any time and give them trouble. + +"We'll get both the prisoners together and Perk, you stand guard over +them while I taxi our boat around here so as to save ourselves the job +of moving them along the trail. Is it all right with you, buddy?" + +"Sure is," came the ready reply. "I'll start a little chin with our +honorable guest here an' see how he likes the idee o' sittin' up next +Mr. Philip Ridgeway o' the Treasury Department an' findin' out that this +time he's in the soup for keeps." + +Already the prisoner had recovered his customary nerve for on hearing +what Perk was saying he broke out in a laugh. + +"Looks a bit serious for me, I own up, boys," he said. "I give you +credit for being ace high above all your class, for you've played a +clever game and beat me by a mile. So that was tear-gas you tossed into +the room, was it?--thought I recognized the smell and I want to tell +you, once that hits a chap's eyes and he doesn't care if a church +steeple topples down on him, he's that paralyzed." + +Jack lost no time in starting back to where the ship was hidden and +having negotiated the distance along the perilous trail without running +afoul of anything, he managed to toss the palmetto leaves overboard +since there was no further necessity for camouflage. After coaxing his +charge out of the narrow slip, and once on the open lake, he taxied down +to the cove close to the coquina rock shack. + +They managed to lug their prisoners aboard and stowed them away as well +as circumstances permitted. Then Jack gave her the gun and they were +off. + +Once they found themselves on their way at a three thousand-foot ceiling +and headed almost due northwest with Tampa as their goal, Perk slapped +his pal on the back and gave vent to his high spirits. + +"Oh how joyful it does seem, partner," he was saying, "to be startin' on +the home stretch with our game played to a finish, the ducks bagged an' +nigh ready for the spit. Somethin' to crow about this time, I guess boy. +Mebbe the Big Boss up at Washington ain't goin' to be tickled pink when +he gets the news an' knows we've grabbed Oswald by the heels with +evidence aplenty to send him to Atlanta for a term o' years. This night +flight promises to be the happiest ever for the pair o' us. I know I'm +actin' like a loon, partner, but I jest can't help it--such bully +occasions are too few an' far between in our line. An' now I wonder +where we'll be sent for the next big job we tackle?" + +"We'll know all that soon enough Perk," he was told by his comrade. "We +deserve a little rest after this business is cleaned up, then we'll be +ready to start out fresh and dandy, no matter if it takes us to the Wild +West this time." + +"Huh! why not?" grunted Perk with the air of one who was utterly +indifferent as to whether he was given a mission that would take him to +the other side of the world, as long as he had at his side the pal whom +he loved so well and the backing of the Government to stand for +expenses. + +"We've worked the Mexican border to the limit, have jest cleaned up the +worst smugglin' bunch along the Florida coast an' when the call comes +for us to take a fling over the Colorado canyon, or above the snow +capped mountain ranges, it'll find us ready an' all to the good!" + +Although at the time Perk had not the slightest idea that he was posing +as a prophet, it will be seen that such was the case as the title of the +next story in this series will indicate, it being "_Wings Over the +Rockies; or Jack Ralston's New Cloud-Chaser._" + +THE END + + + + +EVERY BOY'S MYSTERY SERIES + +AIR MONSTER + +By EDWIN GREEN + +"Lines away!" + +This is a story of the world's greatest dirigible and of the dangers +in the frozen wastes of the Arctic--a combination sure to provide +thrills for every reader. + +The _Goliath_, largest dirigible in the world, is to meet the submarine +_Neptune_ at the North pole. The _Neptune_ encounters one mishap after +another in the drifting ice of the Arctic and Harry Curtis, its radio +operator, sends an S. O. S. to Andy High, assistant commander of the +_Goliath_. The dirigible starts north, Captain Harkins, the commander. +is stricken and Andy takes charge of the rescue attempt. + +SECRET FLIGHT + +By EDWIN GREEN + +Andy High and his companions on the trail of new adventure in the +mighty _Goliath_ ... international intrigue and a world crisis form the +background for this strong and stirring tale for air-minded boys. This +book is a fitting sequel to that splendid book "Air Monster." + +EXTRA + +By GEORGE MORSE + +Baffling mystery, startling disappearances, roaring presses, the +tenseness of the deadline hour on great newspapers--all these and more +are in "Extra." + +When the publisher of the _Porter Press_ disappears from an airplane +while it is en route between two cities, Don Durian, young managing +editor of the _Press_, starts out to get the story and solve the +mystery. Thwarted at every turn, Don and his staff are enveloped in an +intrigue that threatens to destroy even their own paper. It's a +mystery within a mystery and the solution is startling. + +CIRCUS DAN + +By GEORGE MORSE + +Call of the calliope.... Clash of cymbals and flash of spangles under +the big top. But back of the glitter is the rivalry of two big +circuses.... A fortune hangs in the balance when young Dan Tierney, +press agent for the Great United, solves the mystery of the accidents +which have threatened the existence of the big show. + +VANISHING LINER + +By GEORGE MORSE + +_The Vanishing Liner_ moves rapidly, abounds in pulse-quickening +action, weaves the threads of half a dozen adventures through the +luxurious cabins of the ATLANTICA, and ends with a stirring climax +of adventure on the high sea. + + + + +THE TREASURE HUNT OF THE S-18 + +By GRAHAM M. DEAN + +Graham M. Dean, the author of the Tim Murphy Series, received so many +requests from his hundreds of thousands of readers, to take Tim Murphy +on a "real treasure hunt," that in this book Tim Murphy is given the +assignment by the editor of the "Atkinson News" to accompany a +treasure-hunting expedition headed by a world-famous globe trotter. +This is an action story from start to finish--clean, fast, and +inspiring. It is a different story and is bound to appeal, with all +the resourcefulness of the now famous Tim Murphy tested to the utmost. + +THE GOLDSMITH PUBLISHING COMPANY, CHICAGO + +VANISHING LINER + +By George Morse + +High Adventure on the North Atlantic ... a mystery of ships that +vanish in mid-ocean. + +The world is alarmed by the disappearance of ships in the North +Atlantic and the Great Northern Transportation Company, which has lost +two vessels, is determined to solve the mystery. The Great Northern +Company has plans to build the two fastest liners afloat and a rival +company is suspected of the mysterious attacks. + +In command of the expedition which sets out to solve the mystery is +Prof. Randolph Pearson, eminent scientist. He sets up a complete +laboratory aboard the ATLANTICA, crack liner of the Great Northern. +With him are his assistants, Bob Ellis and Glenn Heath. Their task is +to stay aboard the liner on its transoceanic dashes for they are +confident that an attempt will be made on the ATLANTICA. + +_The Vanishing Liner_ moves rapidly, abounds in pulse-quickening +action, weaves the threads of half a dozen adventures through the +luxurious cabins of the ATLANTICA, and ends with a stirring climax of +adventure on the high sea. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Eagles of the Sky, by Ambrose Newcomb + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EAGLES OF THE SKY *** + +***** This file should be named 31426.txt or 31426.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/4/2/31426/ + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.fadedpage.com + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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