CHAPTER XXVII
PIKE'S PEAK, OR----BUST!
When Jack made this dramatic announcement Perk manifested such supremeastonishment, coupled with delight, that his eyes looked as if theywould jump out of his head. He reached over and clutched the other'shand, which he proceeded to squeeze unmercifully, as he burst out:
"Hot-diggetty-dig! but _did_ yeou ever hear o' sech great luck in allyeour born days? Why, it seems like there might be a back door to theHole-in-the-Wall, after all; which mebbe nary a single boob in the bunchhas ever discovered!"
"I figured it all out while down there, and peeking," Jack continued toexplain; "and felt certain what you are saying was absolutely true. Yousee the fissure lies high up on the wall, and there seems to be a narrowslanting shelf running down nearly to the bottom, where green grass isgrowing that would hide a trail of footsteps wonderfully, if we decidedto drop into the valley while night lasted, and investigate; possiblyget in touch with friend Simeon."
"Great stuff yeou're a givin' me partner; looks like ever'thing might bearunnin' for a fall with them tough guys. They're so dead sure nawthin'kin reach aout an' git 'em, they trust to dumb luck, an' lays 'raoundputtin' on layers o' fat, playin' keerds an' agamblin' away sech cash asthey got in the divide-up arter the last scoop."
"Let's hope Fortune will keep on smiling, Perk; but just the same we'llkeep our wits sharpened, and let no opportunity for making a point passus by."
"Huh! guess naow as haow yeou mean we gotter to trust in the Lord, butkeep aour powder dry; like the ole Pilgrim Fathers uster do in Colonialdays,--as I've read in hist'ry."
"Exactly," concurred Jack, to add, as though he could not quite get overthe great satisfaction his latest discovery gave him: "but look at theadvantage we now have, being able, as I think is certain, to go and comein and out of the valley, without any one being the wiser."
"Jest so, Jack, we doant need to try an' slip past the sentry wereckoned was on duty at the narrer pass--kinder got my goat wonderin'haow in tarnation we was agoin' to chuck _him_ overboard when the timekim along. Naow we needn't bother headin' thataway, 'less we wanted tokeep them boobs plugged up inside the big hole. Doant furgit I fetchedalong some bombs that cud do the trick, an' mebbe blow up that ere passsky-high, makin' a reg'lar jumble o' things which they couldn't climbover, it might be."
"Not a bad idea at all, brother," Jack told him, with an admiring look."When it comes to doing _big_ things, especially with all kinds ofbombs, (even to mustard and the tear sort) you take the cake. Wait untilwe get our final plan going, and we'll see what can be done to give thema great scare. With their leader missing, and the entrance to theirvalley fort laid in ruins, I reckon they'd cut and run for it, thinkingUncle Sam would now send a force by air ship to round them up."
"Gosh amighty! but things _do_ look good to me, partner," Perk could nothelp saying again, with his face wreathed in smiles.
"Well, I'm first meaning to take you down through that passage, and letyou have a glimpse out through the second fissure in the cliff. I'd liketo make certain, if we dared take the risk, that the sloping littletrail is safe enough to let us creep down, and come up again, in case wedecided to try and get in touch with Simeon this very night!"
"Wow! that same 'peals to me like all get-aout, partner. Le's shake afoot right away an' _go_," was Perk's energetic appeal, as he got to hisfeet, primed for fresh adventure and discoveries--always ready to "dothings."
Accordingly Jack led the way into the hole in the wall, his littlehand-electric torch lighting up the passage, so there was no risk ofeither of them stumbling when they "took a chance," as Perk would say.
Later on, after they had arrived at the terminus of the down-grade, Jackwhispered directions in his chum's ear, and started him off to take hisfirst view of the valley floor from that lower level. Perk was extracareful not to expose even his nose, in securing this thrilling survey,and came back fairly bubbling over with excitement, also enthusiasm.
They sat there within sight of the daylight streak, talking in whispers,and exchanging comments on the situation. Afterwards they both creptforward, and commenced a careful survey, even to poking out a head whenit seemed judicious and safe to do so.
"Perhaps," suggested wise Jack, after a while, "we'd better get busy atthe old stand, where it's easy to watch everything that goes on in theenclosed valley. I want to fix the points so carefully in my mind, thatI could move around in the blackest night, and keep clear of thedifferent huts and shacks."
"You would--that's right," commented Perk, firm believer that he was inhis best pal's ability to carry on where most other men must give up,and seek help; "any feller what could fly blind through the worst sea o'fog that ever was seen, kin do like he had cat's eyes, an' could seethings in the pitch dark."
"You rate me much too high, brother; if I'm any judge you've got farbetter vision for distances than I ever boasted. But it's always beenone of my pet schemes to build up my memory by what you might call abrain photograph that I can depend on to give me my points when in afog, or the blackness of midnight. But come on, let's be moving upwardsagain, Perk."
Before another half hour had expired they were once more crouching backof their friendly brush screen, and taking turns in making good use ofthe powerful binoculars.
"Lucky thing, Jack, we didn't leave these here bully glasses behind bymistake when we fixed to start on this same little jaunt an' adventure,"Perk was saying, almost under his breath, as he handed the object inquestion to his companion, making each movement slowly, so as to keepfrom attracting attention to the top of the high cliff.
"That could never happen to us, brother," Jack told him, with convictionin his tones; "because wherever we go in our task of getting someparticular man the Government wants badly, these same glasses are worththeir weight in solid gold--don't make any mistake about that, partner."
"Huh! I'd say six times over, they air, Mister. 'Member haow we used 'emdaown there in Florida, when chasin' after them wind-jammer planes thesmugglers were usin' to fetch in all kinds o' stuff that didn't pay anyduty--hard booze, diamonds, even yaller Chinks what was willin' to setup the long green flimsies so's to get a footin' on U. S. A. soil. Theyhelped us kerry aout aour plans jest fine."
The long afternoon slowly passed, and as evening drew on apace Jack wasready to call it a full day.
"I'm loaded for bear, as they say, Perk," he announced, showing signs ofgiving up the lookout, with the gathering of shadows far down below inthe long valley. "I mean by that I fancy I've got all my bearings downpat, and couldn't better the same no matter how much time I spent."
"Gosh all hemlock! partner, does that same mean we kin get started thisvery night to make contact with Simeon?" demanded the duly thrilledPerk, backing out on hands and knees from his covert.
"Why waste any more time when there's no need?" Jack told him. "A badspell of weather might come along to knock our plans silly; or perhapsthese chaps down yonder might have some scheme that would take thempretty much all away on a big lay. We couldn't play our hands if the manwe want so badly has gone off with his crowd, to hold up some bank, ortreasure train, could we? So while the stars hold out to shine up in thesky, and things seem to be fairly quiet with that mob, we'll see whatluck we have. I've got it figured out that Simeon must sleep in thatdun-colored army tent close to the cookhouse, and dining hall; so that'sbound to be our main objective tonight, after we land in the valley."
"Huh! only thing I got to worryin' 'bout, partner, is _dawgs_," saidPerk, with a particular emphasis on the last word.
"Yes, I know they seem to have several bow-wows in the settlement; butas a rule they're common riffraff stuff--never a sign of a police dog,or collie; so we needn't anticipate any trouble from such measly mutts,only good to play with, or gnaw a bone. So let's figure we're going tomake connections with Simeon tonight, if it's any way possible, or knowthe reason why."
"Yeah!" Perk added joyously, "Pike's
peak--or bust, it is--make itunanimous ev'rybody."