CHAPTER X
TAMPA BOUND
"Congrats, Perk," said Jack, as soon as he came close enough, "you didthe thing up in first-class shape. If all other jobs went back on you Ireckon you could get your papers along the engineering line. A bit tiredin the bargain I take it, partner?"
"Lay off on that stuff, matey," replied the other, scornfully, "me, Inever get what you'd call tired, but jest the same I'm right glad it'sall over an' the rotten crate didn't get sunk out there--hate to loseall 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 pushfurther in among these islands before morning comes along if any spongeror fisherman happened to glimpse this pair of odd sea and air craft he'dspread the story far and wide and get us in Dutch. I'll fasten a towline on to the ship here, if you'll toss me a coil and taxi away backwhere 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 thebight of stout rope to his waiting chum, "and it's all to the good withme. Dandy luck we've been havin' for a fact, on'y hope it keeps on thatway to the finish line. Here you are, Boss!"
After Jack had made the small hawser fast he started the taxi stunt andpresently they were moving past the outlying clumps of mangroves withnever a bit of trouble. Perk made himself comfortable by throwing hisreally fatigued form flat on the deck and stretching his muscles to thelimit.
This continued for some little time until finally Jack shut off hispower and came alongside, ready to climb aboard the sloop.
"We'll tie her up to this nearby clump of mangroves, where you'll noticethere's a bunch of tall palmetto trees growing, showing there must beground, such as few of these islands can boast. I'm picking this placeespecially because those cabbage palms will keep the mast of the sloopfrom sticking up and betraying its location to any flyer passing over."
"I'd call that a mighty fine idea, partner," declared Perkenthusiastically. "Never would athought o' anything like that myself--myold bean don't work along them lines I guess. An' when I've done thatcamouflage act again nobody ain't agoin' to spy out a single thing downthis-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 thepalmetto trees, Jack crawled aboard. He must have also felt more or lesstired, 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 stretchout 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 whichmeans 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 wellpleased he must be on account of the many "breaks" that persisted incoming their way. "Let the mornin' come along when it pleases, it don'tmatter a red cent to us back here in this gloomy solitude."
They started to exchange opinions concerning the remarkable happeningsof the night just passed and in this way many things that had not beenvery clear to Perk were made plain. On his part he was able to offerseveral suggestions that added to the stock of knowledge Jack alreadypossessed so that it was a mutual affair after all.
"I rather reckon somebody's going to get a surprise packet when I finishexplaining just how this contraband sloop and cargo fell into ourhands," Jack was saying at one time, apparently vastly amused himself."Fact is, I wouldn't blame the Commissioner for believing I was drawingthe long bow when he hears about those tear-bombs you tossed out thatscattered the crowd like I've heard you tell a shell used to do when itdropped into a dugout over in the Argonne."
As they lay there taking things easy, the heavens in the east assumed amost wonderful range of various delicate tints that made even Perk gaspwith admiration. Birds started singing, mocking birds and cardinalsamong others, crows could be heard cawing close by as though there mightbe a hidden bird roost not far distant. This was corroborated later onwhen streams of white egrets flew past, scattering to find their morningmeal.
So, too, circling buzzards could be seen far above as they searched forsigns of a feast in the shape of a dead fish cast ashore on some sandbaror mudbank--a heavy plunge not far away told of a monster alligator thathad been lying asleep on some log, taking a dive as he noticed thepresence of two-legged human enemies whom he had reason to suspect ofdesigns on his life.
"How about a little grub for a change, partner?" demanded Perk, afterthey had been talking for quite some time.
"I reckon it wouldn't come amiss," admitted Jack; "but if you've got anyidea of starting a fire and making coffee, better throw that overboardright away, for in the first place you'd find it a hard job to runacross any solid ground among all these mangrove islands and thenbesides it might not be the wisest thing going to send up a column ofsmoke to attract attention to this quarter. Get that do you, Perk?"
"Y--es," admitted the other, with a disconsolate shrug of his shouldersas if he had no liking for the scheme being thus tabooed, "s'pose it'sjest like you put it, Jack, though I own up I was hopin' we might make apot o' coffee. Just the same we got plenty o' fresh water along, even ifit is sorter warm an' coffee'd taste just prime, but I c'n standanything when necessity drives. So let's get our teeth in some eatswithout botherin' further, 'cause I'm half starved an' them sandwiches'dgo fine."
Accordingly they started operations, Perk clambering aboard theamphibian to fish out the package of "eats", he knowing best where ithad been secreted on the previous evening after they had supper nearthis same spot.
As they munched their dry food they continued to talk, finding plenty ofsubjects bearing on their work that would be the better for furtherstudy.
"There's only one way we can arrange things so as to keep our clutch onthe 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 hewrapped up the remnant of the food supply which he had taken from theirmain stock--"I'm the goat in the deal--you figger on me stayin' here inthis 'gator hole to stand by the ship an' knock the block off'n anybodywhat tries to get away with our property--how's that for a straight hitsquare in the bullseye?"
"Go up head, Perkiser--you got the answer first clip, for that's justwhat has to be put through. I'll start off presently and make a bee linefor Tampa where they told me our immediate boss, Colonel Tranter, isstopping with his sick wife. I'll make my report direct to him and takefurther orders. He'll like enough detail a couple of revenue men on dutyalong the East Coast to come back with me to where you're lying here sothey can take the sloop and her wet cargo to Tampa to be given over tothe proper officers who will see that no clever smuggler has half achance to run away with her."
"I c'n easy enough see how you've thunk ev'ry thing out, an' on'y need alittle time to put the scheme through with a rush. Tell me, Jack, willyou be apt to get any further lines on the way things stand downhere?--there was some talk, I 'member, about them bein' able to give usa few pointers concernin' them higher-ups the Government is so anxiousto cage so as to break this whole gang up for keeps."
"Certainly, I intend to ask about that very thing," came Jack's readyreply, "and I'm also in great hopes they'll be able to add some newsworth while, that, in conjunction with what we already know, or suspect,will put us sleuth hounds on the hot trail of the big millionaire theyfeel certain has been the main backing of the whole ugly bunch whilekeeping in the background himself all the while. They're depending onyou and me, Perk, to produce the evidence that's going to convict him ofconspiracy against the Government, which may send him to Atlanta for adozen years or more."
"Know how long you'll be away, Jack?" demanded the other casually as ifit was really a matter of but little moment to him what the answer mightbe, since he could be depended on to hold to their
booty with thetenacity of a leech.
"That all depends on circumstances--I may be back by noon, and again nottill late in the afternoon or evening. I expect to fetch a couple ofsandbaggers along who will take over the sloop and stuff that's aboard.Having washed our hands clean of those encumbrances we'll be in fitshape to delve deeper into the game and see what we get out of thegrab-bag. Anyway, don't expect me until you see me heading this way andkeep a sharp lookout, for from all accounts this crowd we're up againstis said to be a tricky combination, always stepping on their toes anddoing big things."
"Yeah, we've heard lots o' that kind o' stuff but just the same the ladsmakin' up the crew o' this sloop didn't keep their eyes open, or they'dnever been taken unawares by them hijackers. Leave it to Gabe Perkiserto hold fast to what he's got; they'd have to be a regiment, armed withmachine-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 andbe on his way to Tampa. Contrary winds or something else might delay hisarrival, and an early start was bound to be of much help toward bringinga quick return.
He first used the binoculars in order to scan the heavens as well asthey could be covered when he was so surrounded by those strangemangrove islands and discovering no sign of any cruising, spying crate,he bade Perk goodbye and taxied in the direction of the open gulf, whichhe knew lay due west.
Perk answered his signal ere the amphibian turned a bend in the tortuouschannel and saw Jack vanish from view; nor could he long detect anysound to indicate the presence of an airship since cautious Jack hadagain made use of that wonderful "silencer" which they had found souseful while conducting their search during the preceding night. Thenthe appointed guardian of the captured contraband sloop turned hisattention to matters which had to do with his making the tied-up craftas thoroughly invisible from the upper air as he knew how.