CHAPTER XXIV
ON HANDS AND KNEES
Even while Jack was saying those few words, Perk had recovered from hissudden alarm, since he already knew the reason for the other's bringinghim 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 thestory 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 alsoseized his companion--that the chief object of their concern might be apassenger aboard that ship, heading once more across the state to Miamiand that in consequence, all of Jack's carefully laid plans would meetthe same untimely fate as befalls an ambitious soap-bubble when struckby a stray puff of air.
So they continued to stand there and listen to the telltale sounds withsinking hearts. Perk in particular seemed to be dreadfully put out bythis fresh upset and was grinding his strong teeth as though desirous ofletting out an explosive but restrained by the fact of Jack being soclose at hand.
"Gee whiz! this here is what I call tough luck, Boss," he grumbled, morebecause he hoped Jack might be able to dispel his fit of the blues insome way or other, having a much clearer vision than he himselfpossessed.
"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 youcroak--after all, the thing may not be so bad--it doesn't pay to jump atconclusions."
"Shucks! that's me all over, old hoss, but I'm sure glad to hear you saythe last chance ain't snuffed out yet," mumbled Perk contritely, but atleast he had gained his point which was to coax Jack to mix a littlegood 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 clatterso thoroughly understood by any airman announced the hop-off from thesurface of the lake.
"An' nothin' happened to give him a spill, either," Perk went on to sayand the disconsolate vein in his tone told plainly enough how he hadbeen secretly hugging to his heart a hope that the motor of theLockheed-Vega crate might suddenly develop some fault, compelling theflight to be abandoned in its inception.
"Even that fact may yet turn out to be the best thing we could wishfor," Jack told him confidently, being built on the order of a fellowwho could see something to rejoice over in nearly every occurrence, nomatter how thick the gloom surrounding it.
"There he swings up an' is off--a slick jump, b'lieve me an' that guy'ssome square shooter in the bargain--knows his business okay anyway. ButJack, 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 CapeSable--square in the south--get that, don't you Perk?"
"I swan, but you're right there, Jack--which looks kinder like he didn'tmean 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 withrenewed animation as hope again sang a sweet song in his heart. "Thenthere's a real chance he ain't got our man alongside."
They stood there and continued to listen as the sounds made by theflight of the retreating seaplane gradually grew fainter and even forbrief spells died out altogether.
"He's out o' the pictur' anyhow," Perk finally commented when they couldno longer catch the least thud of the working motor--only a morepleasing sound in the shape of gentle wavelets running up the shore ofthe great lake being borne to their ears.
"Yes, and since that's settled we'd better be making a further moveahead," Jack was saying, in his sensible way.
Accordingly the advance was renewed, nor did they take any lessprecaution because of the departure of the flying boat.
As before, Jack continued to frequently make good use of his littleflashlight, which proved its worth just as had been expected. So speedywere the flashes that it did not seem possible for any one to noticethem unless he chanced to be on the watch for something suspicious andJack hardly anticipated such a thing as that.
Apparently the one who had planned the raid believed there was only onecourse for them to pursue and that was to keep on as though everythingwas just as they had hoped. Even though an adverse Fate chose to cheatthem them of their intended prey on this particular occasion there wouldbe other days to come,--and had he not promised to trap his man as wellas to procure all needful proof to secure his conviction?
They were soon drawing close to their goal--already Jack had glimpsed ashred of light gleaming through the intervening brush which proved mostconclusively that the shack could not be wholly deserted.
"Good enough!" Perk whispered when this comforting fact had been broughtto his attention, "we'll get his goat yet, partner."
Their progress was slowed up at this point for Jack no longer believedit good policy to make use of his flashlight. They had to partly feeltheir way along, using both hands and feet to detect the presence of anyobstacle that was apt to cause them trouble.
Still, the night was long and there was no desire to make haste--if theywaited until those in the shack were apt to be sound asleep it would bemuch easier to carry out their plan of campaign without any chance ofinterruption.
Now they could get faint glimpses of the little cove, which the visitingplanes were wont to use as a hiding place, taxiing thither aftersplashing down on the surface of the nearby lake.
Perk made a mental note of the fact that the cove was quite empty, nohostile crate bobbing up and down on the water--possibly this inducedthe dreamer to indulge in a hope that should the occasion warrant such athing, they might taxi their own ship around and make use of that snugharbor safe from any ordinary gale that chanced to strike treacherousOkeechobee.
Now they could see the light much better and even make out that it camefrom a certain window of the coquina shack--up to then Perk acknowledgedto himself that he had not known whether the modest little buildingboasted of windows or not, having discovered no evidence of theirpresence.
So, too, he now made but a certain dark spot just beyond the shack whichhe strongly suspected might be the well shed of which the more observantJack had spoken earlier in one of their pow-wows.
Now that he found himself so near the spot where it seemed likely hecould refresh his dry throat with a cup of fresh water, Perk was growingwild with the eager desire to be doing so. He Wondered whether hiscompanion could have forgotten his promise and even opened his mouth toremind him concerning it but thought better of it for already Jack hadchanged the line of his advance and was beginning to steer his pal inthe direction of the well.
In order not to take any unnecessary chances it was found that they mustmake a little detour in order to get past that shaft of light proceedingfrom the window in the rear of the shack. Perk even begrudged the brieftime taken in making this half circuit, though recognizing the wisdomgoverning Jack's change of course. He dared not try to whisper now, lesthis hoarseness cause him to make a sound so harsh and loud that it mightbe carried to hostile ears and be the cause of their undoing.
Then, after another delay when Jack imagined he had caught a suspiciouslittle scratching sound, as of something moving, they drew up on handsand knees alongside what seemed to be a rustic shelter covering anopening with a real windlass, rope and all, to fill Perk's heart withjoy in the belief that his throat was in a fair way of having itsroughness relieved in short order.