XXIII
PERK LOSES HIS VOICE
Knowing that one of Perk's failings lay along the line of talking a bittoo much on occasion, Jack had taken pains to warn him against too muchloquacity when making a night halt in this mountain town.
He had had occasion to take his pal to task along similar lines morethan a few times in the past. Perk was too apt to forget that secrecywas always a leading card with all reliable members of the service inwhich he was enlisted.
That he emphasized this fact on the present occasion did not mean therewas a particular reason for keeping the lid on, lest some desperatecharacter hiding in the isolated place from the long arm of theGovernment's deputies try to do them harm--but simply on generalprinciples.
Only too well did Jack know there were men who had reason to hate allhaving any connection whatever with the Secret Service--men who had beensent to Atlanta or Leavenworth, to pay the debt they owed organizedsociety. Through the entire period of their incarceration never a dayhad passed without their renewing a vow to sometime or other to get evenwith the members of that organization responsible for theirimprisonment.
When their wheels came in contact with the ground in a perfect threepoint landing, they found themselves greeted by a number of men, readyto proffer any assistance that might be required, especially when itbecame known that the strangers intended to stay over night.
The presence of a girl pilot aboard the visiting craft also arousedadditional curiosity for likely enough this may have been the very firsttime the town had ever played host to a genuine aviatrix.
Perk, to make doubly certain he did not babble, decided to play dumb asmuch as lay within his power. He could talk hoarsely as though sufferingfrom a bad cold and loss of voice, a tricky game that gave him secretamusement, Jack rather suspected.
Jack soon learned they would surely find good accommodations at one ofthe hotels and a man who introduced himself as Caleb Cushman kindlyvolunteered to carry them there in his five-passenger car, handily nearby.
This neighborly offer Jack immediately accepted, asking the other if hecould wait a few minutes until some arrangement was made for storingtheir crate in a convenient hangar. Everybody seemed eager to oblige,and Jack really had to choose between three separate generous offersfrom as many parties.
He had already discovered that a man wearing a pilot's outfit and whoseemed to be in some authority, named Bart Hicks, was in addition tobeing in charge of the field, an instruction pilot whenever some youngfellow aspired to learn the ropes, after fulfilling the examinationnecessary to being licensed as a full-fledged air pilot.
So it was the part of diplomacy on Jack's part, when forced to make achoice, to accept this man's offer under the belief that the amphibianwould be better cared for and secured against any possibility of harm.Of course he had no reason whatever to fear any rough-house treatment,but long years ago young Ralston had learned the wisdom of "locking thedoor _before_ the horse was stolen" and thereby saved himselfconsiderable trouble.
An air pilot's ship is to him what the valuable race-horse represents tothe track plunger--a thing to be guarded at all times as the day of thegreat turf events draws closer since some desperate gambler mightattempt to dope the animal in order to win his heavy wagers.
So too, it would be a simple thing to disable the motor of a plane orelse so damage a wing that it must be out of the question for the craftto pursue its customary duties until it had been taken to a repair shopand put in condition. With time so valuable to them, so vital to BuddyWarner, they could not afford to take any chances.
Before he quitted the landing-field, he made up his mind to have alittle confidential talk with Bart Hicks whom he had already sized up tobe an honest, efficient airman to whom any one could tie with anassurance of being given a square deal.
"Perk, stick close to Suzanne--I'll be back in a short time," was whathe said to his chum. The other wagged his head as though he understood,even though there must be a certain amount of deafness on his part,caused by the continual racket of the motor and propeller, lasting fromthe time they took off in the gigantic Colorado Canyon.
A number of willing hands took hold, and the big amphibian was shovedand hauled to a large hangar in which one ship had already been berthed.Jack incidentally learned that the doors would be closed immediately andlocked, although no harm had ever been done a ship since the airport wasestablished.
Jack had already noted that they were getting to be up to the times, asif the citizens might be of an enterprising sort. Landing lights hadbeen installed while a flashing beacon close by had already started intoaction, showing that an airmail crate was expected any minute or elseone was due to take off.
It was evident that Bart Hicks felt a certain amount of naturalcuriosity concerning these guests of the field. He had noted that theirship was a brand new one and also the fact that the pilot who brought itdown so cleverly must be an experienced hand. Then too, the presence ofSuzanne interested him in the bargain, she looked so confident and hadall the little airs of a full-fledged pilot in the bargain--trust hisold eyes to discover these patent facts.
"Come far, sir?" he was saying casually after the ship had been safelyhoused in the big hangar, doubtless the property of the aircraft companycontracting with the Government for carrying the mails and expressmatter.
"We spent last night in the Colorado Canyon and have been covering allthe ground possible ever since, flying low so as to keep tabs on theground for as you might guess, we're one of the many parties outsearching high and low for Buddy Warner and his crate."
"I reckoned you might be sir," the superintendent of the field quicklyremarked, displaying more or less sympathy in his voice.
"My pal and I have been thrown into the hunt by our employers like therest of the bunch working the same racket," continued Jack,diplomatically adding, "you see we happen to have run across a youngwoman pilot who had to make a forced landing down on the river sand inthe canyon and it was absolutely necessary that we take her along withus. You can understand just why that could be when I tell you her nameis Suzanne Cramer and that she is Buddy Warner's sweetheart!"
Bart immediately displayed the most intense interest it seemed, just aswise Jack had figured out. He was a family man and in full sympathy witheverything that had to do with the fortunes of honest, clean mindedyoung people--for Jack knew there was a heap of truth in that old sayingto the effect that "all the world loves a lover" and he was now playingthe game for all it was worth.
"That's mighty fine I must say, Mr. Ralston," Bart said, for he hadlearned the names of the two airmen, "and I must say that girl is somedaisy, to start off searching for her beau, and she an air pilot in thebargain. I'm tickled pink to have you all stay over in our little burgfor even a night and if we can do anything to help you out just give methe tip and it'll sure be done."
That was just what Jack most wanted to hear. Before they took off againhe was determined to do his best to get hold of some information thatwould prove of more or less value to himself and Perk.
"I'm meaning to ask you a few questions in the morning Mr. Hicks," hehastened to say, "especially connected with the country to the east andnortheast, for I figure the chances are three to one Buddy Warner musthave made a forced landing of some sort in that quarter. The wind, thenight he vanished, was blowing from the southwest and pretty gusty attimes. Visibility was poor also, so if he lost connection with thebeacons before reaching your station, he'd be blown off his course. Doyou agree with me, sir?"
"I call it right smart reasoning," Bart Hicks told him. "Three otherships dropped in here nights so as to save their gas and get some rest;and not one of the pilots seemed to know what course he ought to layout--just kept swinging this way and that at random, hoping for a streakof good luck to strike them. I reckoned they were leaving a lot ofground uncovered, working without any system as they did."
"That's what I thought would happen," continued
Jack quietly, feelingthat he had already made a good impression on the other and could hopefor results when it came time to "squeeze the bag." "We mean to devoteourselves to that particular locality so as to find out where he crashedand whether he is still alive or not."
Bart Hicks gave a shrug with his broad shoulders.
"For the sake of that little girl, I sure do hope you find him alive,partner," he said feelingly as became one airman toward another.
"She came straight out here from his old mother," continued Jack, "whogave her blessing to the mad scheme; but now that she is in our charge,my pal and I will see that she comes to no harm. I am greatly obliged toyou, Mr. Hicks, for your kindness in sheltering our ship. You canunderstand what it means to us now, while on this sad errand of mercy,to know that no harm will happen to the crate."
"Don't mention it partner!" hastily exclaimed the other. "Why, I've beenjust itching right along to get busy and look over that territory you'vebeen speaking about, but my duties here kept me pinned down, though Itook it out in doing a heap of growling and swearing too. Tell thelittle girl for me, will you, that we've all been wishing her Buddywould turn up safe and sound. I have a daughter about her age, I reckon,and I just know how she must feel. See you in the morning at daybreak,Mr. Ralston."
"Thank you again many times, sir."
Jack felt that he had made a warm friend in honest Bart Hicks. He sawthe respectful way in which the field superintendent shook hands withSuzanne, after all of them had entered the gentleman's car and wereready to start for the hotel and how pleased the girl looked as hemurmured a few words of sincere sympathy. Things at least seemed to beworking along the line he had laid out. Of course, no one could say thisearly in the game whether anything worth while would develop from thecircumstances springing out of their decision to spend the night in thevalley town.