III
THE HOLD-UP
Jack had certainly shown considerable cunning in starting to talk aboutsome of the clever and novel devices with which their new ship wasequipped in order to turn the attention of his chum into more pleasantchannels for Perk soon became most eloquent in speaking of thosewonderful discoveries.
"It sure is a great stunt, us bein' able to quit the ground in tenshakes o' a lamb's tail," he was speedily remarking, "'stead of havin'to take such a long an' often bumpy run. The way that boat acts underyour pilotin' makes me think o' how a clumsy buzzard when scared, givesa hop up into the air for a few feet, starts them big wings o' his'nworkin' and goes hoppetty-skip-petty off on an upward slant. Seems likethe next thing we know we'll have some sorter contraption that'll jestgive us a toss, like you'd fling a pigeon up, for a gunner to smackafter it'd started to fly out o' bounds."
"I understand," Jack told him, smoothly enough, "they've got somethingmighty near as wonderful as that, only it lacks just a little finishingtouch to make it sure pop. Five years from now the boys who've comethrough with their lives will be looking back to _our_ day as beingstill in the woods, and us pilots rough neck amateurs--such staggeringthings will be the regular line by then."
"Jest see how the've changed a heap o' the instruments we used to swearby in them days o' the big war over in France, eh Jack? You don't see somuch difference, but us boys who were in that scrap sometimes c'n hardlybelieve it's the same aviation world we're livin' in. From compass topontoons, a dozen or two things have been vastly improved. Look at thenew ship; we got aluminum pontoons to let us light on the water of ariver, lake or the sea itself and with the wheels set in the shoes so asto make a landin' on dry land whenever we feel like it."
"Pretty slick trick that, I own up, buddy," admitted Jack, "and best ofall they seem to work like magic in the bargain. And of course we stillgo under the same old name of _amphibian_, for we can drop down anywherewith only a fair-sized opening."
"Too bad they didn't give the fine boat a name--havin' only a numbergives it a sorter orphan look, strikes me," continued Perk, thus voicingan old grievance that thus far he had kept to himself.
"I knew that bone was bothering you some, partner," Jack told him, "andnow you've mentioned it we might as well have it out. Names are all veryfine for ordinary airships because there's every reason for giving thempublicity, which helps business along; but in our case that's exactlywhat we want to avoid like a sick tooth. Get that now, brother, do you?"
"Huh! I flop, partner--queer how I didn't think o' that before youmentioned it jest now. Some day mebbe I'll be workin' in a line thatdon't have to keep things shady all the time--gettin' my fill o'sneakin' an' snoopin' so's to pull in results."
"Here's wishing you luck, boy," Jack was saying with a vein ofseriousness in his voice, "but see here what's bearing down on us like aship under full sail?--he must have been out of sight behind thatpartition all the time we've sat here--got a wide grin on his sunburnedface, which looks kind of familiar to me. Know him, Perk?"
"Zowie! I'd jest say I do partner, don't you see, it's my old friendCyclone Davis, the cowboy we've seen more'n once doin' his stunts on thescreen. Hey there, Cyclone, where'd you pop up from, old pard?"
Perk in evident excitement had jumped up from his chair and withoutstretched hand met the oncoming grinning range rider with tumultuousjoy, slapping him on the back, wringing his hand furiously and giving amost energetic display of delight at the unexpected meeting.
"Sit down here an' have a little chin, Cyclone--meet my side partner,Jack Ralston. Got to walk back to our room with us so's to tell how youhappened to break into the movies an' make such a big hit. Glory! didn'tit bring back old times when I saw you prancin' around, knocking somebig guy on his back like you used to do when in the prize ring as acomin' welterweight champion. Now, start doin' your stuff, old pard."
Innumerable questions from the excited Perk brought out more or lessinteresting information for Cyclone proved to be quite a good talker.They managed to keep their voices lowered, although it could be plainlyseen Jud Davis was as a rule built along the jolly and noisy type ofoptimistic chap, such as make hosts of friends wherever they roam; buthe seemed to sense the fact that the two in whose company he now foundhimself wished to keep strangers from overhearing the subject of theirconfab and thus toned down his effusiveness accordingly.
That was a subject Jack kept constantly in mind--the avoidance ofanything calculated to put the spot-light of public attention on hisdoings--he would have been broken hearted if some morning, after havingplayed a big game to a successful conclusion, with his man safely lodgedbehind the bars, to see on the front page of the daily papers a pictureof himself, no matter how poorly executed and thus holding a member ofthe Government Secret Service up for every lawbreaker in the wide landto stamp on his mind as something to be never forgotten and thus greatlylessen his capacity for efficient work.
"We're jest about through here, old hoss," Perk finally told the other"an' you jest got to fall in so's to sit with us a while in our room sowe c'n tell you what we're a'doin' as boon pals. I know right well it'llnever go any further, 'cause you happen to be one o' them fellers whatc'n button their lips tight as a clam, with never a single leak."
"That's all right, Perk," came the other's reassuring answer, "I've gota few hours more to spend in Cheyenne and then I'm heading direct forthe old motion picture studios at Hollywood to do a few easy stunts in anew picture they're going to build up--I'm a cow puncher again, youunderstand, Perk, though I own up now and then my old fightingprofession comes in pretty well when there's some scrapping taking placebetween the cowboy mob and the cattle rustlers or Mex outlaws of theborder."
Perk listened to everything the other said with an enraptured expressionupon his face, he doubtless was able to mentally picture some of thoseexciting episodes described by Cyclone and felt an itch to be in similarhand-to-hand battles where real blows were exchanged in order to makethe scene realistic when depicted on the silver screen.
Jack could hear him giving many a full-sized sigh when Cyclone wasrunning off some of his many adventures with a vein of real humor backof his provocative words and from this could readily believe his chumwas having the time of his life.
After a while they all arose, and paying their reckoning at the desk,the proprietor eyed the trio as though he rather suspected they must beTom Mix and some of his movie friends off on a holiday jaunt--possiblythere must have been a certain jaunty air about Cyclone's manner thatstamped him as belonging to those who moved out on location and cut allmanner of amazing capers before the camera.
It proved to be pretty dark on the street with few persons abroad,although the hour was not late. The neighborhood happened to be a bitlonely, Jack noticed as they walked along three abreast, Cyclonecontinuing a recital of some comical as well as near tragic happeningthrough which he had lately passed.
They would not have very far to go to reach their destination which hadbeen one of the reasons for Jack selecting the Emporium as their diningplace its convenience appealing to him more than anything else.
At a certain point where the gloom was somewhat more dense than in otherlocalities, Jack noticed a motor standing close to the curb and with oneof its rear doors standing open. The engine was running, for its steadythrob could be plainly heard. But then such a thing is no uncommonoccurrence when some busy folks have trouble in starting the engine andprefer to leave it running while they dash into the house for a minuteor so.
Just as they came opposite, he noted that it was a large touring car butthe significance of this was borne in upon Jack's mind with a rush whentwo dark figures suddenly sprang out from behind the waiting motor, andwith outstretched hands confronted himself and companions while a deepbass voice snapped out the words:
"Put 'em up, and be snappy about it too, boys!"