VIII
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Just as they had expected they soon glimpsed the descending sun whenthey had attained a certain altitude and at the same time the earth farbelow was almost lost to sight, since the night haze was settling down.
Perk, having nothing else of importance to do, was arranging theirheadphone apparatus so that in case they wished to make any sort of talkit could be readily carried out in spite of the continuous clamorsurrounding them. This new ship was also supplied with that recentinvention known as a silencer--long used in connection with firearms bythe way, and now applied to the motor of a plane with successfulresults--Jack had not thought it necessary to bring it into play sinceit retarded the speed of the ship to some extent and there was nonecessity for demanding a cessation of the dreadful clatter and droning.
Jack had headed directly into the west as soon as their craft attained asufficient altitude. He had his chart on the airways well studied, andknew just where and when they could strike a line of beacons, such ashave been arranged for air mail pilots in their night journeys to andfro with their complement of letter sacks and possibly express matter.
After a short interval the sun disappeared even for these high flyersand the stars gradually began to dot the blue heavens overhead.
"If you don't mind Perk," the head pilot was saying, as he turned on hiscabin light, "I'd like you to take her over for a spell. Somehow I'manxious to go over those clippings and make a start at laying out ourplan of campaign. We've got nothing as yet to go by except what thosenewspaper boys gathered up so as to spin their fairy yarns--later we'rebound to strike pay dirt on our own account, and can do a littlebuilding with a foundation of real stuff, not speculation and romancebehind it."
That suited Perk to a fraction, for truth to tell he was floundering ina bog himself, not knowing how they were to get down to "hard pan" andbe able to lay out their course with some show of reason. He had becomequite adept at the old dodge of "leave it to George" and filled withconfidence in his chum's ability to handle any sort of situation, hebelieved he displayed more or less wisdom in not attempting to wrestlewith mysteries beyond his limited capacity.
For a long time Jack read on, tore up a number of the slips of newspaperstuff, laid others aside as if for a second application, made a numberof notes on a little pad he kept handy and seemed so much in earnestthat Perk kept tabs of his actions with glistening eyes. In his mindJack already must have "struck oil" and doubtless arrived at somespecious solution of the riddle that had the entire countryguessing--what had happened to Buddy Warner, the best liked air-mailpilot in the whole region west of the Mississippi--where had hecrashed--was he still alive or had he followed the long line of famousflyers who had "gone west" after attempting to put through some dazzlingexploit that would have brought immortal fame if only it had succeeded?
All this while the plane roared on, slipping through space at the rateof something close to a hundred and twenty miles an hour for this was anoccasion when speed meant everything. Perk too rejoiced in handling thethrottle of an up-to-date ship that put it all over the ancient type ofplane which he had been wont to employ when going forth so flippantly tooffer battle to those pestering Hun pilots when the war was on inFrance.
"Hot ziggetty dog partner! You sure have had a big session with themnews articles an' I notice how you threw a heap o' them overboard likethey didn't 'mount to a row o' beans."
Perk said this when he saw Jack shake his head as though he might besomewhat puzzled and needed more or less reflection so as to straightenthings out.
"After all, I didn't get even half as much genuine information from thebunch as I hoped I would," the other told him, though there was no hintof bitter disappointment in his manner of speaking, only disgust that somuch could be written, founded on such minute real facts. "Thesenewspaper boys can spin the most gorgeous yarns on a speck oftruth--it's their business to stretch things to the breaking point youknow, partner, and they sure do that. All that I discarded and threwover the side was just chaff, without a single sound kernel of wheat init. When later on, after I've had time to digest things a bit when I goover what's left, chances are there'll be another sheaf of clippings gobad and be tossed out. Some of those stories were the bunk, made up inthe reporter's skillful brain out of nothing at all, even if interestingto the general reader. In these days the story's the main thing editorsdemand."
"Yeah! I kinder guessed that way myself," remarked Perk, trying hard toseem disgusted, "though I own up they did make what you might callinterestin' readin' that might pull the wool over the eyes o' mostfolks. An' what did you think was the worst story in the bunch, Jack oldhoss?"
"I don't know if you read it, Perk, for it was in a paper I boughtmyself and which you hadn't seen," Jack told him.
"Seems to me I do 'member you fetched one home and I lost track o' it inall the rush an bustle, Jack. Tear in an' tell a feller what it all wasabout, won't you?"
"This was a letter received from a pilot who had formerly worked on thesame shift as Buddy Warner--it went on to broadly hint the boy had somekind of secret enemy and was deeply concerned--the writer of the lettercouldn't say positively what sort of trouble the missing pilot was upagainst, but declared it his belief that Buddy had met with some kind offoul play--that this other person might be interested in Buddy'sdisappearance!"
"Rats! I don't like the way he put that stuff over!" scoffed Perk withconsiderable indignation and concern. "Clean as a hound's tooth that wasBuddy Warner and every one who knew him would say the same. I don'tbelieve the cub had an enemy in the world--I'd call that a nasty makeupo' a crooked yarn."
"I'm with you there brother," said Jack firmly. "But you can understandhow eager some people are to get into print--they see an opening tobreak into some matter that's gripped the public attention and justyearn to share in the spotlight. We'll have a chance to dig out thetruth for ourselves before a great while, if any sort of luck helps usto grab the right cards."
Jack thereupon put away the few clippings he had kept and was soon incharge of the stick while his partner occupied himself with some of theordinary duties pertaining to the observer and navigator of adouble-seat air craft when on the wing.
The motor continued to function to a point close to perfection, showinghow marvelous the skill of those mechanics to whom the task of buildingan engine fitted for the work of driving a heavier than air ship at anamazing pace through space must be.
The more Jack and Perk saw of their new boat, the higher their sincereadmiration soared. If ever perfection was reached in such things itsurely must have been when they put this engine together with anaccuracy that compared favorably with the works of the finest and mostexpensive watch that ever came out of Switzerland.
"No necessity for both of us to stick it out when the going is as smoothas it is right now," suggested Jack, "later on we may strike roughsledding when both of us will have to keep on deck for many hours.Suppose Perk, you curl up and take a snooze. I'll promise to wake you upinside of three hours when you can take charge while I hit the hay--howabout that arrangement, boy?"
"Oh! it's okay any old way with me, partner," replied the other readilyenough for truth to tell Perk was commencing to yawn and show othersigns of being sleepy, though he would willingly have stayed on the jobuntil morning had there been any necessity for doing so.
"Just ten p. m. right now brother--about half-past twelve, then, I'llgive you a nudge which will mean your watch has arrived while I get acouple of hours off duty to freshen up. Everything looks up to snuff sofar buddy, and let's hope it will keep on that way right along."
So Perk settled down as comfortably as the limited accommodationsallowed while Jack continued to watch his indicators on the blackdashboard and by the exercise of continual care avoid such traps astricky air pockets, such as might fall in their way.