CHAPTER XV
THE TRIAL SPIN
Perk had closely examined a number of things about the amphibian inwhich they anticipated carrying out the gigantic task committed to theirhands by the Chief at Headquarters; and whom they looked up to as worthyof their utmost respect as an organizer able to consider the utmostdetails. Most of his scrutiny, however, did not have any connection withnew gadgets affixed to the black dashboard fronting the pilot's seat;but lay in the direction of the combination of wheels for landing onsolid ground, also pontoons for use when seeking to drop down on thewater of river, lagoon, or even the sea itself.
He spent considerable time in examining the working of this contrivance,which he had reason to fully appreciate--if only it proved all that wasclaimed for it, which was soon to be settled.
Then the new-fangled muffler for the engine exhaust was a source of vastattention on Perk's part; Jack could see him shaking his headincredulously; and from this suspected Perk of doubting its efficiency;but then Perk happened to be something of a skeptic, and even though hedid not come from Missouri he usually had to be shown before yieldinghis doubts.
"Let's get out of here, and aloft," suggested Jack, when he found it wasabout an hour before noon time.
The field just then presented a rather animated appearance, as shipswere coming in, and going out; with several taking up parties who wereeager to try a first air swing. This just suited Jack, for it would keepmany curious eyes off their movements; and just then the less noticethey drew the better he would be pleased.
They picked up a couple of field workers to lend a hand, and hence theirrather seedy looking water and air craft was wheeled into position,after it had been serviced while yet in the hangar, a very niceundertaking for one who disliked publicity.
"Here, Wally," Jack went on to say, when everything seemed in readinessfor their initial jump, "suppose you take hold, seeing you're moreaccustomed to this type of boat than I am. However I'll soon getacquainted, and then it'll be okay. Step in, and grab the stick,partner; nothing to keep us on ground that I know of; and I'm anxious tohave a look-in at the waterways where we're hoping for a run of luckwith the ducks and geese."
Much of this of course was for the benefit of the two men in dungarees,for how were Jack and his pard to know but that one of them might turnout to be a clever spy in the pay of the never sleeping Combine, jealousof their hitherto unsurpassed success in beating the customs, and in away daring the Secret Service branch of the Federal Government to "doits level best to down them"?
Perk was not in the least averse to taking the place of honor when theamphibian would start its initial flight in their hands. He proved theabsolute truth of what he had said about being fairly at home with theship that belonged to both the land and water contingent; for they madeonly a short run when contact with the ground was cut off, and like abird broken away from its brass cage and soaring upward, they started tospiral in the effort to gain altitude.
When he had a ceiling of say about five hundred feet or more, Perkcommenced a wide swing, wishing to circle the city on the seashore, toview it from a different angle than their former experience had giventhem.
"Now point her blunt nose into the north, buddy--we're off!" Jack bawledin the ear of the pilot, the ear-phones not having as yet beenadjusted--all those things came under the line of Perk's duty, and wouldbe attended to in due time.
They speedily left the good city of Charleston behind them, and werepassing over the Navy-yard; which place Perk meant to examine moreclosely with his glasses on another occasion, when matters would beeasier for him.
"How does she go?" shouted Jack, later on, when they could no longercatch even a fugitive glimpse of the city, saving the cloud of smokethat almost always hung over the high buildings and steeples.
"Bang up, boss; works like a charm!" yelled Perk, happily, as though hewas not "caring a Continental" just how long Jack allowed him to holdthe post of honor. "Whoever looked after the job o' gettin' this classicold-timer in great shape for this work, he shore knew his onions, I'llsay. It's a snap to run this boat, if yeou want to know my 'pinion."
"I think I'll take a whirl at the controls, partner!" cried Jack; "stayjust where you are for a while at least; I can play the game as aback-seat driver. Here goes, then."
He was pleased to find it no trouble whatever to handle the amphibian asthough he knew everything about such craft; after all airships are runpretty much alike; and it depends on the adaptability of the pilot as towhether he can work the same as with his own familiar type ofcraft--there are some people who are able to master any and all modelsof automobiles, even though handling them for the first time, especiallymen mechanically inclined by Nature,--and Jack happened to belong tothat class.
"You can go about your duties, Wally; I'll work over into the front seatokay, for its an easy job, I reckon. When we make up our minds to dipdown and wet the pontoons in some body of water, fresh or salt, I'll letyou handle the boat again; though I imagine I could do the thing withoutmuch splash if I was put to it. I'll soon get the hang of the trick, youcan well believe."
"Huh! yeou would, Mister--it aint much that'd faize yeou, take it fromme as knows."
After that conversation was such a tremendous effort that it languisheduntil a better opportunity opened up--this would come when Jack found itexpedient to make a test of the muffler system, with which their boathad been supplied, and which Perk was eager to see tried out.
To the delight of both fliers the device worked to a charm, most of thedeafening racket being abated, even when they going at the fastest speedof which the "has-been" Curtiss-Falcon was capable of exhibiting--muchmore than a hundred miles an hour, Perk figured.
"Huh! mebbe naow they call this ship a relic o' the past," he grunted,when the success of the experiment was assured; "but I wanter say rightnaow there aint amany up-to-the-minute ships as kin run circles 'raoundthis _tub_, as some wise guy pilot'd call her. See, yeou kin hear ev'ryword I'm asayin' an' yet I aint ahollerin' any to notice. It's a bullyinvention, an' shows where we're agettin' in this science o' aviation.From what I hears, them ships as is acarryin' smuggled stuff 'long theseaboard aint great at speed, 'cause they don't need to be, their jobbein' to carry hefty loads each trip, an' be steady goers. If the chanctever comes to try this Falcon aout agin one o' that dirty bunch, I'mwagerin' we'll overhaul the same hands down, an' no takers."
"I hope your prediction proves a true one, brother," Jack told him;"for, come to think of it, there's a pretty good chance we may yet be upagainst a hot chase, either the pursued, or better still, the pursuer;in either case having the speediest craft would be an advantage worthwhile. Yes, that seems to be okay, and a big improvement over all thatrow we're accustomed to carrying along with us wherever we go."
They had been heading up the coast, keeping within sight of the Atlanticmost of the time; but paying constant attention to inland pictures.
Of course Perk had before then brought his faithful and much belovedglasses out of their nook, and was making frequent use of the same,staring this way and that, sometimes making a noise with his mouth asthough grunting his surprise to discover what a clear atmosphereattended their trial flight, and how close up the powerful binocularlens brought far distant objects.
"It shore is a big treat jest to be squattin' hyah, suh, an' observin'so much all 'raound us. Looks like a mighty tough region daown there, Igot to admit; an' if them slick guys air ahidin' their landin' placewhere them awful swampy tracts lie, we're agoin' to have aour handsright full alocatin' the same, an' gettin' what we come after in thebargain."
"Don't worry, partner," Jack told him, in as smooth a voice as though hecould see nothing whatever to cause undue anxiety. "Rome, you mayremember, wasn't built in a day; there'll be heaps of time to get ourlittle work in; and we were told to take as long as we thoughtwise--that there was no need of trying to wind things up in a hurry."
"That's correct,
boss," admitted the easily convinced Perk; and thendeftly turning the talk in another quarter he went on to add, pointingas he made the remark: "Looky yondah, suh, see that neat lit' bayou jestanestlin' there like a private pond. Wouldn't it be fine if we couldon'y drop daown, an' try aour pontoons on that sheet o' water. Doantseem to be a livin' thing araoun' neither, less it might be a 'gator,stickin' his nose up to see if the coast it be clear."
Jack turned the craft to a severe dip, at which the pleased Perk grinnedhorribly, as if he considered he had made a real "wise-crack."
"Goin' daown, folks--main floor next--ev'rybody aout then what aintagwine to the basement!" he went on to remark, quaintly; and Jack couldsee how his best pal was earnestly trying to acquire the genuineSouthern manner of speech, tinctured with a touch of negro dialect.
"I'm going to try to make contact myself, brother," announced theconfident pilot, as, after several circling movements he headed upagainst the sea breeze that was blowing from the southeast just then.
Perk did not appear to feel any concern, such confidence did he have inthe other's ability to make landings so soft that an egg would hardlyhave been crushed by any jumpy motion.
Jack watched his contact with the water--the big boat dipped, sprang up,came in touch again, and then settled down to making headway, the littlewavelets curling away from the bows of the pontoons with a murmuroussound very similar to the gurgling of a running mountain brook.
"Splendid work, buddy, better'n I could a done it myself, with all thesperience I done had long ago. An' she does work to a charm, sure asyeou're born. We're in bully great luck, all right, to have 'em pickaout sech a dandy ole boat like this, that does her makers credit. I'lltell the world."
Jack was not planning to stay in that lonely bayou for any length oftime; what they were out to pay particular attention to on this theirinitial trip was the lay of the land; also to familiarize themselveswith the working of the amphibian; so presently he again left the water,and arose like a lark.