CHAPTER XVIII
BLACK WATER BAYOU
Fortune favored them again, it seemed, not only with regard to theskies, but, probably owing in part to the early hour, there were fewpersons scattered about the aviation grounds when they took off; and theregular attendants already understood the pair constituted aduck-hunting party, viewing the coast shooting stands with a view togetting in some good sport when finally satisfied as to location.
From the beginning they hit up a high pace, fully equal to the best theamphibian had thus far accomplished. Being what might be called"ambidextrous"--doubly able to leave by means of water, or solid land,it had not been necessary for them to locate on any river or bay, wherethey would not have the benefit of field mechanicians, and a movablefilling station, as well as shelter in a comfortable hangar.
Jack had doubtless taken all such matters into consideration whenforming his plans, and decided that the good points about staying at theregulation aviation headquarters outweighed the poor ones.
They covered the first fifty miles in short order, keeping at somedistance further from the sea than on their previous trips, Jack havinga new hunch, to the effect that possibly the rendezvous of the smugglersafter all might be situated deeper inland than he had first suspected.
When later on Perk announced that he could just make out some city faroff on the right, Jack pronounced it to undoubtedly be Georgetown, whichlay at the junction of the Pedee and the Little Pedee.
They had flown directly over the same city on their previous trip,showing how far west of their original course they were now working.
"We're going to patrol this region most carefully, partner," Jack toldhis best pal, who as usual was handling the binoculars to the bestadvantage, and calling out any discovery worth while, so as to keep hismate posted. "It has all the earmarks to make it a dandy hidingplace,where these sinister operations could be pulled off, day or night, andno one the wiser. What easier than for a sea-going plane to swoop overor around Georgetown, coming from some unknown point east, and thenvanishing in the distance, still going west? Get that, don't you,Wally?"
"Sounds all to the good with me, suh," the other told him, nodding as hespoke. "I'm atryin' to make aout some queer things daown there; but it'sall sech a scramble I jest caint do much. Mebbe if we dropped a bitthings'd seem different like."
"I'm going further west, so as to cover the ground," Jack informed him,as though his immediate plans were made up, and he did not care tochange; "but later on in the day I reckon we'll be back this way, andpossibly make camp for the night. I'd like to find out what sort ofdoings are taking place nights in this section; chances are we'll pickup some interesting points before striking Charleston again."
"Which same'd please me a heap, Mister," quoth Perk; who was by nowbeginning to grow a little weary of what he termed "inaction;" andsighing for more strenuous times to come along, when there would be somereal thrills experienced.
At noon they partook of a "snack," devouring a few sandwiches, so as totake off the sharp edge of their appetites; Perk apologizing to himselffor eating so scantily.
"If so be we're agwine to dine ashore alongside a gen-u-ine campfire,"he went on in his whimsical fashion, "I wanter be in prime condition todo justice to the grub I'm meanin' to sling up fo' jest two gents, knownto weuns as Mr. Rodman Warrington, an' er--Wally Corkendall, ofBirmin'ham, suh. So take things easy, an' jest forget haow yeou're stillhungry, ole man; it's on'y what that lecturer says is a figment o' theimagination, an' so you're not a bit half starved."
When about the middle of the afternoon they again arrived in theneighborhood of the sector which had appealed to them both as well worthpaying particular attention to, Jack signified that he was meaning to dosomething in the line of lowering their ceiling, and finding out whetherthere was a chance of their making a successful drop upon the waters ofthat queer bayou, alongside of which ran a swift and mysterious lookingriver he figured might be the Waccamaw.
Closer scrutiny convinced both of them that so far as their settlingdown on the surface of the lonely bayou was concerned, nothing could beseen that would interfere with such an arrangement.
Jack circled the spot several times, with his exhaust muffled, and eventhe propeller keeping unusually quiet, as though in full sympathy withtheir desire for secrecy.
"Cover every rod of both land and water with your glass, partner," hetold Perk; "because it means a whole lot to us to make sure that thereisn't any chance for hostile eyes to take note of our stopping here.Unless I'm away off in my reckoning this same bayou must be theidentical place where we are to later on make a rendezvous with thatcracker guide, Jethro Hicks, who knows every foot of these watertrails--I understood he hid out in this terrible region for severalyears when at loggerheads with the authorities, though innocent of anycrime. How does the ground look to you, buddy?"
"Like the ole Sam Patch, an' that aint no lie either, Boss," Perk lostno time in telling his mate; "I never did see sech a awful stretch o'mixed land an' water nohaow, nowhere; but jest the same that's zactlywhat we want, so's to make dead sartin they beant nobody araound hyahcalc'lated to bother weuns, that's the way I looks at hit, suh."
"Quite right too, Wally, boy!" snapped Jack; "and such being the casehere goes to settle down on that Black Water Bayou--I think that was thename Mr. Herriott gave the slough."
"Gosh all hemlock! an' it couldn't have a better name, I'm asayin'suh--tough enough lookin' to give anybody a shiver; but as we're itchin'fo' to keep aour comin' secret, it suits aour case to the dot."
There was plenty of room in the middle of the mysterious little lagoonfor their landing, if such it could be called; and so cleverly did thepilot bring the pontoons of his craft in contact with the surface thathardly the slightest splash followed.
Jack lost no time in taxiing over to a certain spot that seemed to holdpossibilities for the maneuver he intended putting into effect--thicktrees hung low over the water, and if only they could manage to push farenough in, the boat would be beautifully camouflaged--hidden under afringe of branches, and so well disguised as to be discovered only aftera close search.
"Wonderfully fine," was Jack's announcement after this had beensuccessfully brought about. "Why, it's almost like late evening underthis thick canopy; and the bayou itself, surrounded as it is with tallcypress trees, with those long trailing beards of gray Spanish moss giveit a gruesome look."
"Urr! jest makes me think o' the ole graveyard I used to run past agoin' home late nights, when I was a country kid up in New England,"Perk was saying, toning his voice down to almost a whisper.
It certainly did have a most funereal appearance, with the breeze makingall manner of weird sounds through the tops of the trees, and thefestoons of dangling moss waving to and fro like mourning banners; someunseen swamp creatures added to the shivering feeling that had attackedPerk by emitting the most gruesome grunts and groans his ears had everheard.
"But it happens to be just what we were hoping to find," Jack continued,looking quite pleased at the loneliness of the spot; "small chance ofany of those crackers coming in this direction, when they have nobusiness here. I reckon Wally, you'll be able to have that jollycampfire your heart's so set on, without its getting us into anytrouble."
"Huh! that all tickles me right smart, Boss," chuckled the other,rapidly conquering that sensation bordering on awe, and beginning tolook at things in a more sensible light. "Kinder gu--reckons as haowthere might be mebbe a 'gator or so in sech a slimy place as thissame--that is, if sech critters do live as fur north as this SouthCarolina swampy region; anyhaow I ain't agwine to take chances awadin'in them nasty waters, where I kin see snakes aswimmin', and pokin' theirheads aout to larn what in Sam Hill done drapped daown in their privatepark. Gee whiz! this is 'baout as cheerful a hole as the gateway to theLower Regions, if yeou asked me what I thought, suh."
They soon discovered that they were not to be allowed to take things aseas
y as Perk may have anticipated; for presently both were employedshooing swarms of voracious mosquitoes from their exposed faces andhands.