CHAPTER XXVIII
CLOSE TO THE TIGER'S LAIR
"We're about due for a landing, Perk," finally announced the pilot,after he had used the glasses for a spell, and again took over thestick.
"Huh! some hike that's agoin' to be, I'd say, old hoss," grunted Perk;"but I guess it can't be helped--got to take the bitter with the sweetlots o' times--the way o' the world, seems like. Go to it then, boss; ifanybody c'n make a safe landin' by moonlight it's jest you!"
His confidence was not misplaced, as Jack proved when he brought theship down in as perfect a three-point drop as the best of aces couldhave carried out.
"She'll have to lie here till we need her again," he observed, onclimbing out of his confined quarters, and stretching his cramped legsafter the manner of air mail pilots in from a long and irksome run.
Perk stared around him--they were on the sandy desert without a doubt,and off toward the east could be seen the dim crests of the high andragged peaks comprising the main ridges of the Sierra Madres--old-timehome of the fierce Yaqui Indians, whom the soldiers of Mexico had for somany years labored so hard and in vain to conquer; nor was it until theday the airplane came along that they were able to accomplish this muchto be desired end.
But now other equally annoying thorns in the flesh had made a hideout ofthose same inaccessible mountains--defeated aspirants for the presidencyof the Republic, always generals, took to gathering groups ofmalcontents and mercenary adventurers in these mountain depths, defyingthe troops sent to rout them out, and proving the latest source oftrouble in the political problems of the authorities.
Jack soon completed his preparations for abandoning their ship. Helooked it all over, to satisfy himself its camouflage would prevent itfrom being sighted by any air pilot chancing to pass overhead at areasonable altitude then he gathered a few articles, the possession ofwhich might turn out to be of value when it came to closing the mouth ofthe bag and finally announced himself as ready to make a move.
"Got all you wanted, Perk?" he inquired, incidentally, for he had reasonto feel certain such was the case.
"Yeah! from the binoculars an' my rifle, down to what's left o' theeats," the other assured him. "Guess we'll get along somehow or other."
"Oh! don't bother your head about the grub part, comrade; I'm carrying asmall packet with me that holds enough to keep two men alive for a wholeweek--all we'll have to do is to run across some sort of spring, wherewe can get all the drinking water we'll need, while we wait for thewagon."
"Huh! in this case you're meanin' a _hearse_, 'cause mebbe we'll have toshoot him up afore he calls quits," and Perk grinned horribly at his ownwit.
So they left the ship stranded there, sprawled out like a giganticdragon-fly or a monstrous toad. If Fortune proved kind they might yetlive to make good use of it again when the time came to fly back toGod's country on the other side of the border where defeated candidatesare in the habit of accepting the dictum of the voters, and retiringfrom the field of battle await the next call to arms, with ballotsinstead of bullets as their method of settling elections.
Side by side they set forth, like a pair of adventurers starting out insearch of Fortune's smiles, and careless alike as to whether they metwith success or not, so long as the excitement they craved came theirway.
Perk managed to conceal the chagrin with which he buckled down to hisunwelcome task, walking always gave him a pain, mental rather thanphysical but on the whole he was a good scout, and could follow thebeckoning finger of duty, even though he loathed the conditions attachedto the performance of his role.
The sand was far from compact, and allowed them to sink in somewhat, sothis made the going more difficult in contrast to that on the seashorewhich being beaten down by incoming waves is often as hard as concreteand a pleasure to walk over; whereas this of the desert was dry andsifted at the least puff of wind.
Perk having had some previous experience with deserts, felt no love forthe uninviting waste places of the earth only such useless vegetation assage, greasewood, cactus and yucca would grow between the sand dunesamidst the blistering fangs of the infernal heat and always vowed hedisliked such arid regions with a violence too deep for mere words.
Yet he kept his own counsel and plodded away alongside his pal as if hehad no personal feelings in the matter whatsoever. Far off in front ofthem they could see the line of peaks studded against the sky once ortwice Perk felt certain he had caught a fluttering light aloft such asmight spring from a passing plane but in every instance he finallydecided it must be some shooting star, ducking behind the mountainrange, leaving a trailing wake behind that but reflected its passingglory.
One hour, two, and then a third dragged along before Jack thought fit tocall a halt. Never did poor weary footsore Perk, almost used up, listento more welcome and delightful words than when Jack as he drew to a haltwent on to say:
"Time to rest, partner, you know--I'd like to find a bunch of shadytrees that would afford us a decent shelter from the blazing sun, shouldwe be so unfortunate as to get adrift after leaving all landmarksbehind."
"Oh! bless you for sayin' that, buddy," Perk was saying hoarsely, forhis throat seemed as dry as tinder, the fine sand even affecting hisvocal cords so that he would not have recognized his own voice. "By yourleave I guess I'll lie down and get the kinks outen my legs. Wow! thatmust abeen fi' miles if she was one--my shoes are full o' sand, an'altogether I don't feel half the man I was on startin' out."
"There are some trees over yonder, you may notice, Perk; so after we'vecaught our second wind we'll take chances, and cut across to where theylie, perhaps when morning comes tripping along, we may climb up the faceof the mountain and get a look-in at the printing establishment that'sset itself up in opposition to the U. S. Treasury Department, and theFederal Bank. Come on then, a little further where we can drop down, andrest our weary feet."
Shortly afterwards the pair had crept in among the sheltering trees,where Jack called a rest, although under the impression that they shouldget along further before break of day.
He talked matters over with his partner, speaking almost in whispers,since in this enemy country no one could take anything for granted andfor all they knew hostile ears might chance to be close by, ready tolisten in.
It was Perk himself who proposed to move along while the going was good.
"Seems like we might be a heap better off, old hoss, if on'y we locatedup thar on the side o' the mountain, where we could see without ourbein' watched. I'm okay now, an' ready for b'ar."
That was the spirit Jack liked in his mate--a readiness to take hold andreach a decision. They moved along toward the base of the forbiddingheight, keeping a watchful eye on the eastern sky lest dawn come andsurprise them in the open, where it would not be easy to find a hidingplace during the entire day.
Fortune favored them, for they managed to get under cover before thefirst gray streaks appeared in the east. It was bound to be a strenuoustask climbing that formidable mountain side but Jack had prepared foreven this part of the adventure.
From various sources he had learned how there were three separate meansfor subduing that grim pyramid of rocks and trees and tangled growth--inorder to lessen the chances of discovery, with unpleasant consequences,Jack had decided to try and negotiate the most difficult of thesemountain trails in the belief that it would offer a safer passage sinceevidently none of the seething revolutionists, or their allies, the badmen from across the border, would be likely to follow that canyon trailwhen others less difficult could be utilized.
Down there hidden by the bushes and spurs of outlying rock they employedtheir time in munching what must serve as their breakfast. Thenquenching their thirst at a convenient pool they proceeded to climb theface of the steep elevation, making for the quaint hollow in the craterof a long dead volcano and which had once been a Yaqui fort.