CHAPTER IV
THE GRIM PURSUER
As the minutes crept along Perk's uneasiness commenced to make itselfmore manifest, finally reaching such a condition that he felt it wouldease his mind if only he could get the opinion of his companion on thesubject.
To do this it would be necessary that they should make use of the headearphones that had been taken along for this particular purpose.Accordingly he quickly adjusted his own, and then proceeded to adviseJack as to what he wished to do. Since these useful adjuncts of thepilot's outfit were so arranged that they could be slipped on and offwith little loss of time, it was an easy matter for Perk to apply them,after which he went on to speak.
"Jack, seems like that pesky little Ryan insect's been tailing us rightalong, though mebbe now you didn't notice it."
"I know it, Perk--fact is I proved that fact to my own satisfaction, fortwice now I've changed our course, once into the west, and again headinginto the southwest, even if it didn't catch your attention."
"You did that same; and say, what happened, Jack?"
"Not a blessed thing," came the immediate answer.
"They still hung on our tail, do you mean, old hoss?"
"Seems like they did--queer how two pilots, strangers both, would take anotion to change their course, not once but twice running," commentedJack in his non-committal fashion that always had Perk guessing.
"Strikes me as something more than a happy chance," asserted Perk,beginning to throw off that comfortable feeling with which he hadwrapped himself as he contemplated a steady going night run, with nevera reason for anything gripping them by way of excitement; "ev'ry littlemovement of that Ryan two-seater's got a meanin' of its own. Now whatails the ducks I want to know--how c'n our movements have a mite to dowith what they're planning to carry out--got any idea along them lines,old hoss?"
"Nothing definite as yet," answered Jack; "I was starting to figure itout just when you barged in, and opened this talk fest up with yourquestion."
"Jack, come to think of it, what did you make out of that stiff yarnScotty put over on us a while ago?"
"It was raw stuff for a fact; but I don't question anything he told us,remember, Perk."
"Whoever his mysterious visitor was he must have been hunting forsomething, that's dead sure!" declared Perk.
"Yes."
"Something he didn't find, either," continued Jack's assistant pilot.
"Scotty was ready to swear to that fact, and he ought to know." Jackcountered by saying:
"But see here, old hoss, you've got some sorter idea what the game mightabeen, haven't you for a fact?"
"I reckon I know why the sneak thief failed to carry away the thing hewas looking for, if that's what you mean, Perk."
"As what, boss--I'm all worked up wantin' to know."
"Perhaps the reason might have been because the object of his searchhappened at that very time to be safe and snug in the inside pocket ofthis same coat I'm wearing under my overalls."
At hearing this startling announcement Perk gave a quick look into hispal's face, there being just enough light remaining in the western skyto allow this searching glance.
"Glory be! now I'm beginning to get somewhere, and ready to quit thisgropin' around, like a man in a London fog--that letter you had thisvery morning from Headquarters--somehow 'r other some of the gang hadwind of your gettin' it, and they guessed it'd be kept safe under lockand key in your room at the hotel; and then they got balled up about thenumber on the door, so they broke into the wrong room. Jack, am I on theright track?"
"Seems that's so, according to my notion, Perk; unless I miss my guessthat's the way things stand."
A disgusted grunt from Perk told that he did not feel very happy overcertain facts in the case.
"Gosh-a-mighty!" he burst out, explosively, "if that's right, then thetricky crowd know you'n me are on this case--that even right now we'restarting out to pluck their tail feathers, and fetch that master-crookto the bar!"
"Oh! I expected that would happen," said Jack, indifferently. "Havingbeen told by several of the best men in the service that Slim was thesmartest all-round dopester known in all the land, I anticipated thathe'd have means for finding out that fact long ago--that there might bea leak around Headquarters; for spies can worm in almost anywhere, givenan opportunity, and the backing of a big bunch of jack."
"Yet that fact don't seem to rattle you worth a red cent, old hoss,"continued the puzzled Perk, who ofttimes found the actions of his coolpartner a mystery he could not solve, because of his own more impetuousways.
"I hope not," was all Jack said in reply.
"Thunder and lightning!" ejaculated the co-pilot, as if an illuminatingidea had suddenly flashed through his brain--"that Ryan bus, Jack!"
"Well, what of it?" demanded the one at the stick.
"What if that sporty guy I told you about should turn out to be thecritter who broke into Scotty's room, and made it a complete wreck?"
"It could happen that way, Perk; seems like you're working on a warmscent right now. Pity we didn't get a good look at the gentleman beforehe hid his face behind that helmet and goggles; then at least we'd knowhim if ever we happened to run across his trail."
The other was almost frothing at the mouth through disgust and angercombined; but he managed to say, with a select few hard wordsinterlarded as a vent to his outraged feelings:
"Give me half a chance and I'll mark him so there's be no difficulty inlocating the sneak when we meet him again--I'd put a bit of lead throughhis arm that'd keep him out of the scrap for a week of Sundays; or elseclip off one of his ears, to stamp him as a low-down crook."
Jack knew full well that this was no idle threat on the part of hisrunning mate; for Perk had a reputation as a pistol shot second to nonein the entire service, being a natural born marksman.
He lapsed into a spell of silence after making that vicious remark; butfrom the way he glanced back again and again it looked as though Perkmeant to keep close tabs on the craft that was dogging their own ship sosteadily.
They were roaring on their way, and it would seem as if they must beshowing a clean pair of heels to anything in their rear; but just thesame, Perk, with the vision of an air-minded individual, could readilyunderstand how the speedy Ryan plane was slowly but insidiously pickingup on them continuously.
"Blamed nuisance," he was muttering to himself when this important factbecame a positive truth; "guess now that rip-snorter could make circlesround us, if so be he wanted to. Shucks! what's left to us I want toknow; an' just what does he 'spect to accomplish with all this chasin'us? Might as well get out my little old six-shot bear gun, so's to beready in case there's any sort o' ruction aheadin' our way."
The idea seemed to afford him a strange sort of grim satisfaction, forbending down he ran his hand under the coaming of the cockpit; to almostimmediately withdraw a very decent looking sporting repeating rifle,evidently his working tool whenever he felt disposed to spend a week inthe wilds, either alone, or with some boon companions also yearning forwild game and the much desired campfire.
"Hold tight, Perk," Jack was saying just then; "going into a nose dive,and see if that will upset his calculations; for he's got me buffaloedall right as to what's in the wind!"
Almost immediately they turned the nose of their craft earthward, andwent down on a swift slant. Perk kept his head turned even as thismaneuvre was being executed, and what he saw was something calculated toalmost take his breath away; for where the pursuing Ryan ship loomed upas a shadowy form, vivid splashes, as of fire, were coming in quicksuccession--he could even imagine he heard the pulsating staccatoreports following each other in succession, just as in thosenever-to-be-forgotten days when he would have a covey of devil-may-careGerman air fighters stepping on the tail of his old-fashioned boat, andpeppering him from their rapid-firing guns!