XXIV
READY TO START
A splash, a short run upstream and the amphibian was riding the littlewaves like a duck. Then as Jack once more turned on his power theytaxied in close to the bank where a wing would serve as a gang-plank toget them ashore.
"Hello! ol' hoss Red Lowden!" bawled Perk, in a glow of excitement.
One of the Mounties, with the marks of a sergeant on his sleeve,exhibited great excitement at hearing himself thus addressed sofamiliarly by a party who, up to that moment, he had not recognizedowing chiefly to the aviator's goggles and helmet, which were nowhastily removed as Perk jumped ashore.
"Gabe Perkiser!" the sergeant gasped, apparently staggered at learningthe identity of one of the flyers.
They met and shook hands with enthusiasm, for in those days of old theyhad been boon companions.
Perk put a finger on his lips.
"Go slow 'bout callin' me by that name, brother," he told the other,half under his breath. "Jest now I'm sailin' under false colors, as youmight say. I'm in Uncle Sam's Secret Service, an' known as Gabe Smith, aMaine woods guide in the employ o' a rich gent, a real sport an' biggame hunter--let me introduce him to you Red--Mister John JacobAstorbilt," and with the last word he gave the wearer of the uniform awicked wink that spoke volumes to Red, who nodded and shook hands withJack.
He could give a pretty clever guess as to who and what this determinedlooking young fellow must be and the story could keep until a moreconvenient season.
"Glad to meet you, Mr. Astorbilt," he went on to say aloud for thebenefit of the two other Mounties hovering close by with the design ofbeing made acquainted with the newcomers.
They were both wise and seasoned members of the force, although Perk wasmeeting them for the first time and thus judged they had beentransferred from another post during his absence.
"I hope Colonel Ascot is well," remarked Jack softly as he stood thereclose beside Red Lowden, "I am anxious to meet him, for I have a strongsuspicion he will be deeply interested in certain documents I am bearingwith me, both from Ottawa in your Dominion here and also from my BigBoss at Washington, D. C."
The other, who was a sturdy specimen of Canadian manhood, with the eyeof a hawk, nodded his head and looked wise as he hastened to say:
"Wait till I introduce you to these members of our patrol and then I'lllead you to the Colonel, who is doing a bit of official correspondenceinside his office close by."
This was soon accomplished and as the sportsman in search of freshthrills Jack met the couple of Mounties. Leaving Perk chatting with themhe followed the sergeant into the long, low log barracks where in acubbyhole at the end they found a tall, severe looking man, dressed inthe garb of an officer, seated at a desk and busily engaged in writing.
He must have heard all the commotion outside connected with the arrivalof the cloud-chaser, but being deeply interested in what he was writingand too much given to decorum to display any vulgar curiosity, he hadremained there.
But after all he turned out to be very much a gentleman as well as afine disciplinarian, as Jack speedily learned for after he had explainedjust who he was and what the nature of his long flight into thewilderness contemplated, he found Colonel Ascot vastly interested andsympathetic.
Red Lowden had discreetly withdrawn, saluting as he went so Jack and thecommandant of the frontier post were alone in the office.
"I wish to assure you, young man," observed the Colonel again cordiallysqueezing Jack's hand, "you are bringing me the finest possible news.This knave has been playing the very devil around the whole sector andso far has had us guessing. The hardest nut we've had to crack in theentire term of my service in the corps. If by any great luck we cancombine our forces and accomplish his capture, I shall feel myself inyour debt beyond measure."
Jack was gratified at hearing these frank and hearty words.
"I have a companion with me, Colonel," he further observed, "a reliablechap in the bargain and a clever aviator. He once had the honor to serveunder you up here--Gabe Perkiser."
He saw a pleased expression flit across the grim face of the commandantand judged that Perk must have been something of a favorite with theColonel.
"Glad to hear that, sir," the latter told his visitor, nodding his headin approval. "Perk was a credit to the uniform all the time he was withus in our job of rounding up disturbers of the peace and guarding honestmen against such rascals and blackguards as continually drift up to thiscountry. They seem to think its loneliness will guarantee them immunityfrom the long arm of the law they have flaunted. I'll be pleased to seehim again--and in the service you represent so creditably, as I can wellimagine."
"We look for a bit of assistance from your force, Colonel," continuedJack, "and you will find your authority for giving us a helping hand inthese documents from your head office," with which he handed the other asmall packet of official looking papers.
"I can take everything you say for granted, Mr.--er Astorbilt but amsorry you have dropped in on us at a most unfortunate time, since themajority of my men are away--there came a sudden call for assistance ata little settlement of newcomers some fifty miles distant--it wasbelieved a raid was contemplated by this desperado, the Hawk. The letterwas signed by a man whom I happened to know stood in the light of aleader in that community, and although I may have had my secretmisgivings I felt compelled to start a squad off late last evening. Theywill hardly get back here under the best of conditions for anotherforty-eight hours; and even at that their mounts will be far from freshfor another wild dash."
Jack had even figured on something like this coming to pass, and in hismind laid out a plan of campaign.
"We have come direct from the Frazer trading-post, Colonel," he hastenedto explain; "it was taken by trickery last night, the old factorseriously wounded, and the post robbed of everything of value, includingprecious pelts, food, ammunition, and all else."
Colonel Ascot looked greatly annoyed.
"Then my fears were justified," he went on to say, with a grimace, and ashrug of his shoulders; "never has that man's equal been known in allthe years I've been up against clever crooks. It was a false appeal forhelp, intended to employ most of my men, and give these desperatelooters plenty of time to get away with their plunder. Under theunfortunate circumstances what can I do to further your plans, sir?Anything in my power you may command--I have but three of my force atthe post, being short-handed just at present, as several are on leave ofabsence for special reasons."
"If you could spare me Sergeant Lowden, sir, whom my comrade hasrecommended highly as one with a thorough knowledge of the whole countryfor fifty miles around, and allow me to carry the doctor back toFrazer's to take charge of poor Old Jimmy, I could, I believe, make goodprogress; especially if you sent the balance of your detachment after usas an emergency force, in case we find the sledding a bit too rough."
Colonel Ascot looked relieved, as though a heavy load had been takenfrom his chest.
"Only too gladly will I accede to that request," he told his guest. "Iam expecting Dr. Hamilton at any moment now, when you can meet him, andask him to ride back with you to the trading post. He is a gentleman,and a very gifted surgeon--in the year and more that he's been in thisneighborhood I have known him to perform almost unbelievable operationswith the most remarkable success. There is some mystery about the man,which is none of our business--I am simply telling you in order that youmay not unintentially permit yourself--or Perk, whose failings along theline of curiosity I know full well--to display any sign of butting in.In these lonely regions, my dear sir, just as in the gold fields, aman's past is his business only, and other people are content that itshould remain a dead secret; but you can rest assured he is straightgoods, and moreover a polished gentleman, as well as a wonderfulphysician."
"I can readily understand what you mean, Colonel," Jack warmly assuredhim, "and once I have warned Perk neither of us ever display theslightest curio
sity about his hidden past--as you say, it concerns himalone; we'll just take him for what he is, and be glad to know him."
They talked further, as the Colonel glanced at his papers and laid themin a pigeonhole of his desk; and Jack learned a number of importantthings connected with the man whom he planned to take back with him tothe States, having the necessary documents to allow of this being donevia the airship route.
Then the officer asked him to step outside, for he believed he had heardthe voice of Dr. Hamilton, who it appeared, was coming once a day totreat a badly lacerated leg of one of the privates, who had been thrownfrom his horse amidst a _cache_ of unusually jagged rocks, with illresults.
Jack liked the doctor from the start, although he could plainly see thatsomething like grief--hardly remorse--must have been eating at theother's heart for many a moon, his manner was so suppressed, so sad.
Of course the doctor hastened to assure him he would be only too glad totake the long gallop to the trading post, and do what was necessary forOld Jimmy, whom he knew very well, and esteemed highly.
"I am not much of a horseman, I'm afraid," he told Jack, whom he knewsimply as a well-to-do young gentleman, with a great love for outdoorssports, and big game hunting chief of all; "but the Colonel has ananimal I've used before, and doubtless Romeo will carry me safely to thepost, since the trail is fairly easy; but the distance is more than hecould negotiate at one try, I'm thinking."
"That can be easily arranged," Jack explained; "we might be able to gethalfway to our destination by the time darkness sets in, when we couldmake camp, spend the night beside the trail, and get an early morningstart. And thank you very much, Doctor, for your kindness in going, Idid all I could for a temporary dressing; but it was only the work of anamateur, and Jimmy really needs further attention."
"Which I shall be only too pleased to give, since I have the utmostregard for the old factor," which remark satisfied Jack that everythingwas coming along nicely.