CHAPTER XII
WHEN THE DAWN BROKE
When Jack thus decided it good policy to start riding that giganticcircle, reducing their speed at the same time, he knew it was really theonly course left to them in order to kill time, until there arose achange in weather conditions, and the coming of daylight.
It would require the utmost skill and vigilance combined, thus to keepgoing over about the same line of travel, with naught to depend uponsave his reliable instruments, aided by the deductions he must becontinually making, with his eyes on the compass, the speed indicator,altimeter, and kindred apparatus by means of which, in conjunction, aclever pilot may cut circles around an objective at will.
All this when he has daylight to assist him, and can see the distantground beneath; but when blinded by both fog and intense darkness it is"a horse of another color" entirely, and if successfully carried out maybe considered on a par with a near-miracle.
"He c'n do it, if anybody's able," faithful Perk was assuring himself,as he sat and watched the other go through with motion after motion,doubtless mentally figuring up knotty little problems in arithmetic thatwould either prove the accuracy of his general plan of campaign, orcause him to correct any faulty upsets.
"Gee whiz! if on'y we could a climbed on that gink's tail, an' folleredhim to where he was agoin', what a soft snap it'd been," Perk wastelling himself, as he imagined them climbing back to the level followedby the "mystery ship," and keeping on at just a certain distance, wheretheir presence would not be betrayed by the commotion they caused; "butit's a hull lot too late neow to think o' tryin' that ere stunt aout; sowhat's the use figgerin' any more? 'Sides, they aint no chanct for evena pilot what knows his beans 'raound this pesky country, to drop daown,so long's this soup hangs over aour heads, under aour feet, an' playsthe devil with things gen'rally. Jack's got it all laid aout, an' we'reon aour way to Pike's Peak--er bust--mebbe so its jest plain _bust_!"
As the time drew on Perk found himself engaged in a peculiar game ofguessing as to what the character of the ground below would turn out tobe when they were given a blessed chance to view the same by thedispersal of the fog, and the coming of broad daylight.
He knew what it meant to be hovering over mountainous country, where allmanner of weird canyons and dry water courses could be traced on therough landscape--secluded haunt of the Rocky Mountain sheep, orbig-horn; the savage silver-tip bear known also as the grizzly, mostdreaded wild beast of the entire Americas, the claws of whom the Indiansof the West always prized as mementos of their individual valor, whenslain at close quarters, with the warrior living to tell the story ofhis triumph.
Then, too, he could imagine vast herds of the now almost extinctbuffalo, seeking shelter and grazing during the winter in some shelteredvalley among these same mountain ranges, where green grass might befound in abundance even during blizzard weather conditions.
Once he gave full play to his fertile imagination, and Perk would evenforget the passage of time; and this was just as well, since nothing hecould do would alter their situation in the slightest degree; besides,it prevented him from worrying, as he so often did.
Along about three o'clock--as he knew by consulting his wrist watch forthe twentieth time since their start--Perk had another little brightthought--what was to hinder them from having a nice snack, just to killtime, and cause them to feel stronger for whatever might come alonglater on?
Accordingly he got out a certain small packet which he knew containedsome sandwiches he had paid their waiter to have made up for them, as asouvenir of the much esteemed little restaurant in San Diego, city ofthe Dons.
Sitting there, and still keeping an observing eye first on Jack, andthen sweeping it around the array of instruments fastened to the blackdashboard in front of the working pilot, Perk enjoyed his little nightlyrepast as only a fellow with his splendid appetite might.
When he nudged Jack in the side, and offered him a tempting ham sandwichthe other shook his head in the negative, as though he was quite toobusy to take advantage of the offer.
Following this up he made gestures which Perk interpreting understoodhim to signify he might alter his mind later on, when the conditions hadchanged a bit for the better. That was just like Jack--he liked to eat,it was true, when hungry; but never allowed a mutinous stomach to causehim to take the slightest chance of neglecting his duty.
So Perk had to dine all by himself; but he generously kept onefair-sized sandwich for the time when his chum would feel like having afew bites; which might not be until he wished Perk to take his place atthe controls.
It was a dreary round they were making now--like keeping time in theawkward squad in the training camp--going through all the motionswithout advancing the spark an atom--round and round in that big circle,as the hours dragged along on leaden feet, with Perk growing fairly wildto end it all, even by accepting unusual risks.
Five o'clock came at last, and Perk more than once strained his eyes instaring hard toward the east, hoping to be able to glimpse a faint signof approaching dawn--just a peep that would make him feel better; butthus far all in vain.
Nor was he able to detect any let-up in the floating sea of murkyfog--it hung about them most persistently, almost dense enough to befelt; indeed most of the time their faces were wet despite the fact thatthey were shut up in the closed cabin of their ship.
"Ev'rything must have an end," Perk told himself about this time; "an' Ikinder guess naow that ole snap sayin' must be so; anyway, here's hopin'afore long naow I'll be squintin' at the sun apeepin' above the rim o'the world over yonder in the--yeah, it's east, okay, the compass shetells it. Gettin' sorter sleepy in the bargain; but shucks! nothin'doin' 'long that ere line till we're outen the woods, an' on groundsafe'n sound agin."
Half-past five brought a little but welcome change in the monotonoussituation. Perk was duly thrilled to discover what he believed to be adim gleam of light piercing the shrouded east, which he fondly hoped wascaused by the near approach of the early dawn.
He did not mention the welcome news to his ally, fearing lest it proveto be a mere stretch of that wonderful imagination of his, such as intimes past had so frequently played him the saddest of tricks--no, itwould really be wiser for him to bide his time, and make sure he was notturning out to be what he would call a "false alarm."
Despite his eager wish the faint light did not appear to increase to anyextent; although Perk knew it must surely be about time for the dawn tobreak, if it ever meant to dispel the miserable pall of wet fog that hadbeen like a blanket during the whole night--saving the hour or so theyspent on the way before it gathered around them.
"If the tarnation thing gives me the merry ha! ha! neow, after I'veshook hands with myself, I'll feel like jumpin' off, and tryin' aout my'chute, that aint been aired for many a blue moon. But it stands toreason there _must_ be some sorter end to ev'ry night; an' I'll hold ona bit longer. Gosh amighty! what wouldn't I give to feel jest a whiff o'wind caressin' my cheek when I pokes my nose outadoors--but no sech goodfortune--we're still in the soup for keeps, Jack 'nd me, wuss luck!"
Still it seemed as though his heart was set on seeing that dim line growwider, and bringing with it fresh hopes of a change in the dullprogramme; judging from the way Perk continued to stare toward where heknew from the compass lay the eastern heavens.
Jack flew on, apparently quite oblivious to the wild yearnings that keptgnawing at the heart of his comrade. Thus far he had reason to believethey had continued on that circle, where fifty miles of running wouldfetch them back again to about where they had started to make a ring. Hewould fight it out on that line if it kept them going all the next day;but until they could see the ground, so as to find their bearings fromcertain landmarks expressly emphasized in the rude chart inherited fromthe missing brother of the Service, it was utterly useless to expect toget anywhere.
Some little time afterwards Perk, thinking to find out whether therecould be a "wh
iff of fresh air" stirring outside, thrust his head fromthe partly open door, and sniffed eagerly.
The result was highly satisfactory, for he instantly discovered a mostdelightful thing--there was not only the fresh cold air to be expectedat such a high altitude, possibly ten thousand feet at the time; but, inaddition there came across his feverish face the sensation of a genuine_breeze_, blowing, as he quickly found out, directly from the south.
He could not resist keeping his head protruding, so as to make assurancedoubly certain; and while thus engaged he chanced to turn and looktoward the east again.
Something caught his eyes, and held him riveted, as if turned into apillar of salt like Lot's unfortunate, disobedient wife.
"Hot-diggetty-dig! if that ere aint the mornin' star I'll eat my hat!"Perk told himself in great excitement.
It was most thrilling news he carried back with him when he duckedinside the cabin once more--news he felt absolutely positive would breakdown that icy reserve of his companion; and cause Jack to join him ingiving vent to expressions of jubilation.
"Hey! c'n yeou beat it, partner?" he cried, as soon as he could get tothe ear of his boon companion; and for the time being disdaining thehelp of the ear-phones; then he paused for breath, having in hisexcitement lost his grip, it appeared.
"Beat what?" roared the other, understanding from Perk's actions,together with the exultant tone of his raised voice, that something outof the common must have come about.
"Breeze started up!" whooped Perk, gulping in a supply of wind.
"Bully boy!" Jack sent back at him, managing to make himself understoodabove all the racket of motor and propeller, which was some triumph,since he did not possess the lung power that Perk boasted.
"And--yeou c'n see the ole mornin' star off in the east, showin' thedratted fog pack she's a liftin' by hunks; so, as the dawn's at handwe'll be okay!"