CHAPTER VI
LAYING PLANS
"Oh! my gosh!"
So completely staggered did Perk seem to have become at the disclosuremade by Jack, that he sat there, incapable of motion, just staring athis companion in the manner of a man who thinks he sees a hobgoblin.
"Slim--Slim Garrabrant!" he finally mustered up enough breath to almostwhisper, looking a bit awed, Jack thought.
"No other, partner," his pal assured him, cheerfully. "You know how wewere saying that sometimes this old world looked mighty small--well,this happens to be one of those times. Take it as a matter of fact,Perk--one of those quirks that roll around occasionally."
"Yeah--sure, that's right, Jack--jest so--nawthin' awful strange 'bouthim aturnin' aout to be the lucky dog as skipped aout o' the pen, givingUncle Sam the laugh. Go on an' tell me some more. Kinder looks like we'dgot to roll aour hoop up agin that Smart Aleck again, 'fore we get himcaged for keeps."
"Well, I don't know about that, matey," Jack told him, frowning as hespoke; "but if they _do_ get him back alive in his cell they'll keepcloser tabs on Slim, you can wager. But the devil of it is, can he everbe retaken? Both of us have good reason to remember what a big job wehad on our hands the other time; which isn't to be compared with whatwe'll stack up against now."
Perk had by this time succeeded in getting back his customary selfreliance, when he would scoff at such a word as "can't." He screwed hisface up in what evidently was intended to be a sneer, as he went on tosay:
"Huh! that ere is the last thing to worry me, buddy. Yeou an' me, guesswe make a team not easy to beat. When we git started we'll jest givethat gink a knock fur a goal, an' clinch the game for keeps. But like asnot we orter be makin' up aour plans, hadn't we, Jack?"
"Certainly," responded the other, calmly; "but first of all let it bedistinctly understood in the beginning there's no need of any unduehurry."
"Course not," agreed Perk, wagging his head in the affirmative, as washis usual habit when Jack was laying down the law.
"While of course we'll not loiter on the way," continued the head man ofthe combination; "just the same we must not do anything that's going tointerfere with our customary efficiency--no going off at half-cock, likea gun that's in need of lock repairs."
Perk chuckled as if highly edified.
"Say, partner," he hastened to remark, "not much danger o' sech a thinghappenin' with _yeou_ runnin' the lead, I give yeou my affidavy on thatsame."
"That's all blarney, Perk; and don't depend on my being free fromstumbling in the dark--I'm only human, and can make silly mistakes, likeevery known pilot--even Lindbergh's had the misfortune to smash hislanding gear when making an ascent, and with the girl he afterwardsmarried, remember."
"Sure thing, Jack, but didn't he manage a wonderful landin', an' keepfrom a bad smashup, on'y hurtin' his shoulder in the jam?"
"Yes, and Perk, some people attribute his escape to good luck; but Iknow full well it was his skill in understanding just what to do in anemergency."
"Well, what's aour programme agoin' to be?" demanded the other.
"First of all, then, we've got to study those enclosures the Chief sentin his letter--they'll give us a good many important points, and it maybe locate this secret hideout of the crowd that's bothering Uncle Sam somuch. Get that, do you?"
"I'm on, boss--go to it some more," replied Perk, blithely.
"As we shall be scouring one of the wildest and most dreaded parts ofthe whole Rockies," continued Jack, "of course it'll be necessary for usto carry a big cargo of stuff along--plenty of supplies in the line ofgrub, as well as gas and oil. Then, since we are bound to line up,sooner or later, against the whole gang, we must tote tear-bombs, andsome of the destructive ones, such as we've been forced to make use ofbefore."
"Sounds okay to me, ole hoss," Perk assented, looking particularly wellpleased at the possibility of wild action, which these preliminaryremarks of his leader seemed to presage--doubtless his wonderful memorycarried him back to the previous occasion when they went out after SlimGarrabrant, and dragged him before the bar of justice, a feat whichearned them the commendation of the Big Chief, as well as a nice stepupwards in the way of increased pay.
Although in many things Perk took no man's dust when it came to aknowledge of flying activities, and air knowledge; just the same he feltit no disgrace to "sit at the feet" of his best pal, and imbibeinformation when the plan of campaign was being laid out--Perk freelyadmitted he was "not so good," along such lines--ready to shift theresponsibility to Jack's shoulders, yet joyfully bear his share of allsubsequent action.
The papers were divided up, and both of them read steadily for sometime, occasionally exchanging observations, with Perk asking frequentquestions concerning matters that were not quite clear to his ratherslow mind.
In this fashion, just as wise Jack knew would be the case, both of themgradually got "heated up," with the fervor of the case--indeed, thisview of matters was also taken by his companion, since Perk declared itmade him think of how they used to get a tracking hound to smell somegarment worn by the child that was lost, so he could take the trail, andfollow it to a successful finish.
"Which I vum will be aour way o' clappin' hands on this slippery kiote,once we git agoin' strong," he went on to add, with supreme confidence,it appeared.
"One thing we've got to remember," Jack mentioned; "which is aboutkeeping our light hidden under a bushel. Men who follow our dangerousprofession must never get themselves in the public prints if it can beavoided; and as for standing up to be in the spotlight, so all peoplecan take note of their looks, it just isn't done, you know, Perk."
Possibly there may have been occasions in the past when, after they hadbeen unusually successful in landing their man, Perk had shown adisposition to talk a bit too much--grant interviews to newspaperreporters, who were apt to go into details covering some of the wayssuch sleuths outwitted those whom they hunted; all of which was bad fortheir being successful in forthcoming missions of like character, sincethe lawbreakers would avidly seize upon all such printed matter, to sizeup the methods that were utilized in bringing about the downfall of menof their stamp.
"Yeah, course that's the right thing--we'll jest keep aour own counselan' do the gittin' o' aour stuff together withaout beating the gong an''tractin' the mob's attention. We wouldn't live up to aour reputation assleuth hounds if we didn't work undercover, Jack."
"Fine for you, brother," he was told; "I'm tickled pink to know you'rewaking up to the necessity for Secret Service men keeping away from theglare of publicity, even if they have to lose much credit; like editorsof the big newspapers, who never put even their initials to the strongarticles they write everyday."
In this fashion did Jack usually apply himself to eradicating certainweaknesses that afflicted his best pal, knowing that in so doing he washelping Perk to become more efficient; also more valuable in the serviceof the Government.
After some hours spent in this fashion, they found themselves prettywell inoculated with the most salient points connected with their latesttask; and both of them were glad when it began to grow dark, with supperin prospect.
"I rather think we're pretty well fed up on this stuff," Jack finallytook occasion to remark, getting up from his easy-chair, and stretchinghis cramped legs; "so how about dropping it all, and going out to feedour complaining tummies?"
"I aint got any objections to that ere business, buddy," Perk quicklyobserved, following suit in leaving his seat, and going through certainmotions such as office sitters carry out in accordance with radioinstructions each and every morning, before going forth to the dailygrind. "They c'n boast all they likes 'bout the belles o' the ballroom;the sweet janglin' o' the bells in the Spanish Missions up 'long theCoast here, an' even the never-to-be-forgotten schoolbell; but for _me_they aint nawthin' to make my heart sing with joy like the goodole-fashioned dinnerbell."
"You've got plenty of company
in that same worship, Perk," the othertold him, "A few people eat to live; but the biggest bunch live to eat.Let hard times come, and they'll do without a good many things, but musthave three meals a day--yes, and with men, their regular smoke as well."
After leaving their cozy room, to walk along the street, business wastabooed; they must forget such personal affairs, and talk of anythingunder the sun save what engrossed their minds chief of all.
Jack had stressed this point when laying down that rule for theirguidance, saying practically as follows:
"We don't understand as yet just what the ramifications or extent ofthis combination of lawbreakers is; for all we know they may beorganized, and doing such a big business that they can employ spies incertain cities, to pick up valuable pointers; informing them ofprofitable strikes on Western trails, and along railroads where treasureis being daily carried east and west; besides that, these spies would beon the watch to learn of plans for bringing members of the gang tojustice--for all we know they have been keeping tabs on _our_ movementsright along; and may be in possession of considerable knowledge coveringour being the ones commissioned by Headquarters to proceed against them.On this account it is up to us to play the innocent, and when in apublic eating place never talk shop, especially if the room is full, asis always the case here at suppertime."
There was always so much common sense in what Jack advanced that Perkcould seldom grumble, no matter if he did not wholly agree with hispartner. Besides, there were so many interesting matters, as given outin the daily prints, and along the line of aviation stunts, that theyneed never lack for material to carry on their careless chatter as theydined, and watched their neighbors, after the usual manner of detectiveson or off duty, seeking to further add to their information as to thepossible presence of eavesdroppers.