CHAPTER XX
ON THE ENCIRCLING CLIFF
Considering the fact that neither of the two Service men could boast ofhaving graduated from the school of born scouts, and that theireducation along the line of the crafty pioneers was a bit off-color, itwas simply wonderful how successfully they managed to creep into thethickest of the surrounding heavy growth without making any noticeablenoise to betray the fact of their passage.
When Jack fancied they had covered sufficient ground he gave Perk asignal with his foot--an old trick with the well paired couple that theyhad worked to advantage on numerous occasions.
Thereupon, when Jack halted his snake-like progress, the other glidedalongside; and thus they lay so close together that if necessary theycould exchange a few words in whispers, although most likely Jack wouldforego this privilege.
The sound of conversation had grown much louder, accompanied by theswishing of bushes, as two or more persons continued to follow some sortof narrow path undoubtedly leading to this wonderful little rivulet.
Now the speakers must have reached their goal, for the voices werestilled, as though the men might be lying flat, and quenching theirthirst in something purer than the poor stuff with which they wereprobably wont to seek the much desired kick.
Both of the hidden intruders strained their ears in hopes of making outwhat was being said, and thus possibly acquiring a little usefulinformation; but the men spoke in such muffled tones this expectationfailed to materialize--the deep, rumbling tones of one, and higher andshrill voice of the other, accompanied by occasional laughs, kept on forat least ten minutes; then from the sounds growing fainter Jack and Perkunderstood the two men must be going back the way they had come; fromwhich fact they judged the opening into the closed valley must lie inthat quarter, almost due north-by-east from their present refuge.
"Dog gone it! an' I ain't wise to a single thing they was a sayin',"Perk lamented, half under his breath, after they could no longer catchthe faintest sign of the pair who had been so near them.
"Same here," added Jack, "which was too bad, for we might have picked upa little useful information while they talked and laughed."
"Gee! I strained my hearin' so hard it near cracked my ear-drums, Ibet," continued Perk, with a shake of his head; "but it was all rumblean' squeak, mixed in a mess. I shore never did hear so high-pitched avoice on a man in all my born days."
"Well, I have; and if you'll think back some you'll remember just _one_occasion in the bargain--both of us remarked it as a queer kind of avoice--particularly for a big, bold fellow, who scorned to show a signof weakness even when hemmed in, and taken prisoner by a couple of freshSecret Service detectives, belonging to the Flying Corps."
The effect of these words on Perk was electrical--he started as thoughhe had been shot, stared hard at his companion, then grinned broadly,and gave vent to his feelings in a suppressed _roar_--as near as hedared under such sensitive conditions.
"Well, well, well--hot-diggetty-dig! what a blind loon I am, not to 'ves'pected that same! Yeou mean that boob was no other than Slippery Slimhisself, the Ole Scratch we're runnin' after right at this minute, doantyeou, partner mine? Glory be! what a great chanct we lost o' fillin'aout aour job in the start--why, we could aturned back to the ship, goneaboard, an' cut loose at two miles a minute fur the home airport, with_him_ safely bagged."
"On the other hand, Perk, we might have given ourselves away, and lethim slip out of our hands; when it would be ten times as hard to capturehim as if he didn't dream we were around this district. Depend on itthis is all for the best--we'll imitate the hungry wolf, and lie inambush until such time as we can pounce down on Slim, and carry him offunbeknown to the balance of the gang."
"Yeah! I kinder guess that's 'baout the ticket, partner; but it gives mea bad case o' the willies jest to think haow close we was, an' let 'emskip aout. Gee! I'm in a cold sweat, drat the luck!"
"While I was listening to his coarse language, and hard rasping laugh,"Jack went on to say, softly; "do you know what came into my mind--apicture of that cottage in the suburb of San Diego, where we took thatclever little lad we managed to keep from falling into the jaws of themad dog."
"I've thought o' the same many times since we left town," Perk declared,in a sincere tone that bespoke his feelings in the matter. "Nice olelady, too; an' it gets me jest haow a boy could treat sech a fine motherlike he's done--he orter be tarred an' feathered, that's my 'pinion!"
"Don't jump at conclusions that way, brother," Jack interposed, as usualseeing further than the more impulsive Perk. "First of all, we're not sodead certain he _is_ her son, and that sweet child his boy--we justguessed as much because that was surely Slim's moniker on the wall weglimpsed. But then the chances are, no matter what his relations may bewith the old lady, she's never really known what a bad egg Slim's been.I've heard of cases where a wife of ten years standing still had faithin her man, and believed him to be simply unfortunate. So we mustn'tfeel so positive until we know more; although it looks as if Mrs.Ferguson must think him a good guy, the story of his crimes having beenkept from her ears, either through accident, or a desire to save hermental suffering."
"Mebbe that's it, Jack--yeou kin see deeper into sech puzzles than Iever could. But I only hope we manage to pick up leadin' clues, an' findaout 'baout that matter 'fore we're through with this case."
"Believe me, we're going to do all of that, Perk. Once we get our managain, and are aboard our good ship, headed for port, we'll see that heopens up and explains a good many things that so far are wrapped inmystery."
"I kinder guess that's right, buddy," was Perk's comment; after whichthey ceased whispering, to turn their full attention upon the taskahead--that of climbing still higher up the face of the steep mountain,with the idea of securing a full view of the hidden valley, and allcontained therein.
Whenever a good opportunity opened up for an observation Jack studiedthe nature of the ground above them.
In this fashion he felt capable of deciding when they had gone as far aswas needful in order to carry out their purpose, and secure anunobscured view of the wonder valley, with all it contained.
Both of them experienced more or less curiosity along these lines, aswas most natural. So much had been said concerning the hard gang of badeggs who had taken up their quarters in this wild locality--they hadcaused such a riot of annoyance to the authorities at Washington, onaccount of their periodical forays, and the apparent impossibility ofbreaking up the defiant group, that anything connected with their lifein the mountain fortress must appeal strongly to each and every SecretService man.
Then besides, the unknown fate that had overtaken the last two gallantadventurers who had dared to try and beard the tough lawbreakers intheir den--and which had only latterly come to the ears of Jack andPerk--was calculated to invest the whole subject with a tinge of mingledromance and sheer adventure, such as added to the thrill.
It began to look as though they might reach their objective with an houror so of daylight remaining, in which to take an observation. Later on,as they sat, or lay resting after the strenuous climb, they couldcompare notes, and begin to build up something of a plan of campaign.
"I reckon," said Jack, softly enough, after one of those halts, duringwhich he always made up his calculations, "we're as high as we need go.By sheering off here to the right we're apt to strike the top of thathigh cliff we spotted. Then we'll have all the chance we want to getrested."
"Shucks! I aint a mite tired, buddy," Perk assured him, between breaths;"on'y short o' wind, as yeou might say. Some climb, b'lieve _me_!"
"Get your breath then, Perk; and if you're ready say when."
"Go to it, ole hoss!"
They exercised due caution, and gradually swung around in a half curve,when Perk gripped the arm of his mate, to hoarsely exclaim:
"Thar she be, partner, openin' up like a book right ahead o' us!"
Trackers of the Fog Pack; Or, Jack Ralston Flying Blind Page 20
