Trackers of the Fog Pack; Or, Jack Ralston Flying Blind
Page 29
CHAPTER XXIX
ALL READY FOR THE GRAND BLOWOUT
"Simeon!"
Perk held his breath in awe as his pal whispered that one word.
An answering voice, very, very low, came back, asking a question; and inanother second Jack was squeezing the groping hand of the duly thrilledprisoner of the outlaw's hidden retreat.
It was considered much too risky for them to remain there, and try toengage in explanations; so Jack took the other in tow, and led him overto the foot of the mighty cliff, with Perk trailing in.
So well taken had Jack's calculations been that he hit the exact spot atwhich the descending slope of rock ended amidst the green grass. Inwhispers he explained what must be done in order to gain a secure placewhere they might converse without incurring any risk.
With Jack leading the way, and Perk acting as a buffer in the rear, toprevent the rather unsteady Simeon, trembling in every limb from extremeexcitement, from falling off the narrow and treacherous ledge, they allmanaged to presently gain the passage leading to the big central cavern.
Here they sat down, and a brisk conversation followed between Jack andSimeon--after Perk had been duly introduced to the captive Service man.
Without going into too many details everything was told by Jack, toaccount for the presence of himself and partner in the tigers' denamidst the mountains. Then in his turn Simeon briefly sketched themishap in connection with the discovery of himself and companion; sadlyadmitting that his fellow worker had been shot down and killed in thebattle although combined they had diminished the roll-call of the toughgangsters by one bad man slain, and two wounded.
"I was myself seriously shot in the left leg," he went on to say; "andundoubtedly would have been tortured, and put to death by those fiends,they hate and despise Secret Service men so much, only for onething--Slippery Slim Garrabrant chances to be a brother-in-law ofmine--nothing to be proud of, and of which I've never boasted, you maybe certain. We married sisters, both of whom have since passed on. Hehas no love for me, but showed a streak of decency, I must admit, insparing my life, although letting the gang make me its general servant,and cook. Still, things might have been worse with me, and I'm notcomplaining. I reckoned the Chief would do something to learn just whathad become of poor Ross and myself; but never believed I'd get out ofthis sweet mess alive."
They talked, and conspired for a full hour, when Simeon declared it wastime he left these new-found allies. Some one might happen to come tohis tent on an errand, for he served as doctor as well as cook; and thusdiscover his absence.
It was arranged that he come again to the crevice in the cliff thefollowing night, when they could go deeper into the bold scheme Jack hadsuggested, and which appeared to meet with his hearty approval; for heturned out to be just the same type of man as Jack Ralston himself, abeliever in daring and aggressive work.
Perk managed to explain how short of provisions they chanced to be, andto his extreme delight Simeon accommodatingly promised to fetch someeatables with him when he joined them on the following night.
After that the pair retraced their steps along the passage, being able,thanks to Jack's flashlight, to fight shy of all impediments such asloose stones, and pitfalls that might have given them a bad half hour,had they attempted to proceed in the darkness.
Again they tried to get some sleep, and Jack, who was able to controlhis feelings better than his mate, succeeded admirably; but Perk, moreexcitable, only secured what he called "cat-naps," being awake a gooddeal of the night.
The following day they spent much as before. Perk again trailed down towhere the camouflaged airship lay under its covering of evergreens. Hetook back a few things they were not apt to need, and yet which theydisliked leaving behind, once they quitted the neighborhood of thevalley; but his main object was to make certain the plane was safe, andin condition for a quick take-off in case such became a necessity, aswas likely.
Jack on his part added materially to his knowledge of things, and in afashion touched up portions of his intended programme, to be carried outwhenever Simeon, who could best know, told them conditions looked mostpromising.
Much to Perk's relief Simeon did not fail them; and then, too, hebrought a promising bit of plunder in the shape of provisions, whichcame from the commissary of the settlement, and of which he held thekey.
Another hour of talk followed, and further details of their great planwere discussed. Simeon assured them the opportunity for which theywaited was certain to arrive on the following night, so they must makeall preparations to put their confidence to the test and expect to quitthe game, it was to be hoped with a victory set down to their credit.
On the following day a party of the marauders planned to set out on amost important raid, that promised unusually great plunder. SlimGarrabrant could not accompany them that particular time, having injuredhis right arm so that he must be unsteady in the saddle; which fact Jackobserved virtually cinched the plan they had been arranging.
If all went well, after the party had gone forth, Simeon before darkwould as if by chance throw a red cloth on top of the big cabin; whichwould be a signal that the coast was clear, and everything ready fortheir working scheme.
When the following day came along, Perk was for the third timedispatched along his former trail down the mountain-side. This time hecarried quite a load on his strong back; for, as they anticipated nothaving to spend another night in the Tom Sawyer cave--Perk always calledit by that suggestive name that carried him back to his own boyhooddreaming, and reading--he was taking pretty much all the things he hadtoted up the ascent shortly before, so they could be safely stowed awayin the airship's cabin.
Everything thus far had gone along like clockwork--if only there was noslip after they had started their attempt to take Slim prisoner, thechances for a regular old-fashioned cleanup looked bright, Perk kepttelling himself.
He got back to Jack's side in due time, with nothing transpiringcalculated to breed trouble. They ate their last meal in the cave, andthen passing down to their secret exit, waited for the time to come whenthey could translate planning into action, and endeavor to bring about asuccessful windup of their mission.
CHAPTER XXX
THE END OF ROBBERS' ROOST----CONCLUSION
Looking back when all this was but a memory, it must always seem like adream to Perk. Everything moved along smoothly as if in grooves. Theyjoined the waiting Simeon alongside the big cabin, and he led them tothe hut which Slim occupied by himself, because of his being theacknowledged leader and "high-muck-a-muck"--as Perk always had it--ofthe outlaw league.
They took the occupant completely by surprise, and a smart blow on thehead kept him still until they could secure his arms, and fasten a clothover his mouth to prevent his giving the alarm.
Then he was hustled outside, and with Jack on one side and Simeon on theother convoyed as noiselessly as possible to the mouth of the valley,and the narrow pass. Perk had vanished for the time being, but joinedthem about the time they reached their objective, acting as thoughsecretly pleased over something he had just carried out. Jack had asuspicion as to its character, having heard the other muttering certainthreats that were aimed at the miserable but useful old ship,manipulated by the counterfeiters in bringing in supplies, anddistributing the result of their latest printing.
The next thing on the program was to overcome the sentry just beyond theouter end of the narrow cleft, where the walls lifted themselveshundreds of feet above the passage in to the valley.
This was accomplished by Jack himself, unaided--he crept up behind thedozing man, dealt him a blow on the head, and tumbled him in a heap.Thus their way was cleared, and they could proceed to the place wheretheir ship awaited their coming.
"Gimme me jest five minits, fellers," Perk besought the others;whereupon Jack fell upon the senseless vidette and dragged him somedistance away--it was an act of mercy, since the man m
ust have beenkilled otherwise, when Perk completed his little arrangement; for it hadbeen settled between Jack and himself that, in order to convince thesetough lawbreakers they could no longer depend on their Hole-in-the-Wallto hide them from those who were ever on their trail, the overhangingwalls of the pass must be brought down in a heap of ruins, that wouldforever choke all entrance and exit in and out of the valley.
"All set, Jack--she's fixed, an' goin' like wildfire--let's clear out_pronto_, 'fore she gets busy!" Perk was crying, in some littleexcitement.
As they moved hurriedly off there came the loud sound of an explosionfrom within the cliff encircled valley.
"That's on'y the little bomb I stuck under that rattletrap airship tosend it in the wust wreck ever," explained Perk, he kept looking backwhile trailing the others.
Loud yells and whoops reached them from within the barrier. Showing howthose of the gangsters left behind were expressing their astonishmentand alarm at such an unheard of happening in their midst.
"Huh! that ain't jest _nawthin'_ to what--" but what Perk intended tosay was drowned in a most terrific explosion, that made the rockysurface of the earth under their feet quiver like an animal in its deaththroes. A vivid sheet of flame darted upwards--then there came asickening crash after crash as if the whole mountain were toppling down,with fragments falling for half a minute after.
Fortunately they were far enough away by that time to escape anypossible damage. Simeon in particular seemed to be deliriously happy; itwas as though in this utter destruction of the robber roost he foundsolace for the death of his late companion; also all the insults andindignities to which he himself had been subjected at the hands of thosetough gunmen.
Reaching the ship they went aboard. Then came the last critical act ofthe moving drama--getting the big plane safely launched with suchdifficulties to contend with. But, as if to add a finishing touch toJack Ralston's usual luck--also due in great part to his skill, andefficiency--this hazard was safely passed, the launching followed bytheir thrilling climb into the air spaces, with unlimited possibilitiesawaiting their choice of a route.
Apparently, as Perk was saying to himself, it was "all over but theshouting;" and he imagined there had been quite enough of that when thestartled inmates of the blocked valley heard that dreadful thunderoussound typifying the collapse of the organization of defiant lawbreakersclever Slim Garrabrant had built up, partly to show his contempt forUncle Sam's thief catchers.
Slim, by the way, after he had recovered from the blow received at thetime of his surprise, and capture, exhibited an utter indifference as towhat became of him. He even laughed, as if absolutely free from anyconcern; and joked with Perk as the airship raced through illimitablespace, declaring it was one thing to nab him, and a horse of anothercolor to hold him.
"Bet you three to one you two boys will have your same old job to doover again before six months have gone into the discard," he shouted,humorously; but Perk only grinned, and shook his head; at the same timewondering if the rest of their lives were really to be taken up withchasing after this slippery customer, and curbing his perniciousactivities.
Having the whole day ahead of them, Jack did not mean to put hischerished aircraft to its best licks--plenty of time; and actually hedreaded receiving the anticipated thanks and compliments from the BigBoss over at the Washington Headquarters; in which Jack surely differedvastly from most men of his dangerous calling, who would be only toowilling to stand in his shoes.
After delivering their prisoner, just as jolly and unconcerned as ever,over to the Federal officials at Los Angeles, Jack and Perk headed forSan Diego, the latter wild with an eagerness to "fill up to capacity" attheir beloved restaurant.
They carried Simeon along with them, having a spare cot in their room towhich he was more than welcome, for a day or two, until an answer cameto his wire to Headquarters, ordering him doubtless to report, and tellhis dramatic story in person, after which he would be given a vacationto fully recover his broken health.
Jack had a purpose in this besides the wish to see more of a man whom herespected so much. He had heard Simeon say that he and Slim Garrabranthad married sisters, both of whom were no longer on this earth. This hadset Jack to speculating, concerning the old lady named Mrs. Ferguson,grandmother to the handsome little boy whom he and Perk--principallyPerk--had saved from the cruel fangs of a mad dog, as narrated in theearly pages of this book.
He introduced the subject by asking Simeon if he would like to hearwhere they had picked up some kind of a clue covering Slim Garrabrant;and upon the other eagerly saying he certainly did, there followed thebrief story of the strange adventure of Main Street, in one of SanDiego's suburbs.
When he spoke of their discovering the picture of Slim on the wall ofthat cottage, and incidentally mentioned the old lady, Simeon wasgreatly shaken. He clutched Jack by the arm, Perk staring open-mouthed,not quite understanding the drift of things--and in broken languagebegged him to tell some more--what about the old lady--did they know hername--and was it Mrs. Leonore Ferguson; and what of the lad--was heapparently in good health?
"I'm asking you Jack, because he is _my own_, my beloved little Walter,the only legacy my dear wife left me to remember her by, when she passedaway. There was a fire in the building where they lived, something likea year and a half ago; and hunt as I would I never could get a trace ofmy dear ones. To think that, not content with saving my own life, youtwo should be the means of my being once more reunited with all I havein the world! Take me to see them without delay, if only you will, and Ishall never, never cease to bless both you gallant comrades."
Inside of an hour he had his boy pressed close to his heart, and evenPerk who sometimes liked to call himself a "hard-boiled guy," turnedaway to wipe the unbidden tears from his cheeks.
Of course in due time they heard from Headquarters, with more or lesswords of high praise, such as seldom spring from such offices whereUncle Sam's Secret Service agents do their business without expectationof anything more than routine acknowledgment. They were given quite anextensive holiday until there came up another knotty problem which mightbe submitted to their solving. That such _did_ come along sooner thanexpected can be understood by the title of the story following this,viz: "_Flying the Coast Skyways_," or, "_Jack Ralston's Swift Patrol_."
THE END
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Transcriber's note:
1. Obvious typographical errors were corrected without note.
2. Non-standard spellings and dialect were retained.