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CHAPTER IV
By Special Delivery

Somewhat to the disappointment of Perk his comrade did not evince any haste about opening his letter, thrusting the same into his pocket, while he washed his hands, and brushed his hair.

“Somehow I seem to be as hungry as a wolf,” Jack remarked; “and as it’s long past our usual time for lunch I move we drop around to our beanery, and lay in some stores in the way of chow.”

Of course such a proposition appealed strongly to Perk, who was seldom able to resist a call to meals. For the moment he quite forgot his recent curiosity to know what was in the letter, the receipt of which had caused Jack to smile; and which moreover had certain familiar marks about it to make Perk feel certain it came from Headquarters.

“Queer heow a feller c’n nigh ’bout forget certain stirrin’ events in his past,” he observed with a shake of his head; “an’ suddenly have the same bob up in his mind, as clear as if they might a happened on’y yesterday.”

“I reckon you’re referring to our old friend, Cool Slim Garrabrant, eh, Perk?” queried the other, indifferently.

“None other,” came the reply. “There was a man as might be called the king o’ the counterfeiters, who’d had his thumb to his nose ever so long, alaughin’ at Uncle Sam’s slick boys, an’ sendin’ ’em all sorts o’ tauntin’ notes; so in the end the Chief he come down off’n his high perch, an’ gave us a chanct to knock down the persimmons with a long pole; which we done as neat as any body’d choose.”

“Bad taste to boast, Perk, you want to remember.”

“Can’t help sayin’ a few things, Jack, an’ pattin’ us two flyin’ cops on the chest. Honest, I got an idea Slim’s sun had begun to set jest as soon as the job o’ runnin’ him in was placed in aour hands. Nobody but them as knew haow to handle an airship could a fetched home the bacon in that case; ’cause Slim he knowed how to get his long-green stuff clear withaout leavin’ any trace, usin’ that ole crate to carry the coney supplies east an’ west o’ his hidin’ place, where he carried on the work along a big scale.”

“Of course what you say is all true enough,” ventured Jack as they walked along, heading for the nearest eatingplace, which they sometimes patronized when close by; “but both of us would do well to try and forget our share in that haul – it’s old stuff by now. And besides,” continued Jack, “somehow I feel bad when I remember that it was probably that little kid’s own daddy we sent up.”

“Yeah!” mused Perk, unwilling to change the subject, it appeared, “an’ the judge socked it to Slim good an’ heavy – give him a long sentence, so ’at he’ll have to serve behind the walls o’ that Atlanta pen ’til he’s an old, broken-down man, an’ not marked dangerous to law-abidin’ folks.”

“There are a few others of his stripe yet outside prison walls, remember, partner,” Jack told him, as they entered the eatingplace, walking over to a table somewhat aloof from all others, and on this account usually chosen for such meals as they took there; as they sometimes discussed their secret work while eating it was policy to keep clear from other diners, and at the same time lower their voices, since walls may have ears, and even hide dictaphones that record every spoken word.

“Yeou never said truer words, ole top,” Perk agreed in his odd fashion. “Scofflaws aplenty to keep our crowd busy for years ahead. Say, d’ye know I been readin’ a heap ’bout a smart guy they say calls hisself King Cole – seems like he got a hole in the wall ’way out in the wildest part o’ the Rockies, an’ jest laughs at the boys from Washington to size him up.”

“I recollect you talking of him more than a few times, Perk; from which fact I had a hunch you might be wishing the Chief’d turn over the assignment for apprehending him to our hands – is that correct, partner?”

“Don’t care if I do have to acknowledge the corn, matey; someheow that dickey grabbed a stiff hold on my thinkin’ box – why, onct I even dreamed we’d cornered him with his gay crowd, an’ was commencin’ to exchange shots with the bunch, when I woke up, an’ felt too cheap for anything to know it was on’y hot air.”

Jack laughed as he seated himself.

“I remember how furious you were, and saying it was a shame to be cheated that way, eh, Perk?”

They gave their orders, and were presently partaking of what the waiter set before them; afterwards retiring, as though already knowing they would call should they require further service. This afforded Perk another opportunity to “use his tongue,” a vocation that gave him the utmost enjoyment.

“Jest occurred to me them paper accounts sez as haow his bees’-nest was located in a stretch ’tween two o’ the highest mountain ranges in the hull country o’ the Rockies – called the secret settlement Happy Valley; which I opine sounds a right queer name for a den o’ pizenous human snakes, sech as the Law wants f’r ’bout ev’ry crime on the calendar.”

“No accounting for tastes, buddy,” Jack told him. “It might feel that way to men against whom the hand of every honest person was raised. Most of his crowd, I read, was believed to be reckoned the scum of the earth, who were wanted for nearly every crime going – murderers, bank cashiers who’d robbed the institutions of which they had been the head; and all such black sheep, outlawed from decent society by their crimes and misdemeanors.”

Perk grinned amiably, as though what his companion had just said made no difference to him – that he still wished from the bottom of his heart they were commissioned to undertake the dangerous task of breaking up the settlement in that so-called Paradise of fugitives.

“Don’t faize me any when yeou talk that way, boy,” he told his companion, with one of his amused chuckles that seemed to come up from his toes, “The more stuff yeou gotter bump up agin the better I like it – cain’t be too tough for a hill-billy like me – that’s what they calls the boys daown in the Ozarks, where I put in near a hull year huntin’ precious stones in the earth, an’ never findin’ enuff to git me my grub. Another o’ them memories as comes along withaout warnin’, to ha’nt me.”

“Perk, you promised me once that some fine day you’d make a start at that memory book, covering all your activities since you were knee-high to a duck – I’m going to press you to really start in doing the job, Perk; it will make a book well worth reading, if only half of all the adventures you’ve told me about are included. Now, don’t forget your promise, for I’ll hold you to it the next layoff we have float our way.”

“I sure hate to do it, partner; but seein’ I did give yeou my solemn word I s’pose I’ll jest have to keep my promise; but it’ll seem to me like a heap o’ blarney an’ boastin’. My loose tongue sure gets me into a nest o’ scrapes, which ain’t one bit pleasin’ to sech a shy gink as me.”

Ah! Perk’s eyes opened wider as he saw the other make a quick movement with his hand, as though suddenly remembering the mysterious letter thrust under the door of their room, and bearing that long blue stamp that signified special service, quick delivery to the person addressed.

Sure enough Jack drew the missive out, and proceeded to cut the end of the envelope, using a table knife for the purpose.

Shooting a quick glance across the table in the direction of his chum, he smiled slightly, as though very well knowing how Perk was eating his heart up with curiosity.

Perk stopped feeding, as his abstraction was so intense he hardly knew the way to his mouth – both eyes were glued on Jack’s face, as if he hoped to read the answer to the riddle there, a thing that had never as yet come within the scope of his knowledge, since Jack could hide his emotions under an assumed indifference that baffled interpretation.

It seemed that Jack had read every word of the letter, although there were several enclosures yet to be gone over; however he appeared as if he had picked up certain intelligence of such a drastic character as to make him sit there mulling it all over, and possibly trying to dovetail things together.

Perk, poor fellow, could stand the awful suspense no longer.

“Well, ole scout, ain’t yeou thinkin’ ’baout lettin’ me into the game – I somehaow take it fur granted there’s news come ’long that’s agoin’ to start us off agin follerin’ the air trails on the heels o’ some skunks what got themselves outside the law. Lay off, partner, an’ gimme a run fur my money, won’t yeou?”

CHAPTER V
The Cat is Out of the Bag

Jack looked at Perk, and smiled.

“I certainly must ask your pardon, old chap,” he hastened to say; “for keeping you in the dark so long. Fact is, what came to me in this letter gave me such food for thought I clean forgot you were my side partner, and entitled to my full confidence. Forgive it, Perk, wont you?”

“Sure thing, Jack; then I kinder guess the letter must be from Headquarters?”

“No other, Perk.”

“What’s in the wind this time?” demanded the other, eagerly; as though his nostrils could already sniff the burnt powder that went with action.

“That’s a fair question, and I’ll try to answer you,” said Jack. “It isn’t the mere fact that we’re ordered to duty once more, that I was thinking about just now, because such a thing comes along every once in so often in the exercise of our duties – but strangely enough our meeting up to-day with the family of a man we’d help put in jail doesn’t seem to bring our queer list of coincidences to a halt.”

“Hot-diggetty-dig! naow yeou got me a guessin’ good an’ hard, partner – go to it, an’ explain what yeou mean.”

“Well, it looks as if a wish you expressed only a short time ago was going to be fulfilled,” Jack told him.

“Haow come, buddy?” queried Perk.

“We were talking about a certain scoundrel who’s name we’ve seen so often of late in the papers – remember, Perk?”

An expression of sublime delight passed over the face of Gabe Perkiser; showing how he understood, and what a sense of exhileration the knowledge afforded him.

“Kinder guess naow, Jack, yeou might be meanin’ that same Ole King Cole like he goes to call hisself – the brazen guy that makes all kinds o’ fun o’ Secret Service mokes – is that the answer, brother?”

Jack nodded in a way that could have only one meaning.

“Okay, Perk; you’re on.

“Shake on that, young feller – it’s the most glorious news I ever did get outen Washington. If half what they says turns aout to be true, we’re in fur the hot time o’ aour life, seems like.”

“You never can tell, partner, which way the cat will jump – sometimes when you’re expecting an easy windup things get mighty tough; then again if you’re looking for a hard battle it sometimes turns out to be just a mere walkover – a flash in the pan. We have to take things as we find them, and let it go at that.”

“Ole King Cole sent aout his nasty defi to the hull Secret Service crowd, an’ so far he’s been able to give the boys the nasty grand laugh; but they say a pitcher may go to the well jest onct too many times – mebbe we might be the lucky ones to smash the same, pronto.”

“I’ve read that two different men of our staff have disappeared, after getting hot on the trail of this band of scoundrels; which goes to tell us they’re a hard-boiled bunch, who wont stop at committing any crime so as to keep out of the pen.”

Perk only grinned, as though the tougher they came the more he liked them.

“That’s all right Jack, I’m best suited when they make ’em that way,” he hastened to assure his chum; although really there was no need of his thus doing, since Jack knew him like a book, with all his good qualities, and shortcomings as well.

“Are you through eating?” asked the other; and on receiving an affirmative nod he continued: “all right, suppose we adjourn to our room for a conference, where we can be dead certain of not being overheard. There are a few other things to tell that may open your eyes still further, as they did mine; besides, the Big Boss enclosed a few clippings, and typed reports, for us to study, as he believes they will give us some important clues that are going to be of considerable help in tracking these outlaws to their den.”

“Gee whiz! things do seem to be headin’ aour way, don’t they though, Jack? Yeou said there might be a sudden turn in the game, an’ she sure enough did come hoppin’ ’long, to make me laugh, an’ feel so like singin’.”

“Well, please don’t start that racket here, partner; if ever they heard you singing they’d certainly put the bars against us; and we both like the chow in this same little restaurant, remember.”

“Go easy on a feller whose education in music must a been neglected when he was a kid. An’ Jack, mebbe so yeou’ll let me set my lamps on that ere document, onct we get indoors at aour quarters.”

“You’re going to know everything that I do, Perk; that goes without question; for how could we work together as a team if we pulled contrarywise?”

Leaving the eatinghouse they were soon back in their comfortable room, where they could take things easy while laying out plans for the near future.

Perk started his favorite pipe going, as though getting ready to be vastly entertained by what was in prospect; he always looked as though at peace with the whole world, even counting those who defied the law to keep them from doing whatever they pleased, however it might turn out for other people – such was the beneficial effects of tobacco on his system, for there were times when he could never be supremely happy until he got his pipe going full blast.

“Naow fur it, partner;” he opened up with, “I’m settled, an’ ready to imbibe the hull kittin’ story, with nawthin’ bein’ held back, like yeou promised me.”

“I’m meaning to read the letter to you first, and then later on you can pore over it yourself, making a mental photograph of the contents, so that every sentence can be recalled from memory upon occasion.”

This was the way Jack generally arranged things, for he knew just how to work so as to get Perk fully interested; and accustomed to the programme the other had never been known to take exception to Jack’s methods.

“I get yeou, partner,” was Perk’s comment; “it’s part o’ aour reg’lar programme to learn the big points o’ aour job, so we aint agoin’ to be rattled when we come to settle daown to work.”

“Now fix your mind on what I’m going to read, and forget everything else but the one business we’re being given to carry through.”

Accordingly Jack commenced, with Perk occasionally asking some pertinent question, which was cheerfully answered by the reader.

“Now,” observed Jack later on, “we’ve covered much that the Chief has had taken down by his stenographer; but the windup of the whole matter is the heart of the story; you want to hold your breath while I read it out to you, because, unless I miss my guess, you’re in for the biggest shock of your life.”

“Hot-diggetty-dig! that sounds right ser’us, partner, she shore do; but I’ll stiffen aout, grip the sides o’ my chair, an’ gulp it all in like a thirsty broncho would fresh water after comin’ in from the sandy desert. Hit ’er up!”

“Listen then to what he writes here,” Jack was saying, soberly, yet keeping an eye on Perk’s tell-tale face, which he never could wholly control: “‘The enclosed suggestions are clippings, and reports from some of our agents who had started out to track this ugly gang to its secret hideout. Taken collectively and individually they will convince you as to the character of many of the knotty problems you will have to solve before success can be your reward in smashing this new King Cole mob of law breakers, cattle thieves, bank robbers, and what-not along the line of up-to-date crime.

“‘So you will understand the magnitude of this business when I tell you it is not only suspected, but fully believed, this so-called King Cole is an old offender, sailing under a new name – none other than a clever convict whose escape from the Atlanta penitentiary some months ago has been purposely kept a state secret, in hopes of its being helpful in locating his whereabouts, and bringing him back to his empty cell, with the penalty of having his sentence lengthened on account of his flight – an arrangement that so far has not been in the least profitable or successful.

“‘You will understand what I mean when I tell you the name of this rascal, whom I remember you and your comrade had the high honor of bringing before the courts, and starting on the road to the Government institution – it is’” – Jack paused to watch Perk’s eager face, and then added with considerable force: “‘it is Slippery Slim Garrabrant!’”

CHAPTER VI
Laying Plans

“Oh! my gosh!”

So completely staggered did Perk seem to have become at the disclosure made by Jack, that he sat there, incapable of motion, just staring at his companion in the manner of a man who thinks he sees a hobgoblin.

“Slim – Slim Garrabrant!” he finally mustered up enough breath to almost whisper, looking a bit awed, Jack thought.

“No other, partner,” his pal assured him, cheerfully. “You know how we were 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 ’bout him aturnin’ aout to be the lucky dog as skipped aout o’ the pen, giving Uncle Sam the laugh. Go on an’ tell me some more. Kinder looks like we’d got to roll aour hoop up agin that Smart Aleck again, ’fore we get him caged for keeps.”

“Well, I don’t know about that, matey,” Jack told him, frowning as he spoke; “but if they do get him back alive in his cell they’ll keep closer tabs on Slim, you can wager. But the devil of it is, can he ever be retaken? Both of us have good reason to remember what a big job we had on our hands the other time; which isn’t to be compared with what we’ll stack up against now.”

Perk had by this time succeeded in getting back his customary self reliance, when he would scoff at such a word as “can’t.” He screwed his face up in what evidently was intended to be a sneer, as he went on to say:

“Huh! that ere is the last thing to worry me, buddy. Yeou an’ me, guess we make a team not easy to beat. When we git started we’ll jest give that gink a knock fur a goal, an’ clinch the game for keeps. But like as not we orter be makin’ up aour plans, hadn’t we, Jack?”

“Certainly,” responded the other, calmly; “but first of all let it be distinctly understood in the beginning there’s no need of any undue hurry.”

“Course not,” agreed Perk, wagging his head in the affirmative, as was his usual habit when Jack was laying down the law.

“While of course we’ll not loiter on the way,” continued the head man of the combination; “just the same we must not do anything that’s going to interfere with our customary efficiency – no going off at half-cock, like a 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 thing happenin’ with yeou runnin’ the lead, I give yeou my affidavy on that same.”

“That’s all blarney, Perk; and don’t depend on my being free from stumbling in the dark – I’m only human, and can make silly mistakes, like every known pilot – even Lindbergh’s had the misfortune to smash his landing gear when making an ascent, and with the girl he afterwards married, remember.”

“Sure thing, Jack, but didn’t he manage a wonderful landin’, an’ keep from a bad smashup, on’y hurtin’ his shoulder in the jam?”

“Yes, and Perk, some people attribute his escape to good luck; but I know full well it was his skill in understanding just what to do in an emergency.”

“Well, what’s aour programme agoin’ to be?” demanded the other.

“First of all, then, we’ve got to study those enclosures the Chief sent in his letter – they’ll give us a good many important points, and it may be locate this secret hideout of the crowd that’s bothering Uncle Sam so much. 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 of the whole Rockies,” continued Jack, “of course it’ll be necessary for us to carry a big cargo of stuff along – plenty of supplies in the line of grub, 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, and some of the destructive ones, such as we’ve been forced to make use of before.”

“Sounds okay to me, ole hoss,” Perk assented, looking particularly well pleased at the possibility of wild action, which these preliminary remarks of his leader seemed to presage – doubtless his wonderful memory carried him back to the previous occasion when they went out after Slim Garrabrant, and dragged him before the bar of justice, a feat which earned them the commendation of the Big Chief, as well as a nice step upwards in the way of increased pay.

Although in many things Perk took no man’s dust when it came to a knowledge of flying activities, and air knowledge; just the same he felt it no disgrace to “sit at the feet” of his best pal, and imbibe information when the plan of campaign was being laid out – Perk freely admitted he was “not so good,” along such lines – ready to shift the responsibility to Jack’s shoulders, yet joyfully bear his share of all subsequent action.

The papers were divided up, and both of them read steadily for some time, occasionally exchanging observations, with Perk asking frequent questions concerning matters that were not quite clear to his rather slow mind.

In this fashion, just as wise Jack knew would be the case, both of them gradually got “heated up,” with the fervor of the case – indeed, this view of matters was also taken by his companion, since Perk declared it made him think of how they used to get a tracking hound to smell some garment worn by the child that was lost, so he could take the trail, and follow 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 about keeping our light hidden under a bushel. Men who follow our dangerous profession must never get themselves in the public prints if it can be avoided; and as for standing up to be in the spotlight, so all people can 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 had been unusually successful in landing their man, Perk had shown a disposition to talk a bit too much – grant interviews to newspaper reporters, who were apt to go into details covering some of the ways such sleuths outwitted those whom they hunted; all of which was bad for their being successful in forthcoming missions of like character, since the lawbreakers would avidly seize upon all such printed matter, to size up the methods that were utilized in bringing about the downfall of men of their stamp.

“Yeah, course that’s the right thing – we’ll jest keep aour own counsel an’ 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 as sleuth hounds if we didn’t work undercover, Jack.”

“Fine for you, brother,” he was told; “I’m tickled pink to know you’re waking up to the necessity for Secret Service men keeping away from the glare of publicity, even if they have to lose much credit; like editors of the big newspapers, who never put even their initials to the strong articles they write everyday.”

In this fashion did Jack usually apply himself to eradicating certain weaknesses that afflicted his best pal, knowing that in so doing he was helping Perk to become more efficient; also more valuable in the service of the Government.

After some hours spent in this fashion, they found themselves pretty well inoculated with the most salient points connected with their latest task; and both of them were glad when it began to grow dark, with supper in prospect.

“I rather think we’re pretty well fed up on this stuff,” Jack finally took occasion to remark, getting up from his easy-chair, and stretching his cramped legs; “so how about dropping it all, and going out to feed our complaining tummies?”

“I aint got any objections to that ere business, buddy,” Perk quickly observed, following suit in leaving his seat, and going through certain motions such as office sitters carry out in accordance with radio instructions each and every morning, before going forth to the daily grind. “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 the Coast here, an’ even the never-to-be-forgotten schoolbell; but for me they aint nawthin’ to make my heart sing with joy like the good ole-fashioned dinnerbell.”

“You’ve got plenty of company in that same worship, Perk,” the other told 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 must have three meals a day – yes, and with men, their regular smoke as well.”

After leaving their cozy room, to walk along the street, business was tabooed; they must forget such personal affairs, and talk of anything under the sun save what engrossed their minds chief of all.

Jack had stressed this point when laying down that rule for their guidance, saying practically as follows:

“We don’t understand as yet just what the ramifications or extent of this combination of lawbreakers is; for all we know they may be organized, and doing such a big business that they can employ spies in certain cities, to pick up valuable pointers; informing them of profitable strikes on Western trails, and along railroads where treasure is being daily carried east and west; besides that, these spies would be on the watch to learn of plans for bringing members of the gang to justice – for all we know they have been keeping tabs on our movements right along; and may be in possession of considerable knowledge covering our 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 a public eating place never talk shop, especially if the room is full, as is always the case here at suppertime.”

There was always so much common sense in what Jack advanced that Perk could seldom grumble, no matter if he did not wholly agree with his partner. Besides, there were so many interesting matters, as given out in the daily prints, and along the line of aviation stunts, that they need never lack for material to carry on their careless chatter as they dined, and watched their neighbors, after the usual manner of detectives on or off duty, seeking to further add to their information as to the possible presence of eavesdroppers.