CHAPTER XIWhere War Once Broke Out
Shortly afterwards the two adventurers found themselves looking down at as entrancing an air picture as it would be possible to conceive; with Charleston Harbor stretching out to its furtherest extent before them.
“See that island over yonder, partner,” said the admiring Perk, pointing as he spoke; “I kinder—reckons naow as haow that might be where ole Fort Sumter stood, durin’ the war ’tween the States—yeou knows weuns daown hyah allers speaks o’ that little flareup that way, ’stead o’ callin’ it the Civil War.”
“So I understood, Wally, and I’m glad to find out you’re so well posted on such facts, as it strengthens your position considerably. When you’re in Dixie it’s just as well to follow the crowd, and do as all true Southerners do.”
It was a charming morning, the air “salubrious,” as Perk said more than once, and everything seemed favorable to the success of their great undertaking—as far as they had gone, which was not anything to boast of.
Perk had already pointed out the landing field they were aiming to patronize, and of course the pilot circled the stretch several times, as he began to lose his altitude.
There was but little wind, and that favorable for making a successful landing. Then, too, a number of men had started to run toward the spot where indications pointed to their touching the ground, so they would not lack for any assistance required.
But Jack swung a trifle, and made contact shortly ahead of the foremost runner; the gliding, bumping ship gradually came to a complete stop, and both of them had hopped out of their cabin by the time several runners, breathing heavily from their exertions, reached the spot.
Jack was as suave and smiling as ever, a faculty that always made him “hail fellow well met” with most people. He picked out a party bearing the appearance of one in authority, and who, seeing his friendly nod, hastened up, holding out his hand with real Southern warmth.
“Welcome to Charleston, suh,” he observed as they clasped hands, evidently understanding that the new arrival was not familiar with the ground, being apparently a stranger to the airport; which in itself was nothing remarkable in these days of fast increasing aviation strides, with new people coming and going on the up-to-date airways almost every day.
“My name is Warrington, and I am from New York City, down here for the shore shooting. This is my pilot and guide, Wally Corkendall, from Birmingham, Alabama. I wish to set my Fokker in a safe hangar for an indefinite space of time, for we shall have to make use of an amphibian during our month of sport, as it will be necessary to make many a night’s camp on the waters of your wonderful bays and rivers. Would you kindly put me in touch with the party who has charge of such arrangements; I should expect to pay a week in advance and continue the same during the time of my stay.”
That could be easily arranged, since it happened he himself was in charge of all such matters, the gentleman courteously informed his new guest; apparently sizing Jack up as a young man of wealth, willing to pay the price, no matter how much it cost, in order to enjoy himself to the utmost.
So the ship was properly housed, and Jack took pains to observe a lock on the doors, for which one of two keys was handed to him later on, after he had stepped over to the office, and finished arrangements by paying the sum agreed upon.
“Anything we can do to help make your stay in our city pleasant, suh, you can depend on it we shall be only too delighted to do,” said the gentleman, as the taxi which he had ordered came along, to take them to the hotel he had recommended as a quiet restful place, with a genuine old-fashioned Southern table known far and wide by travelers, and now being patronized by many air-minded tourists.
Perk had carried himself most commendably; this was easily done since he never once opened his mouth to say a single word, only grinned amiably whenever the courteous master of ceremonies said anything complimentary.
They were speedily booming along toward the adjacent city, with curious Perk bobbing his head this way and that, eager to see anything and everything that came in sight.
“Say, haow fine it seems to know yeou’re onct again back in yeour native clime,” Perk observed, talking rather loud, possibly for the chauffeur to catch, and then again because he was still a bit deaf, after so many hours with the clamor of a running airship ding-donging in his ears much of the time. “Talk ’bout yeour beautiful North, in my ’pinion it doant hold a candle to aour Sunny South, with its balmy air, the songs o’ the mockin’-birds, the merry laughter o’ the niggers, an’ a thousand other things yeou never do forgit.”
“Oh! you Dixie boys are all alike—nothing can ever wean you from your love for cotton fields, tobacco plantations, sugarcane brakes, and all such typical things of the South; but I like to hear you talk that way, Wally; it’s in the blood, and can’t be eradicated.”
“Yes suh, that’s what I reckon it shore is,” and Perk relapsed into silence, possibly to ponder over that last word of Jack’s, and try to get its true meaning.
He was soon deeply interested in what he saw, for Charleston is full of wonderful sights, to Northern eyes at least—fully on a par with quaint New Orleans, and Mobile—the iron lattices fronting many old-fashioned houses with double galleries—the churches that date back two hundred years at least, with their burial grounds filled with dingy looking stones and monuments, on which could be found chiseled numerous famous names of families connected with the history of this typical sub-tropical city—and occasional glimpses could be caught of that wonderful bay which is Charleston’s pride and boast.
At the hotel they were speedily ensconced in a double room that boasted two beds—Jack usually looked to having things arranged that way when feasible, as Perk was a nervous sleeper, and apt to fling his arm across the face of any one alongside. It also afforded them a splendid view from the windows.
“I shore do hope, partner, you’re reckonin’ on aour havin’ some fodder ’fore we tackle any business; ’case my tummy it’s agrowlin’ somethin’ fierce; so I jest caint hold aout much longer an’ feel peaceable—have a heart, buddy, fo’ a guy what was born hungry, and gets thataway five times every day.”
“That’s all right, Perk,” he was told, with a smile; “here are our bags, and we can fix up a bit, for I feel that a bath would do me a heap of good. Suppose we get busy, and by the time we look civilized again it will be twelve, which you remember the clerk told us was when the doors of the diningroom were thrown open.”
“Gee! I only hope I kin hold aout till then,” lamented poor Perk; “when I lamped the window display o’ a boss restaurant while we come along I had a yen to jump aout, an’ duck into the same, things looked so tantalizin’ like.”
“I can understand that yearning of yours, brother; but the sooner we get busy the quicker we’ll be sitting down with our knees under a table, and ordering a full dinner for two. Go to it then, while I take a warm dip.”
The agony ended eventually, and as it was then a quarter after twelve they decided to go down to the lobby, and partake of the fare which had been cracked up to them as especially fine, as well as indicative of typical Southern cooking—Perk kept harping on that same string until Jack whispered to him he must not overdo the matter.
Apparently they found everything to their liking, for they remained in the diningroom almost a full hour; and when they came out Perk was breathing unusually hard, like a person who has done heroic duty in an effort to show the hotelchefhe appreciated his culinary arts.
“We’ll take things easy in our room for a short while,” Jack informed his chum, as they ascended by means of the “lift” or elevator. “Along about halfpast two I’ll call up my friend, and distant relative, Mr.—er, oh! yes, Mr. Casper Herriott, and make some arrangement for joining him tonight at his home—I’ve always been a bit eager to see. just what sort of family my—er second cousin Casper might have, and this will be an excellent opportunity to satisfy that—eryen, as you would say.”
“Huh! jest so, suh, an’ it shore pleases me to see how loyal yeou are to yeour illustrious fambly tree—second cousin is real good, I’d say, suh, mighty good connection.”
“Take it all seriously, partner, even when we’re snug in our own room—such things need constantpractice, and shouldn’t be thrown off and on just as the occasion arises; such a habit breeds carelessness, you must know.”
“Jest so, suh, jest so; I takes the hint, okay,” gurgled Perk.