CHAPTER XXIIIAt the Rendezvous
The big amphibian, well loaded down, made a creditable take-off, and they were soon mounting up toward cloudland. As on the previous occasion there chanced to be a never ending flock of beautiful white fleecy clouds passing along, with the sun shining most of the time, since the banks of vapor were “light-weight,” as Perk poetically described them.
Looking back Perk took his last view of Charleston, a bit regretfully, since the quaint aspects of the city, connected with oldtime buildings, and other agreeable sights, had somehow gripped his heart.
Jack again soon headed off the coast, it being his intention, if the conditions were at all favorable, to drop down on the sea, and float there, waiting until the afternoon was well advanced before heading in to the shore.
After they had passed for many miles up the coast he picked out a spot—after being warned by the lookout that there were two large vessels standing off beyond the twenty-mile line, undoubtedly mother-ships loaded down with fresh supplies of contraband—where they could lie upon the surface of the water undetected by any one passing far above, or at such a distance away as the foreign ships appeared to lie.
Jack could not remember having ever known the restless Atlantic to remain almost perfectly calm for such a long stretch of time—he felt like taking it as a favorable sign concerning the carrying out of their individual great plan—even the elements were apparently in league to render them assistance, which he took it to be most kind and reassuring on their part.
Along about three in the afternoon Perk, again searching everywhere for some sort of discovery, announced that he had picked out a plane ducking in and out of the white battalions of clouds still passing overhead.
“Seems like she might be acomin’ from that quarter where we got aour hunch the landin’ field o’ their airships must lie,” he went on to say, as though his mind was made up along those lines. “Reckon as haow they caint pick weuns off daown hyah, suh, seein’ aour wings air abaout the same color as the sea all ’raound this same spot.”
“Not the least chance of such a thing, partner,” Jack assured him; “I had them colored that way purposely, seeing that we’d be likely to squat down this way when spying on the mother ship further out—not even if they have binoculars aboard, which they undoubtedly must, could any one make us out. Heading for that foreign steamship, isn’t that cloud chaser?”
“Straight away, suh, as sure as shootin’. Course they reckon on loadin’ up with somethin’ that’s aboard, an’ wants to git ashore the wust kind—mebbe a bunch o’ Chinks it might be; or else some sorter stuff like high-toned laces, Cape diamonds, or sech expensive big things as allers come in small packages.”
“At any rate,” Jack went on to mention, “they are heading for one of those two foreign boats further out. You say there were several speed boats and launches fast to the sides of the big freighters, when you glimpsed them? Strikes me things are breaking about right for our making a start in the big racket tonight—of course depending on Jethro’s bobbing up all serene.”
Perk followed the course of the airship dipping in and out of the cloud belt, and after quite some time had elapsed made his announcement.
“They sure is acomin’ daown ashootin’, Big Boss. Reckons as haow there must be a good hand at that ere stick, a lad as knows his business okay—there, he’s flattened aout, an’ takes things some easier, seein’ as haow the ship’s ready to make contact with the sea. Aint this a reg’lar picnic o’ a time, when weuns kin jest lay here like a gull afloatin’ on the water, an’ see haow them smugglin’ devils work things. Little do they suspect that there’s sumpin’ hangin’ heavy over ther heads, an’ liable to crash any ole minit from naow on.”
It was by now getting close to the time Jack figured on making a start. He planned on taking a leaf from the routine methods brought into service by the expert pilots manning the illegal air carriers, passing in and out from mother ship to their secret landing place—by making a high ceiling, and depend on a curtain of lofty clouds to effectually screen their presence while hopping over the danger zone.
“Time we skipped out of this,” he told Perk, who emitted a muffled roar which was possibly meant to be an expression akin to applause.
The waves were picking up somewhat in the bargain, which may have been one of the reasons why the ever cautious Jack wanted to get moving: he did not have any particular yearning for a headlong dash amidst rolling billows, such as might cause considerable trouble, even bring risk in their train should they find themselves compelled to make the venture.
However, they made the ascent without great trouble, even if there was a certain amount of splashing done. Perk looked pleased when the ship arose from its salt water contact, and began climbing at a steady pace.
Jack held out for some little time as though meaning to pass inshore far to the north of the point he was really aiming to attain; this he did to hoodwink any one who might chance to see them through strong glasses, and feel a little curious to know who they were, also, what their object could be in carrying on after such a fashion.
Eventually he turned more into the west; then, after passing over the shore line, faced due southwest, and sped on.
Finally when Perk warned them they were approaching their proposed landing-place Jack brought his charge lower until presently, as evening drew on apace, they could be seen sweeping along not five hundred feet above the tops of the tall cypress trees with their queer festoons of trailing Spanish moss.
Then came a glimpse of Black Water Bayou, bordered by the mysterious gloomy looking swamp, from whence had come all those uncouth sounds on the occasion of their stopover some time previously.
“Huh! mebbe we’ll git right ’customed to them awful noises,” Perk was assuring himself, as their pontoons glided along the smooth surface of the lonely lagoon, and the boat headed directly toward that artificial curtain behind which they had previously pocketed their “windjammer,” or as Perk sometimes called their craft the “crocodile”—partly because, as he affirmed, such a reptile was the only real amphibian, able to negotiate both land and water in turn, and feeling at home in both.
“So far, okay,” he observed, softly, after the boat had come to a stop, close to that friendly ambush where they could readily hide their craft should they choose to start forth with Jethro aboard his smaller ducking powerboat; “an’ naow let’s on’y hope the gink shows up on time.”
“I wouldn’t speak of Jethro in that sort of way, buddy,” remonstrated Jack. “It’s true he is a Southern cracker, without much education; but that I’d call his misfortune and not his fault. Mr. Herriott says he’s a chap with considerable principle, and his one weakness is about the wrongs this bunch of men have done him and his family. He is ready to encounter every risk if only he can show them up, cripple their big business, and possibly send some of the lot to Atlanta for a term of years.”
“I get yeou, partner,” said Perk, contritely; “shore didn’t mean anything by sayin’ what I did; an’ I’ll be glad to shake Jethro’s flipper whensoever we meet.”
“I knew you’d feel that way, Wally; and it may not be a great many minutes before the chance comes along.”
“Meanin’, I take it, Boss, he orter show up right soon?” demanded the other.
“This is the rendezvous place you know, where we agreed to wait for him,” explained Jack; “he, may be a bit late getting up here, for his boat is an old one; though Mr. Herriott did tell me he himself had had it fixed up some, to work a lot smoother—Uncle Sam stood the racket, too; and you know whenhefoots a bill nothing is too good to be utilized. We may be surprised when we see that same dinky powerboat.”
“As haow, partner?” queried Perk, his curiosity aroused immediately.
“Wait and see, brother,” Jack told him, tantalizingly. “Our first duty right now is to poke the nose of our airship back of this dandy natural curtain, where it just couldn’t be seen, unless a close search was being made, our plans possibly having been given away. That couldn’t happen in a coon’s age, we’ve been so cautious, so secretive, and made no confidents except Mr. Herriott—and through him necessarily Jethro. Take hold, and help me swing her along back of the trailing moss and vines.”
When this had been effected Jack again whispered:
“Listen while I give the signal, partner; if by any chance hostile ears were to catch the quacking of a duck, it could hardly excite the slightest notice; for such a sound often breaks out in the darkness of night down here, since a duck on the water acts as sentry to the sleeping flock. Here goes, then:”