CHAPTER XIIITHE HOP-OFF
Leaving the hotel, after settling their account, and still making use of the taxi with its accommodating driver, Jack and his comrade had taken what small amount of hand luggage they possessed along with them, not meaning to come back again.
Mr. Adkins had recommended a small but unique restaurant run by a buxom French madame, where they could have a Creole supper, such as would long haunt their memories as a genuine treat and it was to this place they ordered their driver to convey them.
Both of them felt fairly convinced they had been shadowed during the afternoon, although so carefully must this have been accomplished they had no positive proof to make it what Perk would term a “dead certainty.”
They really did have a delightful “feed,” and the dishes set before them were as a rule complete mysteries although the obliging madame, seeing they were tasting her triumphs of the Frenchchef’sart for the first time, gladly explained the nature of the food they consumed with so much gusto.
Perk was fascinated with his supper, and inwardly vowed that this should not be the last time he would partake of tasty Creole dishes. This duty fulfilled, they faced the next progressive step in their night’s program—making for the aviation field, and boarding their ship for a speedy takeoff, their ultimate goal neither of them could say just where, save that if all went well they expected to be somewhere along the California border within the next few days.
The taxi was waiting, with the chauffeur on the alert. He had already been advised of the fact that they anticipated having some parties attempt to spy upon them as evening settled down and on this account he had maintained a strict watch for troublesome visitors who might even attempt to threaten him with bodily injury unless he agreed to enter into their plans for delaying the flight of the two flyers, as he knew his passengers to be from what he had been told.
“Well, I see our taxi’s still on deck, partner,” observed Perk, just as if he might have suspected they would find it missing, with a detail of grim city police waiting to escort them to the lockup, they to be held in durance vile until serious charges against them could be sifted.
“Nothing came along to bother you, Henri?” asked Jack of the smiling driver, who laughed as he said in reply:
“I haf seen one beeg hulk of ze man hanging around, M’sieu, and looking as if he would like to eat me up but me, I haf been an old soldier in the Grand Army of France, and I think he did not like the way I throw my chest out thees way, and walk as eef I am on guard duty; he did not address a single word to me, but just a little while ago he disappear—I think he may haf gone to get more courage out of ze glass.”
“Good boy, Henri,” said the grinning Perk, clapping a hand on the stalwart chauffeur’s shoulder; “for myself I should not like to tackle you when you have your fighting face all set. Let’s go.”
So they were off, and heading out in the direction of the aviation grounds, with the first shadows of approaching evening gathering around them. Perk may have been more or less nervous, in anticipation of something coming to pass that would seriously cripple their plans for a speedy flight, since he kept turning his head from side to side and scrutinizing every one they saw upon the streets they traversed.
Henri maintained a fairly good speed, all the law would permit, so that few cars passed them on the road. Perk managed to watch closely, and never a motor came booming along in their wake, honking to announce the driver’s intention to pass by, than he had his eyes glued on the car and continued to pay strict attention until it had crept well up ahead.
But after all nothing out of the way came to pass, and eventually they reached the aviation field where they found lights already in play, since a delayed air mail ship was hovering over signaling for better illumination. There was some small damage in regard to the steering gear, making it a bit risky to try a landing unless the field was brilliantly lighted.
“You made an arrangement with a couple of the ground force to hang around so as to help us get the crate out okay, didn’t you, Perk?” queried Jack, as they drew up close to the particular hangar where they had seen their plane placed in quarters.
“Yeah, I sure did, Jack,” the other replied. “Must be they’re over where that crate hanging overhead means to land—somethin’ wrong mebbe but they gimme their word to stay around till we got here—there, I c’n lamp the guys runnin’ thisaways right now, so it’s okay, partner.”
“Yes, I see them coming,” returned the other, himself a bit relieved, since the intended departure was a most important episode in their plans, and to meet with any sort of a setback would be most aggravating indeed.
The two mechanicians quickly arrived, the hanger was unlocked and opened so as to permit the exit of the ship. First of all both flyers hastened to don their working togs, then fasten on the ’chutes with the harness necessary for the purpose, all working smoothly and finally clapping their helmets on their heads, with the earflaps secured to keep things in readiness for any emergency that might crop up.
This being accomplished, Jack gave the word to have the heavy ship dragged out into the open. He knew that his assistant would have looked after everything essential to their comfort during the coming flight for Perk was one of those dependable fellows who carry out orders with machine-like regularity.
A few parties had hastened up to see what was going on but so far as Perk could tell they were either workers connected with the field, or else visitors from the city, who had lingered to watch the landing of the air mail, so as to tell how it was done when they reached their several homes, to partake of a late supper.
Now the ship had been swung around so as to head into the west, since the soft evening breeze was coming from that quarter and everything seemed in readiness for the take-off.
Perk, still surveying his surroundings as if still cherishing a fragment of his former suspicions that all might not be as lovely as surface indications would announce, started to climb aboard. Jack on his part was handing some money to the two men, not wishing to leave a single thing unpaid when passing out from New Orleans—there was nothing to be done about their use of the hangar, since Mr. Adkins had assured him that matter had already been taken care of, regardless of how long they chose to linger in the Crescent City.
Jack, too, cast a last glance around, just as he would have done had he still been with the air mail service and about to start off on his customary night flight with the north-bound sacks of letters and the express matter that vent along.
Just then he heard Perk give vent to a hurried exclamation:
“Get aboard, partner; I guess the measly critters are acomin’ down on us like hot cakes right now. Lookit how they start arunnin’ thisaway, will you?”
Jack did not bother looking, as every second might be valuable; he climbed aboard with alacrity, and settled down in his seat; at the same time calling out to the helpers to stand aside. Then he pulled the gun, with the motor responding instantly, so well had Perk done his work when checking up the ship that morning.
Perk was still glueing his eyes on the several figures now racing madly in their general direction, and waving their arms wildly; no doubt they had started to shout in addition, but the descending air mail crate was making more or less racket, which, added to by their own motor’s thunder, prevented any one from hearing what they may have been whooping.
Perk was trembling with an excess of emotion—evidently they had just escaped “by the skin of their teeth,” for he felt certain he could distinguish the uniforms of the police in the little bunch of runners.
“Played your hand just a mite too late, gents!” Perk was whooping as he in turn waved a mocking adieu backward; “thought you’d ketch a weasel asleep, I guess, but not so easy, you gate crashers. Wow! here we go spinnin’ along like the wind, and it’s goodnight to the bunch. Huh! shootin’ at us, air you—jest awastin’ ammunition, that’s all, boys. Go ’way back an’ sit down.”
Then Jack lifted her in an upward fling, and they were off like a startled hawk!