XXVIION THE DANGEROUS TRAIL
The horses being fresh after the all-night bivouac, the little party made good time along the crooked trail. Perk was enjoying himself to the limit, taking in all the old familiar sights—how well he remembered different happenings that were connected with this, or that special spot; indeed, he found it hard to believe some years had passed since he followed this path between Frazer’s trading-post of the great Hudson’s Bay Fur Company, and the Mounties’ further north station.
It was going on nine when they again came in sight of the long log building that housed the factor and his belongings—such as Hawk and his bold crowd had left untouched during their recent raid.
All seemed peaceful at the post, although the ashes marking the burned annex told how some unusual event must have recently taken place.
They found Old Jimmy getting along as well as could be expected, but anxious for the coming of the doctor, in whom he had every confidence in the world. A superficial examination quickly put Dr. Hamilton in possession of sufficient knowledge upon which to base a verdict.
“Nothing very serious, McGregor,” he told the factor, in a cheery tone that did much to dissipate any fears the other may have entertained as to the outcome of his wounds.
Jack and Perk too, were relieved, for both of them had reason to feel a burden was lifted from their hearts—Perk because of his old friendship for the factor; and Jack on account of his having given “first aid” to the victim of the lawless Hawk’s latest raid.
Turning to Jack Dr. Hamilton surveyed him with kindling eyes.
“If, as you said, young man,” he told the flyer, “you are only an amateur at handling cases like this, I want to tell you everything has been carried out in a way that would not have shamed the best of surgeons. Jimmy will owe a lot to your skillful work. And let me further say most earnestly, that if at some future date it ever occurs to you to change your profession, should you choose to follow that of surgery, I can easily predict a more than ordinary success awaits you—remember that, Jack.”
“Can you tie that?” burst out the grinning Perk, who seemed more tickled at hearing these words of praise than was the blushing recipient himself. “I kinder guessed my best pal was topnotch ’long them lines when I watched him adoin’ his stuff. So Jack, in case you ever do get knocked out o’ the cloud-chasin’ game, plenty o’ time left to climb up the ladder in the surgical ward.”
Jack hurriedly left the room, although it would have been only natural for him to feel a little thrill at being thus praised by a professional man whom he had already begun to hold in high esteem.
Perk joined him outside, but was kept from doing much talking by the necessity of carrying out a number of needful errands. They did not expect to waste any unnecessary time hanging about the post—the trail was already cold, and it was essential that they get on the move as speedily as possible. Jack well knew what difficult, and perhaps even sanguine work still remained to be accomplished, and as usual was eager to get it all over with.
“We can’t hang fire in this business,” he was telling Perk, who perhaps did not look at things in quite the same light, since his nature differed from that of his companion; “and until I see our man trussed up, to await our pleasure in hopping off for the border, I’ll not have a peaceful moment. From now on this has to be a whirlwind campaign, and no mistake—get that, partner?”
“Huh! pleases me okay, ol’ hoss,” the other told him, nodding his head vigorously; “I’m in the game up to my neck, an’ with me it sure is ‘Pike’s Peak—or Bust!’”
“We’ll take a little time to look over our stuff,” suggested Jack, the always wise worker, who seldom left the slightest thing undone, and consequently, like other cautious sky pilots, seldom had a real accident overtake him. “Make sure you’ve got plenty of cartridges for your gun, and than add another belt for good measure, because you never can tell what may happen, and it’s best to be on the safe side—as a fire insurance agent once said on his advertising cards, it’s ‘better tohaveinsurance, and notneedit; than toneedinsurance and nothaveit.’”
“Yeah! I know it, Jack, boy,” admitted Perk, “even if sometimes I do get caught nappin’, an’ have a peck o’ trouble ’count o’ my carelessness. I’m set to carry along every shell I fetched up here with me—this is the job they’re meant for, an’ why be a miser ’bout it?”
“That’s the ticket, partner,” Jack told him, apparently quite satisfied he had started his companion on the right road—Perk sometimes had to be “shown,” and then he would follow to the bitter end.
Red Lowden had also been making sure nothing was forgotten, so far as he could tell. Of course he was somewhat in the dark as to just what means Jack meant to employ in order to bring about the success of the undertaking; but in the short time he had known the young Secret Service detective he had realized the capacity the other exhibited for handling just such intricate cases—if it were not so the astute Head of the Organization at Washington would never have entrusted this difficult problem to his hands.
Of course, from this time forward it would be Sergeant Lowden who would take the lead, since he knew the country, and it was all a puzzle to Jack—even Perk would not be half as well acquainted with the ground as the one who for a dozen years had been going over the entire district for a radius of probably fifty miles in all directions.
Then, too, should any difficulty arise they could put their heads together, and find a solution to the problem, since many hands make light work, according to the old saying.
While Jack and Perk were doing other things Red had taken a look at the tracks left by the raiders. Luckily no rain had fallen since they galloped away from the plucked post, and hence the imprints of their animals’ hoofs could still be plainly located.
Besides this, Red was depending considerably on certain secret information lately drifting in to Colonel Ascot, to help him out—as yet he had not said anything to Jack and Perk concerning this matter, but anticipated taking them both into his confidence before long, as it was essential they should understand just what resources he was banking upon in order to run the wolves to their secret den, the whereabouts of which had so long been unknown.
And so, about an hour after arriving at Frazer’s, the trio again rode forth, to bring about the finishing touches of their campaign.
Even Perk seemed sobered by the desperate character of the duties now devolving on the little party. Outnumbered at least two to one, possibly with even greater odds against them, they would surely need all the boldness and strategy with which they were endowed, in order to bring about a successful finish to the invasion of the enemy’s stronghold.
Sometimes they were compelled to go single-file on account of the narrow trail, alongside which great masses of mighty rocks were piled up; but in other places it was possible to ride three abreast; and these were the occasions when Jack and Red consulted, clearing up any foggy spots, so that they could work in unison when the time came for action.
Not a single incident occurred to take their attention from the fact that they were carrying their lives in their hands. Now and then the guide would pull up in order that he might make use of the binoculars (which Jack had taken pains to bring along) some suspicious clump of rocks such as would afford a most effective spot for an ambush needed closer observation; and Red was too cautious a ranger to rush into a trap when it could be avoided.
As they progressed Jack noticed how their guide gradually slowed down; from which circumstance he judged they must be nearing the hidden retreat of the plunderers. It gave him increased confidence in the sagacity of the Mounty sergeant, whose disposition corresponded more or less with his own.
Coming to a delightfully cold spring that bubbled up close to the trail, Red called a halt.
“A short rest will breathe the hosses,” Red was saying, after he had taken a good look at the trail beyond the wayside spring; “and by the same token I think it’s high time I told you both about a little trick of luck that came my way just a week or so back; ’specially since it’s got so much to do with the carrying out of this surround, and hoped-for haul.”