correct, Mr. McGregor?" asked Jack, wishing to make certain, for a great
deal might depend on the question of elapsed time.
"I am no so sure, for I have not looked at my watch since being carried
in the house," the factor informed him, "but Birdseye here would know,
for he and the others were being herded in a bunch and kept under
several guns. That was after I had been so badly mauled and lay helpless
on the ground outside. They were in no great hurry--took their time,
feasted on a' the food they could stow away--did a lot more up in
bundles and wi' the choice pelts as well as a stock o' ammunition,
finally pulled out, leaving the few men next to helpless since their
guns had been carried awa'."
Taken in all, with a little imagination thrown in for good measure, Jack
could picture the stirring happening as the outlaws, having accomplished
all they planned to do, pulled up stakes and with jeering shouts as well
as waving their hats defiantly, left the scene of their daring foray.
"They certainly had their inning," he observed as he finished his fairly
decent surgical work and rose to his feet, "but I've an idea they're due
for a little surprise before long when the tables may be turned. I came
up here to hunt big game and if it happens to run on two legs, why,
what's the odds? A lot depends on how the colonel of the Mounties
happens to figure when he learns what's been going on around here--how
these scoundrels are snapping their fingers and saying to the devil with
the Mounties, whose glory has departed. I'm wondering just how it comes
the Hawk and his crowd have been able to stave off arrest this long and
if the reputation of your famous Northwest Police force has indeed been
eclipsed."
"Don't you b'lieve that for a second, Jack!" cried the aroused Perk,
jealous concerning the fame of the organization of which he used to be a
proud member, "chances are they've been after this bunch right along an'
even now may be settin' plans to net the hull gang--how 'bout that,
Uncle Jimmy?"
"There have been a number of fierce fights within the past year between
Colonel Ascot's troopers and the Hawk's gang--indeed, two of the
Mounties have lost the number of their mess and three others had to be
sent to the hospital at Winnipeg, seriously wounded in the encounters.
This Hawk is said to be the toughest nut ever doing business in all this
great region. He seems to bear a charmed life and bullets fail to bring
him down. The chances are, when you reach the post, it will be to find
that some sort of expedition is off on a seemingly warm trail for
whenever the Hawk plans to make one of his brilliant raids he always
fixes things so that the troopers will at the same hour be many miles
away, heading for some threatened post and out of communication."
Jack seemed very well satisfied with what he had gleaned--having been
dispatched these many hundreds of miles just to apprehend this bandit,
it pleased him to know what a thorn in the flesh Leonard Culpepper was
proving to be in the lives of the guardians of the Northwest Territory.
Perk too, was grinning as if his thoughts might be rather pleasant.
"Huh! if that skunk could be picked up an' carried back to the States
where he belongs," he went on to say with a chuckle, "I kinder guess
Colonel Ascot he'd sleep some sounder. Wall, let's hope it'll come to
pass afore many more days slip by."
Apparently neither Old Jimmy nor yet the ancient skin-gatherer Birdseye
noticed how Perk, a new-comer, seemed to know something they had never
before heard, about the Hawk having drifted up from across the border
but then in all the excitement taking place within the last few hours
such a slip could pass unnoticed.
XXIII
THE NORTHWEST MOUNTED POLICE POST
It was now high time they were once more afloat.
Jack was well content to be on the wing since apparently nothing more
was to be picked up at the devastated trading post. He and Perk should
be heading for the station of the Mounties, so as to inform their
commander with regard to what had happened at Frazer's, further south.
Accordingly, after telling the old factor not to worry as they meant to
start the Mounties on the way to the scene of the outrage with the least
possible delay, both he and Perk pressed the hand of the wounded man and
passed outside, followed by the admiring Birdseye who would never cease
from sounding the praises of Jack's surgical work.
The next thing to concern the pals was in line with their expected
hop-off. Would it be possible to make the jump from such a wretched
field, with its many bumpy spots calculated to cause the moving craft to
wobble fiercely?
Together they walked over the anticipated course, examining the nature
of the ground, to toss aside, when possible, such rocks as threatened to
jar them seriously. When finally they had thus surveyed the entire
stretch, Jack pronounced the decision in which his comrade
concurred--that although they would assume some risks, still in the
course of their experiences in the past both of them had successfully
climbed out of even worse traps than the one they were now up against.
So they went aboard, watched by every living creature about the post
saving Old Jimmy himself. As usual Jack checked his dials and the motor
with a skill that only comes from long experience added to that peculiar
air-minded wizardry possessed by just a few pilots, like Lindbergh.
"Okay Boss?" inquired Perk, picking up the ear-phones as if ready to
adjust them to his head because it might be necessary for them to
exchange remarks soon after they started, and according to Perk's mind
it was very essential they should be prepared.
"Here we go!" came the answer, upon which the motor took hold and the
big ship started forward, followed by the cheers of Birdseye and his
fellows although these grew fainter as the amphibian went bumping along,
increasing its pace as Jack saw fit to pull back the stick against his
breast, until just as they finally lost contact with the ground, the
racket of motor and propeller smothered all other sounds completely.
They were off to a safe start and no damage done. Perk settled down in
his seat ready to take up his accustomed duties although he felt
convinced everything was in apple-pie condition aboard the boat.
Their course was a point off due north, Perk having coached his mate
with regard to that important matter. Besides, from their lofty lookout
point it would soon be easy enough to discern the post known as Fort
Laney for it lay on one of the small rivers that emptied into the
Mackenzie, itself starting in Great Slave Lake.
Perk could not but remark upon the changes that were gradually taking
place in the country the further north they went. This struck him as
wonderful, for although he had spent several years in this region, never
before had he been privileged to take such a sweeping survey of the
landscape as on the present occasion for heretofore he had been upon the
ground where rocky mountains and all manner of huge obstacles obstructed
the view and restricted the vision.
He could figure out just about in what quarter the Peace River lay, a
place he had good occasion to remember since one of the most stirring
adventures connected with his service in the Mounties had taken place on
its banks. So too, was he able to look in the direction whence must lie
the town of Simpson, on the great Mackenzie, some hundred miles or more
distant as the crow flies. There was also Great Bear Lake, another body
of water he had looked upon, and which must stir up other vivid memories
for events in which he had taken a leading part, connected with the
arrest of a notorious halfbreed, terrorizing the region roundabout, had
brought him rather close to a fade-out since he met with serious wounds
in the resulting scrimmage before he and his pal were able to overcome
the desperado.
In this way Perk was indulging in recollections of past events that
seemed very agreeable, to judge from the beaming smile he wore as he
kept using the binoculars in order to pick out familiar scenes as they
loomed upon his vision from time to time.
Then all at once Perk showed positive signs of excitement.
"Hi! there partner, let me take the controls for a spell! Want you to
have the glasses and pick up that caribou jumpin' off away yonder jest
on t'other side o' them birches that stand out so white'n clear."
Jack lost no time in doing as he was bidden for thus far it had never
been his good fortune to glimpse a real caribou outside of a zoo and the
thought of watching one on its native heath and feeding ground gave him
quite a little thrill.
"Get him yet?" demanded Perk anxiously, seeing that Jack was moving the
binoculars along as though their swift passage was carrying them past
the patch of birch trees.
"Sure do, buddy," admitted the other, to add: "Looks like he might be
close enough to eat out of my hand--keepin' an eye on this crate all
right, as if he didn't just like our looks. There, he sprang off like an
express train on the transcontinental railroad and I've lost him in the
thick bush. I'd like to knock over one of his breed while we're up here
but hardly think I'd be justified in staying around a single day longer
than is absolutely necessary."
It turned out, however, Jack did get an opportunity to do that very
thing, but of which event more anon.
He again took over the stick, being desirous of handling the ship when
later on they reached the river post and started to drop down on the
stream for a stop-over, long or short, neither of them knew just then.
Ten minutes later Perk made his announcement.
"I c'n make out the barracks as plain as anything, with the river just
beyond. We'll be there in a jiffy, partner! How it all comes back to me,
the interestin' life I led up here with the boys--I'll sure miss that
Davis lad who, I learned, was one o' the pair got killed in the fight
with that bloody-minded Hawk. Claude Davis had an old mother livin' in
Toronto, an' many a time he used to tell me things 'bout his fambly that
made me think I knowed the hull passel o' 'em. Poor old lady, it must a
near killed her when she heard how her lad laid down his life for his
country. I always did claim these splended Mounties up here, forever
ready to take great risks to protect the scattered settlers, are
soldiers jest as much as those o' us who served in the big scrap across
the Atlantic. But look ahead, Jack, an' you c'n see the post now with
the naked eye. Yeah, and as sure as you live there's a Mounty steppin'
up from the boats, carryin' what looks to me like a string o' fish! Gee
whiz! how many times did I furnish the fish course for lots o' dinner
messes. Seems like 'twas on'y yesterday, or the day 'fore, since I put
my teeth in a cold-water fish from that river which empties into the
Polar Sea."
Presently they were circling the post, running out over the river which
Jack was eyeing closely, as if to make certain it offered plenty of
excellent opportunities toward making a landing. At least he had been
assured there was sufficient water at almost any point to answer their
purpose, the stream being high at this particular season of the year
when so much snow had been melting all through the watershed which the
river drained.
"See," cried the alert Perk, "sev'ral more o' the crowd have rushed out
o' the barracks, knowin' from the shouts that chap set up somethin' out
o' the ordinary was on the bills. But jest the same I kinder guess a
bunch o' the boys must be away right now. What did we hear 'bout that
cunnin' snake, the Hawk gen'rally outsmartin' the Mounties by makin' a
sham attack on some place so's to send a posse whoopin' thataways while
he proceeded to play his own game unmolested fifty miles away, an' never
a uniform in sight?"
"Going down--lower floor--hold your breath, Perk!" cried the pilot as he
shut off the engine and, thrusting the nose of his craft sharply
downward, proceeded to start a swift dive toward the river a thousand
feet below.
Perk could not restrain his enthusiasm, but standing half erect waved
his hat excitedly, also letting loose a few frightfully loud yells that
must have been eye-openers to the several uniformed Mounties standing
close to the river's edge, watching in sheer amazement the swoop of the
descending aerial cabin plane.
XXIV
READY TO START
A splash, a short run upstream and the amphibian was riding the little
waves like a duck. Then as Jack once more turned on his power they
taxied in close to the bank where a wing would serve as a gang-plank to
get them ashore.
"Hello! ol' hoss Red Lowden!" bawled Perk, in a glow of excitement.
One of the Mounties, with the marks of a sergeant on his sleeve,
exhibited great excitement at hearing himself thus addressed so
familiarly by a party who, up to that moment, he had not recognized
owing chiefly to the aviator's goggles and helmet, which were now
hastily removed as Perk jumped ashore.
"Gabe Perkiser!" the sergeant gasped, apparently staggered at learning
the identity of one of the flyers.
They met and shook hands with enthusiasm, for in those days of old they
had been boon companions.
Perk put a finger on his lips.
"Go slow 'bout callin' me by that name, brother," he told the other,
half under his breath. "Jest now I'm sailin' under false colors, as you
might say. I'm in Uncle Sam's Secret Service, an' known as Gabe Smith, a
Maine woods guide in the employ o' a rich gent, a real sport an' big
game hunter--let me introduce him to you Red--Mister John Jacob
Astorbilt," and with the last word he gave the wearer of the uniform a
wicked wink that spoke volumes to Red, who nodded and shook hands with
Jack.
He could give a pretty clever guess as to who and what this determined
looking young fellow must be and the story could keep until a more
convenient season.
"Glad to meet you, Mr. Astorbilt," he went on to say aloud for the
benefit of the two other Mounties hovering close by with the design of
being made acquainted with the newcomers.
They were both wise and seasoned members of the force, although Perk was
meeting them for the first time and thus judged they had been
transferred from another post during his absence.
"I hope Colonel Ascot is well," remarked Jack softly as he stood there
close beside Red Lowden, "I am anxious to meet him, for I have a strong
suspicion he will be deeply interested in certain documents I am bearing
with me, both from Ottawa in your Dominion here and also from my Big
Boss at Washington, D. C."
The other, who was a sturdy specimen of Canadian manhood, with the eye
of a hawk, nodded his head and looked wise as he hastened to say:
"Wait till I introduce you to these members of our patrol and then I'll
lead you to the Colonel, who is doing a bit of official correspondence
inside his office close by."
This was soon accomplished and as the sportsman in search of fresh
thrills Jack met the couple of Mounties. Leaving Perk chatting with them
he followed the sergeant into the long, low log barracks where in a
cubbyhole at the end they found a tall, severe looking man, dressed in
the garb of an officer, seated at a desk and busily engaged in writing.
He must have heard all the commotion outside connected with the arrival
of the cloud-chaser, but being deeply interested in what he was writing
and too much given to decorum to display any vulgar curiosity, he had
remained there.
But after all he turned out to be very much a gentleman as well as a
fine disciplinarian, as Jack speedily learned for after he had explained
just who he was and what the nature of his long flight into the
wilderness contemplated, he found Colonel Ascot vastly interested and
sympathetic.
Red Lowden had discreetly withdrawn, saluting as he went so Jack and the
commandant of the frontier post were alone in the office.
"I wish to assure you, young man," observed the Colonel again cordially
squeezing Jack's hand, "you are bringing me the finest possible news.
This knave has been playing the very devil around the whole sector and
so far has had us guessing. The hardest nut we've had to crack in the
entire term of my service in the corps. If by any great luck we can
combine our forces and accomplish his capture, I shall feel myself in
your debt beyond measure."
Jack was gratified at hearing these frank and hearty words.
"I have a companion with me, Colonel," he further observed, "a reliable
chap in the bargain and a clever aviator. He once had the honor to serve
under you up here--Gabe Perkiser."
He saw a pleased expression flit across the grim face of the commandant
and judged that Perk must have been something of a favorite with the
Colonel.
"Glad to hear that, sir," the latter told his visitor, nodding his head
in approval. "Perk was a credit to the uniform all the time he was with
us in our job of rounding up disturbers of the peace and guarding honest
men against such rascals and blackguards as continually drift up to this
country. They seem to think its loneliness will guarantee them immunity
from the long arm of the law they have flaunted. I'll be pleased to see
him again--and in the service you represent so creditably, as I can well
imagine."
"We look for a bit of assistance from your force, Colonel," continued
Jack, "and you will find your authority for giving us a helping hand in
these documents from your head office," with which he handed the other a
small packet of official looking papers.
"I can take everything you say for granted, Mr.--er Astorbilt but am
sorry you have dropped in on us at a most unfortunate time, since the
majority of my men are away--there came a sudden call for assistance at
a little settlement of newcomers some fifty miles distant--it was
believed a raid was contemplated by this desperado, the Hawk. The letter
was signed by a man whom I happened to know stood in the light of a
leader in that community, and although I may have had my secret
misgivings I felt compelled to start a squad off late last evening. They
will hardly get back here under the best of conditions for another
forty-eight hours; and even at that their mounts will be far from fresh
for another wild dash."
Jack had even figured on something like this coming to pass, and in his
mind laid out a plan of campaign.
"We have come direct from the Frazer trading-post, Colonel," he hastened
to explain; "it was taken by trickery last night, the old factor
seriously wounded, and the post robbed of everything of value, including
precious pelts, food, ammunition, and all else."
Colonel Ascot looked greatly annoyed.
"Then my fears were justified," he went on to say, with a grimace, and a
shrug of his shoulders; "never has that man's equal been known in all
the years I've been up against clever crooks. It was a false appeal for
help, intended to employ most of my men, and give these desperate
looters plenty of time to get away with their plunder. Under the
unfortunate circumstances what can I do to further your plans, sir?
Anything in my power you may command--I have but three of my force at
the post, being short-handed just at present, as several are on leave of
absence for special reasons."
"If you could spare me Sergeant Lowden, sir, whom my comrade has
recommended highly as one with a thorough knowledge of the whole country
for fifty miles around, and allow me to carry the doctor back to
Frazer's to take charge of poor Old Jimmy, I could, I believe, make good
progress; especially if you sent the balance of your detachment after us
as an emergency force, in case we find the sledding a bit too rough."
Colonel Ascot looked relieved, as though a heavy load had been taken
from his chest.
"Only too gladly will I accede to that request," he told his guest. "I
am expecting Dr. Hamilton at any moment now, when you can meet him, and
ask him to ride back with you to the trading post. He is a gentleman,
and a very gifted surgeon--in the year and more that he's been in this
neighborhood I have known him to perform almost unbelievable operations
with the most remarkable success. There is some mystery about the man,
which is none of our business--I am simply telling you in order that you
may not unintentially permit yourself--or Perk, whose failings along the
line of curiosity I know full well--to display any sign of butting in.
In these lonely regions, my dear sir, just as in the gold fields, a
man's past is his business only, and other people are content that it
should remain a dead secret; but you can rest assured he is straight
goods, and moreover a polished gentleman, as well as a wonderful
physician."
"I can readily understand what you mean, Colonel," Jack warmly assured
him, "and once I have warned Perk neither of us ever display the
slightest curiosity about his hidden past--as you say, it concerns him
alone; we'll just take him for what he is, and be glad to know him."
They talked further, as the Colonel glanced at his papers and laid them
in a pigeonhole of his desk; and Jack learned a number of important
things connected with the man whom he planned to take back with him to
the States, having the necessary documents to allow of this being done
via the airship route.
Then the officer asked him to step outside, for he believed he had heard
the voice of Dr. Hamilton, who it appeared, was coming once a day to
treat a badly lacerated leg of one of the privates, who had been thrown
from his horse amidst a _cache_ of unusually jagged rocks, with ill
results.
Jack liked the doctor from the start, although he could plainly see that
something like grief--hardly remorse--must have been eating at the
other's heart for many a moon, his manner was so suppressed, so sad.
Of course the doctor hastened to assure him he would be only too glad to
take the long gallop to the trading post, and do what was necessary for
Old Jimmy, whom he knew very well, and esteemed highly.
"I am not much of a horseman, I'm afraid," he told Jack, whom he knew
simply as a well-to-do young gentleman, with a great love for outdoors
sports, and big game hunting chief of all; "but the Colonel has an
animal I've used before, and doubtless Romeo will carry me safely to the
post, since the trail is fairly easy; but the distance is more than he
could negotiate at one try, I'm thinking."
"That can be easily arranged," Jack explained; "we might be able to get
halfway to our destination by the time darkness sets in, when we could
make camp, spend the night beside the trail, and get an early morning
start. And thank you very much, Doctor, for your kindness in going, I
did all I could for a temporary dressing; but it was only the work of an
amateur, and Jimmy really needs further attention."
"Which I shall be only too pleased to give, since I have the utmost
regard for the old factor," which remark satisfied Jack that everything
was coming along nicely.
XXV
AN OVERNIGHT BIVOUAC
Immediately the station took on an air of great commotion. Sergeant Red
Lowden had been given secret instructions to accompany the two air
voyagers, and was to go heavily armed, as for a battle. He was also told
to place his services entirely at the disposal of the young fellow, as
to whose real identity he had been "put wise" by Perk, while Jack and
the commander had their little chat.
The horses were brought out from the log stable, supplies gathered and
packed, and everything done that was needful when a force was starting
off for "business at the old stand."
Of course Perk had met Dr. Hamilton, and been introduced under his
fictitious cognomen of "Smith." He seemed a bit awed in the presence Of
the other, and kept watching him out of the tail of his eye--indeed,
from that time on Perk showed signs of being deeply interested in the
strange man, for he would steal a glance in his direction, shake his
head as if "all balled up," to quote his own words as spoken later on;
and then go into one of his rare silent spells as if cudgeling those
slow moving wits of his.
Jack had of course taken occasion to tell Perk what the Colonel had
passed along concerning the doctor; and being duly impressed with the
need of caution had solemnly promised never to evince the slightest
curiosity in connection with the unknown past history.