witnessed the effective nature of those same small bombs under
conditions not so very unlike those now confronting them; and remembered
how mutinies in jails and penitentiaries down in the States were being
effectually quelled by the use of similar methods.
"All right, Perk, have your way; the quicker it's done the better, for I
must have a look at that arm of yours, old man."
Perk seemed well pleased, and lost not a second in "getting a move on,"
as he himself would have termed it. Making a speedy dash he managed to
reach the vicinity of the fastened door, drew back his right arm, and
then shot it forward. A second time was the movement carried out, after
which he staggered along the rocky wall, and fell at Jack's feet as if
exhausted by his supreme effort.
Jack's first impulse was to bend down in order to see what he could do
to help his wounded pal; but Perk refused to be counted out.
"Go on and play the game to a finish, buddy," snapped the other,
managing to attain a sitting posture, and pawing for his gun, lying
close by; "I'm all to the good--don't bother 'bout me now--get your men
first thing--I'll hold out okay--go to it, partner. Gosh! jest hear 'em
whoopin' things up, will you?"
The inmates of the barricaded fort were indeed creating a frightful row,
cursing, and shouting, and begging some one to open the door so as to
give them fresh air, saying their eyesight was gone, and they were stone
blind.
Red had taken up his position close to one side of the door, as if
waiting to nail the first fellow who came staggering forth, groping in
utter darkness, and with his eyeballs smarting frightfully; so there was
nothing for Jack to do but back the efficient Mounty up.
One of the prisoners and victims of the tear gas bombs managed to remove
the bar holding the massive door; and as they came staggering forth, one
after another, those awaiting seized hold, frisked them for weapons, and
with incredible swiftness snapped a pair of handy steel bracelets upon
their several wrists.
It was soon all over but the shouting--there proved to be six of the
outlaws, including the Hawk himself. The latter, when undergoing the
agonies attending the effects of the gas, displayed no symptoms of his
accustomed bravado, although he did not whimper, and plead, like some of
the other victims.
Jack hastened to take a look at Perk's wound, and found that while he
had lost considerable blood, and seemed weak, there was not anything
very serious about it--a rest of several days would set him on his feet
again without any doubt.
Anxious to get back to the station with their prisoners they lost no
time in looking over the secret hiding place of the now demoralized gang
which could wait for another day; but loading the prisoners on the
horses, made a speedy start. Three hours later what was their delight to
suddenly meet a body of Mounties heading toward the scene of the recent
battle; and at their head rode none other than Colonel Ascot himself.
As Dr. Hamilton was believed to be at the trading post, and Jack wished
to have him look after Perk, they headed in that direction first of all,
each of the troopers having one of the dejected prisoners in front of
him astride his mount.
Their coming created quite a sensation at the post, and the old factor
quite naturally rejoiced at the prospect of presently recovering all the
stock so recently carried off by the bold swoop of the outlaw gang.
Since the leading spirit of the organization, known to them only as the
Hawk, was booked to be returned to Leavenworth; and the minor offenders
would get their liberty cut off for years to come, it looked as though
peace was likely to reign throughout that section of the Northwest
Territory for keeps.
After Perk's arm had been cared for it was determined to keep on in the
direction of the Mounties' headquarters, carrying all their prisoners
along. They reached their objective about noon on the following day, not
being able to make fast progress on account of the double burdens
carried by the horses.
Then came the biggest surprise of all, so far as Jack and Perk were
concerned. The former and Dr. Hamilton were having a little chat, and
Perk on his part sat in the sun amusing himself by staring at something
he held in his one good hand. Jack, as if by accident, steered his
companion over that way, so they came up behind Perk, quite unaware of
their presence. He was, as might be said to be his habit, talking with
himself.
"Hang the luck!" they heard him mutter as if greatly annoyed; "there she
slipped me again, jest like the greased pig they try to ketch in that
silly game--I was goin' to say that name as slick as you please, but now
I lost connections again. Adrian--Adrian _what_?"
"Where did you get that picture?" demanded a voice close to his ear, as
a hand shot out and snatched it from his grasp.
"Why--what--here, what business you got takin' my property?" gasped Perk
as turning his head awkwardly he looked in astonishment at Dr. Hamilton,
strangely excited; while Jack stood by, nodding his head, and grinning,
as if some suspicion he had entertained was now confirmed.
"Because he is _my_ boy--I am Doctor Adrian Bahrman!"
When the surgeon said this as though determined to no longer hide his
identity behind a false name, Perk gave a tremendous start, and turning
to Jack cried out:
"Hot diggetty dig! _did_ you hear that, partner--he said it, the name I
been tryin' to get out for ever so long! Knowed it was somethin' that
begun with a B, didn't I tell you? Now I c'n get some peace, anyway. An'
me always wonderin' where I'd seen a face like you'rn, Doc. Shake hands
on that."
Of course Jack had to tell the story, and when the thrilled doctor
learned how Perk had evidently saved the lives of his dear ones he again
wrung the unbandaged hand of that individual with might and main, tears
streaming down his cheeks.
They had decided to spend several more days at the station, so Perk
would be in condition for the return trip; and there were frequent
occasions for the whole story to be told on both sides.
Dr. Bahrman told them just why he had been influenced to hide himself
away up in the wilderness--he had been betrayed by a cousin of his
wife's, who had once been a suitor for her hand in marriage. So cleverly
had a plot been woven around him that through circumstantial evidence it
seemed as though he were guilty of a forgery, and when out on bail he
had been urged to flee, especially by his wife.
When he learned how Adrian's mother was now searching for him, with good
news of some sort, he decided to go back to the States with Jack, and
take his chances of being freed from the odium of being a fugitive from
justice.
But just the same a turn of Fortune's wheel decided that this should not
be--that having suffered for all these months from the outrageous flings
of malice and hatred, things had suddenly changed for the better.
On the day before the one selected for making a start in the airship,
carrying their moody captive with them, there was a sudden burst of
shouting; and as Jack hurried out of the log building he was thrilled to
catch the strangely familiar throbbing sound of a plane in the heavens.
They stood there, every one at the station, watching the oncoming of a
sky-racer; and even before it dropped down Perk had pronounced it a
new-model Sikorsky Amphibian, Wasp powered, he being more or less of an
authority on such matters.
But as it turned out that was only a small part of the surprise awaiting
them; for no sooner had the boat settled in the river close to shore
than two men landed, helping a woman and a child along. Jack saw Dr.
Bahrman start to run toward them as fast as his legs could carry him;
and just as he was suspecting would prove to be the case, when the woman
hurriedly snatched off the goggles and helmet she had been wearing, he
recognized her as the mother of little Adrian, quickly to be wrapped in
the arms of her eager husband; nor did the dancing boy have to wait long
ere he too was held in a close embrace.
The story Mrs. Bahrman told was like a leaf taken from some volume of
fairy tales. The wicked cousin had been overtaken by the penalty for his
plotting, having been in a serious road accident when his car was
smashed by a train at a crossing; but before he died he had the decency
to make a sworn statement before a justice of the peace, entirely
exonerating Dr. Bahrman from the forgery charge that had been skillfully
woven around him, so that nothing now stood in the way of the reunited
family returning to their former home, and taking up their lives just
where this wretched happening separated them.
Mrs. Bahrman, remembering that she had a brother in the Navy who was an
efficient aviator and had made quite a name for himself, sought his
assistance the very day after she and her boy had been saved from the
burning tenement in Salt Lake City, he being stationed in Los Angeles at
the time.
This brother being in high favor with the authorities readily secured
permission to use a new Government ship just placed in his charge; and
carrying an assistant pilot, along with the two Bahrmans, started over
the line for Canada, the devoted wife having in some way learned that
her absent mate might be found in the vicinity of the advanced northern
frontier post of the Mounties.
So after all, when Jack and Perk started on the following day, it was
with the knowledge that soon afterwards the Sikorsky would be following
them, carrying a happy party homeward bound.
They had no trouble with their prisoner, who seemed to be of a reckless
disposition, and snapping his fingers at Fate--he only said he had had a
run for his money, and could afford to let matters take their
course--that a man could die but once, and after all they did not treat
prisoners badly at Fort Leavenworth.
Having duly delivered their man to the Federal District Attorney in
Spokane who would see that he was returned to the penitentiary, Jack and
Perk again waited further orders from Washington that would send them
forth upon yet another flight through the clouds, following the path of
duty.