THE LUCKLESS SPEEDBOAT
The night passed without anything in the nature of an alarm. Once when
Jack chanced to wake up, he could catch the familiar pulsations of a
cloud-chaser of an airship passing, at a considerable distance; and as
near as he could figure, heading directly toward the rendezvous on the
creek, where a descent would be made to the exact spot on which the
other craft had so lately been mysteriously incinerated.
"I wonder if that turns out to be our next victim," was what the
listener said under his breath, as he dropped back to continue his
sleep.
In the morning it was deemed quite safe for Perk to build a cooking fire
well back of the rise, so that even though a boat should pass up or down
the river curious eyes would not be apt to see anything suspicious. The
air, too, was favorable, since it came from a direction to leeward of
the water, which would carry such light smoke as arose from the small
fire safely away.
Perk gave himself and two companions a very acceptable breakfast, all
things considered. He was possessed of a fair amount of culinary skill;
dearly loved to get up a camp meal, and satisfy the yearnings of his
always empty stomach; and moreover had selected a number of such viands
as would appeal to the taste of three hungry men, reduced to their own
cookery.
Afterwards Perk kept himself busy doing a number of things that had some
connection with their comfort along the "grub line," as he termed it.
Jethro seemed content to just take things comfortably; while Jack found
an abundance of employment in making up his notes. This was carried out
in the code language, so that if he had the hard luck to fall into the
hands of the enemy they would not be able to discover what all the queer
marks really stood for--without a knowledge concerning the key it would
seem more or less like the silly scribbling of a child.
Then, too, Jack allowed himself to figure out what would be the nature
of their next undertaking, following out their plan for striking telling
blows at everything that helped to build up the strategic working of the
smuggler ring's illicit business.
"It should be tried out if another of those speedboats makes shore while
we're hanging around up there," he told himself, after one of these
spells of deep thinking; "anything that goes to create a feeling of
genuine consternation in that mob comes along our line of action. We've
prepared for all those kind of little surprises, and mustn't lose any
chance that drifts our way, that's absolutely certain. Well, we'll wait
and see what turns up to-night."
At noon Perk once again disappeared back of the screen of brush, vines
and dense foliage, to concoct another fragrant and much relished meal.
At night they would have to fare on cold stuff, as Jack hesitated to
risk the glow of a fire so near the river, where some sort of boat might
be passing, with a chance of discovery that would spell disaster to all
their pet schemes.
As the afternoon moved along Jack cast uneasy glances up at the sky,
where openings in the heavy belt of trees allowed of a fragmentary
survey.
"Seems a little like rain, fellows," he told his mates; whereupon both
of the others took a good look, and pronounced their several opinions.
Jethro, Jack found, proved to be one of those natural weather oracles
such as may occasionally be run across among the natives in southern
sections of the country; and his opinion struck both the others as sound
and reasonable.
He even in his quaint fashion, and in the lingo of cracker land,
explained on what he based his prophecy that, while the clouds might
persist there would be no rain fall inside of twelve to twenty hours;
although beyond that he was not prepared to say, and felt there was a
fair chance the clouds would wet things pretty well before giving way to
clear skies again.
"Mebbe then we kin put in one more good blast 'fore we git housed up
here in aour houseboat," Perk advanced, as both his opinion and his
secret wish.
"Let's hope so," Jack told him, to bolster up his already drooping
spirits. "Anyhow, if it hasn't started to rain when we're ready to pull
out to-night, it's agreed we'll not hold back on account of a little
ducking."
"Yeou sed it, buddy," Perk snapped with avidity, accompanying the words
with one of his old-time grins, that told of renewed expectation of
fresh achievement.
So after they had partaken of some cold refreshment to stay their
hunger, they completed their preparations for sallying forth to inflict
further damage on the enemy, and add to their consternation by all
possible measures.
Their course was identical with that pursued on the former occasion. It
was darker than on the previous night, owing no doubt to the curtain of
clouds that shut off even the friendly starlight. Jethro, however,
proved to be equal to his task, and as they made but comparatively slow
progress down the swift running stream managed to steer his boat without
colliding with the obstacles lying in wait. These bobbed up now to the
right, and again to the left--seething little whirlpools, and ugly
pointed rocks, but partially out of water--just as in days of old in
Grecian seas, mariners had to keep clear of Scylla and Charybdis, two
monsters who threatened their craft with destruction,--the whirlpool on
one hand, and a cruel-fanged monster rock on the other.
They eventually reached the spot for which they aimed, and again was the
powerboat screened behind that accommodating natural curtain. Then,
after a little delay while gathering certain things (the possession of
which would save a tedious trip back to the boat, such as had been
Perk's portion on that other occasion) the trio began their long crawl,
with the idea of locating that inviting spot from whence they could view
the camp, and yet be out of sight of the rough characters making up the
working force of the smugglers.
To the dismay of Perk there was no airship awaiting action at the spot
of the previous night's blaze. Evidently the one Jack had heard pass
over--and of which he had informed both his comrades--must have passed
out again to where the mother-ship lay at anchor; or else possibly sped
back to some island like the depot at Bimini, where another cargo could
be taken on.
"But they mebbe might slip in some time to-night," Perk told himself, in
deadly fear that they were to have all their work for nothing, which
would certainly have been too bad, and must grieve the honest fellow
terribly.
As for Jack, he chanced to be thinking in quite a different direction.
It began to grow somewhat monotonous, just lying there and listening to
what hilarious jokes and slangy conversation passed between the rough
hired workers, smoking and drinking alongside the comfortable fires.
It was now getting along toward midnight, and they had been lying in
that cramped condition for several hours. Some of the men had thrown
themselves down near the fires, as though to pick up some sleep; but
sagacious Jack noticed an air of expectation among them as a whole,
which assured him they anticipated some fresh arrival, whether from the
air or the river of course he could not say with certainty.
Presently he did notice that two of men who appeared to be leaders
walked down to the crude wharf, and seemed to be changing things around
as though preparing for coming shipments of contraband stuff.
"I figure it's going to be a boat," he told himself on seeing this
movement--"they've had word of its coming, I reckon through that
powerful radio station on the coast, which we're given orders to find,
and knock out of business."
And a boat it proved to be, for shortly afterwards Jack caught a distant
sound as of an engine working; and since it did not come from above it
must be moving up the stream, having some time before entered at the
mouth of the Yamasaw.
Before long they could detect the strong light that bore upstream, to
show the pilot where to keep the nose of his craft. Later, the speedboat
was tied to the dock by a capable hawser, and the labor of taking her
heavy cargo ashore began.
Of course there was nothing that could be done to interfere with the
landing of the contraband, and its being loaded on the waiting trucks.
Their orders had been along different lines--they were to try and hurt
the operations of the daring smuggler ring, kill it off if possible; but
under no consideration risk the betrayal of their plan of campaign by
trying to hinder some of the goods that were landed from reaching their
far-away destinations as scheduled.
Jack, watching closely, soon saw the parties who manned the speedboat
seemed in no particular hurry to start back down the river. Having
delivered their valuable load of wet goods in security, they ran no risk
of being seized by a revenue cutter, or contraband-chaser, if dawn
should find them close off shore.
The two officers were sitting at a rough table chatting with several of
the leading smugglers, and drinking something that looked like real
champagne; while the balance of the crew had mingled with the campers,
and seemed to be taking an hour or so off.
Jack having kept close tabs on all that went on felt confident there was
not a single man aboard the speedboat. His hoped for opportunity was at
hand, and no time must be lost.
So, having previously notified his mates what he meant to attempt, he
now left them, carrying some small bundle along, the nature of which
Perk understood very well since it was he himself who had hooked up the
fire bomb with the time-clockwork that could be set for any minute
necessary--and which was now arranged two hours ahead. Jack soon found
himself alongside the boat; and watching his chance he slipped aboard.
He was not over five minutes at work, when he again appeared in the
shadows alongside the rough wharf, from whence he readily made the
shore.
When he a little afterwards rejoined his companions the order must have
been given for the crew to get aboard, as the boat was scheduled to take
off, perhaps to head for Charleston, or Georgetown, to pick up needed
supplies that were regular, and not in the contraband class.
Those ashore gave their allies a round of cheers before the vessel
vanished down the stream--why not when they surely had not anything to
fear in the line of discovery? Those sneaking Secret Service agents had
never bothered them seriously ever since the headquarters rendezvous was
stationed at this hard to reach point on the twisting, turbulent
Yamasaw.
"We'll hang out here for another hour and more," Jack whispered to his
two backers. "I'm hoping to pick up some more valuable points from
hearing the men chaffing one another--I'd give a lot just to know where
that radio sending and receiving station is located, as it would save us
considerable trouble in combing the entire coast of South Carolina."
"Yeah," Perk was saying, oh! so softly--no one hearing his customary
manner of speech would ever imagine he could modulate his voice so
wonderfully--"an' I shore reckons we kin see the fine light that's laid
aout for Fo'th o' July celebration on this late Fall night, jest as good
up hyah as daown thar."
"A heap better, Wally," Jack assured him.
The time passed tediously to active Perk. He had listened eagerly as
long as the sound of the working engines of the elegant speedboat could
be heard down the river; but by degrees they grew fainter, until even
keen-eared Perk was unable to place them.
Long afterwards he drew the attention of his mates to what seemed a
queer illumination up in the clouded heavens toward the southeast.
"Huh! kinder seems like sumpin' might be agoin' on over yonder, suh,"
was what he said in Jack's ears; "which I has a most pow'ful notion has
to do with aour purty racin' boat what's more'n likely kicked her heels
at many a rev'nue cutter that couldn't close in on her nohaow."
"You said it that time, Wally," Jack assured him, feeling a little
thrill himself over the probable success of his attempt at wiping out
yet another of those swift air and water vehicles engaged in doing the
transportation for the wholesale smugglers' combination.
Some of those in the camp had by this time also taken note of the
tell-tale crimson stain on the low-hanging clouds, for they began to
watch it in considerable surprise, as well as uneasiness. What had
happened on the preceding night was only too fresh in their minds for
them to forget the unaccountable nature of the disaster.
"Gosh! we shore got 'em guessin', partner," Perk was saying, softly,
after they were once more aboard the old and faithful powerboat, with
cat-eyed Jethro at the steering wheel, guiding the boat's destinies by
sheer intuition and good hearing combined.
"Looks that way, brother," was the other's terse but eloquent reply.
They met with no accident while on their way back to their "location,"
as Perk sometimes referred to the hidden camp, he having been out with
companies of Hollywood people when making pictures demanding rural
surroundings, and consequently picking up a few of their customary
designations.
They had just managed to get safely aboard the amphibian when the first
rain-drop came down; and in less than ten minutes it was pouring;
evidently Nature herself was in league with Jack and his allies to favor
their undertakings in a friendly as well as most admirable fashion.