BY SPECIAL DELIVERY
Somewhat to the disappointment of Perk his comrade did not evince any
haste about opening his letter, thrusting the same into his pocket,
while he washed his hands, and brushed his hair.
"Somehow I seem to be as hungry as a wolf," Jack remarked; "and as it's
long past our usual time for lunch I move we drop around to our beanery,
and lay in some stores in the way of chow."
Of course such a proposition appealed strongly to Perk, who was seldom
able to resist a call to meals. For the moment he quite forgot his
recent curiosity to know what was in the letter, the receipt of which
had caused Jack to smile; and which moreover had certain familiar marks
about it to make Perk feel certain it came from Headquarters.
"Queer heow a feller c'n nigh 'bout forget certain stirrin' events in
his past," he observed with a shake of his head; "an' suddenly have the
same bob up in his mind, as clear as if they might a happened on'y
yesterday."
"I reckon you're referring to our old friend, Cool Slim Garrabrant, eh,
Perk?" queried the other, indifferently.
"None other," came the reply. "There was a man as might be called the
king o' the counterfeiters, who'd had his thumb to his nose ever so
long, alaughin' at Uncle Sam's slick boys, an' sendin' 'em all sorts o'
tauntin' notes; so in the end the Chief he come down off'n his high
perch, an' gave _us_ a chanct to knock down the persimmons with a long
pole; which we done as neat as any body'd choose."
"Bad taste to boast, Perk, you want to remember."
"Can't help sayin' a few things, Jack, an' pattin' us two flyin' cops on
the chest. Honest, I got an idea Slim's sun had begun to set jest as
soon as the job o' runnin' him in was placed in aour hands. Nobody but
them as knew haow to handle an airship could a fetched home the bacon in
that case; 'cause Slim he knowed how to get his long-green stuff clear
withaout leavin' any trace, usin' that ole crate to carry the coney
supplies east an' west o' his hidin' place, where he carried on the work
along a big scale."
"Of course what you say is all true enough," ventured Jack as they
walked along, heading for the nearest eatingplace, which they sometimes
patronized when close by; "but both of us would do well to try and
forget our share in that haul--it's old stuff by now. And besides,"
continued Jack, "somehow I feel bad when I remember that it was probably
that little kid's own daddy we sent up."
"Yeah!" mused Perk, unwilling to change the subject, it appeared, "an'
the judge socked it to Slim good an' heavy--give him a long sentence, so
'at he'll have to serve behind the walls o' that Atlanta pen 'til he's
an old, broken-down man, an' not marked dangerous to law-abidin' folks."
"There are a few others of his stripe yet outside prison walls,
remember, partner," Jack told him, as they entered the eatingplace,
walking over to a table somewhat aloof from all others, and on this
account usually chosen for such meals as they took there; as they
sometimes discussed their secret work while eating it was policy to keep
clear from other diners, and at the same time lower their voices, since
walls may have ears, and even hide dictaphones that record every spoken
word.
"Yeou never said truer words, ole top," Perk agreed in his odd fashion.
"Scofflaws aplenty to keep our crowd busy for years ahead. Say, d'ye
know I been readin' a heap 'bout a smart guy they say calls hisself King
Cole--seems like he got a hole in the wall 'way out in the wildest part
o' the Rockies, an' jest laughs at the boys from Washington to size him
up."
"I recollect you talking of him more than a few times, Perk; from which
fact I had a hunch you might be wishing the Chief'd turn over the
assignment for apprehending him to our hands--is that correct, partner?"
"Don't care if I do have to acknowledge the corn, matey; someheow that
dickey grabbed a stiff hold on my thinkin' box--why, onct I even dreamed
we'd cornered him with his gay crowd, an' was commencin' to exchange
shots with the bunch, when I woke up, an' felt too cheap for anything to
know it was on'y hot air."
Jack laughed as he seated himself.
"I remember how furious you were, and saying it was a shame to be
cheated that way, eh, Perk?"
They gave their orders, and were presently partaking of what the waiter
set before them; afterwards retiring, as though already knowing they
would call should they require further service. This afforded Perk
another opportunity to "use his tongue," a vocation that gave him the
utmost enjoyment.
"Jest occurred to me them paper accounts sez as haow his bees'-nest was
located in a stretch 'tween two o' the highest mountain ranges in the
hull country o' the Rockies--called the secret settlement Happy Valley;
which I opine sounds a right queer name for a den o' pizenous human
snakes, sech as the Law wants f'r 'bout ev'ry crime on the calendar."
"No accounting for tastes, buddy," Jack told him. "It might feel that
way to men against whom the hand of every honest person was raised. Most
of his crowd, I read, was believed to be reckoned the scum of the earth,
who were wanted for nearly every crime going--murderers, bank cashiers
who'd robbed the institutions of which they had been the head; and all
such black sheep, outlawed from decent society by their crimes and
misdemeanors."
Perk grinned amiably, as though what his companion had just said made no
difference to him--that he still wished from the bottom of his heart
they were commissioned to undertake the dangerous task of breaking up
the settlement in that so-called Paradise of fugitives.
"Don't faize me any when yeou talk that way, boy," he told his
companion, with one of his amused chuckles that seemed to come up from
his toes, "The more stuff yeou gotter bump up agin the better I like
it--cain't be too tough for a hill-billy like me--that's what they calls
the boys daown in the Ozarks, where I put in near a hull year huntin'
precious stones in the earth, an' never findin' enuff to git me my grub.
Another o' them memories as comes along withaout warnin', to ha'nt me."
"Perk, you promised me once that some fine day you'd make a start at
that memory book, covering all your activities since you were knee-high
to a duck--I'm going to press you to really start in doing the job,
Perk; it will make a book well worth reading, if only half of all the
adventures you've told me about are included. Now, don't forget your
promise, for I'll hold you to it the next layoff we have float our way."
"I sure hate to do it, partner; but seein' I did give yeou my solemn
word I s'pose I'll jest have to keep my promise; but it'll seem to me
like a heap o' blarney an' boastin'. My loose tongue sure gets me into a
nest o' scrapes, which ain't one bit pleasin' to sech a shy gink as me."
Ah! Perk's eyes opened wider as he saw the other make a quick movement
with his hand, as though suddenly remembering the mysterious letter
thrust under the door of their room, and bearing that long blue stamp
that signified special service, quick delivery to the person addressed.
Sure enough Jack drew the missive out, and proceeded to cut the end of
the envelope, using a table knife for the purpose.
Shooting a quick glance across the table in the direction of his chum,
he smiled slightly, as though very well knowing how Perk was eating his
heart up with curiosity.
Perk stopped feeding, as his abstraction was so intense he hardly knew
the way to his mouth--both eyes were glued on Jack's face, as if he
hoped to read the answer to the riddle there, a thing that had never as
yet come within the scope of his knowledge, since Jack could hide his
emotions under an assumed indifference that baffled interpretation.
It seemed that Jack had read every word of the letter, although there
were several enclosures yet to be gone over; however he appeared as if
he had picked up certain intelligence of such a drastic character as to
make him sit there mulling it all over, and possibly trying to dovetail
things together.
Perk, poor fellow, could stand the awful suspense no longer.
"Well, ole scout, ain't yeou thinkin' 'baout lettin' me into the game--I
somehaow take it fur granted there's news come 'long that's agoin' to
start us off agin follerin' the air trails on the heels o' some skunks
what got themselves outside the law. Lay off, partner, an' gimme a run
fur my money, won't yeou?"