When they had reason to believe, (from landmarks taken notice of on the preceding day by Perk, as they turned for home) they were covering a fresh stretch of land and water, their vigilance was once more centered upon the task of closely observing every detail, and making more mental notes.
During this cruise they discovered next to nothing incriminating—as a rule they found themselves gazing down on a tangled mass of forest growth, with silver threads of water running crisscross here and there; or it might be muddy looking rivers and creeks meandering along in their long march to the sea, covering at least ten miles where a crow would fly the same distance in one mile or possibly less.
Jack had noted a number of places where the conditions seemed more or less favorable for such secret work as the successful landing of illicit cargoes necessitated; but while the spot seemed everything that could be wished, there was never a sign of its being used for such purposes—no sheds, or even a well-used road leading into the pine woods, such as must be required if heavy truck loads of goods were to be carried off.
“It looks as if we’ll have to go over that first fifty or sixty miles again, with a fine tooth comb,” Jack told his comrade, as the afternoon caught them still speeding gaily along, not over three thousand feet above the checkered landscape below.
“What we agoin’ to do ’baout hit, then, suh?” demanded the puzzled Perk. “We shore caint keep startin’ aout from Charleston every mawnin’ like we’re adoin’ right naow, covering hundreds o’ miles, an’ hope to git back by daylight.”
“Oh! that needn’t trouble us anything to speak of, matey,” the other hastened to assure him. “If necessary we’ll drop down, and make camp for the night, pick things up in the morning, and take chances of getting back to Charleston any old time later on.”
“Say, less do that same tonight, suh,” suggested the artful Perk, with his most engaging smile; but Jack shook his head in the negative.
“Possibly we may tomorrow; but I’ve agreed to see Mr. Herriott tonight, partner.”
CHAPTER XVII
Spinning the Net
Again, after Jack had paid a visit to the home of Mr. Herriott he repeated much of what fresh information he had picked up during the evening, some of which he deemed more or less important, as the facts dove-tailed with other details, to make something of a complete structure.