“You looked after those decoys, I expect, brother?” Jack queried, as they sat at the lunch table, enjoying all manner of good things appealing to their sound appetites.
“Better b’lieve I did that same, buddy,” the other assured him; “an’ a mighty likely lookin’ bunch o’ stools I picked up. They’re sendin’ the same to the aviation grounds this afternoon; an’ I’m meanin’ to run aout so’s to stow the wooden ducks away aboard aour ship. I’d give somethin’ for a chanct to shoot over them same decoys, yes suh, I sure would.”
“Perhaps fortune will be kind to us, and you may yet have that pleasure, Pal Wally. No telling but what we may be ordered to hang out around this part of the coast for some time after we’ve done our job to the Queen’s taste; and to tell you the truth I’d enjoy a little shooting myself.”
The afternoon passed, and when the sun sank low in the west, with their coming together again at the hotel, never a single item on either list had been neglected.
In the morning Jack walked around to the post-office where the latest weather reports could be found, to see if they corresponded with the rosy promises the morning papers contained. He assured Perk on returning that they need have no fears about making the start as scheduled; so that Perk found his cup of happiness full to the brim, and even running over.
They took an early lunch and then went out to the aviation grounds in a taxi as usual. Before their ship was trundled out to be set for a start they saw that everything was aboard, and safely stowed away, from the cumbersome decoy flock to the last thing in “chow,” as selected by capable Perk, about as good a judge with regard to food supplies as could be run across in a day’s search.
The manager of the aviation field himself was out to shake hands, and give them a parting good-bye. Jack, seeing the smile accompanying the words and hearty handclasp, had a faint suspicion that possibly the affable gentleman had guessed something like the truth; but just the same he felt it would never go any further, if he could read good Southern faith in a human’s eyes.
CHAPTER XXIII
At the Rendezvous
The big amphibian, well loaded down, made a creditable take-off, and they were soon mounting up toward cloudland. As on the previous occasion there chanced to be a never ending flock of beautiful white fleecy clouds passing along, with the sun shining most of the time, since the banks of vapor were “light-weight,” as Perk poetically described them.
Looking back Perk took his last view of Charleston, a bit regretfully, since the quaint aspects of the city, connected with oldtime buildings, and other agreeable sights, had somehow gripped his heart.