“And never forget, I beg of you, that this man is a devil for cruelty and craftiness—I’m sure you’ll not delude yourselves that his arrest will be an easy task; for as good men as were ever on the roll of our Secret Service Department have fallen down on the job.”
“Thank you again, sir, for your warning; but we’re not meaning to feel anything like over-confidence, so as to let the bars down. I understand from my having been picked to take up this case, that the knowledge of myself and my assistant here along the line of aviation cut a big figure in the appointment, since it has been learned that Slim himself makes use of a flying boat possibly to cross over from the wilds of Mexico, it being suspected he has his plant hidden away somewhere among the mountains, where he doubtless keeps peace with the authorities by paying tribute that insures his being left undisturbed. We hope to change all that sooner or later, sir.”
“I admire your modesty, Jack,” continued the Government official, who had warmed toward the pair during the short time he had known them, and seemed to take a personal interest in their fortunes. “Remember to keep in touch with Headquarters while in the city, so as to notify me in case you need any assistance—I can later on place a posse of oldtime Texas Rangers at your service, if the occasion arises for a necessity to show force—they are now working for the Government as border patrols, and as you can understand, are the same rough-riding, fearless type that played such a leading figure in the early history of the Lone Star State; for we have authority that covers such matters. And I’ll be one of the first to extend you my hearty congratulations should you win out, and bring in your man; as I’ve no doubt your good pal here used to do when, as you’ve told me, he used to work with the Canadian Mounted Police force, in years gone by.”
“It won’t be our fault, sir, if we make a flop o’ the job,” asserted Perk, who believed he ought to get in an occasional word; although there were a good many things he did not wholly understand, and which he would depend on Jack to further explain when opportunity arose.
Mr. Adkins shook them both cordially by the hand, and took his departure, leaving them to digest all the startling facts he had placed in their possession. By slow degrees they would figure things out, and sketch their plan of operation; then would come the hour when once more they must depend on their wings to carry them many hundreds of miles toward the scene of action, where the air would be surcharged with dynamite, while deadly enemies might be lying in ambush, ready to take them by surprise.
Perk started to spring his questions, and Jack was only too glad to make the necessary explanations; for it was necessary that they work in complete harmony if they hoped to be successful.
As far as they had gone, things looked hopeful to Jack, as he marshalled the facts that had lately been placed in their possession. He was satisfied that when every item had been arranged in its rightful sequence they could fashion a plan of campaign that would at least have a better chance for winning out than any of those utilized by former detectives, who had not possessed the essential wings so as to meet Slippery Slim on his own chosen ground.
“No tellin’ just how long we’ll stick it out in this burgh, I guess, buddy?” suggested Perk, some time later, as they continued to take things easy, resting up after a hard night’s flight, and meaning to get around the city after noon and lunch time had come and passed.
“Couldn’t say as yet, Perk; we’ve got to comb out the stuff as handed over by our new friend, Mr. Adkins, and discard everything that doesn’t pan out as being worth while. Then there were a few leaders he dropped that, if followed up, might turn out to be leading clues, the possession of which would possibly turn the tide of battle. I’m meaning not to let anything make me show undue speed—Rome wasn’t built in a day, we’ve got to recollect, and so shape things from the standpoint of ‘safety first’.”
“Huh! that’s the boy!” gurgled the pleased Perk; “me, don’t I remember that story o’ the hare an’ the tortoise runnin’ a race, which the turtle won ’cause he never even stopped to rest up; while the rabbit, thinkin’ he could run loops around such a plodder, lay down to take a nap, overslept himself, and when he got to the goal there was Old Leatherback awaitin’ to turn the big laugh on him.”