Besides, had they not already had one experience along those lines, and completely worsted the persistent enemy, sending their boat down in spirals of flames, with the two occupants forced to “bail out” in order to save their lives?
So Perk put that possibility completely out of his mind and busied himself with more practical affairs. First of all he was desirous of communicating with his comrade and to do this they must have those indispensible head-phones clapped to their ears.
He was already applying his own pair with a confidence inspired by frequent applications, after which he managed to get Jack equipped with the other pair.
Steadily they continued to ascend, and swing around until they faced the east, following the plan Jack had outlined to his mate. Not too high did the pilot urge his craft, since such a course was apt to bring them in the sunlight that still lingered along the upper air lanes.
“Well, they turned out to be a hot bunch all right, partner,” was what Perk observed, when he had the harness adjusted and the ear-phone means of communication in shape for use.
“You reckon they must have fetched the police out with them, do you, Perk?” demanded the one at the stick, as he kept an eye on his dials spread across the black dashboard in front of the cockpit.
“Yeah! just what they did, old hoss,” returned the other, vehemently, but accompanying his remark with a loud chuckle that told of secret amusement, he being excessively fond of anything that smacked of a joke; “an’ they kept up a runnin’ fire at us, let me tell you—could see the flashes spittin’ like fire crackers on the Fourth o’ July.”
“All of which sounds like they must have told a pretty wild and woolly yarn to the cops, to make them want us as bad as that, eh, Perk?”
“Makes me think they got an idea this ain’t goin’ to be just a ordinary man-hunt, but something worth while; we should worry, Jack. Mebbe they a’ready see the handwritin’ on the wall, an’ mean to try an’ upset us in the start, ’fore we get agoin’ full tilt. Notice you’ve gone an’ headed east, partner.”
“It may fool them; but whether it does or not, Perk, such a move’s our proper caper. When we’ve gone something like ten or fifteen miles we’ll get on the curve, swing around to the south, and then when in sight of the gulf turn due west; after that we’ll be on our way to the place where our work is waiting for us.”