Accordingly both passed out of the deserted shack that had proved such a fortunate harbor for them after the late storm. Jack knew what they must do in following up the little plan he had framed, with a view of giving the suspect the shock of his life and without any further preliminaries he set about carrying out the few details.
“There’s a chink or two in this further wall,” he went on to say, in a low voice, next door to a whisper, “that will furnish us means for keeping tabs on what’s going on inside. We’ll settle down there, and just wait. As luck has it that side of the shack is away from the moon, which is all in our favor, in fact everything seems to be arranged just to suit our plans.”
“Bully set-up, boss, couldn’t be better for a fact,” agreed the hopeful Perk, who firmly believed in the element of Luck, and was immensely gratified to discover how that little god was working over-time in their favor—according to his way of thinking it was always “better to be born lucky than rich.”
“How about it?” whispered Jack, after they had commenced to crouch down in the darkened spot he had selected.
“Just great, that’s all,” Perk assured him, “show me where one o’ them cracks c’n be located, partner, an’ then I’ll be okay—all fixed.”
Jack obliged by directing his chum’s hand to an opening, through which it would be easy enough to keep watch over any happening inside the shack.
“Next we’ll creep over to this further corner, and try to find out when he comes along,” continued Jack. “From now on, Perk, keep your tongue between your teeth—no talking, remember, but if it does seem to be absolutely necessary, put your lips close to my ear, and whisper—get that?”
“Nuff sed, boss, I’m on,” came faintly from the figure crouching at Jack’s side, after which abject silence fell upon the scene.
A little later on Perk, now that his hearing was strained so as to pick up any kind of sound, however slight, caught the barking of a watchdog; it seemed to be at a considerable distance from the shack, and he judged there might be a couple of miles lying between. This was not a great amount of ground to cover, if only the inducement were sufficiently urgent and that fat packet of enticing bank bills, supposed to be secreted under the adobes of the old hearth, must represent an alluring prize, capable of drawing a chap who was fond of “easy money” out of his snug home at this unseasonable hour of the night, and indulging in a little hike, for which effort he would fancy himself well repaid.
Some time passed.