“Seems to me you’re forgetting something, partner,” continued Jack.
“As what, Boss?”
“Isn’t it about time for grub?” demanded Jack whose face was set in a grin a sudden flash of lightning disclosed.
“Je-hos-i-phat! if that ain’t the very first time I ever did forget such a thing as eats!” burst out the chagrined co-pilot. “That’s a fact, it is our time for attendin’ to the gnawin’ down below-stairs. Wait up, buddy, an’ I’ll fix things up okay in a jiffy.”
He was as good as his word, although the measure of action he mentioned has never as yet been exactly settled. Perk knew just where he had put his supplies and trotted them out with alacrity, likewise undoubted pleasure for that sacred rite of eating was one of the duties the war veteran always stood by manfully.
Undoubtedly both of them had partaken of meals under many peculiar conditions but if their comments had any bearing on the subject never before had they dined under such frightfully noisy accompaniments as right then with the cannonading from heaven’s heavy artillery constantly booming, the wind howling like a pack of maddened wolves and the waves smashing against that little rocky ridge that sheltered them so bravely.
Perk had lighted the stub end of a candle so that they might not be in complete darkness, for it was as though midnight had arrived, especially between the vivid flashes as streaks of lightning went zigzagging athwart the black dome overhead.
Calmly they continued to munch their sandwiches and take occasional sips of hot coffee from the thermos bottle, Perk having supplied a couple of large aluminum cups for the occasion.
“Don’t seem to let up any that I c’n notice,” remarked Perk later on when they had taken the edge off their appetites.
“Weather fooled me that time for certain,” added Jack frankly, “but then I never did claim to be a good hand at guessing what was coming along in this line. Government reports have always served me decently and even they can’t always be depended on. This upset may last most of the night for all we can tell.”