Perk put a finger on his lips.
“Go slow ’bout callin’ me by that name, brother,” he told the other, half under his breath. “Jest now I’m sailin’ under false colors, as you might say. I’m in Uncle Sam’s Secret Service, an’ known as Gabe Smith, a Maine woods guide in the employ o’ a rich gent, a real sport an’ big game hunter—let me introduce him to you Red—Mister John Jacob Astorbilt,” and with the last word he gave the wearer of the uniform a wicked wink that spoke volumes to Red, who nodded and shook hands with Jack.
He could give a pretty clever guess as to who and what this determined looking young fellow must be and the story could keep until a more convenient season.
“Glad to meet you, Mr. Astorbilt,” he went on to say aloud for the benefit of the two other Mounties hovering close by with the design of being made acquainted with the newcomers.
They were both wise and seasoned members of the force, although Perk was meeting them for the first time and thus judged they had been transferred from another post during his absence.
“I hope Colonel Ascot is well,” remarked Jack softly as he stood there close beside Red Lowden, “I am anxious to meet him, for I have a strong suspicion he will be deeply interested in certain documents I am bearing with me, both from Ottawa in your Dominion here and also from my Big Boss at Washington, D. C.”
The other, who was a sturdy specimen of Canadian manhood, with the eye of a hawk, nodded his head and looked wise as he hastened to say:
“Wait till I introduce you to these members of our patrol and then I’ll lead you to the Colonel, who is doing a bit of official correspondence inside his office close by.”
This was soon accomplished and as the sportsman in search of fresh thrills Jack met the couple of Mounties. Leaving Perk chatting with them he followed the sergeant into the long, low log barracks where in a cubbyhole at the end they found a tall, severe looking man, dressed in the garb of an officer, seated at a desk and busily engaged in writing.
He must have heard all the commotion outside connected with the arrival of the cloud-chaser, but being deeply interested in what he was writing and too much given to decorum to display any vulgar curiosity, he had remained there.