The Sky Pilot's Great Chase; Or, Jack Ralston's Dead Stick Landing

XXVII
ON THE DANGEROUS TRAIL

The horses being fresh after the all-night bivouac, the little party made good time along the crooked trail. Perk was enjoying himself to the limit, taking in all the old familiar sights – how well he remembered different happenings that were connected with this, or that special spot; indeed, he found it hard to believe some years had passed since he followed this path between Frazer’s trading-post of the great Hudson’s Bay Fur Company, and the Mounties’ further north station.

It was going on nine when they again came in sight of the long log building that housed the factor and his belongings – such as Hawk and his bold crowd had left untouched during their recent raid.

All seemed peaceful at the post, although the ashes marking the burned annex told how some unusual event must have recently taken place.

They found Old Jimmy getting along as well as could be expected, but anxious for the coming of the doctor, in whom he had every confidence in the world. A superficial examination quickly put Dr. Hamilton in possession of sufficient knowledge upon which to base a verdict.

“Nothing very serious, McGregor,” he told the factor, in a cheery tone that did much to dissipate any fears the other may have entertained as to the outcome of his wounds.

Jack and Perk too, were relieved, for both of them had reason to feel a burden was lifted from their hearts – Perk because of his old friendship for the factor; and Jack on account of his having given “first aid” to the victim of the lawless Hawk’s latest raid.

Turning to Jack Dr. Hamilton surveyed him with kindling eyes.

“If, as you said, young man,” he told the flyer, “you are only an amateur at handling cases like this, I want to tell you everything has been carried out in a way that would not have shamed the best of surgeons. Jimmy will owe a lot to your skillful work. And let me further say most earnestly, that if at some future date it ever occurs to you to change your profession, should you choose to follow that of surgery, I can easily predict a more than ordinary success awaits you – remember that, Jack.”

“Can you tie that?” burst out the grinning Perk, who seemed more tickled at hearing these words of praise than was the blushing recipient himself. “I kinder guessed my best pal was topnotch ’long them lines when I watched him adoin’ his stuff. So Jack, in case you ever do get knocked out o’ the cloud-chasin’ game, plenty o’ time left to climb up the ladder in the surgical ward.”

Jack hurriedly left the room, although it would have been only natural for him to feel a little thrill at being thus praised by a professional man whom he had already begun to hold in high esteem.

Perk joined him outside, but was kept from doing much talking by the necessity of carrying out a number of needful errands. They did not expect to waste any unnecessary time hanging about the post – the trail was already cold, and it was essential that they get on the move as speedily as possible. Jack well knew what difficult, and perhaps even sanguine work still remained to be accomplished, and as usual was eager to get it all over with.

“We can’t hang fire in this business,” he was telling Perk, who perhaps did not look at things in quite the same light, since his nature differed from that of his companion; “and until I see our man trussed up, to await our pleasure in hopping off for the border, I’ll not have a peaceful moment. From now on this has to be a whirlwind campaign, and no mistake – get that, partner?”

“Huh! pleases me okay, ol’ hoss,” the other told him, nodding his head vigorously; “I’m in the game up to my neck, an’ with me it sure is ‘Pike’s Peak – or Bust!’”

“We’ll take a little time to look over our stuff,” suggested Jack, the always wise worker, who seldom left the slightest thing undone, and consequently, like other cautious sky pilots, seldom had a real accident overtake him. “Make sure you’ve got plenty of cartridges for your gun, and than add another belt for good measure, because you never can tell what may happen, and it’s best to be on the safe side – as a fire insurance agent once said on his advertising cards, it’s ‘better to have insurance, and not need it; than to need insurance and not have it.’”

“Yeah! I know it, Jack, boy,” admitted Perk, “even if sometimes I do get caught nappin’, an’ have a peck o’ trouble ’count o’ my carelessness. I’m set to carry along every shell I fetched up here with me – this is the job they’re meant for, an’ why be a miser ’bout it?”

“That’s the ticket, partner,” Jack told him, apparently quite satisfied he had started his companion on the right road – Perk sometimes had to be “shown,” and then he would follow to the bitter end.

Red Lowden had also been making sure nothing was forgotten, so far as he could tell. Of course he was somewhat in the dark as to just what means Jack meant to employ in order to bring about the success of the undertaking; but in the short time he had known the young Secret Service detective he had realized the capacity the other exhibited for handling just such intricate cases – if it were not so the astute Head of the Organization at Washington would never have entrusted this difficult problem to his hands.

Of course, from this time forward it would be Sergeant Lowden who would take the lead, since he knew the country, and it was all a puzzle to Jack – even Perk would not be half as well acquainted with the ground as the one who for a dozen years had been going over the entire district for a radius of probably fifty miles in all directions.

Then, too, should any difficulty arise they could put their heads together, and find a solution to the problem, since many hands make light work, according to the old saying.

While Jack and Perk were doing other things Red had taken a look at the tracks left by the raiders. Luckily no rain had fallen since they galloped away from the plucked post, and hence the imprints of their animals’ hoofs could still be plainly located.

Besides this, Red was depending considerably on certain secret information lately drifting in to Colonel Ascot, to help him out – as yet he had not said anything to Jack and Perk concerning this matter, but anticipated taking them both into his confidence before long, as it was essential they should understand just what resources he was banking upon in order to run the wolves to their secret den, the whereabouts of which had so long been unknown.

And so, about an hour after arriving at Frazer’s, the trio again rode forth, to bring about the finishing touches of their campaign.

Even Perk seemed sobered by the desperate character of the duties now devolving on the little party. Outnumbered at least two to one, possibly with even greater odds against them, they would surely need all the boldness and strategy with which they were endowed, in order to bring about a successful finish to the invasion of the enemy’s stronghold.

Sometimes they were compelled to go single-file on account of the narrow trail, alongside which great masses of mighty rocks were piled up; but in other places it was possible to ride three abreast; and these were the occasions when Jack and Red consulted, clearing up any foggy spots, so that they could work in unison when the time came for action.

Not a single incident occurred to take their attention from the fact that they were carrying their lives in their hands. Now and then the guide would pull up in order that he might make use of the binoculars (which Jack had taken pains to bring along) some suspicious clump of rocks such as would afford a most effective spot for an ambush needed closer observation; and Red was too cautious a ranger to rush into a trap when it could be avoided.

As they progressed Jack noticed how their guide gradually slowed down; from which circumstance he judged they must be nearing the hidden retreat of the plunderers. It gave him increased confidence in the sagacity of the Mounty sergeant, whose disposition corresponded more or less with his own.

Coming to a delightfully cold spring that bubbled up close to the trail, Red called a halt.

“A short rest will breathe the hosses,” Red was saying, after he had taken a good look at the trail beyond the wayside spring; “and by the same token I think it’s high time I told you both about a little trick of luck that came my way just a week or so back; ’specially since it’s got so much to do with the carrying out of this surround, and hoped-for haul.”

XXVIII
DODGING THE LOOKOUT

Perk looked eagerly at his old pal when Sergeant Red made that interesting disclosure. The three of them were sitting close to the spring at the time, engaged in passing a collapsible metal cup from hand to hand, and quenching their thirst from the clear water that came forth in apparently inexhaustible quantities.

“Huh! I kinder guessed now, Red, ol’ hoss, that you had a trump cyard up your sleeve all this while – reckon I ain’t forgot a trick you used to play on us boys long ago, springin’ a nice little surprise just when the game looked the bunk, an’ we reckoned we was up a stump. Hit it up then, an’ tell us what sorter good luck it was you run smack up against, that’s got somethin’ to do with this here racket o’ ourn.”

“I was riding slowly back to the station, after taking our mail to the nearest settlement, where it could go on its way by a carrier, when I chanced to hear what sounded like a groan. Of course I first of all suspected it might be some sort of slick trap to get me off my mount; but after riding on a bit I dismounted and fastening my hoss, crept back.

“Turned out to be no fizzle after all, for I found a miserable looking man lying on the ground, half starved, badly wounded in an arm, and looking like he’d been in the river that was close by.

“I reckoned he might be one of the crowd that worked with the Hawk – had an idea I’d seen him before in bad company; but he was a tough looking sight, and I just felt sorry for the bloke. So I fed him, and looked after his hurts, what with a heap of bruises, and a bullet through the fleshy part of his left arm.

“Then I got him on my mount, and carried him all the way to the station. The colonel took charge, and had him put to bed, with Doc. Hamilton looking after his troubles. He got better right away, and on the third day said he must be going. Then he confessed he had been a member of that Hawk gang and that his name was Gene Hotchkiss, though we both reckoned it was one he’d tacked on when he came up here to keep out of jail.

“He went on to tell us that he’d been fool enough to defy the Hawk when full of hard stuff; and how the other had flashed a gun to shoot him through the shoulder; then knocked him down, kicked him in a passion; and finally, when he was mighty near senseless, ordered two of his men to pick him up and throw him over a cliff into the river.

“How he managed to keep from being drowned when so weak and sore he couldn’t explain – all he remembered was managing to pull himself out of the water when an eddy drew him in close to a shelving rock. Later on he tried to make his way along in the direction of Frazer’s post, meaning to get out of this country, for his life would not be worth a pinch of salt if ever the Hawk learned he hadn’t been put out of the way.

“He claimed to have a brother down in Winnipeg, and swore black and blue he was going back to him, so as to try and redeem himself. Colonel Astor encouraged him, feeling that what he spoke was the truth. Well, before he pulled out, going in company with a trapper chancing along right then, the chap was so grateful for all we’d done for him he up and told us a few things about the Hawk, such as we’d been crazy to learn for seven coons’ ages.

“He described the location of the secret haunt of the gang, so we couldn’t miss finding it when ready to pounce down on them. More than that he drew a sort of diagram, or chart, showing us how there was a back-door way of gettin’ in, case they barricaded the main entrance – so far as he knew not a single guy of all the pack knew about this same rear door except himself; and he’d only found it out by sheer accident, keeping quiet, since he even then had a sneaking notion he’d have to pull out on the sly, if ever it came to a show-down between himself and the Hawk.”

“That sounds like something well worth while,” Jack remarked, after Red had apparently reached the end of his little yarn; “always provided what he told you was the truth, and not a fairy story invented to hoodwink you until he got out of touch, and could make his getaway.”

“I believe it was backed by solid truth,” Red stoutly affirmed; “and the colonel was of the same opinion. We were only waiting until several of the boys returned to the station after having their vacations, when we figured on pulling the roost, and closing out the whole bunch. Then you hit our place, and he made up his mind to let you have your day, backing you up when the posse arrived after their wild goose chase, sent on a false information that the gang planned to raid the little settlement at Frog’s Neck down the river fifty miles or so.”

Acting on Jack’s request, Red explained (by means of the rude chart made by the so-called Gene Hotchkiss) just where the retreat was located; and also what course they would have to pursue if necessity compelled them to attempt to break in through the back door.

“If that stacks up against us,” Jack finally decided, “we can go over this thing again and get our bearings – it may not be necessary if we have a decent share of luck. And now, boys, let’s move along, and start something.”

“When we get to a certain point,” further advised the Mounty guide, “it’s going to be necessary for us to leave the trail, hide our hosses, and take to the rocks.”

“You reckon then they’ll have a lookout posted to command the approach, and get wind of any threatening danger?” Jack asked.

“That Hotchkiss guy told us they never left anything to chance,” Red explained; “he said that day and night a vidette is kept posted on a lookout point, where, unseen himself he can discover if even a fox comes along the only approach to the cave. He even said they had dynamite planted, with a wire running up to the den, so the whole works could be knocked into flinders if so be the Mounties came along. We’ve got to find that wire, and disconnect it first thing we do.”

“Je-ru-sa-lem crickets, I should say so!” Perk chattered; “I ain’t so set on doin’ my flyin’ in pieces that I’ll cotton to any dynamite cache.”

Then, as they were once more compelled to go single file on account of the rocks narrowing the trail, the consultation came to an end, and they continued to move ahead in utter silence save when a hoof chanced to strike the solid rock and made a subdued sound. Each rider, however, tried to keep this from happening whenever possible, by skillful guidance with the bridle.

Perk kept watching the mountain that reared up its lofty peak thousands of feet above. It might be he was wondering what would happen should the guide through some mistake overlap the range of safety, and their coming be noted by the ever vigilant vidette posted in some eagle-like eyrie far up the slope.

Would their first warning of this fact be when a frightful explosion rent the atmosphere, and the massive rocks went flying in every direction, carrying themselves and their unlucky mounts along in sections? It was not a very cheerful subject to entertain, and Perk might be pardoned for feeling a little cold chill creep up and down his spinal column, when for instance he suddenly caught a rumbling sound, like an earthquake in its first throes. It however turned out to be simply a land-slide, such as frequently took place, as Perk himself very well knew, with great rocks, and a shower of loosened earth slipping down the slope with increasing momentum.

“Gosh a mity! that one near got my goat!” Perk told himself, with a nervous little laugh; and as he brought up the rear just then neither of his mates saw his brief spasm of alarm, for which he was thankful.

Suddenly Red threw up his arm. They had for some little time been walking their horses, and this warning signal brought them all to a complete standstill. Jack shoved up alongside the leader, and they exchanged looks.

“Here’s where we got to leave our mounts, and go on afoot,” was what Red explained, speaking in a low tone that added to the thrill of the occasion, at least so far as Perk was concerned. “See this red-looking rock that cuts out halfway across the trail – that Hotchkiss critter warned me not to pass it by – if we rode fifty feet further we’d come in line with the sentry up yonder.”

“I guess now an inch is as good as a mile,” Perk observed, grinning as though he had uttered some “wise crack” that did his discretion credit.

Looking around they soon found an opening in the wall on their right, through which the horses could be led. Red was particular to take the animals quite some distance away, so that in case one of them took a notion to neigh, as horses are apt to do at unexpected times, the sound might not be heard by the man on the lookout post, or by any one chancing to be passing along the trail.

So far so good; and yet the extra hazardous part of the undertaking was but beginning to loom up ahead.

XXIX
THE HAWK AT BAY

Red led the way, of course. Jack knew he was searching for the wire that ran from the planted explosive up to the spot where the vidette was stationed, his intention being to sever this strand so as to make the hidden dynamite futile for doing any damage.

Shortly afterwards the guide uttered a low exclamation as of satisfaction, following this up by kneeling down, and with a pair of pocket pliers cutting a wire that lay in plain sight on the rock.

Perk made a queer little noise, as though something in the way of a load had been taken from his chest. Jack, too, felt relieved; and besides, their early success seemed to presage a good ending to the adventure.

Again they went on, climbing by devious ways, but always making progress up toward the little plateau which had been described to Red by the former member of the bandit circle as the lookout’s station.

Drawing gradually closer and closer in the end they could make out the figure of a man, seated Arab fashion, with his legs drawn up under him, and watching the spot where the trail stood out so plainly to one far above. Apparently he had as yet discovered no suspicious movement, and was unaware of what virtually hovered over his own devoted head.

Again did Red assume the initiative, and Jack was perfectly willing that this should be his part. Whispering a few words in Jack’s ear placed close to his lips, the Mounty sergeant moved away as noiselessly as a crawling serpent might have done, vanishing from their anxious eyes as though the rocks had opened to engulf him.

The two sky pilgrims crouched there and waited, keyed up to a high pitch of anticipation and excitement. Jack could hear Perk drawing in each breath with a slight rasping sound; so, too, did the other move restlessly as the minutes passed until a quarter of an hour had slipped by.

Then Jack noticed a faint movement just back of the lounging sentry, and something like four feet above his head. Of course it was Red, who had managed to attain this commanding spot without making any sound calculated to put the bandit lookout on the alert.

Perk, too, had glimpsed a face peering forth, and he as well as Jack suspended breathing as they saw the sturdy Mounty launch his body into space. Following came a scuffling noise, as the two forms writhed and twisted there on the outcropping of rock, with a sheer drop of full a hundred feet, if one or both were so unfortunate as to squirm over the edge.

At least there had not been the faintest shout given, proving how perfect all of Red’s movements had been calculated and carried out. No doubt the fingers of his right hand had clutched the sentry’s throat in a flash, cutting off his wind, and reducing him to a condition of helplessness.

Two minutes afterwards and there was Red grinning as he beckoned for his two mates to climb up to where he awaited them. Upon reaching his side they found he had tied the prisoner’s arms together behind his back; and Perk making a quick examination, nodded as if vastly pleased over such a thorough job. Borrowing a red bandana handkerchief – a fresh and new one Perk had laid in for this especial occasion – Red speedily made an effective gag which he secured over the senseless man’s mouth, so that no matter how much he strove to cry out the best he could do would be to make a low moaning sound, hardly more than a grunt.

After this had been accomplished Red unceremoniously dragged him into an inviting fissure near by, where he could be left to himself. He had been coming into his senses at the time, and must have glimpsed the hated and feared uniform of the Mounties, which would be apt to give him a nightmare, knowing as he did what measure in the way of penalties was due for his reckoning.

Again the daring trio set out to reach the hidden den. Red led them by devious ways, always with the one thought of “playing safe” held up before him. Inside of five minutes he pointed to where a network of vines covered the face of a small cliff. Behind that curtain Red knew the secret entrance of the freebooters’ rendezvous was to be found.

Red’s hunch turned out to be all to the good, as was proven when they investigated, and found an opening that seemed to lead into the solid rock. Before taking chances by pushing into the black depths Jack and Red consulted once more in whispers.

Perk, hovering near by, suddenly glimpsed a moving object that turned out to be a hostile eavesdropper – undoubtedly one of the outlaws had been in the act of stepping out of the underground retreat when he made the thrilling discovery that the dreaded Mounties were at the door.

Knowing from Perk’s actions that his presence was discovered, in a near panic the man attempted to get away. Perk, however, hoping to prevent Jack’s plans for surprising the gang from being upset, made a furious rush toward the disappearing party.

He hurled himself upon the man, and succeeded in throwing him down with such violence that the other was knocked senseless; but unfortunately before this happened the outlaw had let out a warning shriek, that must have echoed through the passages of the cavern.

Several shots rang out, proving how quickly the gang could take the alarm. Loud voices, too, followed, and one in particular struck Jack as most dominant and commanding; so that it hardly needed the quick explanation from Red to tell Jack he was listening to the Hawk in person.

Perk, realizing that the battle was now on, started to do his share of the action; and the way he handled that machine-gun was a caution. Its rap-rap-rap following each burst with others in rapid succession, made it appear as though a dozen of the surprise party must be thronging at the entrance, ready for a concerted rush.

Perhaps, too, those sheltered inside the dark interior of the wonderful cavern could catch occasional glimpses of the hated and feared uniform of the Mounted Police; for Red was actively moving back and forth, with just this idea influencing him, to make them believe the entire force connected with the station had come upon the ground, bent upon making a complete sweep-up of the bunch at bay while they were about it.

The fight went on quite merrily for some little time, with shots echoing through the corridors of the underground retreat. Whether their hot fusilade was doing any harm the trio on the outside could not discover, for no longer were shouts being exchanged – the besieged bandits kept firing sullenly, nor did they seem to be lacking in an abundance of ammunition.

Realizing that they were getting nowhere by these ineffective tactics Jack again sought suggestions from his second in command. When Red vigorously advised that they try to find the secret rear entrance to the cavern, it struck Jack as a sensible plan. Knowing that there was little risk of the inmates making any serious attempt to rush out at this early stage of the battle, especially when unaware of the number of their foes, Jack concluded to accept the risks and take his whole inadequate force with him in making an attack from the rear.

It was indeed a lucky thing they had such a good guide at their disposal as Red proved to be; for he had no particular trouble in leading them along a narrow ledge, and through a branch of the main canyon, until they presently reached a dark crevice in the shape of a rock fault, exactly as his informant had advised would be the case.

This being the case they entered the split in the wall, and aided by occasional flashes from the hand electric torch Jack carried, managed in the end to reach the main cavern. Here torches fastened to the walls in the regulation fashion, allowed them to see the flitting figures of the alarmed bandits moving to and fro, as though engaged in changing their stores to some more secure location.

It appearing that only by a sudden rush could they hope to strike consternation into the hearts of the already panicky bunch, Jack gave the word, and with loud shouts and much firing of guns the three boldly rushed the enemy. In return came a volley of answering shots; but apparently this unexpected attack from the rear unnerved the outlaws, for breaking they rushed into an inner chamber, which had evidently been prepared for a last stand in case of just such an emergency as had now arrived. When the three came on the spot it was to find only a single form stretched on the rocky floor, and with a stout oaken door checking their further advance.