don't believe the
'gators would keep us awake with their splashing and roaring along
towards early morning, but then I'm a bit bothered thinking of the man
who skipped out after having his little machine-gun duel with you."

"You're jest crampin' my style when you say that, partner," complained
Perk. "That Oscar happens to be a German, we both know, an' from what I
learned about the breed when over there, they're some obstinate, once
they get workin' in a game--hate to give it up wuss'n pizen."

"I see you're of the same opinion as myself, buddy," Jack remarked,
nodding his head. "You reckon there might be some chance for him to pick
up a bunch of his mates and swing back here to do a little bombing on
his own account. Well, we're not hankering to try our own medicine, not
if we know it, and on that account I think we'd be wise to pull out of
this and find a new refuge--perhaps on some lake back from the coast
where we might pick up something interesting in our line."

"Je-ru-salem crickets! I kinder guess now you've got somethin' danglin'
back o' them words old hoss," broke out the newly interested Perk,
showing considerable animation. He was used to most of Jack's habits and
could in many instances tell that something lay hidden back of his
word--something of a character to promise great happenings when followed
to a finish.

That seemingly casual mention of a freshwater lake was not made without
some deep meaning--Jack must have been told something very important by
the Government official with whom he had gone into conference at Tampa
and this was his sly way of starting Perk's wits to working overtime in
the endeavor to figure things out.

"Wait and see what's in the wind, Perk," said the head pilot, with a
chuckle. "I promise to let you into all I know or suspect before a great
while passes. Just now I'll own up this scheme of slipping over to a
certain sheet of fresh water for a change of base has a meaning that
connects with our big game of Blind Man's Buff."

This seemed to square things with Perk, for he beamed as though pleased.
Whatever Jack decided was always all right in his eyes because he felt
certain that the bright mind of his comrade just could not make a
blunder.

"When do we hop-off, then?" he said.

"Oh, when the moon shows up will be plenty of time," came the ready
answer. "Our objective isn't so very far distant and you know we can
make a hundred miles an hour if necessary. I'd like to