raze takes the form of snapping his
fingers in contempt at Uncle Sam's Coast Guard and all the revenue men
in Florida.

"I was a bit skeptical at first, it all seemed so silly, such a whimsey
for a rich man to fancy--taking such big risks just for the thrill he
got--but the more I picked up about the man the less inclined I became
to doubt, and by now I'm convinced it is the truth."

"But what makes him keep all this smuggling business clear of this
wonderful show place near Miami?" asked Perk, apparently still groping
as though in a daze.

"Just wants to be living his double life," explained Jack, "with one
line never crossing the other--you might call it a Jekyll and Hyde sort
of an existence. But the truth will come out in broad daylight if ever
we _do_ round him up and catch him with the goods."

"Er--'bout how long will we be in makin' some sort o' start, boss?"
asked Perk anxiously.

"We may have to stick around here for some days while we do a little spy
work and lay our net," Jack told him. "A great deal depends on, how the
land lies and what success we strike in making our approach--you know
how it is with all golfers--approach means a whole lot to them. But if
we have the good fortune to nab our man after making certain we have
plenty of convincing evidence to be used against him, why there's our
boat ready to spirit him away before his gang can forcibly take him off
our hands."

CHAPTER XIX

THE SCENT GROWS WARMER

It all seemed so simple, as Jack put it, that Perk felt everything was
bound to come their way eventually if not just then. All the same his
sound common sense told him there was apt to be some pretty lively times
in store for them before the end they sought had been obtained.

He had the feeling of one who had been fed up on thrilling details and
figured on having a great volume of tragic possibilities to mull over in
his customary fashion--for all the world, as Jack often told him, like a
cow chewing her cud.

Realizing that Jack had now posted him thoroughly, Perk managed to curb
his curiosity besides, the chances were his pal would be likely to frown
on anything approaching garrulity.

Several hours passed and most of this time they spent taking short naps
in order to keep in condition for anything that might crop up. Then came
the dawn, to find Perk pawing over his haversack in which he had food
stowed away, with which he calculated to meet any "hold-over" that might
com