ck, observing what his chum had accomplished, felt compelled to give
the artist his meed of commendation.

"You sure made a fine job of smothering things with all this stuff,
Perk," he told him, which was music in the other's ears, since he would
rather have Jack praise him than any one he knew. "No easy thing to hide
these stretched-out wings and the fuselage, too, as well as the shiny
parts of the crate--motor, propeller, and such, but _you_ fixed it
to beat the band."

"Can that sort o' talk, partner--it was a soft job an' anybody with
sense could a'done it as good as yours truly. Goin' to be a sure enough
long day, 'cordin' to my way o' lookin' at it."

"Oh! nothing like having a little patience," commented Jack calmly, for
he seldom showed signs of being in a hurry. "Men in our line of business
must learn to just hang on and wait for the proper minute to strike the
hook home in the fish's jaw."

"Yeah, an' then hang on some more, after they git the barb well hooked,
with the game fish kickin' up an awful row," chuckled Perk. "Huh! don't
I know how impatience is my besettin' sin and ain't I always a'tryin' to
curb it? That's why I'm crazy to work in double harness with you,
brother, 'cause you hold me in when I feel like spreadin' myself
brashly. Guess I know when I'm well off. Time to take another spin in
dreamland, seems like," with which remark Perk assumed as easy a
position as the crowded cabin of the ship admitted, closed his eyes, and
so far as Jack could tell from his regular breathing was asleep.

It was indeed a long morning for them both.

Came noon and they again proceeded to enjoy a snack, for appetites have
a habit of growing rampant despite any lack of expenditure in the way of
muscular activity.

"I was jest thinkin," Perk remarked as they chewed their dry food, more
as a duty than because they enjoyed it, "that we might be put on short
rations if we're held up on this here job any great length o' time."

Jack refused to be disturbed by such a possibility.

"Oh! I reckon there isn't much chance of _that_ happening," he said
in his usual optimistic manner. "If things get pretty bad we can make a
foray on the pantry of the shack where our friend puts up when over
here. Knowing that he's fond of his grub, with oceans of the long green
to lay in the best of supplies with, I rather think he keeps a
well-stocked larder at all times. I don't figure on either of us being
starved out while there's a