ing from time to time as though he managed to squeeze more or less
pleasure in simply mulling over a multitude of his favorite dishes until
one would have imagined it was a waiter in a cheap eating joint down on
the Bowery enumerating what the house offered for dinner--_a la_ O.
Henry.

Later on Perk gave signs of being what he called dopey, whereupon Jack
asked whether he felt inclined to start out again or should it be left
to just one of them--meaning himself, of course,--to undertake the
further job of spying.

"Not much you don't monopolize the fun," Perk told him point blank. "I'm
bound to step along with you even if there'd be a legion o' them
rattlebugs lyin' in the trail awaitin' to sting us. When I get started
on anything I gen'rally keeps right on with it, even if I have to wade
through hell-fire. An' that goes, partner, see?"

"I knew you'd say that, brother," Jack assured him, seeing Perk act as
though hurt by the insinuation that anything would tempt him to let his
pal meet the danger alone. "If you feel a bit empty down below, just rub
your tummy briskly, then pull in your belt a notch or two and it'll make
you imagine you're full-up to the brim. I'll be ready to start off
inside another ten minutes."

Jack spent most of this time rummaging around in the locker where he
kept his own personal belongings. Perk knew when he got out that little
but valuable hand flashlight, by means of which they expected to be able
to keep on the winding and narrow trail when heading once more toward
the lonesome coquina shack on the border of the great inland sea.

"But I'm up in the air when it comes to knowin' what else he's stuck in
his pockets," Perk told himself, though somehow he managed to refrain
from asking questions nor did Jack seem anxious to enter into any
explanations.

"We'll leave things here all fixed so as to make a quick take-off," was
what the chief pilot remarked as they prepared to step ashore and while
he did not see fit to offer any explanation with regard to just what he
had in mind, Perk felt thrilled to believe there was already some daring
plan taking form in his comrade's wide-awake brain that might be carried
out if only the conditions seemed favorable, and the weather proved
considerate.

As they walked slowly along Jack kept frequently snapping his light on
and off so that they could take an instantaneous inventory of what lay
just beyond their feet for the night proved exceedingly da