ooks a little dark, but just wait a minute or so before you
croak--after all, the thing may not be so bad--it doesn't pay to jump at
conclusions."

"Shucks! that's me all over, old hoss, but I'm sure glad to hear you say
the last chance ain't snuffed out yet," mumbled Perk contritely, but at
least he had gained his point which was to coax Jack to mix a little
good cheer in with the gloom that had descended on his, Perk's soul.

"There, he's off!" declared Jack as a significant change in the clatter
so thoroughly understood by any airman announced the hop-off from the
surface of the lake.

"An' nothin' happened to give him a spill, either," Perk went on to say
and the disconsolate vein in his tone told plainly enough how he had
been secretly hugging to his heart a hope that the motor of the
Lockheed-Vega crate might suddenly develop some fault, compelling the
flight to be abandoned in its inception.

"Even that fact may yet turn out to be the best thing we could wish
for," Jack told him confidently, being built on the order of a fellow
who could see something to rejoice over in nearly every occurrence, no
matter how thick the gloom surrounding it.

"There he swings up an' is off--a slick jump, b'lieve me an' that guy's
some square shooter in the bargain--knows his business okay anyway. But
Jack, tell me, you don't think he's got our man alongside him, do you?"

"Well, one thing seems to tell me that isn't a fact, Perk."

"Yeah, an' what might that be?" demanded the other quickly.

"Notice that he's already banking, so as to lay his course toward Cape
Sable--square in the south--get that, don't you Perk?"

"I swan, but you're right there, Jack--which looks kinder like he didn't
mean to strike out for Miami, don't it?"

"More than likely he's hitting out for Cuba, or if he veers to the west,
it's Mexico or Honduras he means to head for."

Perk heaved a big sigh of relief.

"Hot ziggetty! but that sounds good to me, partner," he observed with
renewed animation as hope again sang a sweet song in his heart. "Then
there's a real chance he ain't got our man alongside."

They stood there and continued to listen as the sounds made by the
flight of the retreating seaplane gradually grew fainter and even for
brief spells died out altogether.

"He's out o' the pictur' anyhow," Perk finally commented when they could
no longer catch the least thud of the working motor--only a more
pleasing sound in the shape of gentle