Part 18 (1/2)

PERK DEMANDS MORE WATER

It was queer what chanced to be passing through thetoward the little well in the rear of the loneso a novel that was supposed to cover the famous and successful attehty wilderness in the north of Luzon, the roup and effect the capture of the native rebel chieftain, Aguinaldo ith soe in a lonely cabin at a most inaccessible point

So vividly had the author described the manner in which the soldier and his co ready to seize their prey, that it was still haunting the mind of the air himself and Perk seemed to be very similar He only hoped they would prove to be just as successful in their uinaldo back to Manila, and thus broke the backbone of the native uprising against the authority of Uncle Sa out toward the bucket he discovered perched on the rocky border of the well Jack could hear hi it half full of water and felt himself a bit tickled to see the way in which his chureedily fill up with the precious liquid

Little Perk cared if the water chanced to be stale--he had no co as his parched throat and tongue ca sensation was immediately relieved

Perk must have suddenly reme spree he stopped short and stepped back as though to invite his comrade to take his turn

This Jack showed no hesitation in doing, drinking long and with considerable ardor though he knehen to stop, which hat Perk did not for no sooner had the other released his hold on the bucket than Perk took another turn

In the end Jack was co the other away from the well possibly for fear he burst or else so there, unwelcome intruders on Oswald Kearns'

privacy and a positive threat to his peace ofany talking, no matter how subdued their voices Jack kept hold of the other's arhted

Perk uessed what his pal had in mind for he made no resistance whatever, just allowed hi down they crawled past, and then closer until they could begin to gli the darkness

The first thing that struck Jack was the fact that the place had been fixed up with an eye to comfort--it looked als that must have cost a considerable su accusto seclusion in this out-of-the-way retreat

Then Jack found hireatest ton had ever endeavored to trap, He was sitting in a big leather-covered easy-chair, sed with a sheaf of i papers From time to time he would refer to a voluer or account book and to which he seeht sent a succession of thrills through the whole being of the Secret Service sleuth--here he found hihed to scorn all previous efforts of the Governoods on

Vainly had every possible atteuard; he had proved himself to be too crafty for the best revenue officers put upon his track And when failure after failure becae the policy they had hitherto followed and put an air pilot on the job as being able to go swiftly and easily where others had been so cleverly balked

Then Jack began to wonder where the other two ht be, for thus far he had failed to discover either in the roohted

Could it be possible both of thea shi+p, bent on some important mission which the Master had entrusted to their care?

He could not bring hiainst who to stay all by himself in such a lonesome place unless it seemed unavoidable One or both of those aids must be somewhere around

Just the same he could see no other roo--it was always possible, however, that there ht be another shack--perhaps a crude palmetto-leaf hut, such as the poor whites in the backwoods lived in, somewhere not far away that served the Norther caions of snow and ice and zero temperatures

Jack had about reached this conclusion when he discovered a figure, covered with a fancy Navajo blanket, on a cot in a corner of the place--yes, there was a head on a sofa pillow such as would be more in place over at the beautiful Miaion

Somehow he quickly assuo to prove the other fellow ht have accompanied the pilot of the departed airshi+p

When he had decided this to his entire satisfaction, Jack was able to figure on certain matters It undoubtedly ainst theht with victory perching on the side that was quickest at the draw

He see he had received in connection with not under-rating this reh he was, he would seek all h on the Government, especially the Secret Serviceof almost wolfish hatred