CHAPTER XX

ON THE ENCIRCLING CLIFF

Considering the fact that neither of the two Service men could boast of having graduated from the school of born scouts, and that their education along the line of the crafty pioneers was a bit off-color, it was simply wonderful how successfully they managed to creep into the thickest of the surrounding heavy growth without making any noticeable noise to betray the fact of their passage.

When Jack fancied they had covered sufficient ground he gave Perk a signal with his foot--an old trick with the well paired couple that they had worked to advantage on numerous occasions.

Thereupon, when Jack halted his snake-like progress, the other glided alongside; and thus they lay so close together that if necessary they could exchange a few words in whispers, although most likely Jack would forego this privilege.

The sound of conversation had grown much louder, accompanied by the swishing of bushes, as two or more persons continued to follow some sort of narrow path undoubtedly leading to this wonderful little rivulet.

Now the speakers must have reached their goal, for the voices were stilled, as though the men might be lying flat, and quenching their thirst in something purer than the poor stuff with which they were probably wont to seek the much desired kick.

Both of the hidden intruders strained their ears in hopes of making out what was being said, and thus possibly acquiring a little useful information; but the men spoke in such muffled tones this expectation failed to materialize--the deep, rumbling tones of one, and higher and shrill voice of the other, accompanied by occasional laughs, kept on for at least ten minutes; then from the sounds growing fainter Jack and Perk understood the two men must be going back the way they had come; from which fact they judged the opening into the closed valley must lie in that quarter, almost due north-by-east from their present refuge.

"Dog gone it! an' I ain't wise to a single thing they was a sayin'," Perk lamented, half under his breath, after they could no longer catch the faintest sign of the pair who had been so near them.

"Same here," added Jack, "which was too bad, for we might have picked up a little useful information while they talked and laughed."

"Gee! I strained my hearin' so hard it near cracked my ear-drums, I bet," continued Perk, with a shake of his head; "but it was all rumble an' squeak, mixed in a mess. I shore never did hear so high-pitched a voice on a man in all my born days."

"Well, I have; and if you'll think back some you'll remember just _one_ occasion in the bargain--both of us remarked it as a queer kind of a voice--particularly for a big, bold fellow, who scorned to show a sign of weakness even when hemmed in, and taken prisoner by a couple of fresh Secret Service detectives, belonging to the Flying Corps."

The effect of these words on Perk was electrical--he started as though he had been shot, stared hard at his companion, then grinned broadly, and gave vent to his feelings in a suppressed _roar_--as near as he dared under such sensitive conditions.

"Well, well, well--hot-diggetty-dig! what a blind loon I am, not to 've s'pected that same! Yeou mean that boob was no other than Slippery Slim hisself, the Ole Scratch we're runnin' after right at this minute, doant yeou, partner mine? Glory be! what a great chanct we lost o' fillin' aout aour job in the start--why, we could aturned back to the ship, gone aboard, an' cut loose at two miles a minute fur the home airport, with _him_ safely bagged."

"On the other hand, Perk, we might have given ourselves away, and let him slip out of our hands; when it would be ten times as hard to capture him as if he didn't dream we were around this district. Depend on it this is all for the best--we'll imitate the hungry wolf, and lie in ambush until such time as we can pounce down on Slim, and carry him off unbeknown to the balance of the gang."

"Yeah! I kinder guess that's 'baout the ticket, partner; but it gives me a bad case o' the willies jest to think haow close we was, an' let 'em skip aout. Gee! I'm in a cold sweat, drat the luck!"

"While I was listening to his coarse language, and hard rasping laugh," Jack went on to say, softly; "do you know what came into my mind--a picture of that cottage in the suburb of San Diego, where we took that clever little lad we managed to keep from falling into the jaws of the mad dog."

"I've thought o' the same many times since we left town," Perk declared, in a sincere tone that bespoke his feelings in the matter. "Nice ole lady, too; an' it gets me jest haow a boy could treat sech a fine mother like he's done--he orter be tarred an' feathered, that's my 'pinion!"

"Don't jump at conclusions that way, brother," Jack interposed, as usual seeing further than the more impulsive Perk. "First of all, we're not so dead certain he _is_ her son, and that sweet child his boy--we just guessed as much because that was surely Slim's moniker on the wall we glimpsed. But then the chances are, no matter what his relations may be with the old lady, she's never really known what a bad egg Slim's been. I've heard of cases where a wife of ten years standing still had faith in her man, and believed him to be simply unfortunate. So we mustn't feel so positive until we know more; although it looks as if Mrs. Ferguson must think him a good guy, the story of his crimes having been kept from her ears, either through accident, or a desire to save her mental suffering."

"Mebbe that's it, Jack--yeou kin see deeper into sech puzzles than I ever could. But I only hope we manage to pick up leadin' clues, an' find aout 'baout that matter 'fore we're through with this case."

"Believe me, we're going to do all of that, Perk. Once we get our man again, and are aboard our good ship, headed for port, we'll see that he opens up and explains a good many things that so far are wrapped in mystery."

"I kinder guess that's right, buddy," was Perk's comment; after which they ceased whispering, to turn their full attention upon the task ahead--that of climbing still higher up the face of the steep mountain, with the idea of securing a full view of the hidden valley, and all contained therein.

Whenever a good opportunity opened up for an observation Jack studied the nature of the ground above them.

In this fashion he felt capable of deciding when they had gone as far as was needful in order to carry out their purpose, and secure an unobscured view of the wonder valley, with all it contained.

Both of them experienced more or less curiosity along these lines, as was most natural. So much had been said concerning the hard gang of bad eggs who had taken up their quarters in this wild locality--they had caused such a riot of annoyance to the authorities at Washington, on account of their periodical forays, and the apparent impossibility of breaking up the defiant group, that anything connected with their life in the mountain fortress must appeal strongly to each and every Secret Service man.

Then besides, the unknown fate that had overtaken the last two gallant adventurers who had dared to try and beard the tough lawbreakers in their den--and which had only latterly come to the ears of Jack and Perk--was calculated to invest the whole subject with a tinge of mingled romance and sheer adventure, such as added to the thrill.

It began to look as though they might reach their objective with an hour or so of daylight remaining, in which to take an observation. Later on, as they sat, or lay resting after the strenuous climb, they could compare notes, and begin to build up something of a plan of campaign.

"I reckon," said Jack, softly enough, after one of those halts, during which he always made up his calculations, "we're as high as we need go. By sheering off here to the right we're apt to strike the top of that high cliff we spotted. Then we'll have all the chance we want to get rested."

"Shucks! I aint a mite tired, buddy," Perk assured him, between breaths; "on'y short o' wind, as yeou might say. Some climb, b'lieve _me_!"

"Get your breath then, Perk; and if you're ready say when."

"Go to it, ole hoss!"

They exercised due caution, and gradually swung around in a half curve, when Perk gripped the arm of his mate, to hoarsely exclaim:

"Thar she be, partner, openin' up like a book right ahead o' us!"