on on many a long flight
through fog and storm, wintry cold and summer heat. "But then I got a
notion Oscar must a'been nipped, too, mebbe a whole lot worse'n me.
Honors are 'bout even, I guess, and if ever I do run across that lad
again I'm meanin' to shake hands with him, jest out o' consideration for
the fox an' geese game us air pilots used to play in the big ruction
over there."

By chance Perk turned his gaze in another direction for he no longer
found any interest in keeping tabs on his late antagonist whose ship was
now growing dim in the distance, having entered among a bunch of fleecy
clouds.

Hardly had Perk turned his head than he gave utterance to a low cry.

"What do I see but another crate humping along this way, an' outen the
no'th in the bargain?" he observed, with ill concealed eagerness in his
tones. "Could it be Oscar, an' the other skunks got 'em a hull fleet o'
airships to carry on their trade o' smugglin' in licker, diamonds an'
Chinks that want to get in this country more'n they do the yeller man's
Paradise? Oh! rats, what'm I thinkin' about--wake up, Gabe Perkiser, an'
use your noodle like it was given to you to handle. To be sure that
second plane is our own bus, with my pal handlin' the stick. An' I guess
Oscar must a glimpsed him headin' this way, which made him reckon this
wasn't the healthiest place in the country for a feller o' his size, so
he skipped out _pronto_. Yep, that's my pal for a cookey, I'd know
his way o' handlin' a ship in a dozen an' as far as I could lamp the
boat."

On the whole he was extremely glad to see Jack returning, although also
pleased to know he had had his little frolic in a miniature battle that
for the brief period of its life had been able to give him a most
delicious thrill.

He watched the oncoming ship grow in size and noted the significant fact
that its approach was so lacking in all the customary racket that
deafens the human ear.

Then presently a hand waved to him, Jack swung around and dropped with a
little splash upon the water--just where Oscar had so recently left
it--to taxi along and pull up close to the camouflaged sloop.

CHAPTER XIV

THE COAST GUARD MEN

Perk made a discovery just then that afforded him more or less
satisfaction. This was the fact that apparently Jack's mission to Tampa
had not been in vain for he could see several heads in the cabin of the
amphibian beside that of his best chum.

"Huh! 'pears like Jack f