ely interested in Jack's play for time and listened with
his heart almost up in his throat, fearing lest the steady chugging
should suddenly stop and the game be thrown by default. But no, it was
keeping on in perfect rhythm, sounding in Perk's ear something like the
tattoo of a machine-gun in action and sending out its swarm of leaden
missiles--a sound that had long ago become so familiar to his ears as
never to be forgotten, despite the lapse of time.

Surely by now that leading boat must be getting close to the schooner so
that the transfer would soon be an accomplished fact, after which the
return trip was due to be started which was when they meant to break
into the game.

"Ginger pop! if I don't ketch the grumble o' a second tug further away,
and I guess now a consid'able bigger craft than the leadin' one. Get a
move on, fellers--the dinner gong's struck and the grub's on the table
waitin' to be swallered--first come, first served's the rule things go
by, so stir your stumps, an' put in the best licks you know how--an' may
the devil take the hindmost. Hey there! that drummin' noise, it's
stopped--wonder if they got out to the sloop or else smell a rat an' are
lyin' low till they make it a dead certainty? Gosh, but ain't this all
mighty thrillin' though, and how it does tickle me most to death,"
muttering which Perk, still listening, actually held his breath the
better to catch any sound from below.

CHAPTER V

A BATTLE ROYAL

Jack, being desirous of ascertaining just what was taking place over
where the sloop laden with contraband was anchored, did his best glide
or coast, a feature at which he was most competent.

When the engine ceased to function and the whizzing propeller lost much
of its dizzy momentum, both he and Perk strained their ears so as to
catch any sound calculated to inform them as to what was going on.

The trick proved worth while, for plainly they could make out human
voices; also a certain rumbling sound that Jack imagined might be caused
by the rush back and forth of a small hand truck on which cases of
imported liquid refreshment were loaded.

This told the story to the effect that the speed launch must have
reached the schooner and was lying alongside with its intended cargo
being delivered with no loss of time. Probably, if everything went with
machine-like precision, the speed boat would soon be fully laden and
started back toward some secret haven where big motor trucks w