alms stickin' their tops against the sky-line. Better
slow up, Perk, old scout, afore you hit some stump or get aground off
shore."

So he throttled the motor a bit and fairly crept along. He even found
himself wishing he had fixed things so that the prisoner might stand by
with a sounding pole in the bow of the sloop to sing out the depth and
give warning of sudden shallows but it was too late now to attempt such
a thing, even if he had dared take the chance of the fellow jumping
overboard and either drowning or getting ashore to give warning as to
the menace hovering above the operations of the far-flung smuggler
combine.

But fortune was still kind and presently Perk found himself softly
gliding past the outermost mangrove islands. Here, he remembered, it was
his duty to come about and lay to until Jack could drop down and taxi
over to where the sloop lay so as to consider their further plans in the
coming dawn.

CHAPTER X

TAMPA BOUND

"Congrats, Perk," said Jack, as soon as he came close enough, "you did
the thing up in first-class shape. If all other jobs went back on you I
reckon you could get your papers along the engineering line. A bit tired
in the bargain I take it, partner?"

"Lay off on that stuff, matey," replied the other, scornfully, "me, I
never get what you'd call tired, but jest the same I'm right glad it's
all over an' the rotten crate didn't get sunk out there--hate to lose
all this bottled juice we come by in such a queer way. Climb aboard,
Jack, an' let's have a little talk-fest while we rest up."

"Later on I'd be glad to do that," he was told. "We'd be wise to push
further in among these islands before morning comes along if any sponger
or fisherman happened to glimpse this pair of odd sea and air craft he'd
spread the story far and wide and get us in Dutch. I'll fasten a tow
line on to the ship here, if you'll toss me a coil and taxi away back
where there wouldn't be one chance in a thousand of our being seen."

"I get you, buddy," Perk hastened to say, as he made ready to toss the
bight of stout rope to his waiting chum, "and it's all to the good with
me. Dandy luck we've been havin' for a fact, on'y hope it keeps on that
way to the finish line. Here you are, Boss!"

After Jack had made the small hawser fast he started the taxi stunt and
presently they were moving past the outlying clumps of mangroves with
never a bit of trouble. Perk made himself comfortable by throwing his