“I reckon it’s safe for us to leave our crate off here,” remarked the cautious Jack, “but I’ll fix things so no busybody can take-off while we’re away,” which he did without any trouble; after which they both set out to move along to the deserted shack Perk had located, lying right there, just as if a favoring Fate had designed it for their especial benefit in an emergency, as the grateful Perk told himself.
Arriving at the humble shack, that once may have housed a happy family in days that were gone, they made use of Jack’s electric torch in order to gather some dry splinters of wood, which, heaped above some paper on the open hearth, soon blazed up, and afforded them an opportunity to take a look around.
Other fuel more lasting was hurriedly added to the fire, and this done the two air adventurers took stock of their surroundings. There was nothing much to see, since the shack happened to be entirely devoid of any kind of furniture, even of the most primitive make; but the roof had stood the ravages of time, and promised to hold out for years still to come.
Perk held out his chilled hands to the blaze but only for a few minutes; apparently the possibility of brewing some “nectar” was an overpowering temptation, for presently he started to work.
In short order he had the steam coming out of the coffee pot spout, and a most delightful odor permeated the interior of that ancient shack. When the coffee was ready, Perk poured some of the amber fluid in both aluminum cups, and offered Jack one, together with a freshly opened carton of tempting crackers.
“Goes right to the spot,” the self-made _chef_ observed, rubbing a hand across his stomach, as though experiencing the most blissful sensation there; “best coffee I ever tasted, barrin’ none, an’ say, I’ve tried it a good many places like France and Germany, as well as in Turkey too.”
“Same here,” Jack assured him, as he drained his first cup. “By the way, didn’t you say you’d fetched some bacon along over here?”
“Jest what I did, partner, an’ now I’ve had my fust swaller o’ coffee I’ll get a move on an’ soon have some o’ the same asizzlin’ in the pan.”
He started to carry out his words, with the interested Jack watching his efforts to try and make the frying pan set evenly on the fire, a feat that requires considerable knowledge of camp tactics in order to be successful. After one near spill, with Perk only saving an upset by quick work, Jack modestly broke in to give a bit of advice, not forgetting, however, that old saying about “too many cooks spoil the broth.”