back contents forward {{frabfp097.png}} || eagles of the sky || hold to their booty with the tenacity of a leech. "That all depends on circumstances--I may be back by noon, and again not till late in the afternoon or evening. I expect to fetch a couple of sandbaggers along who will take over the sloop and stuff that's aboard. Having washed our hands clean of those encumbrances we'll be in fit shape to delve deeper into the game and see what we get out of the grab-bag. Anyway, don't expect me until you see me heading this way and keep a sharp lookout, for from all accounts this crowd we're up against is said to be a tricky combination, always stepping on their toes and doing big things." "Yeah, we've heard lots o' that kind o' stuff but just the same the lads makin' up the crew o' this sloop didn't keep their eyes open, or they'd never been taken unawares by them hijackers. Leave it to Gabe Perkiser to hold fast to what he's got; they'd have to be a regiment, armed with machine guns, bombs, an' even gas, to knock ocr> _me_ off'n my perch an' I don't mean that for boast-in' fix> _me_ off'n my perch an' I don't mean that for boastin' either, Jack." Later on Jack decided it would be just as well for him to jump off and be on his way to Tampa. Contrary winds or something else might delay his arrival, and an early start was bound to be of much help toward bringing a quick return. He first used the binoculars in order to scan [[97]] back contents forward