mings, and perhaps half a dozen dark-skinned sailors
were crouching behind the bulwarks, raising their heads above the rail
only to shoot.

A constant crackling of small arms filled the air. The boats had crept
nearer and were pouring a very steady fire upon the defenders.

The forward movement was only a diversion under cover of which we might
have a chance to escape, but it was being executed with so much
briskness and spirit that Bothwell could not guess its harmless nature.

At my signal the sailor led Evelyn quickly toward the poop. With my eyes
over my left shoulder I followed at their heels. We had all but reached
the stern when I heard the smack of a fist and turned in time to see a
Panama peon hit the deck full length.

He had been hurrying forward and had caught sight of us. His mouth was
open to shout an alarm at the time the Irishman's fist had landed
against the double row of shining teeth.

The fellow rolled over and was up like an acrobat. But my revolver,
pointing straight at his stomach, steadied him in an instant.

"Don't move or shout," I warned.

From the bushes Alderson had been waiting for us and his boat was in
place. He flung up a rope ladder with grappling hooks on the end.
Gallagher fixed them to the rail and helped Evelyn down.

"You next," I ordered.

"Yes, sir."

"Your turn now, Sambo," I told the peon after the sailor had gone.

The fellow rolled his eyes wildly toward the stem of the vessel but
found no hope from that quarter. He clambered over the rail like a
monkey and went down hand after hand. I followed him.

We were huddled promiscuously in the little boat so that it rocked to
the very lip. For a half a minute I was afraid we were going down, but a
shift in position by Gallagher steadied the shell.

Meanwhile Alderson had thrown his muscles into the oars and we drew away
steadily; fifty strokes, and the shadows had swallowed us.

Alderson pulled across the river and let the boat drift down the
opposite bank. The outgoing tide carried us swiftly. We slipped past the
schooner unobserved. Gallagher blew twice on a whistle and the two boats
commanded by Blythe and Yeager at once drew back into safety.

Some three hundred yards farther down stream they caught up with us.

"All right, Jack?" Blythe called across to me.

"All right, Sam."

"Miss Wallace is with you, of course?"

"Yes, and one other passenger who nearly swamped us. Can you take our
prisoner?"

His bo