rs rowed back to the Drab, and the
boats were triced up in a twinkling.

"Say, they've got their anchor up!" cried Hank Butts, in a breathless
undertone. "They're going to scoot out on us."

"Then I'm ready to bet," muttered Tom Halstead, "that neither of the
muffled men that went ashore was Anson Dalton. They must be trying to
throw our crowd off the trail, and now that seventy-footer is trying
to get off with Dalton still aboard!"

Whatever the plan was, the Drab was now backing out of the river mouth
and swinging around. So far none of her sailing lights were in
evidence. She looked more like a pirate craft slinking out into the
night on an errand of dire mischief.

Once out of the mouth of the river, the Drab swung around, then began
to move ahead. By this time her prow was head-on for the "Restless,"
as though aimed to strike the latter craft amidships.

Then, as the Drab's speed increased, Tom Halstead vented excitedly:

"Jupiter! They're out to cut us in two while we ride here at anchor!"

CHAPTER XIII

TOM HALSTEAD--READY!

There was no time to raise the anchor. Even had this been possible, it
would have been out of the question to get the motors started and
running in time to get out of the Drab's way.

Captain Tom Halstead was taken wholly by surprise, yet he was not
caught with his wits asleep.

"Make a dive for those sticks, fellows!" he shouted, bounding for the
motor room hatchway. "If we get a chance we'll give 'em at least a pat
for a blow!"

The sticks of firewood that they had used on the night of their long
swim were in the motor room. Tom caught up his, wheeling to bound
outside again. Joe Dawson was barely a step behind him.

But Hank--he went as though by instinct for the hitching weight that
had already made him famous in the annals of the Motor Boat Club.

Swift as they were, the trio were back on deck just in time to witness
the final manoeuvre of the seventy-footer. That craft, not moving very
fast, suddenly veered in its course.

Instead of cutting through the "Restless," the larger motor boat swung
suddenly so as to come up alongside, rail to rail. And now the whole
intention was manifest at a glance, for the figures of six men, with
their caps pulled well down over their eyes, appeared at the Drab's
rail.

"All hands to repel boarders!" sang out Captain Tom Halstead, his
voice ringing defiantly. "Show 'em the best you can!"

Joe swung, with a single-stick trick