The pulse in Baird’s head drummed violently, and his arm was a blaze of fire. Cursing softly, he leaned out of the boat, bringing his head close to the water. He picked up the sound that Rico had heard.
‘It’s a motor boat!’ he said, swinging upright. ‘That goddamn plane spot ed us!’
Rico went cold with panic. He began to paddle furiously until Baird snarled at him to stop.
‘We don’t stand a chance of racing them, you fool! Get over to the bank!’
Rico paddled the boat to the bank.
‘Shall we get out?’ he asked.
‘Yeah,’ Baird said. ‘Those boys will be carrying a machine-gun.’
He hauled himself out of the boat on to the bank, surprised to find how weak his legs were.
‘Get Hater up here, and snap it up.’
Rico struggled with Hater. He managed to get him from the boat to the bank, nearly upsetting the boat as he did so. Baird reached down and dragged Hater to higher ground.