“Turn her over!” he whispered to Ned, who was in the engine cockpit.
The big flywheel went around under the impulse of Ned’s sturdy arm. There was a sort of cough from the engine. Then came a chug, followed by a splutter, and the motor got into action.
“Fend her off! She’s headed into the bank, and I can’t steer her out quick enough!” cried Jerry to Bob.
Chunky pushed with all his strength, on the pole, against the bank. Slowly the nose of the boat came out from the shore. The screw was churning the water into foam. Jerry spun the wheel around, and headed the craft for the channel, the opening of which he could just make out.
At that instant the door of the hut flew open, and in the light which streamed forth several men could be seen running toward the shore.
“Hi there! Stop! Bring that boat back!” they called.
“Guess not! She’s ours!” Ned called back.
“We’re off!” exclaimed Jerry in a low tone. “She’s running like a charm. They’ll never catch us!”
There was the sound of feet on the dock. Then came a squeaking of a pulley block, the creak of ropes and the rattle of the boom on the mast.
“What’s the use going after them in the sloop?” they heard some one cry. “There’s no wind. Take the rowboat!”