“Or else you are very weak,” declared the man on shore, and he leaned over to grasp the boat, which was still within reach.
This was Billie’s opportunity and he was quick to seize it. He had realized from the beginning that it was not the current, but Adrian and Donald who were pulling the boat into the stream, and so, as the man on shore leaned over to grasp the boat, Billie sprang forward and gave him a violent shove, which landed him face down in the bottom of the batteau, and sent the craft well out into the stream.
Then, without a moment’s hesitation, Billie sprang in after him, calling out to the other two boys to scramble aboard without delay.
Almost before the words were out of his mouth, there was a crack of rifles and the shouts of the Rangers mingled with the cries of the gun-runners, who had been caught in the trap.
But quick as Billie had been, the man whom he had pushed into the boat was quicker. He was on his feet in an instant and grappling with the lad, while at the sound of the shots he called to the oarsman:
“Pull for the other shore! Pull for your life!”
Although Billie was large and strong for his age he was no match for his assailant, who was not only possessed of much strength, but was as agile as a cat. Almost in less time than it takes to tell it, he had thrown the boy to the bottom of the boat. Quickly he picked up an oar, as though to deal him a blow, when his attention was diverted by the severe rocking of the boat.
Turning to see the cause, he espied Donald and Adrian piling in over the gunwale.
Raising aloft the oar which he had intended for Billie, he aimed a vicious blow at the head nearest him, but as the blow was about to descend, Billie caught him by one leg and he dropped the oar to save himself from falling into the water.
By this time the oarsman had discovered the condition of affairs and had come to his companion’s rescue. Rising in his place he struck with his oar the boy nearest him. It happened to be Donald,