“Now I’ve got you,” said Billie. “Surrender or I’ll fire.”
Almost at the same instant the form of another batteau loomed up in the darkness, and a voice exclaimed in Spanish:
“Look out! There’s a boat ahead!”
The cry was followed by a wild attempt of those in the oncoming boat to check its progress; but the effort was in vain and the two boats came together
with such force as to cause Billie to lose his balance. He made a vain attempt to regain his equilibrium, but without avail, and so, in order to make the best of a bad situation, he plunged, rather than fell, into the river.
[CHAPTER XXVI.—BILLIE OVERHEARS A SECRET.]
It might have been expected that, as Billie plunged into the water, his chief thought would have been regarding his safety. But such is the vagary of the human mind, that safety was the least of his thoughts. The question he asked himself as he dove from the boat was:
“Now, who do you suppose they are, and where did they come from?”
In order to answer the question it is necessary to make a word of explanation.
As stated before, the batteau to which Billie was clinging had gradually drifted downstream, even while he was shouting his story to the patrol. After Billie climbed into the boat, and ceased his effort to direct its course, it drifted even more rapidly than before. The result was that, when struck by the other boat, it had drifted back nearly to the bend in the river where Billie first took to the water.