Quick as a flash Davis grabbed the boat hook. He gave a violent, sharp pull and the boat hook was in his possession.
"So that's your game, is it? I'll show you that two can play that sort of game. You look out, or you'll get the pole over your own heads."
He drove his boat right alongside the other. At that moment Blackie straightened up with an angry exclamation. At the same time he grabbed an oar from the hands of his companion, making a vicious swing at Dan, who, by this time, was half standing in his own boat.
But Dan had been on the watch for just such villainy. He parried the blow with the captured boat hook.
Dan Parried the Blow With the Captured Boat Hook.
"Smack, smack, smack!" boat hook and oar came together again and again. The battle waged so furiously that for the moment the lad forgot all about the other man in the boat. White was stealthily rising to his feet, watching the Battleship Boy with keen, menacing eyes.
All at once he swung his oar. Dan heard it as it cut the air, but at that instant he was powerless to dodge the blow, being busy parrying one from Black.
White's oar caught Dan on the head. The Battleship Boy wavered for a brief instant, seeking vainly to catch his balance; then he toppled over backwards into the sea.