"Get in!" Scotty yelled at Tony and Torres. His rifle barked at the pirates further up the beach, driving them to cover again. Zircon put Shannon down and heaved the pirate Scotty had wounded onto the shore.
Rick followed Tony and Torres into the boat, then yelled for Scotty to push off. He grabbed the radio unit again and called, "Chahda! What do we do now?"
"Get little way from shore and go into water. Catch rope when I come. All must catch! You watch when I toot horn, and you see."
Rick yelled the instructions to the others, then stuffed the set back into his pocket, dropped his bow, and took a paddle. Scotty knelt beside him, a length of board in his hand. "Let's go, boy," he said urgently.
Under the impetus of Scotty's initial shove and the boys' paddles the vinta moved slowly out until it was a good thirty feet from shore. The nearest of the pirate craft moved to intercept it, four Moros at the paddles.
Scotty stopped paddling and started shooting. The pirates dropped paddles and dove to the bottom of the vinta.
Rick looked about anxiously. Where was Chahda?
Then he saw the MTB making a sweeping turn at the northern tip of the island. As he watched, Chahda straightened out and the bow wave of the MTB curled as he picked up speed.
"Better get in the water!" Rick called. "Tony, give me the pistol, and take Shannon's bow and quiver. Better hang them both on your back. Scotty and I will stay in the vinta and cover you!"
Tony nodded and exchanged weapons. "I'll help Zircon with Shannon. Come on, Pete. Over the side and swim out a little way."