"Well," said Bill, with a look of what he, no doubt, thought was great cleverness, "if I didn't know as this was a bit of fun between Mr. Anthony Strong and you, sir, I should have said that them guns was for us to lie-to."
"That's just what he wants," cried Todd.
"Does he?"
"Yes. He thinks that he will frighten whoever is rowing into a dead stop, when they find a police-galley firing guns; but I think he is mistaken in this matter, my friends."
"Rather!" said Dick, as he bent his back to the oars, and pulled away like a giant.
How the boat shot through the water! and yet to Todd's apprehension, the police-galley gained upon him. Of course, he told himself that it must gain with its sail and six rowers; but the question was, how much it would gain in the seven or eight miles they had got to go? With what a feverish action Todd licked his lips.
CHAPTER CLXIV.
TODD GOES BACK ON LAND.
"Oh, quicker—quicker!" cried Todd.
"That would be difficult," said Bill. "But I rather think as we is a doing of it something out of the common way."
Bang! went another gun from the pursuing boat, and this time there certainly was the greatest possible hint given by the police-galley that it was in earnest, for a bullet struck the water not above a couple of boats' length from Todd's wherry.