“Look out, you swab!” shouted Hennessy angrily to the steersman as the end of a pier loomed up before them. “Do you want to smash the boat?”
The man veered off. But in that instant Joe had acted.
His fist shot out, knocking Hennessy off his seat. Like lightning, [Joe jumped on the rail and leaped for the pier, six feet distant].
[JOE JUMPED ON THE RAIL AND LEAPED FOR THE PIER, SIX FEET DISTANT.]
It was a long jump from an unstable footing, but Joe made it and clutched one of the spiles. It was slimy and slippery, but he held on with all the strength of his trained muscles. His feet, swinging wildly about, touched the rung of a ladder. In another moment he swarmed up it, and stood panting and breathless on the wharf.
“Back her! Back her!” screamed Hennessy from the fog. “Don’t let him get away!”
Joe chuckled, as he heard the wild splashing of the water and the pounding of the screw.
“Good-bye, Captain!” he sang out. “Hope I didn’t spoil your beauty. Give my regards to Rio Janeiro.”