"Give us a hand, Joe," 'Frisco Kid commanded.
Joe understood, and together they seized the terror-stricken creature
and flung him overboard. Two or three bullets splashed about him as he
came to the surface, just in time to be picked up by Bill, who had at
last succeeded in getting clear.
"Now!" French Pete called, and a few strokes into the darkness quickly
took them out of the zone of fire.
So much water had been shipped that the light skiff was in danger of
sinking at any moment. While the other two rowed, and by the Frenchman's
orders, Joe began to throw out the iron. This saved them for the time
being. But just as they swept alongside the _Dazzler_ the skiff lurched,
shoved a side under, and turned turtle, sending the remainder of the iron
to bottom. Joe and 'Frisco Kid came up side by side, and together they
clambered aboard with the skiff's painter in tow. French Pete had already
arrived, and now helped them out.
By the time they had canted the water out of the swamped boat, Bill and
his partner appeared on the scene. All hands worked rapidly, and, almost
before Joe could realize, the mainsail and jib had been hoisted, the
anchor broken out, and the _Dazzler_ was leaping down the channel. Off
a bleak piece of marshland Bill and the Cockney said good-by and cast
loose in their skiff.
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