ollowed the heavy
Diesel-motored vessels with the _Curlew_ and _Snipe_ guarding the
extreme ends. Behind the first line came the reserve which closely
covered the fishing-boats cruising the center area. Every boat was at
its proper station, awaiting the signal from the _Pelican_.

It came with Gregory's word to Howard: "All right, Tom. Let's go."

He stood at Howard's side as the fisherman whistled for sea-way and
moved his vessel forward with the fleet flanking him astern in V
formation. Mascola's boats gave no heed to the signal save to draw
closer together and slacken speed as they entered the narrow channel.

Again the cannery boats shrieked a warning and the wedge narrowed with
the waterway until only the bare width of a boat separated the beams of
the defending vessels. Dead ahead, and only a few boat-lengths away,
twinkled the lights of the alien fleet. Gregory grasped the rail of the
engine-house and braced himself for the shock. The next instant the
foremost of Mascola's boats struck the _Pelican_ a glancing blow on the
bow.

The heavy fishing-boat quivered from stem to stern from the impact. Then
the powerful Diesel engine came into play. The drunken skipper of the
_Lura_ felt his craft being shunted to the side. Before he could gather
his wits together, another American boat brushed his outside rail and
crowded him forcibly against the craft he had endeavored to ram. Caught
between the heavy hulls of the _Pelican_ and _Albatross_, the _Lura_
grated, beam to beam, her timbers creaking and twisting from the strain,
her propeller churning the water in a vain effort to break through the
tong-like grip of the two boats which disputed her passage.

The drunken crew of the _Lura_ surged to the rail with wild cries of
rage. The air was filled with flying missiles. Came the sharp snap of
breaking glass and the dull thud of heavy objects hurled from the alien
craft to the deck of the _Pelican_.

"Stay under cover," Gregory commanded the crew. "Stand by if they try to
board."

A flying bit of scrap-iron gashed his forehead and caused the blood to
trickle over his eyes. He wiped it away with his hand and turned to
observe the progress of the other vessels.

The engagement was now general. Mascola's boats were trying to smash
their way through. But the V was as yet unbroken. That, he could tell by
the solid formation of the boats in reserve. They had not found it
necessary to separate.

The night was enlivened