boat so conveniently nearby.

Jack had by this time brought the ship around again so as to head into
the wind as before. Perk, divining that this meant a second slash at the
mob on the sloop's deck reached out for another relay of missiles. Now
that he had got started he was in prime condition to "keep the ball
rolling" until there did not remain a single hijacker or smuggler aboard
the rum-runner.

But Jack, more inclined to pity than the former war ace, did not make
that second dip--he had a good idea the punishment thus dealt out with
their initial swoop would be severe enough to clear the deck and set the
late rival forces to quitting the vicinity of the ill smelling sloop
with the utmost speed, regardless of the means employed to accomplish
such a retreat while the going held good.

Perk could hear splash after splash, as though the frenzied sufferers in
their agony had been seized with the possibility of cooling water being
a sovereign remedy for the ills that had so suddenly gripped their
aching eyeballs.

Perk was chuckling to himself, even as he continued to crouch there, and
held a third tear bomb ready for instant use when Jack was pleased to
give him a fitting opportunity to throw it.

"Zowie!" he was telling himself, "if that don't make me think o' the
times when us boys lined up on a dock and made the dive, one right after
another--plunk--plunk--plunk! Go to it, you terriers--swim for the
shore, boys, and good luck to you all. Our job'll be to pick up the
rum-boat with her juicy cargo, an' hand her over to some Government
official Jack knows about around these diggings. High--low--Jack an' the
smugglin' game--that spells the hull thing I kinder guess!"

Perk was by no means so lacking in sagacity not to understand just why
his comrade was hanging fire and keeping at a respectful distance from
the sloop. He wished sufficient time to elapse so that most of the
penetrating gas from the tear bombs would be carried off on the night
wind and it might be reckoned safe for them to go aboard.

He could vision the terrified hijackers after their speedy plunge
overboard managing to find their several boats and dragging themselves
over the gunwales with but one thought in their bewildered minds, and
that to put as much distance between themselves and the rum-runner as
possible.

He even told himself he could catch the sound of splashing and oars
working madly in the locks, although this may have been only ima