he key and the other on the knob, hoping
he had interpreted Scotty's wink correctly. Jerry crouched to one
side of the door. Scotty held Carrots directly in front of it and
commanded: "Speak your piece."

Carrots did, willingly, under the pressure of Scotty's hand.

The thumping stopped.

"What do they want to talk over?" Kelso demanded.

Scotty nodded. Rick spun the key and jerked the door open. Carrots,
all of Scotty's driving weight behind him, catapulted headlong and
smashed into the men on the stairs like a battering ram. They tumbled
down under the impact like a row of dominoes, and Jerry went out the
door as though shot from a crossbow. His flying feet struck backs,
legs, and spurned faces. He gained the landing in a mad dive,
scrambled to his feet, and was gone.

The smugglers clambered to their feet, or tried to. "After him,"
Marbek bellowed.

Red Kelso had fallen backward, and his legs were almost at the door.
Scotty and Rick grabbed simultaneously and heaved, sending the upper
men sprawling again. Then the boys withdrew and slammed and locked the
door. Jerry had had the advantage of complete surprise, and his
momentum had gotten him past the men on the lower stairs. Rick and
Scotty couldn't have made it after the initial shock.

They pushed the furniture against the door again and drew back. Unless
help was near, they were done for. There was nothing more they could
do except wait, and fight once the door gave. Rick wrenched the leg
from an ancient and broken chair and silently handed it to Scotty.
Then he found one for himself.

The banging had renewed almost instantly. Scotty went to the window
and looked out. Rick joined him just in time to see Jerry round the
corner of the fence.

"He made it," Rick said with satisfaction. Two of the seamen crossed
below, but Rick knew they would never catch his friend. He turned to
face the door.

"Closer," Scotty said.

They moved closer and took places, one on each side of the door, and
waited.

Smash. And again, and again. Wood dust flew as hinge screws gave with
a loud screech. The door was just hanging now. One more smash! It flew
inward and Red and Brad charged, two seamen close behind them.

Rick met Brad Marbek with a lightning thrust of his chair leg, and the
smuggler doubled up. But his great body could absorb more punishment
than Rick could give. He drove forward, brushed aside a swing of the
chair leg, and his arms locked around the boy. Ric