a row with him at the gang-plank, er do somethin' to kinder hold
him back. The wind's down stream to-day and the boat's shore to swing in
a little aft. I'll jump for it and you keep him back."

To this Gray assented.

As the shabby young fellow had predicted, the boat did swing around in
the wind, and have some trouble in bringing her bow to the wharf-boat.
The captain stood on the hurricane-deck calling to the pilot to "back
her," "stop her," "go ahead on her," "go ahead on yer labberd," and
"back on yer stabberd." Now, just as the captain was backing the
starboard wheel and going ahead on his larboard, so as to bring the boat
around right, Mr. Gray turned on Jack.

"What are you treading on my toes for, you impudent young rascal?" he
broke out.

Jack colored and was about to reply sharply, when he caught sight of the
shabby young fellow, who just then leaped from the gunwale of the boat
amidships and barely reached the wharf. Jack guessed why Gray had tried
to irritate him,--he saw that the well-known "wharf-rat" was to be his
competitor. But what could he do? The wind held the bow of the boat out,
the gang-plank which had been pushed out ready to reach the wharf-boat
was still firmly grasped by the deck-hands, and the farther end of it
was six feet from the wharf, and much above it. It would be some
minutes before any one could leave the boat in the regular way. There
was only one chance to defeat the rascally Gray. Jack concluded to take
it.

He ran out upon the plank amidst the harsh cries of the deck-hands, who
tried to stop him, and the oaths of the mate, who thundered at him, with
the stern order of the captain from the upper deck, who called out to
him to go back.

But, luckily, the steady pulling ahead of the larboard engine, and the
backing of the starboard, began just then to bring the boat around, the
plank sank down a little under Jack's weight, and Jack made the leap to
the wharf, hearing the confused cries, orders, oaths, and shouts from
behind him, as he pushed through the crowd.

"Stop that thief!" cried Francis Gray to the people on the wharf-boat,
but in vain. Jack glided swiftly through the people, and got on shore
before anybody could check him. He charged up the hill after the shabby
young fellow, who had a decided lead, while some of the men on the
wharf-boat pursued them both, uncertain which was the thief. Such
another pell-mell race Port William had never seen. Windows flew up and
he