cries and screams of rage Rick suddenly heard the
horn blast of the _Swift Arrow_. He looked up in time to see Chahda
driving at full speed, parallel with the beach. As the Hindu boy drew
close, the _Swift Arrow's_ saluting cannon suddenly erupted a load of
tacks into the cluster of vintas. The pirates scrambled to cover against
this new menace as the MTB swept by. The terrific bow wave lifted the
vintas high and sent them crashing into one another. Two of them turned
over.

Rick fell back and grabbed his radio unit, quickly plugging in the
earphone. "Chahda! That was great!"

The Hindu boy sounded excited. "I make short turn now, do same thing
again, only closer. You get ready. When I toot horn, you get to water
somehow. Okay?"

"We'll try," Rick answered grimly. He beckoned to Scotty, who came down
to join him, keeping a watchful eye to the rear in case a pirate tried
to come over the rise. The two hurried to Zircon's side. Rick said
swiftly, "We've got to get to the water. Chahda's coming back right now.
We have to be ready when he toots."

Zircon handed Tony the pistol. "Keep their heads down, Tony. I'm going
to take Howard up the shore to that nearest vinta. The rest of you come
after me. Hurry it up! We'll have to swim for it, unless we can grab the
vinta."

The big scientist reached Shannon's side just as Chahda started his
second run. Again the Hindu boy opened with a blast from the saluting
cannon, then crowded close inshore, letting his bow wave drive the
vintas hard against each other and the shore. The crashing vintas sent
their crews down in heaps. The MTB was so close to shore that Rick could
see the string Chahda had rigged to trigger the cannon by remote
control.

The pirates were too busy to worry about the Spindrifters for the
moment. Zircon scooped Shannon up and hurried along the shore, ignoring
the wash from the MTB that lashed over the rocks. Rick and Scotty were
right behind him, weapons ready.

A vinta with only two pirates aboard was scraping back down over the
rock. The rest of its crew were struggling in the water.

"Get them!" Zircon yelled.

Rick caught one with an arrow just as the man rose to a sitting position
on the gunwale. The heavy shaft carried him over the side. Scotty's
rifle sent the other one to the bottom of the vinta in a heap.

The boys moved fast, grabbing the vinta before the retreating waves
carried it away. Zircon jumped in, turning as he did so. He fell, the