"See her hump herself, Jack!" he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, as he balanced himself in the swaying craft, and peered eagerly ahead toward the other boat.
"Ain"t she coming up n.o.bly, though? Talk to me about the _Flash_ making circles around us; why, she ain"t in the same cla.s.s with this same old _Wireless_. Oh! but this pays me for all the troubles I"ve had in the past. I can hardly keep from yelling, Jack!"
"Better quit that monkey business, then," cautioned the other. "You need all your wind and eyesight and everything else right now in handling such a greyhound."
That just about finished George.
"Thank you, Jack, for giving her that fine name. But she deserves it,"
he said. "I understand what you mean; and, believe me, I"ll try to hold my spirits in check until the game is won. I"d hate to have any accident happen now, I tell you."
And he did buckle down to business with new determination and grit, grasping the vibrating wheel with all his strength, and watching to see just what the tricky skipper of that other craft might do. For George knew Clarence only too well, nor would he put anything past the other when it came down to cunning.
They were now so close that it was easy to see everything taking place on board the fleeing _Flash_. Clarence was at the wheel, and several figures crouched along either side, evidently holding on for dear life.
One was in the stern, and Jack had little difficulty in making him out as the tall man he had first seen in the old cabin, and whom the agent had called Glenwood.
"Looks like we would run alongside in less than five minutes, sir,"
observed George, trying to steady his voice, but hardly succeeding, for his nerves were tingling in a manner he had seldom if ever experienced before.
"Keep just a little to the left, then," answered the agent. "And watch out, for it is barely possible they may try to foul us at the last, hoping to escape in the confusion."
Jack was changing his mind now about that same thing. He had an idea that perhaps Clarence had played a trick on the men who held him in custody; he may not have let out all the speed of which the _Flash_ was capable. Besides, now that the race seemed virtually over, and the _Wireless_ had proven the superior why should he want to bring about a collision that would wreck both boats, as well as endanger the lives of all the occupants?
"Steady, George, steady!" Jack cautioned, as he thought he saw a slight change in the course taken by the boat ahead.
"Duck down, boys; he"s going to try and scare us by firing!" suddenly said the keen-eyed government agent.
Even George managed to partly drop, so as to be shielded by the forward deck. And that the revenue man had guessed correctly was made evident when there broke out the sharp report of a revolver. Jack even believed he could hear the peculiar whine of the flying bullet as it pa.s.sed over the boat.
"Stay where you are!" cried the agent; "that was only one. He"s got a few more of the same kind to follow!"
There came other shots in rapid succession. Really, it would not be surprising if George lost his head under such circ.u.mstances, for usually it takes a veteran to preserve his coolness under fire. But, singular to state, the nervous one of the motor boys now proved that he could shut his teeth together and hold on tenaciously with bulldog courage.
The _Wireless_ may have wavered just a little, but still kept swiftly on, diminishing the narrow lead of her rival with constant rapidity and steadiness.
"That"s all!" called the revenue man, as the sixth shot sounded; and every one felt a perceptible thud, telling that this time the desperate smuggler had lowered his aim, and that the bullet had struck the boat somewhere. "And as it"s a poor rule that won"t work both ways, perhaps I can have a little better luck in scaring some one. Watch out, George, and be ready to stop short if he does!"
With that he threw out his arm, and instantly there was a flash and a report.
"Oh!" exclaimed George, startled in spite of the warning.
Jack"s heart was fluttering with excitement. He also felt something like regret that Clarence was there in line with the fire. Though the agent might be only seeking to frighten the boy at the wheel of the _Flash_, still something serious was apt to happen. Jack wished in his soul that it was all over and n.o.body injured.
The _Flash_ began to wabble badly, showing that Clarence was trying to shield himself from the battery in the rear, something which he would find it hard to do.
Jack stood ready to lend a hand in case of an emergency that George might seem unable to manage alone.
And it was right at that critical moment, just when light was needed most of all, that the fickle moon shot out from behind the bank of clouds, illuminating the surface of the broad St. Lawrence, dotted still with islands, upon which in many cases cottages could be seen.
Jack thought that was a good omen; but there was no time to spend in reflection. Another sharp report close to his ear told that the revenue man believed in following up a good thing. He knew that Clarence was on the point of surrender, and intended to strike while the iron was hot.
"Look out, George!"
Jack shouted this warning in the ear of his chum, for the leading motor boat had suddenly slackened her speed, the quick pulsation of her engine having ceased to beat upon the air.
Instantly the motor of the _Wireless_ followed suit; and driven forward by the impetus of her "push," she shot alongside the other craft, not three feet away.
Jack breathed easier, for he saw now that a collision was not to follow.
The nerve of Clarence had possibly failed him at the climax; and his last move had been to stop his engine, before dropping flat in the bottom of his boat.
"Over into her, John! We must make prisoners here!" shouted the agent, as he balanced on the rail of the _Wireless_, and in so doing almost brought that side of the narrow-beam boat awash.
"There he goes, sir!" called Jack.
A big splash followed, as a figure sprang from the opposite side of the other boat. Evidently the desperate smuggler, as a last resort, had taken to the water, in the hope that he might yet baffle his pursuers, and escape to the Canada sh.o.r.e.
Jack had s.n.a.t.c.hed up a boathook with a bra.s.s k.n.o.bbed end. This he fastened to the rail of the _Flash_, and exerting all his strength, began to draw the two boats closer together, so that the revenue agent and his a.s.sistant might make the transfer safely.
He saw them leap across, and felt the boat rock violently under the strain; but not for an instant did he let go his hold. There was something of a rumpus going on aboard the _Flash_, as though the government men might be struggling with the two smugglers whom they found there, lacking in nerve to follow after their leader, or else not knowing how to swim. But in another minute these sounds ceased, from which he guessed that the pair had been subdued.
CHAPTER XXI-A CLEAN SWEEP
"Jack!"
It was the revenue man calling, and he appeared at the side of the other boat.
"Yes, what is it, sir?" replied the lad who held the boathook.
"I"m coming over again," continued the other. "I hate to let that clever rascal get away; and we must try to pick him up. Hold steady now."
The transfer was made without any accident, though both boats careened wildly under the strain, thanks to their sharp keels, fashioned only with an eye to making speed.
"I see him, sir!" cried George, as he once more started his engine, and began to curve around the now stationary _Flash_.
Jack could also readily pick up the swimmer. Evidently Glenwood must have kicked off his shoes, and divested himself of coat and vest, before jumping overboard; for he was making splendid progress through the water, using a hand-over-hand stroke.
This necessitated more or less churning of the water, however, and since the moon persisted in playing into the hands of his enemies by staying out steadily, his course was readily seen.
They bore down rapidly upon him, once the boat had been turned around.
But Jack knew only too well that a strong and desperate swimmer would be apt to give his pursuers a hard pull before they could get him. If Glenwood knew his business, as seemed evident, he would hold himself in readiness to duck under, just when they thought to reach over and grasp him.
"Now, steady while I nab him!" said the revenue man, leaning over the bow.
"He"s gone under, sir!" cried Jack, who was holding on to that serviceable boathook, with the idea that possibly he might find a chance to get it fast in the garments of the man in the water.
"Yes, I expected that," replied the other. "And of course we don"t know just where he"ll come up again. Our only chance is to keep him going until even his iron muscles weaken. We hold the advantage, boys. Look on that side, Jack, and I"ll take care of this. George, be ready to work around or back up, as the case may be."