MacWilliams clutched its sides, and with their shoulders against
it and their bodies half sunk in the water, shoved it off, free
of the shore.

The shots continued fiercely, and two of the crew cried out
and fell back upon the oars of the men behind them.

Madame Alvarez sprang to her feet and stood swaying unsteadily as
the boat leaped forward.

``Take me back. Stop, I command you,'' she cried, ``I will not
leave those men. Do you hear?''

King caught her by the waist and dragged her down, but she
struggled to free herself. ``I will not leave them to be
murdered,'' she cried. ``You cowards, put me back.''

``Hold her, King,'' Clay shouted. ``We're all right. They're
not firing at us.''

His voice was drowned in the noise of the oars beating in the
rowlocks, and the reports of the rifles. The boat disappeared in
a mist of spray and moonlight, and Clay turned and faced about
him. Langham and MacWilliams were crouching behind a rock and
firing at the flashes in the woods.

``You can't stay there,'' Clay cried. ``We must get back to
Hope.''

He ran forward, dodging from side to side and firing as he ran.