Chapter 12

When the sheriff came hurrying into the saloon, Heath and the two Plan B men with him immediately folded their hands and got up. The sheriff said quickly, "Plan B," and that was it.

Heath and the two men headed out toward the harbor where a boat waited for them. The sheriff ran along with them, telling them what was what, telling them he'd already sent a rider down to the Marty place to get Marty and Jarrod moving.

"Is Stone's boat lit up?" one of Heath's companions asked.

"Don't know," the sheriff said, "but it's likely if they want to see their way out into the open bay."

They were down at the dock where their boat waited within three minutes. His companions knew what they were doing, so Heath let them do all the work. He looked up toward the river, trying to see a light.

The sheriff saw one, but it was a lot closer to passing by them than he liked. "There!" he pointed. "Get moving!"

Their boat was a rescue row boat, not huge but big enough to have two sets of oars that Heath's companions quickly manned. The wind coming from the south was noticeable but not terribly stiff. It was enough to start the pirates in Stone's boat tacking.

Heath muttered to himself, wondering how long his companions could keep up the rowing. He didn't know they were rescue men and were used to heading out fast and far. He kept watching the light from Stone's boat, telling himself they were gaining. He kept hoping they were gaining.

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Jarrod and Marty heard the rider coming fast and got to their feet. The man the sheriff sent had a lantern and found them fast. "Plan B men are going out," he said quickly. "And I spotted a boat with a light not too far from land yet, still north of here. Look!" He pointed.

The light was faint and far away. There was no way to see Heath's boat because they would not be lighting a lamp, at least not yet.

"Let's go," Marty said and he and Jarrod got into Marty's boat. He took the oars as Jarrod pushed off.

As they were pushing off, Nick and Stone were arriving at the dock where the sheriff was watching. None of them could see a thing on the water except the light from what the sheriff assumed was Stone's boat.

"It's my boat," Stone confirmed. "We saw them put the light on and we've been able to spot it all the way down here."

"My men and your brother Heath went out a few minutes ago," the sheriff said. "I sent a rider down to Marty's and your brother Jarrod and Bob Marty ought to be on their way out soon too."

Nick sighed, frustrated because he was stuck being a spectator, but then, out of the darkness around the dock, someone called, "Sheriff, is that those pirates you're after out there?"

The sheriff called back, "Yeah, I got two boats after them now."

The voice said, "I got my skiff here and the sail is ready if you want my help."

"Got room for two more?" Stone called.

The sheriff hesitated. Three boats out there might be more of a hinderance than a help, but a boat with a sail might make better time, especially if Stone's boat got away to a distance that made it tough for rowers to reach.

The man in the darkness said, "Sure!"

"Go," the sheriff said, "but watch for those other two boats."

Nick and Stone were off and found the man and his skiff right away. It wasn't long before they had pushed off, were free of the dock, and the man was raising the sail.

"Wind's not with us," Stone said.

The man, still bathed in darkness, said, "I'm pretty good at tacking and I know my boat. That's your boat they're stealing, right?"

"Yeah," Stone said.

"Then they don't know it like I know mine," the man said. "Sit down and enjoy the ride."

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The race was on – Jackson and Burns trying to move fast but struggling against the wind, Heath and his companions rowing like crazy to catch up with them, Nick and his having the sail up but having to tack and still behind Heath's boat, and Jarrod and Marty just ahead of Jackson and Burns in the dark. The Barkley brothers each worried about the other boat, or boats. Jarrod and Heath both thought there was only one boat out there to look out for. Jackson and Burns had no idea anyone was after them, much less that there was one boat ahead of them getting ready to intercept.

Marty and Jarrod didn't know it but they were closest. Jackson and Burns had tacked toward the west but were now tacking east again, toward them. Jarrod and Marty were getting close. Jarrod was getting his pistol out.

"Keep quiet," Marty said in a very low voice. "Sound can carry out here."

Jarrod said quietly, "If we come up on the port side, where the boat lies lowest, we can board her just as quiet as those two did when they took us. They'll be keeping that light aimed forward and maybe we can stay out of it."

Marty was already adjusting his approach. "I'm way ahead of you, Jarrod. You just keep that gun handy and watch for any boat coming from town. They're likely to be close – you might catch some sound or movement."

Jarrod looked toward town. It was far away, but if something moved between them and the lights of town, he might be able to see it. And he did. "I see something, but we'll get there first," Jarrod said.

Marty eased his rowing, quieting it but still moving, altering his approach to keep out of the searching light from Stone's boat and to come up on the port side. In only a few moments, he was there –

But his little boat bumped Stone's boat.

Both forward, Jackson and Burns turned fast. "What the – " Jackson blurted.

Burns was holding the light and now he turned with it, just in time to see Jarrod hauling himself over the edge and onto the deck. Jarrod saw the light turn and immediately ducked behind the little cabin, just as Burns fired.

Everyone on the water heard the shot.

"Faster!" Heath yelled to his companions.

"Damn!" Stone yelled to Nick.