In either event, a swimming man is the most utterly defenseless of all creatures against attack from land or from boat.

And Gavin was not minded to let Standish finish his work with boat-hook or with oar.

If he and his foe were to meet it should be on even terms.
The boat had switched off power and was coming to a standstill.

Gavin dived.

He swam clean under the craft, lengthwise, coming up at its stern and farthest from that indistinct figure in the prow.
As he rose to the surface he caught with both hands the narrow overhang of the stern, and with a mighty heave he hoisted himself hip-high out of the water.
Thence it was the work of a bare two seconds for him to swing himself over the stern and to land on all fours in the bottom of the boat.