Then he nearly followed him, for the boat was jerked from the other side, and he turned to find Vince had seized the gunwale and was climbing in.
A sharp drag helped him, and Vince's first act was to seize the conger bat, which lay beneath the after-thwart.
He was only just in time, for, as he turned, Daygo had risen, and swam up again to seize the gunwale with one great gnarled hand.
Crash came down the heavy club, the hand relaxed, and Daygo went down again.
"Vince! Vince! you've killed him," cried Mike, in horror.

"No, no-- don't: don't do that!" he shrieked, as Vince thrust his right-hand into his dripping pocket and tore out his big sharp long-bladed knife.
"You take the bat," cried Vince; and, as the boy obeyed trembling, he shouted, so that the old man could hear as he swam after them, "hit him over the hands again if he touches the boat." It did not seem likely that he would overtake them by swimming, for the wind acted upon the flapping sail and drove them slowly along.
Taking advantage of this, Vince went forward and cut off the long rope from the ring-bolt in the stem, and returned with it to where, wild-eyed and scared, Mike knelt with the conger bat upraised, ready to strike if the old man came near.
"Now," said Vince firmly, "you hold that conger club with both hands, Mike, and if he does anything, or tries to do anything, bring it down on his head with all your might.

Do you hear ?" "Yes," said Mike faintly.
"Now, then, you come and take hold of the gunwale with both hands, and let me tie your wrists," cried Vince.

"Look out, Mike!" The old man swam up and put his hands together.
"You arn't going to murder me ?" he groaned.
"You wait and see--Ah!" yelled Vince, for the treacherous old ruffian had seized him by the chest and was dragging him out of the boat.
But Mike was ready: the bat came down with tremendous force, and the old man loosened his grasp and sank, remaining beneath the surface so long that the boys gazed at each other aghast.
"Quick! there he is," cried Mike; and Vince seized the oar and sculled to where the old man had come slowly up, feebly moving his hands, and apparently insensible.
"We must haul him in, Mike," said Vince.

"He's not likely to hurt us now." "If he is," said Mike, "we must do it all the same;" and, leaning over, they each got a good grip, and, heaving together, somehow rolled Daygo into the bottom of the boat, where they dragged his head beneath the centre thwart, and then firmly bound him hand and foot, using some strong fishing line as well as the painter and the rope belonging to the little grapnel..