Above the Moro battle cries and screams of rage Rick suddenly heard the horn blast of the _Swift Arrow_. He looked up in time to see Chahda driving at full speed, parallel with the beach. As the Hindu boy drew close, the _Swift Arrow's_ saluting cannon suddenly erupted a load of tacks into the cluster of vintas. The pirates scrambled to cover against this new menace as the MTB swept by. The terrific bow wave lifted the vintas high and sent them crashing into one another. Two of them turned over. Rick fell back and grabbed his radio unit, quickly plugging in the earphone. "Chahda! That was great!" The Hindu boy sounded excited. "I make short turn now, do same thing again, only closer. You get ready. When I toot horn, you get to water somehow. Okay?" "We'll try," Rick answered grimly. He beckoned to Scotty, who came down to join him, keeping a watchful eye to the rear in case a pirate tried to come over the rise. The two hurried to Zircon's side. Rick said swiftly, "We've got to get to the water. Chahda's coming back right now. We have to be ready when he toots." Zircon handed Tony the pistol. "Keep their heads down, Tony. I'm going to take Howard up the shore to that nearest vinta. The rest of you come after me. Hurry it up! We'll have to swim for it, unless we can grab the vinta." The big scientist reached Shannon's side just as Chahda started his second run. Again the Hindu boy opened with a blast from the saluting cannon, then crowded close inshore, letting his bow wave drive the vintas hard against each other and the shore. The crashing vintas sent their crews down in heaps. The MTB was so close to shore that Rick could see the string Chahda had rigged to trigger the cannon by remote control. The pirates were too busy to worry about the Spindrifters for the moment. Zircon scooped Shannon up and hurried along the shore, ignoring the wash from the MTB that lashed over the rocks. Rick and Scotty were right behind him, weapons ready. A vinta with only two pirates aboard was scraping back down over the rock. The rest of its crew were struggling in the water. "Get them!" Zircon yelled. Rick caught one with an arrow just as the man rose to a sitting position on the gunwale. The heavy shaft carried him over the side. Scotty's rifle sent the other one to the bottom of the vinta in a heap. The boys moved fast, grabbing the vinta before the retreating waves carried it away. Zircon jumped in, turning as he did so. He fell, the zoologist in his arms. The mast took the blow of the scientist's great weight and broke off short, leaving a tangle of sail, mast, and boom. "Get in!" Scotty yelled at Tony and Torres. His rifle barked at the pirates further up the beach, driving them to cover again. Zircon put Shannon down and heaved the pirate Scotty had wounded onto the shore. Rick followed Tony and Torres into the boat, then yelled for Scotty to push off. He grabbed the radio unit again and called, "Chahda! What do we do now?"