The minutes that followed were anxious ones, for all felt that a collision might occur at any moment. The fog was growing thicker each instant, and this, coupled with the coming of night, seemed to shut them in as with a pall. "A boat is dead ahead!" came suddenly from Dick, and Sergeant Brown also gave a cry of warning. Then came a shock and a crash and a splintering of wood, followed by the cries of men and boys and the screams of a woman and a girl. "We've struck the _Flyaway_!" called out Tom, and then he found himself in the water, with Sam alongside of him. CHAPTER XXVIII HOME AGAIN--CONCLUSION When the collision came, Dick, to save himself from injury, gave a leap up into the air, and Sergeant Brown did the same. The shock sent the _Searchlight_ backward, and when the youth came down he found himself sprawling on the _Flyaway's_ deck, close beside Dan Baxter. "Dick Rover!" gasped the former bully of Putnam Hall. "So it is your boat that has run into us?" "Baxter, where is Dora Stanhope?" panted Dick, as soon as he could speak. He was afraid that one or both yachts were going down and that Dora might be drowned. Even in this extreme moment of peril his one thought was for his girl friend. "Find out for yourself," burst out Baxter, and aimed a blow at Dick's head with his fist. But the blow never reached its mark, for Mumps hauled the bully backward. "We've had enough of this--at least, I've had enough," said Fenwick, astonishing himself at his own boldness. "Dick, Dora is in the cabin--no, she's coming up." "Save me!" came in a scream from the girl. "Oh, Dick, is it really you!" and she ran right into Dick's arms. By this time it was discovered that the two yachts were locked together, the bowsprit of the _Flyaway_ having become entangled in the rigging of the _Searchlight_. Both yachts were badly damaged, but neither sufficiently so as to be in danger of sinking. "Back with you!" came from Arnold Baxter, and fired his shotgun at the police officer. But the rocking of the boats spoiled his aim. Then Sergeant Brown fired, and the elder Baxter went down, shot through the left leg. By this time all of the evildoers realized that the final struggle for freedom was at hand, and began to fight desperately, Buddy Girk engaging Dick, Bill Goss facing Carter, and Mrs. Goss beating Martin Harris back with a stew pan from the gallery. In the meantime Tom and Sam swam back to the _Searchlight_, and clambered on board as rapidly as possible. They were in time to see Carter go down, hit over the head by Bill Goss. But that was the last of the fight, so far as the skipper of the _Flyaway_ was concerned, for two blows, delivered by Tom and Sam simultaneously, stretched him senseless on the deck. "You had better give up!" cried Tom to Dan Baxter, who was doing what he could to get the two yachts apart. "This is our battle." "Not much!" muttered the bully. "Stand back, or it will be the worse for you!"