" From officer and seamen alike a laugh went up at this request, but the life buoys were caught with a boathook and drawn aboard.

Antony's soldiers pushed them back with boathooks, cut them down with axes, threw down upon them rocks and other masses of material made ready for just this purpose, repulsed those that tried to climb up, and joined issue with such as came close enough.

For these reasons the barbarians, never having had any experience with such a fleet, in view of the appearance of the ships believed their effectiveness of no importance; and as soon as they were lying at anchor they set sail against them, thinking to sink them in a very short time by means of their boathooks.

Bob reached for the boathook, and as soon as Mr. Tarbill came up, he caught the iron in the man's coat and hauled him to the side.

" To his wife's amazement, he actually walked away from the insensible man, and with a boathook reached for his hat, which was floating by.

Bill said he'd spear him with a boathook as soon as he hove in sight for fear he'd get away.

A boathook was thrust into the thwarts; Arthur sprang to the bows to cast it off.

" Arthur had thrown off the boathook, but some half-dozen armed men had already leaped into the frail vessel, crowding it to such an extent that a struggle, even had it not been madness against such odds, would have occasioned great personal danger to Oriana.