Turning towards London Bridge, Jack’s face drained of blood. ‘That’s why,’ he replied weakly, staring in horror at the fierce rapids surging underneath the bridge’s arches.

The skiff began to pick up incredible speed. Akiko rowed furiously for the bank, but to no effect. The current had the little boat in its grip and was carrying it and its three passengers towards the huge stone starlings of London Bridge. On the riverbank, Sir Toby had switched from hurling insults to delighting in the deadly predicament Jack and his friends now found themselves in. ‘We’ll fish you out on the other side! Every little piece of you …’

But his voice was soon lost to the roar of the approaching rapids. The waters grew choppier and the skiff rocked and lurched over the waves.

‘What are we going to do?’ cried Yori, his knuckles white as he clung on for dear life to the skiff’s gunwale.

Jack sat down beside Akiko and took over an oar. ‘We need to try and shoot the bridge!’

Akiko flicked him a look of alarm. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Aim for an arch and keep to the middle!’ he replied, rowing hard to straighten up their line. ‘Yori, you’ll have to guide us.’

Yori nodded nervously. ‘Akiko, row harder your side … Now you, Jack … Now together …’

The boat bobbed like a cork on the waves as the tide sucked the river through London Bridge. Faster and faster they went, the current drawing them on. Churches, houses and wharfs whisked by; a blur of people on the banks as they watched in astonishment the lone skiff tackling the wild waters. Jack’s muscles strained as he fought to keep the bow on course. He knew that if they hit a stone starling, the boat would be smashed to smithereens … along with its three passengers.

As they drew closer and closer to the bridge, Yori continued to call out directions, his voice rising in pitch and urgency. ‘More your side, Akiko, MORE!’

However, despite her frantic efforts, Akiko’s shoulder was still hampered by the rapier wound and she struggled to correct their line.

‘We’re not going to make it!’ yelled Yori. ‘We’re not g–’

In a flurry of spray they shot through an arch, the huge starling scraping along the side of the skiff and smashing Akiko’s oar from her grasp.

‘Hold on!’ shouted Jack, throwing his weight the opposite way, as the boat began to tip and take on water. Battered by the violent swell, it veered sharply and crashed sidelong into a rushing wall of water, which drenched the three of them to the skin. Then the bridge spat them out on the other side …