tales of the fish patrol-第10章

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run　their　heads　through　these　meshes；　and　are　prevented　from　going

on　through　by　their　larger　girth　of　body；　and　from　going　back

because　of　their　gills；　which　catch　in　the　mesh。　　It　requires　two

fishermen　to　set　such　a　net；　…　one　to　row　the　boat；　while　the

other；　standing　in　the　stern；　carefully　pays　out　the　net。　　When　it

is　all　out；　stretching　directly　across　the　stream；　the　men　make

their　boat　fast　to　one　end　of　the　net　and　drift　along　with　it。



As　we　came　upon　the　fleet　of　law…breaking　fishermen；　each　boat　two

or　three　hundred　yards　from　its　neighbors；　and　boats　and　nets

dotting　the　river　as　far　as　we　could　see；　Charley　said：



〃I've　only　one　regret；　lad；　and　that　is　that　I　have'nt　a　thousand

arms　so　as　to　be　able　to　catch　them　all。　　As　it　is；　we'll　only　be

able　to　catch　one　boat；　for　while　we　are　tackling　that　one　it　will

be　up　nets　and　away　with　the　rest。〃



As　we　drew　closer；　we　observed　none　of　the　usual　flurry　and

excitement　which　our　appearance　invariably　produced。　　Instead；　each

boat　lay　quietly　by　its　net；　while　the　fishermen　favored　us　with

not　the　slightest　attention。



〃It's　curious；〃　Charley　muttered。　　〃Can　it　be　they　don't　recognize

us？〃



I　said　that　it　was　impossible；　and　Charley　agreed；　yet　there　was　a

whole　fleet；　manned　by　men　who　knew　us　only　too　well；　and　who　took

no　more　notice　of　us　than　if　we　were　a　hay　scow　or　a　pleasure

yacht。



This　did　not　continue　to　be　the　case；　however；　for　as　we　bore　down

upon　the　nearest　net；　the　men　to　whom　it　belonged　detached　their

boat　and　rowed　slowly　toward　the　shore。　　The　rest　of　the　boats

showed　no；　sign　of　uneasiness。



〃That's　funny；〃　was　Charley's　remark。　　〃But　we　can　confiscate　the

net；　at　any　rate。〃



We　lowered　sail；　picked　up　one　end　of　the　net；　and　began　to　heave

it　into　the　boat。　　But　at　the　first　heave　we　heard　a　bullet　zip…

zipping　past　us　on　the　water；　followed　by　the　faint　report　of　a

rifle。　　The　men　who　had　rowed　ashore　were　shooting　at　us。　　At　the

next　heave　a　second　bullet　went　zipping　past；　perilously　near。

Charley　took　a　turn　around　a　pin　and　sat　down。　　There　were　no　more

shots。　　But　as　soon　as　he　began　to　heave　in；　the　shooting

recommenced。



〃That　settles　it；〃　he　said；　flinging　the　end　of　the　net　overboard。

〃You　fellows　want　it　worse　than　we　do；　and　you　can　have　it。〃



We　rowed　over　toward　the　next　net；　for　Charley　was　intent　on

finding　out　whether　or　not　we　were　face　to　face　with　an　organized

defiance。　　As　we　approached；　the　two　fishermen　proceeded　to　cast

off　from　their　net　and　row　ashore；　while　the　first　two　rowed　back

and　made　fast　to　the　net　we　had　abandoned。　　And　at　the　second　net

we　were　greeted　by　rifle　shots　till　we　desisted　and　went　on　to　the

third；　where　the　manoeuvre　was　again　repeated。



Then　we　gave　it　up；　completely　routed；　and　hoisted　sail　and　started

on　the　long　windward　beat　back　to　Benicia。　　A　number　of　Sundays

went　by；　on　each　of　which　the　law　was　persistently　violated。　　Yet；

short　of　an　armed　force　of　soldiers；　we　could　do　nothing。　　The

fishermen　had　hit　upon　a　new　idea　and　were　using　it　for　all　it　was

worth；　while　there　seemed　no　way　by　which　we　could　get　the　better

of　them。



About　this　time　Neil　Partington　happened　along　from　the　Lower　Bay；

where　he　had　been　for　a　number　of　weeks。　　With　him　was　Nicholas；

the　Greek　boy　who　had　helped　us　in　our　raid　on　the　oyster　pirates；

and　the　pair　of　them　took　a　hand。　　We　made　our　arrangements

carefully。　　It　was　planned　that　while　Charley　and　I　tackled　the

nets；　they　were　to　be　hidden　ashore　so　as　to　ambush　the　fishermen

who　landed　to　shoot　at　us。



It　was　a　pretty　plan。　　Even　Charley　said　it　was。　　But　we　reckoned

not　half　so　well　as　the　Greeks。　　They　forestalled　us　by　ambushing

Neil　and　Nicholas　and　taking　them　prisoners；　while；　as　of　old；

bullets　whistled　about　our　ears　when　Charley　and　I　attempted　to

take　possession　of　the　nets。　　When　we　were　again　beaten　off；　Neil

Partington　and　Nicholas　were　released。　　They　were　rather　shamefaced

when　they　put　in　an　appearance；　and　Charley　chaffed　them

unmercifully。　　But　Neil　chaffed　back；　demanding　to　know　why

Charley's　imagination　had　not　long　since　overcome　the　difficulty。



〃Just　you　wait；　the　idea'll　come　all　right；〃　Charley　promised。



〃Most　probably；〃　Neil　agreed。　　〃But　I'm　afraid　the　salmon　will　be

exterminated　first；　and　then　there　will　be　no　need　for　it　when　it

does　come。〃



Neil　Partington；　highly　disgusted　with　his　adventure；　departed　for

the　Lower　Bay；　taking　Nicholas　with　him；　and　Charley　and　I　were

left　to　our　own　resources。　　This　meant　that　the　Sunday　fishing

would　be　left　to　itself；　too；　until　such　time　as　Charley's　idea

happened　along。　　I　puzzled　my　head　a　good　deal　to　find　out　some　way

of　checkmating　the　Greeks；　as　also　did　Charley；　and　we　broached　a

thousand　expedients　which　on　discussion　proved　worthless。



The　fishermen；　on　the　other　hand；　were　in　high　feather；　and　their

boasts　went　up　and　down　the　river　to　add　to　our　discomfiture。

Among　all　classes　of　them　we　became　aware　of　a　growing

insubordination。　　We　were　beaten；　and　they　were　losing　respect　for

us。　　With　the　loss　of　respect；　contempt　began　to　arise。　　Charley

began　to　be　spoken　of　as　the　〃olda　woman；〃　and　I　received　my　rating

as　the　〃pee…wee　kid。〃　　The　situation　was　fast　becoming　unbearable；

and　we　knew　that　we　should　have　to　deliver　a　stunning　stroke　at　the

Greeks　in　order　to　regain　the　old…time　respect　in　which　we　had

stood。



Then　one　morning　the　idea　came。　　We　were　down　on　Steamboat　Wharf；

where　the　river　steamers　made　their　landings；　and　where　we　found　a

group　of　amused　long…shoremen　and　loafers　listening　to　the　hard…

luck　tale　of　a　sleepy…eyed　young　fellow　in　long　sea…boots。　　He　was

a　sort　of　amateur　fisherman；　he　said；　fishing　for　the　local　market

of　Berkeley。　　Now　Berkeley　was　on　the　Lower　Bay；　thirty　miles　away。

On　the　previous　night；　he　said；　he　had　set　his　net　and　dozed　off　to

sleep　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat。



The　next　he　knew　it　was　morning；　and　he　opened　his　eyes　to　find　his

boat　rubbing　softly　against　the　piles　of　Steamboat　Wharf　at

Benicia。　　Also　he　saw　the　river　steamer　Apache　lying　ahead　of　him；

and　a　couple　of　deck…hands　disentangling　the　shreds　of　his　net　from

the　paddle…wheel。　　In　short；　after　he　had　gone　to　sleep；　his

fisherman's　riding　light　had　gone　out；　and　the　Apache　had　run　over

his　net。　　Though　torn　pretty　well　to　pieces；　the　net　in　some　way

still　remained　foul；　and　he　had　had　a　thirty…mile　tow　out　of　his

course。



Charley　nudged　me　with　his　elbow。　　I　grasped　his　thought　on　the

instant；　but　objected：



〃We　can't　charter　a　steamboat。〃



〃Don't　intend　to；〃　he　rejoined。　　〃But　let's　run　over　to　Turner's

Shipyard。　　I've　something　in　my　mind　there　that　may　be　of　use　to

us。〃



And　over　we　went　to　the　shipyard；　where　Charley　led　the　way　to　the

Mary　Rebecca；　lying　hauled　out　on　the　ways；　where　she　was　being

cleaned　and　overhauled。　　She　was　a　scow…schooner　we　both　knew　well；

carrying　a　cargo　of　one　hundred　and　forty　tons　and　a　spread　of

canvas　greater　than　other　schooner　on　the　bay。



〃How　d'ye　do；　Ole；〃　Charley　greeted　a　big　blue…shirted　Swede　who

was　greasing　the　jaws　of　the　main　gaff　with　a　piece　of　pork　rind。



Ole　grunted；　puffed　away　at　his　pipe；　and　went　on　greasing。　　The

captain　of　a　bay　schooner　is　supposed　to　work　with　his　hands　just

as　well　as　the　men。



Ole　Ericsen　verified　Charley's　conjecture　that　the　Mary　Rebecca；　as

soon　as　launched；　would　run　up　the　San　Joaquin　River　nearly　to

Stockton　for　a　load　of　wheat。　　Then　Charley　made　his　proposition；

and　Ole　Ericsen　shook　his　head。



〃Just　a　hook；　one　good…sized　hook；〃　Charley　pleaded。



〃No；　Ay　tank　not；〃　said　Ole　Ericsen。　　〃Der　Mary　Rebecca　yust　hang

up　on　efery　mud…bank　with　that　hook。　　Ay　don't　want　to　lose　der

Mary　Rebecca。　　She's　all　Ay　got。〃



〃No；　no；〃　Charley　hurried　to　explain。　　〃We　can　put　the　end　of　the

hook　through　the　bottom　from　the　outside；　and　fasten　it　on　the

inside　with　a　nut。　　After　it's　done　its　work；　why；　all　we　have　to

do　is　to　go　down　into　the　hold；　unscrew　the　nut；　and　out　drops　the

hook。　　Then　drive　a　wooden　peg　into　the　hole；　and　the　Mary　Rebecca

will　be　all　right　again。〃



Ole　Ericsen　was　obstinate　for　a　long　time；　but　in　the　end；　after　we

had　had　dinner　with　him；　he　was　brought　round　to　consent。



〃Ay　do　it；　by　Yupiter！〃　he　said；　striking　one　huge　fist　into　the

palm　of　the　other　hand。　　〃But　yust　hurry　you　up　wid　der　hook。　　Der

Mary　Rebecca　slides　into　der　water　to…night。〃



It　was　Saturday；　and　Charley　had　need　to　hurry。　　We　headed　for　the

shipyard　blacksmith　shop；　where；　under　Charley's　directions；　a　most

generously　curved　book　of　heavy　steel　was　made。　　Back　we　hastened

to　the　Mary　Rebecca。　　Aft　of　the　great　centre…board　case；　through

what　was　properly　her　keel；　a　hole　was　bored。　　The　end　of　the　hook

was　inserted　from　the　outside；　and　Charley；　on　the　inside；　screwed

the　nut　on　tightly。　　As　it　stood　complete；　the　hook　projected　over

a　foot　beneath　the　bottom　of　the　schooner。　　Its　curve　was　something

like　the　curve　of　a　sickle；　but　deeper。



In　the　late　afternoon　the　Mary　Rebecca　was　launched；　and

preparations　were　finished　for　the　start　up…river　next　morning。

Charley　and　Ole　intently　studied　the　evening　sky　for　signs　of　wind；

for　without　a　good　breeze　our　project　was　doomed　to　failure。　　They

agreed　that　there　were　all　the　signs　of　a　stiff　westerly　wind　…　not

the　ordinary　afternoon　sea…breeze；　but　a　half…gale；　which　even　then

was　springing　up。



Next　morning　found　their　predictions　verified。　　The　sun　was　shining

brightly；　but　something　more　than　a　half…gale　was　shrieking　up　the

Carquinez　Straits；　and　the　Mary　Rebecca　got　under　way　with　two

reefs　in　her　mainsail　and　one　in　her　foresail。　　We　found　it　quite

rough　in　the　Straits　and　in　Suisun　Bay；　but　as　the　water　grew　more

land…locked　it　became　calm；　though　without　let…up　in　the　wind。



Off　Ship　Island　Light　the　reefs　were　shaken　out；　and　at　Charley's

suggestion　a　big　fisherman's　staysail　was　made　all　ready　for

hoisting；　and　the　maintopsail；　bunched　into　a　cap　at　the　masthead；

was　overhauled　so　that　it　could　be　set　on　an　instant's　notice。



We　were　tearing　along；　wing…and…wing；　before　the　wind；　foresail　to

starboard　and　mainsail　to　port；　as　we　came　upon　the　salmon　fleet。

There　they　were；　boats　and　nets；　as　on　that　first　Sunday　when　they

had　bested　us；　strung　out　evenly　over　the　river　as　far　as　we　could

see。　　A　narrow　space　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　channel　was　left

clear　for　steamboats；　but　the　rest　of　the　river　was　covered　with

the　wide…stretching　nets。　　The　narrow　space　was　our　logical　course；

but　Charley；　at　the　wheel；　steered　the　Mary　Rebecca　straight　for

the　nets。　　This　did　not　cause　any　alarm　among　the　fishermen；

because　up…river　sailing　craft　are　always　provided　with　〃shoes〃　on

the　ends　of　their　keels；　which　permit　them　to　slip　over