tales of the fish patrol-第11章

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

without　fouling　them。



〃Now　she　takes　it！〃　Charley　cried；　as　we　dashed　across　the　middle

of　a　line　of　floats　which　marked　a　net。　　At　one　end　of　this　line

was　a　small　barrel　buoy；　at　the　other　the　two　fishermen　in　their

boat。　　Buoy　and　boat　at　once　began　to　draw　together；　and　the

fishermen　to　cry　out；　as　they　were　jerked　after　us。　　A　couple　of

minutes　later　we　hooked　a　second　net；　and　then　a　third；　and　in　this

fashion　we　tore　straight　up　through　the　centre　of　the　fleet。



The　consternation　we　spread　among　the　fishermen　was　tremendous。　　As

fast　as　we　hooked　a　net　the　two　ends　of　it；　buoy　and　boat；　came

together　as　they　dragged　out　astern；　and　so　many　buoys　and　boats；

coming　together　at　such　breakneck　speed；　kept　the　fishermen　on　the

jump　to　avoid　smashing　into　one　another。　　Also；　they　shouted　at　us

like　mad　to　heave　to　into　the　wind；　for　they　took　it　as　some

drunken　prank　on　the　part　of　scow…sailors；　little　dreaming　that　we

were　the　fish　patrol。



The　drag　of　a　single　net　is　very　heavy；　and　Charley　and　Ole　Ericsen

decided　that　even　in　such　a　wind　ten　nets　were　all　the　Mary　Rebecca

could　take　along　with　her。　　So　when　we　had　hooked　ten　nets；　with

ten　boats　containing　twenty　men　streaming　along　behind　us；　we

veered　to　the　left　out　of　the　fleet　and　headed　toward　Collinsville。



We　were　all　jubilant。　　Charley　was　handling　the　wheel　as　though　he

were　steering　the　winning　yacht　home　in　a　race。　　The　two　sailors

who　made　up　the　crew　of　the　Mary　Rebecca；　were　grinning　and　joking。

Ole　Ericsen　was　rubbing　his　huge　hands　in　child…like　glee。



〃Ay　tank　you　fish　patrol　fallers　never　ban　so　lucky　as　when　you

sail　with　Ole　Ericsen；〃　he　was　saying；　when　a　rifle　cracked　sharply

astern；　and　a　bullet　gouged　along　the　newly　painted　cabin；　glanced

on　a　nail；　and　sang　shrilly　onward　into　space。



This　was　too　much　for　Ole　Ericsen。　　At　sight　of　his　beloved

paintwork　thus　defaced；　he　jumped　up　and　shook　his　fist　at　the

fishermen；　but　a　second　bullet　smashed　into　the　cabin　not　six

inches　from　his　head；　and　he　dropped　down　to　the　deck　under　cover

of　the　rail。



All　the　fishermen　had　rifles；　and　they　now　opened　a　general

fusillade。　　We　were　all　driven　to　cover　…　even　Charley；　who　was

compelled　to　desert　the　wheel。　　Had　it　not　been　for　the　heavy　drag

of　the　nets；　we　would　inevitably　have　broached　to　at　the　mercy　of

the　enraged　fishermen。　　But　the　nets；　fastened　to　the　bottom　of　the

Mary　Rebecca　well　aft；　held　her　stern　into　the　wind；　and　she

continued　to　plough　on；　though　somewhat　erratically。



Charley；　lying　on　the　deck；　could　just　manage　to　reach　the　lower

spokes　of　the　wheel；　but　while　he　could　steer　after　a　fashion；　it

was　very　awkward。　　Ole　Ericsen　bethought　himself　of　a　large　piece

of　sheet　steel　in　the　empty　hold。



It　was　in　fact　a　plate　from　the　side　of　the　New　Jersey；　a　steamer

which　had　recently　been　wrecked　outside　the　Golden　Gate；　and　in　the

salving　of　which　the　Mary　Rebecca　had　taken　part。



Crawling　carefully　along　the　deck；　the　two　sailors；　Ole；　and　myself

got　the　heavy　plate　on　deck　and　aft；　where　we　reared　it　as　a　shield

between　the　wheel　and　the　fishermen。　　The　bullets　whanged　and

banged　against　it　till　it　rang　like　a　bull's…eye；　but　Charley

grinned　in　its　shelter；　and　coolly　went　on　steering。



So　we　raced　along；　behind　us　a　howling；　screaming　bedlam　of

wrathful　Greeks；　Collinsville　ahead；　and　bullets　spat…spatting　all

around　us。



〃Ole；〃　Charley　said　in　a　faint　voice；　〃I　don't　know　what　we're

going　to　do。〃



Ole　Ericsen；　lying　on　his　back　close　to　the　rail　and　grinning

upward　at　the　sky；　turned　over　on　his　side　and　looked　at　him。　　〃Ay

tank　we　go　into　Collinsville　yust　der　same；〃　he　said。



〃But　we　can't　stop；〃　Charley　groaned。　　〃I　never　thought　of　it；　but

we　can't　stop。〃



A　look　of　consternation　slowly　overspread　Ole　Ericsen's　broad　face。

It　was　only　too　true。　　We　had　a　hornet's　nest　on　our　hands；　and　to

stop　at　Collinsville　would　be　to　have　it　about　our　ears。



〃Every　man　Jack　of　them　has　a　gun；〃　one　of　the　sailors　remarked

cheerfully。



〃Yes；　and　a　knife；　too；〃　the　other　sailor　added。



It　was　Ole　Ericsen's　turn　to　groan。　　〃What　for　a　Svaidish　faller

like　me　monkey　with　none　of　my　biziness；　I　don't　know；〃　he

soliloquized。



A　bullet　glanced　on　the　stern　and　sang　off　to　starboard　like　a

spiteful　bee。　　〃There's　nothing　to　do　but　plump　the　Mary　Rebecca

ashore　and　run　for　it；〃　was　the　verdict　of　the　first　cheerful

sailor。



〃And　leaf　der　Mary　Rebecca？〃　Ole　demanded；　with　unspeakable　horror

in　his　voice。



〃Not　unless　you　want　to；〃　was　the　response。　　〃But　I　don't　want　to

be　within　a　thousand　miles　of　her　when　those　fellers　come　aboard〃　…

indicating　the　bedlam　of　excited　Greeks　towing　behind。



We　were　right　in　at　Collinsville　then；　and　went　foaming　by　within

biscuit…toss　of　the　wharf。



〃I　only　hope　the　wind　holds　out；〃　Charley　said；　stealing　a　glance

at　our　prisoners。



〃What　of　der　wind？〃　Ole　demanded　disconsolately。　　〃Der　river　will

not　hold　out；　and　then　。　。　。　and　then　。　。　。〃



〃It's　head　for　tall　timber；　and　the　Greeks　take　the　hindermost；〃

adjudged　the　cheerful　sailor；　while　Ole　was　stuttering　over　what

would　happen　when　we　came　to　the　end　of　the　river。



We　had　now　reached　a　dividing　of　the　ways。　　To　the　left　was　the

mouth　of　the　Sacramento　River；　to　the　right　the　mouth　of　the　San

Joaquin。　　The　cheerful　sailor　crept　forward　and　jibed　over　the

foresail　as　Charley　put　the　helm　to　starboard　and　we　swerved　to　the

right　into　the　San　Joaquin。　　The　wind；　from　which　we　had　been

running　away　on　an　even　keel；　now　caught　us　on　our　beam；　and　the

Mary　Rebecca　was　pressed　down　on　her　port　side　as　if　she　were　about

to　capsize。



Still　we　dashed　on；　and　still　the　fishermen　dashed　on　behind。　　The

value　of　their　nets　was　greater　than　the　fines　they　would　have　to

pay　for　violating　the　fish　laws；　so　to　cast　off　from　their　nets　and

escape；　which　they　could　easily　do；　would　profit　them　nothing。

Further；　they　remained　by　their　nets　instinctively；　as　a　sailor

remains　by　his　ship。　　And　still　further；　the　desire　for　vengeance

was　roused；　and　we　could　depend　upon　it　that　they　would　follow　us

to　the　ends　of　the　earth；　if　we　undertook　to　tow　them　that　far。



The　rifle…firing　had　ceased；　and　we　looked　astern　to　see　what　our

prisoners　were　doing。　　The　boats　were　strung　along　at　unequal

distances　apart；　and　we　saw　the　four　nearest　ones　bunching

together。　　This　was　done　by　the　boat　ahead　trailing　a　small　rope

astern　to　the　one　behind。　　When　this　was　caught；　they　would　cast

off　from　their　net　and　heave　in　on　the　line　till　they　were　brought

up　to　the　boat　in　front。　　So　great　was　the　speed　at　which　we　were

travelling；　however；　that　this　was　very　slow　work。　　Sometimes　the

men　would　strain　to　their　utmost　and　fail　to　get　in　an　inch　of　the

rope；　at　other　times　they　came　ahead　more　rapidly。



When　the　four　boats　were　near　enough　together　for　a　man　to　pass

from　one　to　another；　one　Greek　from　each　of　three　got　into　the

nearest　boat　to　us；　taking　his　rifle　with　him。　　This　made　five　in

the　foremost　boat；　and　it　was　plain　that　their　intention　was　to

board　us。　　This　they　undertook　to　do；　by　main　strength　and　sweat；

running　hand　over　hand　the　float…line　of　a　net。　　And　though　it　was

slow；　and　they　stopped　frequently　to　rest；　they　gradually　drew

nearer。



Charley　smiled　at　their　efforts；　and　said；　〃Give　her　the　topsail；

Ole。〃



The　cap　at　the　mainmast　head　was　broken　out；　and　sheet　and　downhaul

pulled　flat；　amid　a　scattering　rifle　fire　from　the　boats；　and　the

Mary　Rebecca　lay　over　and　sprang　ahead　faster　than　ever。



But　the　Greeks　were　undaunted。　　Unable；　at　the　increased　speed；　to

draw　themselves　nearer　by　means　of　their　hands；　they　rigged　from

the　blocks　of　their　boat　sail　what　sailors　call　a　〃watch…tackle。〃

One　of　them；　held　by　the　legs　by　his　mates；　would　lean　far　over　the

bow　and　make　the　tackle　fast　to　the　float…line。　　Then　they　would

heave　in　on　the　tackle　till　the　blocks　were　together；　when　the

manoeuvre　would　be　repeated。



〃Have　to　give　her　the　staysail；〃　Charley　said。



Ole　Ericsen　looked　at　the　straining　Mary　Rebecca　and　shook　his

head。　　〃It　will　take　der　masts　out　of　her；〃　he　said。



〃And　we'll　be　taken　out　of　her　if　you　don't；〃　Charley　replied。



Ole　shot　an　anxious　glance　at　his　masts；　another　at　the　boat　load

of　armed　Greeks；　and　consented。



The　five　men　were　in　the　bow　of　the　boat　…　a　bad　place　when　a　craft

is　towing。　　I　was　watching　the　behavior　of　their　boat　as　the　great

fisherman's　staysail；　far；　far　larger　than　the　top…sail　and　used

only　in　light　breezes；　was　broken　out。　　As　the　Mary　Rebecca　lurched

forward　with　a　tremendous　jerk；　the　nose　of　the　boat　ducked　down

into　the　water；　and　the　men　tumbled　over　one　another　in　a　wild　rush

into　the　stern　to　save　the　boat　from　being　dragged　sheer　under

water。



〃That　settles　them！〃　Charley　remarked；　though　he　was　anxiously

studying　the　behavior　of　the　Mary　Rebecca；　which　was　being　driven

under　far　more　canvas　than　she　was　rightly　able　to　carry。



〃Next　stop　is　Antioch！〃　announced　the　cheerful　sailor；　after　the

manner　of　a　railway　conductor。　　〃And　next　comes　Merryweather！〃



〃Come　here；　quick；〃　Charley　said　to　me。



I　crawled　across　the　deck　and　stood　upright　beside　him　in　the

shelter　of　the　sheet　steel。



〃Feel　in　my　inside　pocket；〃　he　commanded；　〃and　get　my　notebook。

That's　right。　　Tear　out　a　blank　page　and　write　what　I　tell　you。〃



And　this　is　what　I　wrote：





Telephone　to　Merryweather；　to　the　sheriff；　the　constable；　or　the

judge。　　Tell　them　we　are　coming　and　to　turn　out　the　town。　　Arm

everybody。　　Have　them　down　on　the　wharf　to　meet　us　or　we　are　gone

gooses。





Now　make　it　good　and　fast　to　that　marlin…spike；　and　stand　by　to

toss　it　ashore。〃



I　did　as　he　directed。　　By　then　we　were　close　to　Antioch。　　The　wind

was　shouting　through　our　rigging；　the　Mary　Rebecca　was　half　over　on

her　side　and　rushing　ahead　like　an　ocean　greyhound。　　The　seafaring

folk　of　Antioch　had　seen　us　breaking　out　topsail　and　staysail；　a

most　reckless　performance　in　such　weather；　and　had　hurried　to　the

wharf…ends　in　little　groups　to　find　out　what　was　the　matter。



Straight　down　the　water　front　we　boomed；　Charley　edging　in　till　a

man　could　almost　leap　ashore。　　When　he　gave　the　signal　I　tossed　the

marlinspike。　　It　struck　the　planking　of　the　wharf　a　resounding

smash；　bounced　along　fifteen　or　twenty　feet；　and　was　pounced　upon

by　the　amazed　onlookers。



It　all　happened　in　a　flash；　for　the　next　minute　Antioch　was　behind

and　we　were　heeling　it　up　the　San　Joaquin　toward　Merryweather；　six

miles　away。　　The　river　straightened　out　here　into　its　general

easterly　course；　and　we　squared　away　before　the　wind；　wing…and…wing

once　more；　the　foresail　bellying　out　to　starboard。