tales of the fish patrol-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



pygmy；　a　mere　speck　in　the　midst　of　it；　was　mastering　the　elemental

strife；　flying　through　it　and　over　it；　triumphant　and　victorious。



And　just　then；　as　I　roared　along　like　a　conquering　hero；　the　boat

received　a　frightful　smash　and　came　instantly　to　a　dead　stop。　　I

was　flung　forward　and　into　the　bottom。　　As　I　sprang　up　I　caught　a

fleeting　glimpse　of　a　greenish；　barnacle…covered　object；　and　knew

it　at　once　for　what　it　was；　that　terror　of　navigation；　a　sunken

pile。　　No　man　may　guard　against　such　a　thing。　　Water…logged　and

floating　just　beneath　the　surface；　it　was　impossible　to　sight　it　in

the　troubled　water　in　time　to　escape。



The　whole　bow　of　the　boat　must　have　been　crushed　in；　for　in　a　few

seconds　the　boat　was　half　full。　　Then　a　couple　of　seas　filled　it；

and　it　sank　straight　down；　dragged　to　bottom　by　the　heavy　ballast。

So　quickly　did　it　all　happen　that　I　was　entangled　in　the　sail　and

drawn　under。　　When　I　fought　my　way　to　the　surface；　suffocating；　my

lungs　almost　bursting；　I　could　see　nothing　of　the　oars。　　They　must

have　been　swept　away　by　the　chaotic　currents。　　I　saw　Demetrios

Contos　looking　back　from　his　boat；　and　heard　the　vindictive　and

mocking　tones　of　his　voice　as　he　shouted　exultantly。　　He　held

steadily　on　his　course；　leaving　me　to　perish。



There　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　swim　for　it；　which；　in　that　wild

confusion；　was　at　the　best　a　matter　of　but　a　few　moments。　　Holding

my　breath　and　working　with　my　hands；　I　managed　to　get　off　my　heavy

sea…boots　and　my　jacket。　　Yet　there　was　very　little　breath　I　could

catch　to　hold；　and　I　swiftly　discovered　that　it　was　not　so　much　a

matter　of　swimming　as　of　breathing。



I　was　beaten　and　buffeted；　smashed　under　by　the　great　San　Pablo

whitecaps；　and　strangled　by　the　hollow　tide…rip　waves　which　flung

themselves　into　my　eyes；　nose；　and　mouth。　　Then　the　strange　sucks

would　grip　my　legs　and　drag　me　under；　to　spout　me　up　in　some　fierce

boiling；　where；　even　as　I　tried　to　catch　my　breath；　a　great

whitecap　would　crash　down　upon　my　head。



It　was　impossible　to　survive　any　length　of　time。　　I　was　breathing

more　water　than　air；　and　drowning　all　the　time。　　My　senses　began　to

leave　me；　my　head　to　whirl　around。　　I　struggled　on；　spasmodically；

instinctively；　and　was　barely　half　conscious　when　I　felt　myself

caught　by　the　shoulders　and　hauled　over　the　gunwale　of　a　boat。



For　some　time　I　lay　across　a　seat　where　I　had　been　flung；　face

downward；　and　with　the　water　running　out　of　my　mouth。　　After　a

while；　still　weak　and　faint；　I　turned　around　to　see　who　was　my

rescuer。　　And　there；　in　the　stern；　sheet　in　one　hand　and　tiller　in

the　other；　grinning　and　nodding　good…naturedly；　sat　Demetrios

Contos。　　He　had　intended　to　leave　me　to　drown；　…　he　said　so

afterward；　…　but　his　better　self　had　fought　the　battle；　conquered；

and　sent　him　back　to　me。



〃You　all…a　right？〃　he　asked。



I　managed　to　shape　a　〃yes〃　on　my　lips；　though　I　could　not　yet

speak。



〃You　sail…a　de　boat　verr…a　good…a；〃　he　said。　　〃So　good…a　as　a　man。〃



A　compliment　from　Demetrios　Contos　was　a　compliment　indeed；　and　I

keenly　appreciated　it；　though　I　could　only　nod　my　head　in

acknowledgment。



We　held　no　more　conversation；　for　I　was　busy　recovering　and　he　was

busy　with　the　boat。　　He　ran　in　to　the　wharf　at　Vallejo；　made　the

boat　fast；　and　helped　me　out。　　Then　it　was；　as　we　both　stood　on　the

wharf；　that　Charley　stepped　out　from　behind　a　net…rack　and　put　his

hand　on　Demetrios　Contos's　arm。



〃He　saved　my　life；　Charley；〃　I　protested；　〃and　I　don't　think　he

ought　to　be　arrested。〃



A　puzzled　expression　came　into　Charley's　face；　which　cleared

immediately　after；　in　a　way　it　had　when　he　made　up　his　mind。



〃I　can't　help　it；　lad；〃　he　said　kindly。　　〃I　can't　go　back　on　my

duty；　and　it's　plain　duty　to　arrest　him。　　To…day　is　Sunday；　there

are　two　salmon　in　his　boat　which　he　caught　to…day。　　What　else　can　I

do？〃



〃But　he　saved　my　life；〃　I　persisted；　unable　to　make　any　other

argument。



Demetrios　Contos's　face　went　black　with　rage　when　he　learned

Charley's　judgment。　　He　had　a　sense　of　being　unfairly　treated。　　The

better　part　of　his　nature　had　triumphed；　he　had　performed　a

generous　act　and　saved　a　helpless　enemy；　and　in　return　the　enemy

was　taking　him　to　jail。



Charley　and　I　were　out　of　sorts　with　each　other　when　we　went　back

to　Benicia。　　I　stood　for　the　spirit　of　the　law　and　not　the　letter；

but　by　the　letter　Charley　made　his　stand。　　As　far　as　he　could　see；

there　was　nothing　else　for　him　to　do。　　The　law　said　distinctly　that

no　salmon　should　be　caught　on　Sunday。　　He　was　a　patrolman；　and　it

was　his　duty　to　enforce　that　law。　　That　was　all　there　was　to　it。

He　had　done　his　duty；　and　his　conscience　was　clear。　　Nevertheless；

the　whole　thing　seemed　unjust　to　me；　and　I　felt　very　sorry　for

Demetrios　Contos。



Two　days　later　we　went　down　to　Vallejo　to　the　trial。　　I　had　to　go

along　as　a　witness；　and　it　was　the　most　hateful　task　that　I　ever

performed　in　my　life　when　I　testified　on　the　witness　stand　to

seeing　Demetrios　catch　the　two　salmon　Charley　had　captured　him

with。



Demetrios　had　engaged　a　lawyer；　but　his　case　was　hopeless。　　The

jury　was　out　only　fifteen　minutes；　and　returned　a　verdict　of

guilty。　　The　judge　sentenced　Demetrios　to　pay　a　fine　of　one　hundred

dollars　or　go　to　jail　for　fifty　days。



Charley　stepped　up　to　the　clerk　of　the　court。　　〃I　want　to　pay　that

fine；〃　he　said；　at　the　same　time　placing　five　twenty…dollar　gold

pieces　on　the　desk。　　〃It　…　it　was　the　only　way　out　of　it；　lad；〃　he

stammered；　turning　to　me。



The　moisture　rushed　into　my　eyes　as　I　seized　his　hand。　　〃I　want　to

pay　…　〃　I　began。



〃To　pay　your　half？〃　he　interrupted。　　〃I　certainly　shall　expect　you

to　pay　it。〃



In　the　meantime　Demetrios　had　been　informed　by　his　lawyer　that　his

fee　likewise　had　been　paid　by　Charley。



Demetrios　came　over　to　shake　Charley's　hand；　and　all　his　warm

Southern　blood　flamed　in　his　face。　　Then；　not　to　be　outdone　in

generosity；　he　insisted　on　paying　his　fine　and　lawyer's　fee

himself；　and　flew　half…way　into　a　passion　because　Charley　refused

to　let　him。



More　than　anything　else　we　ever　did；　I　think；　this　action　of

Charley's　impressed　upon　the　fishermen　the　deeper　significance　of

the　law。　　Also　Charley　was　raised　high　in　their　esteem；　while　I

came　in　for　a　little　share　of　praise　as　a　boy　who　knew　how　to　sail

a　boat。　　Demetrios　Contos　not　only　never　broke　the　law　again；　but

he　became　a　very　good　friend　of　ours；　and　on　more　than　one　occasion

he　ran　up　to　Benicia　to　have　a　gossip　with　us。







YELLOW　HANDKERCHIEF







〃I'm　not　wanting　to　dictate　to　you；　lad；〃　Charley　said；　〃but　I'm

very　much　against　your　making　a　last　raid。　　You've　gone　safely

through　rough　times　with　rough　men；　and　it　would　be　a　shame　to　have

something　happen　to　you　at　the　very　end。〃



〃But　how　can　I　get　out　of　making　a　last　raid？〃　I　demanded；　with　the

cocksureness　of　youth。　　〃There　always　has　to　be　a　last；　you　know；

to　anything。〃



Charley　crossed　his　legs；　leaned　back；　and　considered　the　problem。

〃Very　true。　　But　why　not　call　the　capture　of　Demetrios　Contos　the

last？　　You're　back　from　it　safe　and　sound　and　hearty；　for　all　your

good　wetting；　and　…　and　…　〃　　His　voice　broke　and　he　could　not　speak

for　a　moment。　　〃And　I　could　never　forgive　myself　if　anything

happened　to　you　now。〃



I　laughed　at　Charley's　fears　while　I　gave　in　to　the　claims　of　his

affection；　and　agreed　to　consider　the　last　raid　already　performed。

We　had　been　together　for　two　years；　and　now　I　was　leaving　the　fish

patrol　in　order　to　go　back　and　finish　my　education。　　I　had　earned

and　saved　money　to　put　me　through　three　years　at　the　high　school；

and　though　the　beginning　of　the　term　was　several　months　away；　I

intended　doing　a　lot　of　studying　for　the　entrance　examinations。



My　belongings　were　packed　snugly　in　a　sea…chest；　and　I　was　all

ready　to　buy　my　ticket　and　ride　down　on　the　train　to　Oakland；　when

Neil　Partington　arrived　in　Benicia。　　The　Reindeer　was　needed

immediately　for　work　far　down　on　the　Lower　Bay；　and　Neil　said　he

intended　to　run　straight　for　Oakland。　　As　that　was　his　home　and　as

I　was　to　live　with　his　family　while　going　to　school；　he　saw　no

reason；　he　said；　why　I　should　not　put　my　chest　aboard　and　come

along。



So　the　chest　went　aboard；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　we

hoisted　the　Reindeer's　big　mainsail　and　cast　off。　　It　was

tantalizing　fall　weather。　　The　sea…breeze；　which　had　blown　steadily

all　summer；　was　gone；　and　in　its　place　were　capricious　winds　and

murky　skies　which　made　the　time　of　arriving　anywhere　extremely

problematical。　　We　started　on　the　first　of　the　ebb；　and　as　we

slipped　down　the　Carquinez　Straits；　I　looked　my　last　for　some　time

upon　Benicia　and　the　bight　at　Turner's　Shipyard；　where　we　had

besieged　the　Lancashire　Queen；　and　had　captured　Big　Alec；　the　King

of　the　Greeks。　　And　at　the　mouth　of　the　Straits　I　looked　with　not　a

little　interest　upon　the　spot　where　a　few　days　before　I　should　have

drowned　but　for　the　good　that　was　in　the　nature　of　Demetrios

Contos。



A　great　wall　of　fog　advanced　across　San　Pablo　Bay　to　meet　us；　and

in　a　few　minutes　the　Reindeer　was　running　blindly　through　the　damp

obscurity。　　Charley；　who　was　steering；　seemed　to　have　an　instinct

for　that　kind　of　work。　　How　he　did　it；　he　himself　confessed　that　he

did　not　know；　but　he　had　a　way　of　calculating　winds；　currents；

distance；　time；　drift；　and　sailing　speed　that　was　truly　marvellous。



〃It　looks　as　though　it　were　lifting；〃　Neil　Partington　said；　a

couple　of　hours　after　we　had　entered　the　fog。　　〃Where　do　you　say　we

are；　Charley？〃



Charley　looked　at　his　watch；　〃Six　o'clock；　and　three　hours　more　of

ebb；〃　he　remarked　casually。



〃But　where　do　you　say　we　are？〃　Neil　insisted。



Charley　pondered　a　moment；　and　then　answered；　〃The　tide　has　edged

us　over　a　bit　out　of　our　course；　but　if　the　fog　lifts　right　now；　as

it　is　going　to　lift；　you'll　find　we're　not　more　than　a　thousand

miles　off　McNear's　Landing。〃



〃You　might　be　a　little　more　definite　by　a　few　miles；　anyway；〃　Neil

grumbled；　showing　by　his　tone　that　he　disagreed。



〃All　right；　then；〃　Charley　said；　conclusively；　〃not　less　than　a

quarter　of　a　mile；　not　more　than　a　half。〃



The　wind　freshened　with　a　couple　of　little　puffs；　and　the　fog

thinned　perceptibly。



〃McNear's　is　right　off　there；〃　Charley　said；　pointing　directly　into

the　fog　on　our　weather　beam。



The　three　of　us　were　peering　intently　in　that　direction；　when　the

Reindeer　struck　with　a　dull　crash　and　came　to　a　standstill。　　We　ran

forward；　and　found　her　bowsprit　entangled　in　the　tanned　rigging　of

a　short；　chunky　mast。　　She　had　collided；　head　on；　with　a　Chinese

junk　lying　at　anchor。



At　the　moment　we　arrived　forward；　five　Chinese；　like　so　many　bees；

came　swarming　out　of　the　little　'tween…decks　cabin；　the　sleep　still

in　their　eyes。



Leading　th