tales of the fish patrol-第7章

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them。〃



So　we　lay　on　our　oars　and　waited　for　the　tide　to　do　its　work。　　This

was　the　predicament　of　the　pirates：　　because　of　the　big　run…out；

the　tide　was　now　rushing　back　like　a　mill…race；　and　it　was

impossible　for　the　strongest　swimmer　in　the　world　to　make　against

it　the　three　miles　to　the　sloops。　　Between　the　pirates　and　the

shore　were　we；　precluding　escape　in　that　direction。　　On　the　other

hand；　the　water　was　rising　rapidly　over　the　shoals；　and　it　was　only

a　question　of　a　few　hours　when　it　would　be　over　their　heads。



It　was　beautifully　calm；　and　in　the　brilliant　white　moonlight　we

watched　them　through　our　night　glasses　and　told　Charley　of　the

voyage　of　the　Coal　Tar　Maggie。　　One　o'clock　came；　and　two　o'clock；

and　the　pirates　were　clustering　on　the　highest　shoal；　waist…deep　in

water。



〃Now　this　illustrates　the　value　of　imagination；〃　Charley　was

saying。　　〃Taft　has　been　trying　for　years　to　get　them；　but　he　went

at　it　with　bull　strength　and　failed。　　Now　we　used　our　heads　。　。　。〃



Just　then　I　heard　a　scarcely　audible　gurgle　of　water；　and　holding

up　my　hand　for　silence；　I　turned　and　pointed　to　a　ripple　slowly

widening　out　in　a　growing　circle。　　It　was　not　more　than　fifty　feet

from　us。　　We　kept　perfectly　quiet　and　waited。　　After　a　minute　the

water　broke　six　feet　away；　and　a　black　head　and　white　shoulder

showed　in　the　moonlight。　　With　a　snort　of　surprise　and　of　suddenly

expelled　breath；　the　head　and　shoulder　went　down。



We　pulled　ahead　several　strokes　and　drifted　with　the　current。　　Four

pairs　of　eyes　searched　the　surface　of　the　water；　but　never　another

ripple　showed；　and　never　another　glimpse　did　we　catch　of　the　black

head　and　white　shoulder。



〃It's　the　Porpoise；〃　Nicholas　said。　　〃It　would　take　broad　daylight

for　us　to　catch　him。〃



At　a　quarter　to　three　the　pirates　gave　their　first　sign　of

weakening。　　We　heard　cries　for　help；　in　the　unmistakable　voice　of

the　Centipede；　and　this　time；　on　rowing　closer；　we　were　not　fired

upon。　　The　Centipede　was　in　a　truly　perilous　plight。　　Only　the

heads　and　shoulders　of　his　fellow…marauders　showed　above　the　water

as　they　braced　themselves　against　the　current；　while　his　feet　were

off　the　bottom　and　they　were　supporting　him。



〃Now；　lads；〃　Charley　said　briskly；　〃we　have　got　you；　and　you　can't

get　away。　　If　you　cut　up　rough；　we'll　have　to　leave　you　alone　and

the　water　will　finish　you。　　But　if　you're　good　we'll　take　you

aboard；　one　man　at　a　time；　and　you'll　all　be　saved。　　What　do　you

say？〃



〃Ay；〃　they　chorused　hoarsely　between　their　chattering　teeth。



〃Then　one　man　at　a　time；　and　the　short　men　first。〃



The　Centipede　was　the　first　to　be　pulled　aboard；　and　he　came

willingly；　though　he　objected　when　the　constable　put　the　handcuffs

on　him。　　Barchi　was　next　hauled　in；　quite　meek　and　resigned　from

his　soaking。　　When　we　had　ten　in；　our　boat　we　drew　back；　and　the

second　Whitehall　was　loaded。　　The　third　Whitehall　received　nine

prisoners　only　…　a　catch　of　twenty…nine　in　all。



〃You　didn't　get　the　Porpoise；〃　the　Centipede　said　exultantly；　as

though　his　escape　materially　diminished　our　success。



Charley　laughed。　　〃But　we　saw　him　just　the　same；　a…snorting　for

shore　like　a　puffing　pig。〃



It　was　a　mild　and　shivering　band　of　pirates　that　we　marched　up　the

beach　to　the　oyster　house。　　In　answer　to　Charley's　knock；　the　door

was　flung　open；　and　a　pleasant　wave　of　warm　air　rushed　out　upon　us。



〃You　can　dry　your　clothes　here；　lads；　and　get　some　hot　coffee；〃

Charley　announced；　as　they　filed　in。



And　there；　sitting　ruefully　by　the　fire；　with　a　steaming　mug　in　his

hand；　was　the　Porpoise。　　With　one　accord　Nicholas　and　I　looked　at

Charley。　　He　laughed　gleefully。



〃That　comes　of　imagination；〃　he　said。　　〃When　you　see　a　thing；

you've　got　to　see　it　all　around；　or　what's　the　good　of　seeing　it　at

all？　　I　saw　the　beach；　so　I　left　a　couple　of　constables　behind　to

keep　an　eye　on　it。　　That's　all。〃







THE　SIEGE　OF　THE　〃LANCASHIRE　QUEEN〃







Possibly　our　most　exasperating　experience　on　the　fish　patrol　was

when　Charley　Le　Grant　and　I　laid　a　two　weeks'　siege　to　a　big　four…

masted　English　ship。　　Before　we　had　finished　with　the　affair；　it

became　a　pretty　mathematical　problem；　and　it　was　by　the　merest

chance　that　we　came　into　possession　of　the　instrument　that　brought

it　to　a　successful　termination。



After　our　raid　on　the　oyster　pirates　we　had　returned　to　Oakland；

where　two　more　weeks　passed　before　Neil　Partington's　wife　was　out

of　danger　and　on　the　highroad　to　recovery。　　So　it　was　after　an

absence　of　a　month；　all　told；　that　we　turned　the　Reindeer's　nose

toward　Benicia。　　When　the　cat's　away　the　mice　will　play；　and　in

these　four　weeks　the　fishermen　had　become　very　bold　in　violating

the　law。　　When　we　passed　Point　Pedro　we　noticed　many　signs　of

activity　among　the　shrimp…catchers；　and；　well　into　San　Pablo　Bay；

we　observed　a　widely　scattered　fleet　of　Upper　Bay　fishing…boats

hastily　pulling　in　their　nets　and　getting　up　sail。



This　was　suspicious　enough　to　warrant　investigation；　and　the　first

and　only　boat　we　succeeded　in　boarding　proved　to　have　an　illegal

net。　　The　law　permitted　no　smaller　mesh　for　catching　shad　than　one

that　measured　seven　and　one…half　inches　inside　the　knots；　while　the

mesh　of　this　particular　net　measured　only　three　inches。　　It　was　a

flagrant　breach　of　the　rules；　and　the　two　fishermen　were　forthwith

put　under　arrest。　　Neil　Partington　took　one　of　them　with　him　to

help　manage　the　Reindeer；　while　Charley　and　I　went　on　ahead　with

the　other　in　the　captured　boat。



But　the　shad　fleet　had　headed　over　toward　the　Petaluma　shore　in

wild　flight；　and　for　the　rest　of　the　run　through　San　Pablo　Bay　we

saw　no　more　fishermen　at　all。　　Our　prisoner；　a　bronzed　and　bearded

Greek；　sat　sullenly　on　his　net　while　we　sailed　his　craft。　　It　was　a

new　Columbia　River　salmon　boat；　evidently　on　its　first　trip；　and　it

handled　splendidly。　　Even　when　Charley　praised　it；　our　prisoner

refused　to　speak　or　to　notice　us；　and　we　soon　gave　him　up　as　a　most

unsociable　fellow。



We　ran　up　the　Carquinez　Straits　and　edged　into　the　bight　at

Turner's　Shipyard　for　smoother　water。　　Here　were　lying　several

English　steel　sailing　ships；　waiting　for　the　wheat　harvest；　and

here；　most　unexpectedly；　in　the　precise　place　where　we　had　captured

Big　Alec；　we　came　upon　two　Italians　in　a　skiff　that　was　loaded　with

a　complete　〃Chinese〃　sturgeon　line。　　The　surprise　was　mutual；　and

we　were　on　top　of　them　before　either　they　or　we　were　aware。

Charley　had　barely　time　to　luff　into　the　wind　and　run　up　to　them。

I　ran　forward　and　tossed　them　a　line　with　orders　to　make　it　fast。

One　of　the　Italians　took　a　turn　with　it　over　a　cleat；　while　I

hastened　to　lower　our　big　spritsail。　　This　accomplished；　the　salmon

boat　dropped　astern；　dragging　heavily　on　the　skiff。



Charley　came　forward　to　board　the　prize；　but　when　I　proceeded　to

haul　alongside　by　means　of　the　line；　the　Italians　cast　it　off。　　We

at　once　began　drifting　to　leeward；　while　they　got　out　two　pairs　of

oars　and　rowed　their　light　craft　directly　into　the　wind。　　This

manoeuvre　for　the　moment　disconcerted　us；　for　in　our　large　and

heavily　loaded　boat　we　could　not　hope　to　catch　them　with　the　oars。

But　our　prisoner　came　unexpectedly　to　our　aid。　　His　black　eyes　were

flashing　eagerly；　and　his　face　was　flushed　with　suppressed

excitement；　as　he　dropped　the　centre…board；　sprang　forward　with　a

single　leap；　and　put　up　the　sail。



〃I've　always　heard　that　Greeks　don't　like　Italians；〃　Charley

laughed；　as　he　ran　aft　to　the　tiller。



And　never　in　my　experience　have　I　seen　a　man　so　anxious　for　the

capture　of　another　as　was　our　prisoner　in　the　chase　that　followed。

His　eyes　fairly　snapped；　and　his　nostrils　quivered　and　dilated　in　a

most　extraordinary　way。　　Charley　steered　while　he　tended　the　sheet；

and　though　Charley　was　as　quick　and　alert　as　a　cat；　the　Greek　could

hardly　control　his　impatience。



The　Italians　were　cut　off　from　the　shore；　which　was　fully　a　mile

away　at　its　nearest　point。　　Did　they　attempt　to　make　it；　we　could

haul　after　them　with　the　wind　abeam；　and　overtake　them　before　they

had　covered　an　eighth　of　the　distance。　　But　they　were　too　wise　to

attempt　it；　contenting　themselves　with　rowing　lustily　to　windward

along　the　starboard　side　of　a　big　ship；　the　Lancashire　Queen。　　But

beyond　the　ship　lay　an　open　stretch　of　fully　two　miles　to　the　shore

in　that　direction。　　This；　also；　they　dared　not　attempt；　for　we　were

bound　to　catch　them　before　they　could　cover　it。　　So；　when　they

reached　the　bow　of　the　Lancashire　Queen；　nothing　remained　but　to

pass　around　and　row　down　her　port　side　toward　the　stern；　which

meant　rowing　to　leeward　and　giving　us　the　advantage。



We　in　the　salmon　boat；　sailing　close　on　the　wind；　tacked　about　and

crossed　the　ship's　bow。　　Then　Charley　put　up　the　tiller　and　headed

down　the　port　side　of　the　ship；　the　Greek　letting　out　the　sheet　and

grinning　with　delight。　　The　Italians　were　already　half…way　down　the

ship's　length；　but　the　stiff　breeze　at　our　back　drove　us　after　them

far　faster　than　they　could　row。　　Closer　and　closer　we　came；　and　I；

lying　down　forward；　was　just　reaching　out　to　grasp　the　skiff；　when

it　ducked　under　the　great　stern　of　the　Lancashire　Queen。



The　chase　was　virtually　where　it　had　begun。　　The　Italians　were

rowing　up　the　starboard　side　of　the　ship；　and　we　were　hauled　close

on　the　wind　and　slowly　edging　out　from　the　ship　as　we　worked　to

windward。　　Then　they　darted　around　her　bow　and　began　the　row　down

her　port　side；　and　we　tacked　about；　crossed　her　bow；　and　went

plunging　down　the　wind　hot　after　them。　　And　again；　just　as　I　was

reaching　for　the　skiff；　it　ducked　under　the　ship's　stern　and　out　of

danger。　　And　so　it　went；　around　and　around；　the　skiff　each　time

just　barely　ducking　into　safety。



By　this　time　the　ship's　crew　had　become　aware　of　what　was　taking

place；　and　we　could　see　their　heads　in　a　long　row　as　they　looked　at

us　over　the　bulwarks。　　Each　time　we　missed　the　skiff　at　the　stern；

they　set　up　a　wild　cheer　and　dashed　across　to　the　other　side　of　the

Lancashire　Queen　to　see　the　chase　to　wind…ward。　　They　showered　us

and　the　Italians　with　jokes　and　advice；　and　made　our　Greek　so　angry

that　at　least　once　on　each　circuit　he　raised　his　fist　and　shook　it

at　them　in　a　rage。　　They　came　to　look　for　this；　and　at　each　display

greeted　it　with　uproarious　mirth。



〃Wot　a　circus！〃　cried　one。



〃Tork　about　yer　marine　hippodromes；　…　if　this　ain't　one；　I'd　like

to　know！〃　affirmed　another。



〃Six…days…go…as…yer…please；〃　announced　a　third。　　〃Who　says　the

dagoes　won't　win？〃



On　the　next　tack　to　windward　the　Greek　offered　to　change　places

with　Charley。



〃Let…a　me　sail…a　de　boat；〃　he　demanded。　　〃I　fix…a　them；　I　catch…a

them；　sure。〃



This　was　a　stroke　at　Charley's　professional　pride；　for　pride

himself　he　did　upon　his　boat…sailing　abilities；　but　he　yielded　the