tales of the fish patrol-第8章

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

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

tiller　to　the　prisoner　and　took　his　place　at　the　sheet。　　Three

times　again　we　made　the　circuit；　and　the　Greek　found　that　he　could

get　no　more　speed　out　of　the　salmon　boat　than　Charley　had。



〃Better　give　it　up；〃　one　of　the　sailors　advised　from　above。



The　Greek　scowled　ferociously　and　shook　his　fist　in　his　customary

fashion。　　In　the　meanwhile　my　mind　had　not　been　idle；　and　I　had

finally　evolved　an　idea。



〃Keep　going；　Charley；　one　time　more；〃　I　said。



And　as　we　laid　out　on　the　next　tack　to　wind…ward；　I　bent　a　piece　of

line　to　a　small　grappling　hook　I　had　seen　lying　in　the　bail…hole。

The　end　of　the　line　I　made　fast　to　the　ring…bolt　in　the　bow；　and

with　the　hook　out　of　sight　I　waited　for　the　next　opportunity　to　use

it。　　Once　more　they　made　their　leeward　pull　down　the　port　side　of

the　Lancashire　Queen；　and　once　more　we　churned　down　after　them

before　the　wind。　　Nearer　and　nearer　we　drew；　and　I　was　making

believe　to　reach　for　them　as　before。　　The　stern　of　the　skiff　was

not　six　feet　away；　and　they　were　laughing　at　me　derisively　as　they

ducked　under　the　ship's　stern。　　At　that　instant　I　suddenly　arose

and　threw　the　grappling　iron。　　It　caught　fairly　and　squarely　on　the

rail　of　the　skiff；　which　was　jerked　backward　out　of　safety　as　the

rope　tautened　and　the　salmon　boat　ploughed　on。



A　groan　went　up　from　the　row　of　sailors　above；　which　quickly

changed　to　a　cheer　as　one　of　the　Italians　whipped　out　a　long

sheath…knife　and　cut　the　rope。　　But　we　had　drawn　them　out　of

safety；　and　Charley；　from　his　place　in　the　stern…sheets；　reached

over　and　clutched　the　stern　of　the　skiff。　　The　whole　thing　happened

in　a　second　of　time；　for　the　first　Italian　was　cutting　the　rope　and

Charley　was　clutching　the　skiff　when　the　second　Italian　dealt　him　a

rap　over　the　head　with　an　oar；　Charley　released　his　hold　and

collapsed；　stunned；　into　the　bottom　of　the　salmon　boat；　and　the

Italians　bent　to　their　oars　and　escaped　back　under　the　ship's

stern。



The　Greek　took　both　tiller　and　sheet　and　continued　the　chase　around

the　Lancashire　Queen；　while　I　attended　to　Charley；　on　whose　head　a

nasty　lump　was　rapidly　rising。　　Our　sailor　audience　was　wild　with

delight；　and　to　a　man　encouraged　the　fleeing　Italians。　　Charley　sat

up；　with　one　hand　on　his　head；　and　gazed　about　him　sheepishly。



〃It　will　never　do　to　let　them　escape　now；〃　he　said；　at　the　same

time　drawing　his　revolver。



On　our　next　circuit；　he　threatened　the　Italians　with　the　weapon；

but　they　rowed　on　stolidly；　keeping　splendid　stroke　and　utterly

disregarding　him。



〃If　you　don't　stop；　I'll　shoot；〃　Charley　said　menacingly。



But　this　had　no　effect；　nor　were　they　to　be　frightened　into

surrendering　even　when　he　fired　several　shots　dangerously　close　to

them。　　It　was　too　much　to　expect　him　to　shoot　unarmed　men；　and　this

they　knew　as　well　as　we　did；　so　they　continued　to　pull　doggedly

round　and　round　the　ship。



〃We'll　run　them　down；　then！〃　Charley　exclaimed。　　〃We'll　wear　them

out　and　wind　them！〃



So　the　chase　continued。　　Twenty　times　more　we　ran　them　around　the

Lancashire　Queen；　and　at　last　we　could　see　that　even　their　iron

muscles　were　giving　out。　　They　were　nearly　exhausted；　and　it　was

only　a　matter　of　a　few　more　circuits；　when　the　game　took　on　a　new

feature。　　On　the　row　to　windward　they　always　gained　on　us；　so　that

they　were　half…way　down　the　ship's　side　on　the　row　to　leeward　when

we　were　passing　the　bow。　　But　this　last　time；　as　we　passed　the　bow；

we　saw　them　escaping　up　the　ship's　gangway；　which　had　been　suddenly

lowered。　　It　was　an　organized　move　on　the　part　of　the　sailors；

evidently　countenanced　by　the　captain；　for　by　the　time　we　arrived

where　the　gangway　had　been；　it　was　being　hoisted　up；　and　the　skiff；

slung　in　the　ship's　davits；　was　likewise　flying　aloft　out　of　reach。



The　parley　that　followed　with　the　captain　was　short　and　snappy。　　He

absolutely　forbade　us　to　board　the　Lancashire　Queen；　and　as

absolutely　refused　to　give　up　the　two　men。　　By　this　time　Charley

was　as　enraged　as　the　Greek。　　Not　only　had　he　been　foiled　in　a　long

and　ridiculous　chase；　but　he　had　been　knocked　senseless　into　the

bottom　of　his　boat　by　the　men　who　had　escaped　him。



〃Knock　off　my　head　with　little　apples；〃　he　declared　emphatically；

striking　the　fist　of　one　hand　into　the　palm　of　the　other；　〃if　those

two　men　ever　escape　me！　　I'll　stay　here　to　get　them　if　it　takes　the

rest　of　my　natural　life；　and　if　I　don't　get　them；　then　I　promise

you　I'll　live　unnaturally　long　or　until　I　do　get　them；　or　my　name's

not　Charley　Le　Grant！〃



And　then　began　the　siege　of　the　Lancashire　Queen；　a　siege　memorable

in　the　annals　of　both　fishermen　and　fish　patrol。　　When　the　Reindeer

came　along；　after　a　fruitless　pursuit　of　the　shad　fleet；　Charley

instructed　Neil　Partington　to　send　out　his　own　salmon　boat；　with

blankets；　provisions；　and　a　fisherman's　charcoal　stove。　　By　sunset

this　exchange　of　boats　was　made；　and　we　said　good…by　to　our　Greek；

who　perforce　had　to　go　into　Benicia　and　be　locked　up　for　his　own

violation　of　the　law。　　After　supper；　Charley　and　I　kept　alternate

four…hour　watches　till　day…light。　　The　fishermen　made　no　attempt　to

escape　that　night；　though　the　ship　sent　out　a　boat　for　scouting

purposes　to　find　if　the　coast　were　clear。



By　the　next　day　we　saw　that　a　steady　siege　was　in　order；　and　we

perfected　our　plans　with　an　eye　to　our　own　comfort。　　A　dock；　known

as　the　Solano　Wharf；　which　ran　out　from　the　Benicia　shore；　helped

us　in　this。　　It　happened　that　the　Lancashire　Queen；　the　shore　at

Turner's　Shipyard；　and　the　Solano　Wharf　were　the　corners　of　a　big

equilateral　triangle。　　From　ship　to　shore；　the　side　of　the　triangle

along　which　the　Italians　had　to　escape；　was　a　distance　equal　to

that　from　the　Solano　Wharf　to　the　shore；　the　side　of　the　triangle

along　which　we　had　to　travel　to　get　to　the　shore　before　the

Italians。　　But　as　we　could　sail　much　faster　than　they　could　row；　we

could　permit　them　to　travel　about　half　their　side　of　the　triangle

before　we　darted　out　along　our　side。　　If　we　allowed　them　to　get

more　than　half…way；　they　were　certain　to　beat　us　to　shore；　while　if

we　started　before　they　were　half…way；　they　were　equally　certain　to

beat　us　back　to　the　ship。



We　found　that　an　imaginary　line；　drawn　from　the　end　of　the　wharf　to

a　windmill　farther　along　the　shore；　cut　precisely　in　half　the　line

of　the　triangle　along　which　the　Italians　must　escape　to　reach　the

land。　　This　line　made　it　easy　for　us　to　determine　how　far　to　let

them　run　away　before　we　bestirred　ourselves　in　pursuit。　　Day　after

day　we　would　watch　them　through　our　glasses　as　they　rowed　leisurely

along　toward　the　half…way　point；　and　as　they　drew　close　into　line

with　the　windmill；　we　would　leap　into　the　boat　and　get　up　sail。　　At

sight　of　our　preparation；　they　would　turn　and　row　slowly　back　to

the　Lancashire　Queen；　secure　in　the　knowledge　that　we　could　not

overtake　them。



To　guard　against　calms　…　when　our　salmon　boat　would　be　useless　…　we

also　had　in　readiness　a　light　rowing　skiff　equipped　with　spoon…

oars。　　But　at　such　times；　when　the　wind　failed　us；　we　were　forced

to　row　out　from　the　wharf　as　soon　as　they　rowed　from　the　ship。　　In

the　night…time；　on　the　other　hand；　we　were　compelled　to　patrol　the

immediate　vicinity　of　the　ship；　which　we　did；　Charley　and　I

standing　four…hour　watches　turn　and　turn　about。　　The　Italians；

however；　preferred　the　daytime　in　which　to　escape；　and　so　our　long

night　vigils　were　without　result。



〃What　makes　me　mad；〃　said　Charley；　〃is　our　being　kept　from　our

honest　beds　while　those　rascally　lawbreakers　are　sleeping　soundly

every　night。　　But　much　good　may　it　do　them；〃　he　threatened。　　〃I'll

keep　them　on　that　ship　till　the　captain　charges　them　board；　as　sure

as　a　sturgeon's　not　a　catfish！〃



It　was　a　tantalizing　problem　that　confronted　us。　　As　long　as　we

were　vigilant；　they　could　not　escape；　and　as　long　as　they　were

careful；　we　would　be　unable　to　catch　them。　　Charley　cudgelled　his

brains　continually；　but　for　once　his　imagination　failed　him。　　It

was　a　problem　apparently　without　other　solution　than　that　of

patience。　　It　was　a　waiting　game；　and　whichever　waited　the　longer

was　bound　to　win。　　To　add　to　our　irritation；　friends　of　the

Italians　established　a　code　of　signals　with　them　from　the　shore；　so

that　we　never　dared　relax　the　siege　for　a　moment。　　And　besides

this；　there　were　always　one　or　two　suspicious…looking　fishermen

hanging　around　the　Solano　Wharf　and　keeping　watch　on　our　actions。

We　could　do　nothing　but　〃grin　and　bear　it；〃　as　Charley　said；　while

it　took　up　all　our　time　and　prevented　us　from　doing　other　work。



The　days　went　by；　and　there　was　no　change　in　the　situation。　　Not

that　no　attempts　were　made　to　change　it。　　One　night　friends　from

the　shore　came　out　in　a　skiff　and　attempted　to　confuse　us　while　the

two　Italians　escaped。　　That　they　did　not　succeed　was　due　to　the

lack　of　a　little　oil　on　the　ship's　davits。　　For　we　were　drawn　back

from　the　pursuit　of　the　strange　boat　by　the　creaking　of　the　davits；

and　arrived　at　the　Lancashire　Queen　just　as　the　Italians　were

lowering　their　skiff。　　Another　night；　fully　half　a　dozen　skiffs

rowed　around　us　in　the　darkness；　but　we　held　on　like　a　leech　to　the

side　of　the　ship　and　frustrated　their　plan　till　they　grew　angry　and

showered　us　with　abuse。　　Charley　laughed　to　himself　in　the　bottom

of　the　boat。



〃It's　a　good　sign；　lad；〃　he　said　to　me。　　〃When　men　begin　to　abuse；

make　sure　they're　losing　patience；　and　shortly　after　they　lose

patience；　they　lose　their　heads。　　Mark　my　words；　if　we　only　hold

out；　they'll　get　careless　some　fine　day；　and　then　we'll　get　them。〃



But　they　did　not　grow　careless；　and　Charley　confessed　that　this　was

one　of　the　times　when　all　signs　failed。　　Their　patience　seemed

equal　to　ours；　and　the　second　week　of　the　siege　dragged

monotonously　along。　　Then　Charley's　lagging　imagination　quickened

sufficiently　to　suggest　a　ruse。　　Peter　Boyelen；　a　new　patrolman　and

one　unknown　to　the　fisher…folk；　happened　to　arrive　in　Benicia　and

we　took　him　into　our　plan。　　We　were　as　secret　as　possible　about　it；

but　in　some　unfathomable　way　the　friends　ashore　got　word　to　the

beleaguered　Italians　to　keep　their　eyes　open。



On　the　night　we　were　to　put　our　ruse　into　effect；　Charley　and　I

took　up　our　usual　station　in　our　rowing　skiff　alongside　the

Lancashire　Queen。　　After　it　was　thoroughly　dark；　Peter　Boyelen　came

out　in　a　crazy　duck　boat；　the　kind　you　can　pick　up　and　carry　away

under　one　arm。　　When　we　heard　him　coming　along；　paddling　noisily；

we　slipped　away　a　short　distance　into　the　darkness；　and　rested　on

our　oars。　　Opposite　the　gangway；　having　jovially　hailed　the　anchor…

watch　of　the　Lancashire　Queen　and　asked　the　direction　of　the

Scottish　Chiefs；　another　wheat　ship；　he　awkwardly　c