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第19章

tales of the fish patrol-第19章

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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 ha

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