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the same time sending my hand to my hip。  Again the Yellow

Handkerchief was overawed; and with surly looks he led three of his

men aboard the Reindeer。  I cast off at once; and; leaving the jib

down; steered a course for George's junk。  Here it was easier; for

there were two of us; and George had a pistol to fall back on if it

came to the worst。  And here; as with my junk; four Chinese were

transferred to the sloop and one left behind to take care of

things。



Four more were added to our passenger list from the third junk。  By

this time the salmon boat had collected its twelve prisoners and

came alongside; badly overloaded。  To make matters worse; as it was

a small boat; the patrolmen were so jammed in with their prisoners

that they would have little chance in case of trouble。



〃You'll have to help us out;〃 said Le Grant。



I looked over my prisoners; who had crowded into the cabin and on

top of it。  〃I can take three;〃 I answered。



〃Make it four;〃 he suggested; 〃and I'll take Bill with me。〃  (Bill

was the third patrolman。)  〃We haven't elbow room here; and in case

of a scuffle one white to every two of them will be just about the

right proportion。〃



The exchange was made; and the salmon boat got up its spritsail and

headed down the bay toward the marshes off San Rafael。  I ran up

the jib and followed with the Reindeer。  San Rafael; where we were

to turn our catch over to the authorities; communicated with the

bay by way of a long and tortuous slough; or marshland creek; which

could be navigated only when the tide was in。  Slack water had

come; and; as the ebb was commencing; there was need for hurry if

we cared to escape waiting half a day for the next tide。



But the land breeze had begun to die away with the rising sun; and

now came only in failing puffs。  The salmon boat got out its oars

and soon left us far astern。  Some of the Chinese stood in the

forward part of the cockpit; near the cabin doors; and once; as I

leaned over the cockpit rail to flatten down the jib…sheet a bit; I

felt some one brush against my hip pocket。  I made no sign; but out

of the corner of my eye I saw that the Yellow Handkerchief had

discovered the emptiness of the pocket which had hitherto overawed

him。



To make matters serious; during all the excitement of boarding the

junks the Reindeer had not been bailed; and the water was beginning

to slush over the cockpit floor。  The shrimp…catchers pointed at it

and looked to me questioningly。



〃Yes;〃 I said。  〃Bime by; allee same dlown; velly quick; you no

bail now。  Sabbe?〃



No; they did not 〃sabbe;〃 or at least they shook their heads to

that effect; though they chattered most comprehendingly to one

another in their own lingo。  I pulled up three or four of the

bottom boards; got a couple of buckets from a locker; and by

unmistakable sign…language invited them to fall to。  But they

laughed; and some crowded into the cabin and some climbed up on

top。



Their laughter was not good laughter。  There was a hint of menace

in it; a maliciousness which their black looks verified。  The

Yellow Handkerchief; since his discovery of my empty pocket; had

become most insolent in his bearing; and he wormed about among the

other prisoners; talking to them with great earnestness。



Swallowing my chagrin; I stepped down into the cockpit and began

throwing out the water。  But hardly had I begun; when the boom

swung overhead; the mainsail filled with a jerk; and the Reindeer

heeled over。  The day wind was springing up。  George was the

veriest of landlubbers; so I was forced to give over bailing and

take the tiller。  The wind was blowing directly off Point Pedro and

the high mountains behind; and because of this was squally and

uncertain; half the time bellying the canvas out and the other half

flapping it idly。



George was about the most all…round helpless man I had ever met。

Among his other disabilities; he was a consumptive; and I knew that

if he attempted to bail; it might bring on a hemorrhage。  Yet the

rising water warned me that something must be done。  Again I

ordered the shrimp…catchers to lend a hand with the buckets。  They

laughed defiantly; and those inside the cabin; the water up to

their ankles; shouted back and forth with those on top。



〃You'd better get out your gun and make them bail;〃 I said to

George。



But he shook his head and showed all too plainly that he was

afraid。  The Chinese could see the funk he was in as well as I

could; and their insolence became insufferable。  Those in the cabin

broke into the food lockers; and those above scrambled down and

joined them in a feast on our crackers and canned goods。



〃What do we care?〃 George said weakly。



I was fuming with helpless anger。  〃If they get out of hand; it

will be too late to care。  The best thing you can do is to get them

in check right now。〃



The water was rising higher and higher; and the gusts; forerunners

of a steady breeze; were growing stiffer and stiffer。  And between

the gusts; the prisoners; having gotten away with a week's grub;

took to crowding first to one side and then to the other till the

Reindeer rocked like a cockle…shell。  Yellow Handkerchief

approached me; and; pointing out his village on the Point Pedro

beach; gave me to understand that if I turned the Reindeer in that

direction and put them ashore; they; in turn; would go to bailing。

By now the water in the cabin was up to the bunks; and the bed…

clothes were sopping。  It was a foot deep on the cockpit floor。

Nevertheless I refused; and I could see by George's face that he

was disappointed。



〃If you don't show some nerve; they'll rush us and throw us

overboard;〃 I said to him。  〃Better give me your revolver; if you

want to be safe。〃



〃The safest thing to do;〃 he chattered cravenly; 〃is to put them

ashore。  I; for one; don't want to be drowned for the sake of a

handful of dirty Chinamen。〃



〃And I; for another; don't care to give in to a handful of dirty

Chinamen to escape drowning;〃 I answered hotly。



〃You'll sink the Reindeer under us all at this rate;〃 he whined。

〃And what good that'll do I can't see。〃



〃Every man to his taste;〃 I retorted。



He made no reply; but I could see he was trembling pitifully。

Between the threatening Chinese and the rising water he was beside

himself with fright; and; more than the Chinese and the water; I

feared him and what his fright might impel him to do。  I could see

him casting longing glances at the small skiff towing astern; so in

the next calm I hauled the skiff alongside。  As I did so his eyes

brightened with hope; but before he could guess my intention; I

stove the frail bottom through with a hand…axe; and the skiff

filled to its gunwales。



〃It's sink or float together;〃 I said。  〃And if you'll give me your

revolver; I'll have the Reindeer bailed out in a jiffy。〃



〃They're too many for us;〃 he whimpered。  〃We can't fight them

all。〃



I turned my back on him in disgust。  The salmon boat had long since

passed from sight behind a little archipelago known as the Marin

Islands; so no help could be looked for from that quarter。  Yellow

Handkerchief came up to me in a familiar manner; the water in the

cockpit slushing against his legs。  I did not like his looks。  I

felt that beneath the pleasant smile he was trying to put on his

face there was an ill purpose。  I ordered him back; and so sharply

that he obeyed。



〃Now keep your distance;〃 I commanded; 〃and don't you come closer!〃



〃Wha' fo'?〃 he demanded indignantly。  〃I t'ink…um talkee talkee

heap good。〃



〃Talkee talkee;〃 I answered bitterly; for I knew now that he had

understood all that passed between George and me。  〃What for talkee

talkee?  You no sabbe talkee talkee。〃



He grinned in a sickly fashion。  〃Yep; I sabbe velly much。  I

honest Chinaman。〃



〃All right;〃 I answered。  〃You sabbe talkee talkee; then you bail

water

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