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第8章

tales of the fish patrol-第8章

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〃I swan naow; ef it ain't the old Ark itself!〃 mimicked the

Centipede from the deck of the Ghost。



〃Hey!  Ahoy there; clipper ship!〃 another wag shouted。  〃Wot's yer

port?〃



We took no notice of the joking; but acted; after the manner of

greenhorns; as though the Coal Tar Maggie required our undivided

attention。  I rounded her well to windward of the Ghost; and

Nicholas ran for'ard to drop the anchor。  To all appearances it was

a bungle; the way the chain tangled and kept the anchor from

reaching the bottom。  And to all appearances Nicholas and I were

terribly excited as we strove to clear it。  At any rate; we quite

deceived the pirates; who took huge delight in our predicament。



But the chain remained tangled; and amid all kinds of mocking

advice we drifted down upon and fouled the Ghost; whose bowsprit

poked square through our mainsail and ripped a hole in it as big as

a barn door。  The Centipede and the Porpoise doubled up on the

cabin in paroxysms of laughter; and left us to get clear as best we

could。  This; with much unseaman…like performance; we succeeded in

doing; and likewise in clearing the anchor…chain; of which we let

out about three hundred feet。  With only ten feet of water under

us; this would permit the Coal Tar Maggie to swing in a circle six

hundred feet in diameter; in which circle she would be able to foul

at least half the fleet。



The oyster pirates lay snugly together at short hawsers; the

weather being fine; and they protested loudly at our ignorance in

putting out such an unwarranted length of anchor…chain。  And not

only did they protest; for they made us heave it in again; all but

thirty feet。



Having sufficiently impressed them with our general lubberliness;

Nicholas and I went below to congratulate ourselves and to cook

supper。  Hardly had we finished the meal and washed the dishes;

when a skiff ground against the Coal Tar Maggie's side; and heavy

feet trampled on deck。  Then the Centipede's brutal face appeared

in the companionway; and he descended into the cabin; followed by

the Porpoise。  Before they could seat themselves on a bunk; another

skiff came alongside; and another; and another; till the whole

fleet was represented by the gathering in the cabin。



〃Where'd you swipe the old tub?〃 asked a squat and hairy man; with

cruel eyes and Mexican features。



〃Didn't swipe it;〃 Nicholas answered; meeting them on their own

ground and encouraging the idea that we had stolen the Coal Tar

Maggie。  〃And if we did; what of it?〃



〃Well; I don't admire your taste; that's all;〃 sneered he of the

Mexican features。  〃I'd rot on the beach first before I'd take a

tub that couldn't get out of its own way。〃



〃How were we to know till we tried her?〃 Nicholas asked; so

innocently as to cause a laugh。  〃And how do you get the oysters?〃

he hurried on。  〃We want a load of them; that's what we came for; a

load of oysters。〃



〃What d'ye want 'em for?〃 demanded the Porpoise。



〃Oh; to give away to our friends; of course;〃 Nicholas retorted。

〃That's what you do with yours; I suppose。〃



This started another laugh; and as our visitors grew more genial we

could see that they had not the slightest suspicion of our identity

or purpose。



〃Didn't I see you on the dock in Oakland the other day?〃 the

Centipede asked suddenly of me。



〃Yep;〃 I answered boldly; taking the bull by the horns。  〃I was

watching you fellows and figuring out whether we'd go oystering or

not。  It's a pretty good business; I calculate; and so we're going

in for it。  That is;〃 I hastened to add; 〃if you fellows don't

mind。〃



〃I'll tell you one thing; which ain't two things;〃 he replied; 〃and

that is you'll have to hump yerself an' get a better boat。  We

won't stand to be disgraced by any such box as this。  Understand?〃



〃Sure;〃 I said。  〃Soon as we sell some oysters we'll outfit in

style。〃



〃And if you show yerself square an' the right sort;〃 he went on;

〃why; you kin run with us。  But if you don't〃 (here his voice

became stern and menacing); 〃why; it'll be the sickest day of yer

life。  Understand?〃



〃Sure;〃 I said。



After that and more warning and advice of similar nature; the

conversation became general; and we learned that the beds were to

be raided that very night。  As they got into their boats; after an

hour's stay; we were invited to join them in the raid with the

assurance of 〃the more the merrier。〃



〃Did you notice that short; Mexican…looking chap?〃 Nicholas asked;

when they had departed to their various sloops。  〃He's Barchi; of

the Sporting Life Gang; and the fellow that came with him is

Skilling。  They're both out now on five thousand dollars' bail。〃



I had heard of the Sporting Life Gang before; a crowd of hoodlums

and criminals that terrorized the lower quarters of Oakland; and

two…thirds of which were usually to be found in state's prison for

crimes that ranged from perjury and ballot…box stuffing to murder。



〃They are not regular oyster pirates;〃 Nicholas continued。

〃They've just come down for the lark and to make a few dollars。

But we'll have to watch out for them。〃



We sat in the cockpit and discussed the details of our plan till

eleven o'clock had passed; when we heard the rattle of an oar in a

boat from the direction of the Ghost。  We hauled up our own skiff;

tossed in a few sacks; and rowed over。  There we found all the

skiffs assembling; it being the intention to raid the beds in a

body。



To my surprise; I found barely a foot of water where we had dropped

anchor in ten feet。  It was the big June run…out of the full moon;

and as the ebb had yet an hour and a half to run; I knew that our

anchorage would be dry ground before slack water。



Mr。 Taft's beds were three miles away; and for a long time we rowed

silently in the wake of the other boats; once in a while grounding

and our oar blades constantly striking bottom。  At last we came

upon soft mud covered with not more than two inches of water … not

enough to float the boats。  But the pirates at once were over the

side; and by pushing and pulling on the flat…bottomed skiffs; we

moved steadily along。



The full moon was partly obscured by high…flying clouds; but the

pirates went their way with the familiarity born of long practice。

After half a mile of the mud; we came upon a deep channel; up which

we rowed; with dead oyster shoals looming high and dry on either

side。  At last we reached the picking grounds。  Two men; on one of

the shoals; hailed us and warned us off。  But the Centipede; the

Porpoise; Barchi; and Skilling took the lead; and followed by the

rest of us; at least thirty men in half as many boats; rowed right

up to the watchmen。



〃You'd better slide outa this here;〃 Barchi said threateningly; 〃or

we'll fill you so full of holes you wouldn't float in molasses。〃



The watchmen wisely retreated before so overwhelming a force; and

rowed their boat along the channel toward where the shore should

be。  Besides; it was in the plan for them to retreat。



We hauled the noses of the boats up on the shore side of a big

shoal; and all hands; with sacks; spread out and began picking。

Every now and again the clouds thinned before the face of the moon;

and we could see the big oysters quite distinctly。  In almost no

time sacks were filled and carried back to the boats; where fresh

ones were obtained。  Nicholas and I returned often and anxiously to

the boats with our little loads; but always found some one of the

pirates coming or going。



〃Never mind;〃 he said; 〃no hurry。  As they pick farther and farther

away; it will take too long to carry to the boats。  Then they'll

stand the full sacks on end and pick them up when the tide comes in

and the skiffs will float to them。〃



Fully half an hour went by; and the tide had begun to flood; when

this came to pass。  Leaving the pirates at their work; we stole

back to the boats。  One b

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