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第9章

tales of the fish patrol-第9章

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

back to the boats。  One by one; and noiselessly; we shoved them off

and made them fast in an awkward flotilla。  Just as we were shoving

off the last skiff; our own; one of the men came upon us。  It was

Barchi。  His quick eye took in the situation at a glance; and he

sprang for us; but we went clear with a mighty shove; and he was

left floundering in the water over his head。  As soon as he got

back to the shoal he raised his voice and gave the alarm。



We rowed with all our strength; but it was slow going with so many

boats in tow。  A pistol cracked from the shoal; a second; and a

third; then a regular fusillade began。  The bullets spat and spat

all about us; but thick clouds had covered the moon; and in the dim

darkness it was no more than random firing。  It was only by chance

that we could be hit。



〃Wish we had a little steam launch;〃 I panted。



〃I'd just as soon the moon stayed hidden;〃 Nicholas panted back。



It was slow work; but every stroke carried us farther away from the

shoal and nearer the shore; till at last the shooting died down;

and when the moon did come out we were too far away to be in

danger。  Not long afterward we answered a shoreward hail; and two

Whitehall boats; each pulled by three pairs of oars; darted up to

us。  Charley's welcome face bent over to us; and he gripped us by

the hands while he cried; 〃Oh; you joys!  You joys!  Both of you!〃



When the flotilla had been landed; Nicholas and I and a watchman

rowed out in one of the Whitehalls; with Charley in the stern…

sheets。  Two other Whitehalls followed us; and as the moon now

shone brightly; we easily made out the oyster pirates on their

lonely shoal。  As we drew closer; they fired a rattling volley from

their revolvers; and we promptly retreated beyond range。



〃Lot of time;〃 Charley said。  〃The flood is setting in fast; and by

the time it's up to their necks there won't be any fight left in

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

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