tales of the fish patrol-第15节
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football match。 Charley and I had been sceptical； but the fact of
the crowd convinced us that there was something in Demetrios
Contos's dare。
In the afternoon； when the sea…breeze had picked up in strength；
his sail hove into view as he bowled along before the wind。 He
tacked a score of feet from the wharf； waved his hand theatrically；
like a knight about to enter the lists； received a hearty cheer in
return； and stood away into the Straits for a couple of hundred
yards。 Then he lowered sail； and； drifting the boat sidewise by
means of the wind； proceeded to set his net。 He did not set much
of it； possibly fifty feet； yet Charley and I were thunderstruck at
the man's effrontery。 We did not know at the time； but we learned
afterward； that the net he used was old and worthless。 It could
catch fish； true； but a catch of any size would have torn it to
pieces。
Charley shook his head and said：
〃I confess； it puzzles me。 What if he has out only fifty feet？ He
could never get it in if we once started for him。 And why does he
come here anyway； flaunting his law…breaking in our faces？ Right
in our home town； too。〃
Charley's voice took on an aggrieved tone； and he continued for
some minutes to inveigh against the brazenness of Demetrios Contos。
In the meantime； the man in question was lolling in the stern of
his boat and watching the net floats。 When a large fish is meshed
in a gill…net； the floats by their agitation advertise the fact。
And they evidently advertised it to Demetrios； for he pulled in
about a dozen feet of net； and held aloft for a moment； before he
flung it into the bottom of the boat； a big； glistening salmon。 It
was greeted by the audience on the wharf with round after round of
cheers。 This was more than Charley could stand。
〃Come on； lad；〃 he called to me； and we lost no time jumping into
our salmon boat and getting up sail。
The crowd shouted warning to Demetrios； and as we darted out from
the wharf we saw him slash his worthless net clear with a long
knife。 His sail was all ready to go up； and a moment later it
fluttered in the sunshine。 He ran aft； drew in the sheet； and
filled on the long tack toward the Contra Costa Hills。
By this time we were not more than thirty feet astern。 Charley was
jubilant。 He knew our boat was fast； and he knew； further； that in
fine sailing few men were his equals。 He was confident that we
should surely catch Demetrios； and I shared his confidence。 But
somehow we did not seem to gain。
It was a pretty sailing breeze。 We were gliding sleekly through
the water； but Demetrios was slowly sliding away from us。 And not
only was he going faster； but he was eating into the wind a
fraction of a point closer than we。 This was sharply impressed
upon us when he went about under the Contra Costa Hills and passed
us on the other tack fully one hundred feet dead to windward。
〃Whew！〃 Charley exclaimed。 〃Either that boat is a daisy； or we've
got a five…gallon coal…oil can fast to our keel！〃
It certainly looked it one way or the other。 And by the time
Demetrios made the Sonoma Hills； on the other side of the Straits；
we were so hopelessly outdistanced that Charley told me to slack
off the sheet； and we squared away for Benicia。 The fishermen on
Steamboat Wharf showered us with ridicule when we returned and tied
up。 Charley and I got out and walked away； feeling rather
sheepish； for it is a sore stroke to one's pride when he thinks he
has a good boat and knows how to sail it； and another man comes
along and beats him。
Charley mooned over it for a couple of days； then word was brought
to us； as before； that on the next Sunday Demetrios Contos would
repeat his performance。 Charley roused himself。 He had our boat
out of the water； cleaned and repainted its bottom； made a trifling
alteration about the centre…board； overhauled the running gear； and
sat up nearly all of Saturday night sewing on a new and much larger
sail。 So large did he make it； in fact； that additional ballast
was imperative； and we stowed away nearly five hundred extra pounds
of old railroad iron in the bottom of the boat。
Sunday came； and with it came Demetrios Contos； to break the law
defiantly in open day。 Again we had the afternoon sea…breeze； and
again Demetrios cut loose some forty or more feet of his rotten
net； and got up sail and under way under our very noses。 But he
had anticipated Charley's move； and his own sail peaked higher than
ever； while a whole extra cloth had been added to the after leech。
It was nip and tuck across to the Contra Costa Hills； neither of us
seeming to gain or to lose。 But by the time we had made the return
tack to the Sonoma Hills； we could see that； while we footed it at
about equal speed； Demetrios had eaten into the wind the least bit
more than we。 Yet Charley was sailing our boat as finely and
delicately as it was possible to sail it； and getting more out of
it than he ever had before。
Of course； he could have drawn his revolver and fired at Demetrios；
but we had long since found it contrary to our natures to shoot at
a fleeing man guilty of only a petty offence。 Also a sort of tacit
agreement seemed to have been reached between the patrolmen and the
fishermen。 If we did not shoot while they ran away； they； in turn；
did not fight if we once laid hands on them。 Thus Demetrios Contos
ran away from us； and we did no more than try our best to overtake
him； and； in turn； if our boat proved faster than his； or was
sailed better； he would； we knew； make no resistance when we caught
up with him。
With our large sails and the healthy breeze romping up the
Carquinez Straits； we found that our sailing was what is called
〃ticklish。〃 We had to be constantly on the alert to avoid a
capsize； and while Charley steered I held the main…sheet in my hand
with but a single turn round a pin； ready to let go at any moment。
Demetrios； we could see； sailing his boat alone； had his hands
full。
But it was a vain undertaking for us to attempt to catch him。 Out
of his inner consciousness he had evolved a boat that was better
than ours。 And though Charley sailed fully as well； if not the
least bit better； the boat he sailed was not so good as the
Greek's。
〃Slack away the sheet；〃 Charley commanded； and as our boat fell off
before the wind； Demetrios's mocking laugh floated down to us。
Charley shook his head； saying； 〃It's no use。 Demetrios has the
better boat。 If he tries his performance again； we must meet it
with some new scheme。〃
This time it was my imagination that came to the rescue。
〃What's the matter；〃 I suggested； on the Wednesday following； 〃with
my chasing Demetrios in the boat next Sunday； while you wait for
him on the wharf at Vallejo when he arrives？〃
Charley considered it a moment and slapped his knee。
〃A good idea！ You're beginning to use that head of yours。 A
credit to your teacher； I must say。〃
〃But you mustn't chase him too far；〃 he went on； the next moment；
〃or he'll head out into San Pablo Bay instead of running home to
Vallejo； and there I'll be； standing lonely on the wharf and
waiting in vain for him to arrive。〃
On Thursday Charley registered an objection to my plan。
〃Everybody'll know I've gone to Vallejo； and you can depend upon it
that Demetrios will know； too。 I'm afraid we'll have to give up
the idea。〃
This objection was only too valid； and for the rest of the day I
struggled under my disappointment。 But that night a new way seemed
to open to me； and in my eagerness I awoke Charley from a sound
sleep。
〃Well；〃 he grunted； 〃what's the matter？ House afire？〃
〃No；〃 I replied； 〃but my head is。 Listen to this。 On Sunday you
and I will be around Benicia up to the very moment Demetrios's sail
heaves into sight。 This will lull everybody's suspicions。 Then；
when Demetrios's sail does heave in sight； do you stroll leisurely
away and up…town。 All the fishermen will think you're beaten and
that you know you're beaten。〃
〃So far； so good；〃 Charley commented； while I paused to catch
breath。
〃And very good indeed；〃 I continued proudly。 〃You stroll
carelessly up…town； but when you're once out of sight you leg it
for all you're worth for Dan Maloney's。 Take the little mare of
his； and strike out on the country road for Vallejo。 The road's in
fine condition； and you can make it in quicker time than Demetrios
can beat all the way down against the wind。〃
〃And I'll arrange right away for the mare； first thing in the
morning；〃 Charley said； accepting the modified plan without
hesitation。
〃But； I say；〃 he said； a little later； this time waking me out of a
sound sleep。
I could hear him chuckling in the dark。
〃I say； lad； isn't it rather a novelty for the fish patrol to be
taking to horseback？〃
〃Imagination；〃 I
