tales of the fish patrol-第20节

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spot　where　the　Chinese　had　begun　to　wade　ashore　from　the　junk。　　I

drew　myself　out　on　the　mud　and　remained　lying　flat。



Again　Yellow　Handkerchief　returned　to　the　beach　and　made　a　search

of　the　island；　and　again　he　returned　to　the　heap　of　clam…shells。　　I

knew　what　was　running　in　his　mind　as　well　as　he　did　himself。　　No

one　could　leave　or　land　without　making　tracks　in　the　mud。　　The　only

tracks　to　be　seen　were　those　leading　from　his　skiff　and　from　where

the　junk　had　been。　　I　was　not　on　the　island。　　I　must　have　left　it

by　one　or　the　other　of　those　two　tracks。　　He　had　just　been　over　the

one　to　his　skiff；　and　was　certain　I　had　not　left　that　way。

Therefore　I　could　have　left　the　island　only　by　going　over　the

tracks　of　the　junk　landing。　　This　he　proceeded　to　verify　by　wading

out　over　them　himself；　lighting　matches　as　he　came　along。



When　he　arrived　at　the　point　where　I　had　first　lain；　I　knew；　by　the

matches　he　burned　and　the　time　he　took；　that　he　had　discovered　the

marks　left　by　my　body。　　These　he　followed　straight　to　the　water　and

into　it；　but　in　three　feet　of　water　he　could　no　longer　see　them。

On　the　other　hand；　as　the　tide　was　still　falling；　he　could　easily

make　out　the　impression　made　by　the　junk's　bow；　and　could　have

likewise　made　out　the　impression　of　any　other　boat　if　it　had　landed

at　that　particular　spot。　　But　there　was　no　such　mark；　and　I　knew

that　he　was　absolutely　convinced　that　I　was　hiding　somewhere　in　the

mud。



But　to　hunt　on　a　dark　night　for　a　boy　in　a　sea　of　mud　would　be　like

hunting　for　a　needle　in　a　haystack；　and　he　did　not　attempt　it。

Instead　he　went　back　to　the　beach　and　prowled　around　for　some　time。

I　was　hoping　he　would　give　me　up　and　go；　for　by　this　time　I　was

suffering　severely　from　the　cold。　　At　last　he　waded　out　to　his

skiff　and　rowed　away。　　What　if　this　departure　of　Yellow

Handkerchief's　were　a　sham？　　What　if　he　had　done　it　merely　to

entice　me　ashore？



The　more　I　thought　of　it　the　more　certain　I　became　that　he　had　made

a　little　too　much　noise　with　his　oars　as　he　rowed　away。　　So　I

remained；　lying　in　the　mud　and　shivering。　　I　shivered　till　the

muscles　of　the　small　of　my　back　ached　and　pained　me　as　badly　as　the

cold；　and　I　had　need　of　all　my　self…control　to　force　myself　to

remain　in　my　miserable　situation。



It　was　well　that　I　did；　however；　for；　possibly　an　hour　later；　I

thought　I　could　make　out　something　moving　on　the　beach。　　I　watched

intently；　but　my　ears　were　rewarded　first；　by　a　raspy　cough　I　knew

only　too　well。　　Yellow　Handkerchief　had　sneaked　back；　landed　on　the

other　side　of　the　island；　and　crept　around　to　surprise　me　if　I　had

returned。



After　that；　though　hours　passed　without　sign　of　him；　I　was　afraid

to　return　to　the　island　at　all。　　On　the　other　hand；　I　was　almost

equally　afraid　that　I　should　die　of　the　exposure　I　was　undergoing。

I　had　never　dreamed　one　could　suffer　so。　　I　grew　so　cold　and　numb；

finally；　that　I　ceased　to　shiver。　　But　my　muscles　and　bones　began

to　ache　in　a　way　that　was　agony。　　The　tide　had　long　since　begun　to

rise；　and；　foot　by　foot；　it　drove　me　in　toward　the　beach。　　High

water　came　at　three　o'clock；　and　at　three　o'clock　I　drew　myself　up

on　the　beach；　more　dead　than　alive；　and　too　helpless　to　have

offered　any　resistance　had　Yellow　Handkerchief　swooped　down　upon

me。



But　no　Yellow　Handkerchief　appeared。　　He　had　given　me　up　and　gone

back　to　Point　Pedro。　　Nevertheless；　I　was　in　a　deplorable；　not　to

say　dangerous；　condition。　　I　could　not　stand　upon　my　feet；　much

less　walk。　　My　clammy；　muddy　garments　clung　to　me　like　sheets　of

ice。　　I　thought　I　should　never　get　them　off。　　So　numb　and　lifeless

were　my　fingers；　and　so　weak　was　I；　that　it　seemed　to　take　an　hour

to　get　off　my　shoes。　　I　had　not　the　strength　to　break　the　porpoise…

hide　laces；　and　the　knots　defied　me。　　I　repeatedly　beat　my　hands

upon　the　rocks　to　get　some　sort　of　life　into　them。　　Sometimes　I

felt　sure　I　was　going　to　die。



But　in　the　end；　…　after　several　centuries；　it　seemed　to　me；　…　I　got

off　the　last　of　my　clothes。　　The　water　was　now　close　at　hand；　and　I

crawled　painfully　into　it　and　washed　the　mud　from　my　naked　body。

Still；　I　could　not　get　on　my　feet　and　walk　and　I　was　afraid　to　lie

still。　　Nothing　remained　but　to　crawl　weakly；　like　a　snail；　and　at

the　cost　of　constant　pain；　up　and　down　the　sand。　　I　kept　this　up　as

long　as　possible；　but　as　the　east　paled　with　the　coming　of　dawn　I

began　to　succumb。　　The　sky　grew　rosy…red；　and　the　golden　rim　of　the

sun；　showing　above　the　horizon；　found　me　lying　helpless　and

motionless　among　the　clam…shells。



As　in　a　dream；　I　saw　the　familiar　mainsail　of　the　Reindeer　as　she

slipped　out　of　San　Rafael　Creek　on　a　light　puff　of　morning　air。

This　dream　was　very　much　broken。　　There　are　intervals　I　can　never

recollect　on　looking　back　over　it。　　Three　things；　however；　I

distinctly　remember：　　the　first　sight　of　the　Reindeer's　mainsail；

her　lying　at　anchor　a　few　hundred　feet　away　and　a　small　boat

leaving　her　side；　and　the　cabin　stove　roaring　red…hot；　myself

swathed　all　over　with　blankets；　except　on　the　chest　and　shoulders；

which　Charley　was　pounding　and　mauling　unmercifully；　and　my　mouth

and　throat　burning　with　the　coffee　which　Neil　Partington　was

pouring　down　a　trifle　too　hot。



But　burn　or　no　burn；　I　tell　you　it　felt　good。　　By　the　time　we

arrived　in　Oakland　I　was　as　limber　and　strong　as　ever；　…　though

Charlie　and　Neil　Partington　were　afraid　I　was　going　to　have

pneumonia；　and　Mrs。　Partington；　for　my　first　six　months　of　school；

kept　an　anxious　eye　upon　me　to　discover　the　first　symptoms　of

consumption。



Time　flies。　　It　seems　but　yesterday　that　I　was　a　lad　of　sixteen　on

the　fish　patrol。　　Yet　I　know　that　I　arrived　this　very　morning　from

China；　with　a　quick　passage　to　my　credit；　and　master　of　the

barkentine　Harvester。　　And　I　know　that　to…morrow　morning　I　shall

run　over　to　Oakland　to　see　Neil　Partington　and　his　wife　and　family；

and　later　on　up　to　Benicia　to　see　Charley　Le　Grant　and　talk　over

old　times。　　No；　I　shall　not　go　to　Benicia；　now　that　I　think　about

it。　　I　expect　to　be　a　highly　interested　party　to　a　wedding；　shortly

to　take　place。　　Her　name　is　Alice　Partington；　and；　since　Charley

has　promised　to　be　best　man；　he　will　have　to　come　down　to　Oakland

instead。











End