tales of the fish patrol-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



would　never　do。



I　threw　my　hand　up　and　my　head　down。　　The　first　act　elevated　the

muzzle；　and　the　second　removed　my　head　from　the　path　of　the　bullet

which　went　whistling　past。　　One　hand　closed　on　George's　wrist；　the

other　on　the　revolver。　　Yellow　Handkerchief　and　his　gang　sprang

toward　me。　　It　was　now　or　never。　　Putting　all　my　strength　into　a

sudden　effort；　I　swung　George's　body　forward　to　meet　them。　　Then　I

pulled　back　with　equal　suddenness；　ripping　the　revolver　out　of　his

fingers　and　jerking　him　off　his　feet。　　He　fell　against　Yellow

Handkerchief's　knees；　who　stumbled　over　him；　and　the　pair　wallowed

in　the　bailing　hole　where　the　cockpit　floor　was　torn　open。　　The

next　instant　I　was　covering　them　with　my　revolver；　and　the　wild

shrimp…catchers　were　cowering　and　cringing　away。



But　I　swiftly　discovered　that　there　was　all　the　difference　in　the

world　between　shooting　men　who　are　attacking　and　men　who　are　doing

nothing　more　than　simply　refusing　to　obey。　　For　obey　they　would　not

when　I　ordered　them　into　the　bailing　hole。　　I　threatened　them　with

the　revolver；　but　they　sat　stolidly　in　the　flooded　cabin　and　on　the

roof　and　would　not　move。



Fifteen　minutes　passed；　the　Reindeer　sinking　deeper　and　deeper；　her

mainsail　flapping　in　the　calm。　　But　from　off　the　Point　Pedro　shore

I　saw　a　dark　line　form　on　the　water　and　travel　toward　us。　　It　was

the　steady　breeze　I　had　been　expecting　so　long。　　I　called　to　the

Chinese　and　pointed　it　out。　　They　hailed　it　with　exclamations。

Then　I　pointed　to　the　sail　and　to　the　water　in　the　Reindeer；　and

indicated　by　signs　that　when　the　wind　reached　the　sail；　what　of　the

water　aboard　we　would　capsize。　　But　they　jeered　defiantly；　for　they

knew　it　was　in　my　power　to　luff　the　helm　and　let　go　the　main…sheet；

so　as　to　spill　the　wind　and　escape　damage。



But　my　mind　was　made　up。　　I　hauled　in　the　main…sheet　a　foot　or　two；

took　a　turn　with　it；　and　bracing　my　feet；　put　my　back　against　the

tiller。　　This　left　me　one　hand　for　the　sheet　and　one　for　the

revolver。　　The　dark　line　drew　nearer；　and　I　could　see　them　looking

from　me　to　it　and　back　again　with　an　apprehension　they　could　not

successfully　conceal。　　My　brain　and　will　and　endurance　were　pitted

against　theirs；　and　the　problem　was　which　could　stand　the　strain　of

imminent　death　the　longer　and　not　give　in。



Then　the　wind　struck　us。　　The　main…sheet　tautened　with　a　brisk

rattling　of　the　blocks；　the　boom　uplifted；　the　sail　bellied　out；

and　the　Reindeer　heeled　over　…　over；　and　over；　till　the　lee…rail

went　under；　the　cabin　windows　went　under；　and　the　bay　began　to　pour

in　over　the　cockpit　rail。　　So　violently　had　she　heeled　over；　that

the　men　in　the　cabin　had　been　thrown　on　top　of　one　another　into　the

lee　bunk；　where　they　squirmed　and　twisted　and　were　washed　about；

those　underneath　being　perilously　near　to　drowning。



The　wind　freshened　a　bit；　and　the　Reindeer　went　over　farther　than

ever。　　For　the　moment　I　thought　she　was　gone；　and　I　knew　that

another　puff　like　that　and　she　surely　would　go。　　While　I　pressed

her　under　and　debated　whether　I　should　give　up　or　not；　the　Chinese

cried　for　mercy。　　I　think　it　was　the　sweetest　sound　I　have　ever

heard。　　And　then；　and　not　until　then；　did　I　luff　up　and　ease　out

the　main…sheet。　　The　Reindeer　righted　very　slowly；　and　when　she　was

on　an　even　keel　was　so　much　awash　that　I　doubted　if　she　could　be

saved。



But　the　Chinese　scrambled　madly　into　the　cockpit　and　fell　to

bailing　with　buckets；　pots；　pans；　and　everything　they　could　lay

hands　on。　　It　was　a　beautiful　sight　to　see　that　water　flying　over

the　side！　　And　when　the　Reindeer　was　high　and　proud　on　the　water

once　more；　we　dashed　away　with　the　breeze　on　our　quarter；　and　at

the　last　possible　moment　crossed　the　mud　flats　and　entered　the

slough。



The　spirit　of　the　Chinese　was　broken；　and　so　docile　did　they　become

that　ere　we　made　San　Rafael　they　were　out　with　the　tow…rope；　Yellow

Handkerchief　at　the　head　of　the　line。　　As　for　George；　it　was　his

last　trip　with　the　fish　patrol。　　He　did　not　care　for　that　sort　of

thing；　he　explained；　and　he　thought　a　clerkship　ashore　was　good

enough　for　him。　　And　we　thought　so　too。







THE　KING　OF　THE　GREEKS







Big　Alec　had　never　been　captured　by　the　fish　patrol。　　It　was　his

boast　that　no　man　could　take　him　alive；　and　it　was　his　history　that

of　the　many　men　who　had　tried　to　take　him　dead　none　had　succeeded。

It　was　also　history　that　at　least　two　patrolmen　who　had　tried　to

take　him　dead　had　died　themselves。　　Further；　no　man　violated　the

fish　laws　more　systematically　and　deliberately　than　Big　Alec。



He　was　called　〃Big　Alec〃　because　of　his　gigantic　stature。　　His

height　was　six　feet　three　inches；　and　he　was　correspondingly　broad…

shouldered　and　deep…chested。　　He　was　splendidly　muscled　and　hard　as

steel；　and　there　were　innumerable　stories　in　circulation　among　the

fisher…folk　concerning　his　prodigious　strength。　　He　was　as　bold　and

dominant　of　spirit　as　he　was　strong　of　body；　and　because　of　this　he

was　widely　known　by　another　name；　that　of　〃The　King　of　the　Greeks。〃

The　fishing　population　was　largely　composed　of　Greeks；　and　they

looked　up　to　him　and　obeyed　him　as　their　chief。　　And　as　their

chief；　he　fought　their　fights　for　them；　saw　that　they　were

protected；　saved　them　from　the　law　when　they　fell　into　its

clutches；　and　made　them　stand　by　one　another　and　himself　in　time　of

trouble。



In　the　old　days；　the　fish　patrol　had　attempted　his　capture　many

disastrous　times　and　had　finally　given　it　over；　so　that　when　the

word　was　out　that　he　was　coming　to　Benicia；　I　was　most　anxious　to

see　him。　　But　I　did　not　have　to　hunt　him　up。　　In　his　usual　bold

way；　the　first　thing　he　did　on　arriving　was　to　hunt　us　up。　　Charley

Le　Grant　and　I　at　the　time　were　under　a　patrol…man　named　Carmintel；

and　the　three　of　us　were　on　the　Reindeer；　preparing　for　a　trip；

when　Big　Alec　stepped　aboard。　　Carmintel　evidently　knew　him；　for

they　shook　hands　in　recognition。　　Big　Alec　took　no　notice　of

Charley　or　me。



〃I've　come　down　to　fish　sturgeon　a　couple　of　months；〃　he　said　to

Carmintel。



His　eyes　flashed　with　challenge　as　he　spoke；　and　we　noticed　the

patrolman's　eyes　drop　before　him。



〃That's　all　right；　Alec；〃　Carmintel　said　in　a　low　voice。　　〃I'll　not

bother　you。　　Come　on　into　the　cabin；　and　we'll　talk　things　over；〃

he　added。



When　they　had　gone　inside　and　shut　the　doors　after　them；　Charley

winked　with　slow　deliberation　at　me。　　But　I　was　only　a　youngster；

and　new　to　men　and　the　ways　of　some　men；　so　I　did　not　understand。

Nor　did　Charley　explain；　though　I　felt　there　was　something　wrong

about　the　business。



Leaving　them　to　their　conference；　at　Charley's　suggestion　we

boarded　our　skiff　and　pulled　over　to　the　Old　Steamboat　Wharf；　where

Big　Alec's　ark　was　lying。　　An　ark　is　a　house…boat　of　small　though

comfortable　dimensions；　and　is　as　necessary　to　the　Upper　Bay

fisherman　as　are　nets　and　boats。　　We　were　both　curious　to　see　Big

Alec's　ark；　for　history　said　that　it　had　been　the　scene　of　more

than　one　pitched　battle；　and　that　it　was　riddled　with　bullet…holes。



We　found　the　holes　（stopped　with　wooden　plugs　and　painted　over）；

but　there　were　not　so　many　as　I　had　expected。　　Charley　noted　my

look　of　disappointment；　and　laughed；　and　then　to　comfort　me　he　gave

an　authentic　account　of　one　expedition　which　had　descended　upon　Big

Alec's　floating　home　to　capture　him；　alive　preferably；　dead　if

necessary。　　At　the　end　of　half　a　day's　fighting；　the　patrolmen　had

drawn　off　in　wrecked　boats；　with　one　of　their　number　killed　and

three　wounded。　　And　when　they　returned　next　morning　with

reinforcements　they　found　only　the　mooring…stakes　of　Big　Alec's

ark；　the　ark　itself　remained　hidden　for　months　in　the　fastnesses　of

the　Suisun　tules。



〃But　why　was　he　not　hanged　for　murder？〃　I　demanded。　　〃Surely　the

United　States　is　powerful　enough　to　bring　such　a　man　to　justice。〃



〃He　gave　himself　up　and　stood　trial；〃　Charley　answered。　　〃It　cost

him　fifty　thousand　dollars　to　win　the　case；　which　he　did　on

technicalities　and　with　the　aid　of　the　best　lawyers　in　the　state。

Every　Greek　fisherman　on　the　river　contributed　to　the　sum。　　Big

Alec　levied　and　collected　the　tax；　for　all　the　world　like　a　king。

The　United　States　may　be　all…powerful；　my　lad；　but　the　fact　remains

that　Big　Alec　is　a　king　inside　the　United　States；　with　a　country

and　subjects　all　his　own。〃



〃But　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　his　fishing　for　sturgeon？　　He's

bound　to　fish　with　a　'Chinese　line。'〃



Charley　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃We'll　see　what　we　will　see；〃　he

said　enigmatically。



Now　a　〃Chinese　line〃　is　a　cunning　device　invented　by　the　people

whose　name　it　bears。　　By　a　simple　system　of　floats；　weights；　and

anchors；　thousands　of　hooks；　each　on　a　separate　leader；　are

suspended　at　a　distance　of　from　six　inches　to　a　foot　above　the

bottom。　　The　remarkable　thing　about　such　a　line　is　the　hook。　　It　is

barbless；　and　in　place