tales of the fish patrol-第7节
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craft down to Asparagus Island and join the oyster pirates' fleet。
Here; according to Nicholas's description of the beds and the
manner of raiding; it was possible for us to catch the pirates in
the act of stealing oysters; and at the same time to get them in
our power。 Charley was to be on the shore; with Mr。 Taft's
watchmen and a posse of constables; to help us at the right time。
〃I know just the boat;〃 Neil said; at the conclusion of the
discussion; 〃a crazy old sloop that's lying over at Tiburon。 You
and Nicholas can go over by the ferry; charter it for a song; and
sail direct for the beds。〃
〃Good luck be with you; boys;〃 he said at parting; two days later。
〃Remember; they are dangerous men; so be careful。〃
Nicholas and I succeeded in chartering the sloop very cheaply; and
between laughs; while getting up sail; we agreed that she was even
crazier and older than she had been described。 She was a big;
flat…bottomed; square…sterned craft; sloop…rigged; with a sprung
mast; slack rigging; dilapidated sails; and rotten running…gear;
clumsy to handle and uncertain in bringing about; and she smelled
vilely of coal tar; with which strange stuff she had been smeared
from stem to stern and from cabin…roof to centreboard。 And to cap
it all; Coal Tar Maggie was printed in great white letters the
whole length of either side。
It was an uneventful though laughable run from Tiburon to Asparagus
Island; where we arrived in the afternoon of the following day。
The oyster pirates; a fleet of a dozen sloops; were lying at anchor
on what was known as the 〃Deserted Beds。〃 The Coal Tar Maggie came
sloshing into their midst with a light breeze astern; and they
crowded on deck to see us。 Nicholas and I had caught the spirit of
the crazy craft; and we handled her in most lubberly fashion。
〃Wot is it?〃 some one called。
〃Name it 'n' ye kin have it!〃 called another。
〃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