tales of the fish patrol-第9节

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handled　splendidly。　　Even　when　Charley　praised　it；　our　prisoner

refused　to　speak　or　to　notice　us；　and　we　soon　gave　him　up　as　a　most

unsociable　fellow。



We　ran　up　the　Carquinez　Straits　and　edged　into　the　bight　at

Turner's　Shipyard　for　smoother　water。　　Here　were　lying　several

English　steel　sailing　ships；　waiting　for　the　wheat　harvest；　and

here；　most　unexpectedly；　in　the　precise　place　where　we　had　captured

Big　Alec；　we　came　upon　two　Italians　in　a　skiff　that　was　loaded　with

a　complete　〃Chinese〃　sturgeon　line。　　The　surprise　was　mutual；　and

we　were　on　top　of　them　before　either　they　or　we　were　aware。

Charley　had　barely　time　to　luff　into　the　wind　and　run　up　to　them。

I　ran　forward　and　tossed　them　a　line　with　orders　to　make　it　fast。

One　of　the　Italians　took　a　turn　with　it　over　a　cleat；　while　I

hastened　to　lower　our　big　spritsail。　　This　accomplished；　the　salmon

boat　dropped　astern；　dragging　heavily　on　the　skiff。



Charley　came　forward　to　board　the　prize；　but　when　I　proceeded　to

haul　alongside　by　means　of　the　line；　the　Italians　cast　it　off。　　We

at　once　began　drifting　to　leeward；　while　they　got　out　two　pairs　of

oars　and　rowed　their　light　craft　directly　into　the　wind。　　This

manoeuvre　for　the　moment　disconcerted　us；　for　in　our　large　and

heavily　loaded　boat　we　could　not　hope　to　catch　them　with　the　oars。

But　our　prisoner　came　unexpectedly　to　our　aid。　　His　black　eyes　were

flashing　eagerly；　and　his　face　was　flushed　with　suppressed

excitement；　as　he　dropped　the　centre…board；　sprang　forward　with　a

single　leap；　and　put　up　the　sail。



〃I've　always　heard　that　Greeks　don't　like　Italians；〃　Charley

laughed；　as　he　ran　aft　to　the　tiller。



And　never　in　my　experience　have　I　seen　a　man　so　anxious　for　the

capture　of　another　as　was　our　prisoner　in　the　chase　that　followed。

His　eyes　fairly　snapped；　and　his　nostrils　quivered　and　dilated　in　a

most　extraordinary　way。　　Charley　steered　while　he　tended　the　sheet；

and　though　Charley　was　as　quick　and　alert　as　a　cat；　the　Greek　could

hardly　control　his　impatience。



The　Italians　were　cut　off　from　the　shore；　which　was　fully　a　mile

away　at　its　nearest　point。　　Did　they　attempt　to　make　it；　we　could

haul　after　them　with　the　wind　abeam；　and　overtake　them　before　they

had　covered　an　eighth　of　the　distance。　　But　they　were　too　wise　to

attempt　it；　contenting　themselves　with　rowing　lustily　to　windward

along　the　starboard　side　of　a　big　ship；　the　Lancashire　Queen。　　But

beyond　the　ship　lay　an　open　stretch　of　fully　two　miles　to　the　shore

in　that　direction。　　This；　also；　they　dared　not　attempt；　for　we　were

bound　to　catch　them　before　they　could　cover　it。　　So；　when　they

reached　the　bow　of　the　Lancashire　Queen；　nothing　remained　but　to

pass　around　and　row　down　her　port　side　toward　the　stern；　which

meant　rowing　to　leeward　and　giving　us　the　advantage。



We　in　the　salmon　boat；　sailing　close　on　the　wind；　tacked　about　and

crossed　the　ship's　bow。　　Then　Charley　put　up　the　tiller　and　headed

down　the　port　side　of　the　ship；　the　Greek　letting　out　the　sheet　and

grinning　with　delight。　　The　Italians　were　already　half…way　down　the

ship's　length；　but　the　stiff　breeze　at　our　back　drove　us　after　them

far　faster　than　they　could　row。　　Closer　and　closer　we　came；　and　I；

lying　down　forward；　was　just　reaching　out　to　grasp　the　skiff；　when

it　ducked　under　the　great　stern　of　the　Lancashire　Queen。



The　chase　was　virtually　where　it　had　begun。　　The　Italians　were

rowing　up　the　starboard　side　of　the　ship；　and　we　were　hauled　close

on　the　wind　and　slowly　edging　out　from　the　ship　as　we　worked　to

windward。　　Then　they　darted　around　her　bow　and　began　the　row　down

her　port　side；　and　we　tacked　about；　crossed　her　bow；　and　went

plunging　down　the　wind　hot　after　them。　　And　again；　just　as　I　was

reaching　for　the　skiff；　it　ducked　under　the　ship's　stern　and　out　of

danger。　　And　so　it　went；　around　and　around；　the　skiff　each　time

just　barely　ducking　into　safety。



By　this　time　the　ship's　crew　had　become　aware　of　what　was　taking

place；　and　we　could　see　their　heads　in　a　long　row　as　they　looked　at

us　over　the　bulwarks。　　Each　time　we　missed　the　skiff　at　the　stern；

they　set　up　a　wild　cheer　and　dashed　across　to　the　other　side　of　the

Lancashire　Queen　to　see　the　chase　to　wind…ward。　　They　showered　us

and　the　Italians　with　jokes　and　advice；　and　made　our　Greek　so　angry

that　at　least　once　on　each　circuit　he　raised　his　fist　and　shook　it

at　them　in　a　rage。　　They　came　to　look　for　this；　and　at　each　display

greeted　it　with　uproarious　mirth。



〃Wot　a　circus！〃　cried　one。



〃Tork　about　yer　marine　hippodromes；　…　if　this　ain't　one；　I'd　like

to　know！〃　affirmed　another。



〃Six…days…go…as…yer…please；〃　announced　a　third。　　〃Who　says　the

dagoes　won't　win？〃



On　the　next　tack　to　windward　the　Greek　offered　to　change　places

with　Charley。



〃Let…a　me　sail…a　de　boat；〃　he　demanded。　　〃I　fix…a　them；　I　catch…a

them；　sure。〃



This　was　a　stroke　at　Charley's　professional　pride；　for　pride

himself　he　did　upon　his　boat…sailing　abilities；　but　he　yielded　the

tiller　to　the　prisoner　and　took　his　place　at　the　sheet。　　Three

times　again　we　made　the　circuit；　and　the　Greek　found　that　he　could

get　no　more　speed　out　of　the　salmon　boat　than　Charley　had。



〃Better　give　it　up；〃　one　of　the　sailors　advised　from　above。



The　Greek　scowled　ferociously　and　shook　his　fist　in　his　customary

fashion。　　In　the　meanwhile　my　mind　had　not　been　idle；　and　I　had

finally　evolved　an　idea。



〃Keep　going；　Charley；　one　time　more；〃　I　said。



And　as　we　laid　out　on　the　next　tack　to　wind…ward；　I　bent　a　piece　of

line　to　a　small　grappling　hook　I　had　seen　lying　in　the　bail…hole。

The　end　of　the　line　I　made　fast　to　the　ring…bolt　in　the　bow；　and

with　the　hook　out　of　sight　I　waited　for　the　next　opportunity　to　use

it。　　Once　more　they　made　their　leeward　pull　down　the　port　side　of

the　Lancashire　Queen；　and　once　more　we　churned　down　after　them

before　the　wind。　　Nearer　and　nearer　we　drew；　and　I　was　making

believe　to　reach　for　them　as　before。　　The　stern　of　the　skiff　was

not　six　feet　away；　and　they　were　laughing　at　me　derisively　as　they

ducked　under　the　ship's　stern。　　At　that　instant　I　suddenly　arose

and　threw　the　grappling　iron。　　It　caught　fairly　and　squarely　on　the

rail　of　the　skiff；　which　was　jerked　backward　out　of　safety　as　the

rope　tautened　and　the　salmon　boat　ploughed　on。



A　groan　went　up　from　the　row　of　sailors　above；　which　quickly

changed　to　a　cheer　as　one　of　the　Italians　whipped　out　a　long

sheath…knife　and　cut　the　rope。　　But　we　had　drawn　them　out　of

safety；　and　Charley；　from　his　place　in　the　stern…sheets；　reached

over　and　clutched　the　stern　of　the　skiff。　　The　whole　thing　happened

in　a　second　of　time；　for　the　first　Italian　was　cutting　the　rope　and

Charley　was　clutching　the　skiff　when　the　second　Italian　dealt　him　a

rap　over　the　head　with　an　oar；　Charley　released　his　hold　and

collapsed；　stunned；　into　the　bottom　of　the　salmon　boat；　and　the

Italians　bent　to　their　oars　and　escaped　back　under　the　ship's

stern。



The　Greek　took　both　tiller　and　sheet　and　continued　the　chase　around

the　Lancashire　Queen；　while　I　attended　to　Charley；　on　whose　head　a

nasty　lump　was　rapidly　rising。　　Our　sailor　audience　was　wild　with

delight；　and　to　a　man　encouraged　the　fleeing　Italians。　　Charley　sat

up；　with　one　hand　on　his　head；　and　gazed　about　him　sheepishly。



〃It　will　never　do　to　let　them　escape　now；〃　he　said；　at　the　same

time　drawing　his　revolver。



On　our　next　circuit；　he　threatened　the　Italians　with　the　weapon；

but　they　rowed　on　stolidly；　keeping　splendid　stroke　and　utterly

disregarding　him。



〃If　you　don't　stop；　I'll　shoot；〃　Charley　said　menacingly。



But　this　had　no　effect；　nor　were　they　to　be　frightened　into

surrendering　even　when　he　fired　several　shots　dangerously　close　to

them。　　It　was　too　much　to　expect　him　to　shoot　unarmed　men；　and　this

they　knew　as　well　as　we　did；　so　they　continued　to　pull　doggedly

round　and　round　the　ship。



〃We'll　run　them　down；　then！〃　Charley　exclaimed。　　〃We'll　wear　them

out　and　wind　them！〃



So　the　chase　continued。　　Twenty　times　more　we　ran　them　around　the

Lancashire　Queen；　and　at　last　we　could　see　that　even　their　iron

muscles　were　giving　out。　　They　were　nearly　exhausted；　and　it　was

only　a　matter　of　a　few　more　circuits；　when　the　game　took　on　a　new

feature。　　On　the　row　to　windward　they　always　gained　on　us；　so　that

they　were　half…way　down　the　ship's　side　on　the　row　to　leeward　when

we　were　passing　the　bow。　　But　this　last　time；　as　we　passed　the　bow；

we　saw　them　escaping　up　the　ship's　gangway；　which　had　been　suddenly

lowered。　　It　was　an　organized　move　on　the　part　of　the　sailors；

evidently　countenanced　by　the　captain；　for　by　the　time　we　arrived

where　the　gangway　had　been；　it　was　being　hoisted　up；　and　the　skiff；

slung　in　the　ship's　davits；　was　likewise　flying　aloft　out　of　reach。



The　parley　that　followed　with　the　captain　was　short　and　snappy。　　He

absolutely　forbade　us　to　board　the　Lancashire　Queen；　and　as