tales of the fish patrol-第14部分

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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　answered。　　〃It's　what　you're　always　preaching　…

'keep　thinking　one　thought　ahead　of　the　other　fellow；　and　you're

bound　to　win　out。'〃



〃He！　he！〃　he　chuckled。　　〃And　if　one　thought　ahead；　including　a

mare；　doesn't　take　the　other　fellow's　breath　away　this　time；　I'm

not　your　humble　servant；　Charley　Le　Grant。〃



〃But　can　you　manage　the　boat　alone？〃　he　asked；　on　Friday。

〃Remember；　we've　a　ripping　big　sail　on　her。〃



I　argued　my　proficiency　so　well　that　he　did　not　refer　to　the　matter

again　till　Saturday；　when　he　suggested　removing　one　whole　cloth

from　the　after　leech。　　I　guess　it　was　the　disappointment　written　on

my　face　that　made　him　desist；　for　I；　also；　had　a　pride　in　my　boat…

sailing　abilities；　and　I　was　almost　wild　to　get　out　alone　with　the

big　sail　and　go　tearing　down　the　Carquinez　Straits　in　the　wake　of

the　flying　Greek。



As　usual；　Sunday　and　Demetrios　Contos　arrived　together。　　It　had

become　the　regular　thing　for　the　fishermen　to　assemble　on　Steamboat

Wharf　to　greet　his　arrival　and　to　laugh　at　our　discomfiture。　　He

lowered　sail　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　out　and　set　his　customary

fifty　feet　of　rotten　net。



〃I　suppose　this　nonsense　will　keep　up　as　long　as　his　old　net　holds

out；〃　Charley　grumbled；　with　intention；　in　the　hearing　of　several

of　the　Greeks。



〃Den　I　give…a　heem　my　old…a　net…a；〃　one　of　them　spoke　up；　promptly

and　maliciously；



〃I　don't　care；〃　Charley　answered。　　〃I've　got　some　old　net　myself　he

can　have　…　if　he'll　come　around　and　ask　for　it。〃



They　all　laughed　at　this；　for　they　could　afford　to　be　sweet…

tempered　with　a　man　so　badly　outwitted　as　Charley　was。



〃Well；　so　long；　lad；〃　Charley　called　to　me　a　moment　later。　　〃I

think　I'll　go　up…town　to　Maloney's。〃



〃Let　me　take　the　boat　out？〃　I　asked。



〃If　you　want　to；〃　was　his　answer；　as　he　turned　on　his　heel　and

walked　slowly　away。



Demetrios　pulled　two　large　salmon　out　of　his　net；　and　I　jumped　into

the　boat。　　The　fishermen　crowded　around　in　a　spirit　of　fun；　and

when　I　started　to　get　up　sail　overwhelmed　me　with　all　sorts　of

jocular　advice。　　They　even　offered　extravagant　bets　to　one　another

that　I　would　surely　catch　Demetrios；　and　two　of　them；　styling

themselves　the　committee　of　judges；　gravely　asked　permission　to

come　along　with　me　to　see　how　I　did　it。



But　I　was　in　no　hurry。　　I　waited　to　give　Charley　all　the　time　I

could；　and　I　pretended　dissatisfaction　with　the　stretch　of　the　sail

and　slightly　shifted　the　small　tackle　by　which　the　huge　sprit

forces　up　the　peak。　　It　was　not　until　I　was　sure　that　Charley　had

reached　Dan　Maloney's　and　was　on　the　little　mare's　back；　that　I

cast　off　from　the　wharf　and　gave　the　big　sail　to　the　wind。　　A　stout

puff　filled　it　and　suddenly　pressed　the　lee　gunwale　down　till　a

couple　of　buckets　of　water　came　inboard。　　A　little　thing　like　this

will　happen　to　the　best　small…boat　sailors；　and　yet；　though　I

instantly　let　go　the　sheet　and　righted；　I　was　cheered

sarcastically；　as　though　I　had　been　guilty　of　a　very　awkward

blunder。



When　Demetrios　saw　only　one　person　in　the　fish　patrol　boat；　and

that　one　a　boy；　he　proceeded　to　play　with　me。　　Making　a　short　tack

out；　with　me　not　thirty　feet　behind；　he　returned；　with　his　sheet　a

little　free；　to　Steamboat　Wharf。　　And　there　he　made　short　tacks；

and　turned　and　twisted　and　ducked　around；　to　the　great　delight　of

his　sympathetic　audience。　　I　was　right　behind　him　all　the　time；　and

I　dared　to　do　whatever　he　did；　even　when　he　squared　away　before　the

wind　and　jibed　his　big　sail　over　…　a　most　dangerous　trick　with　such

a　sail　in　such　a　wind。



He　depended　upon　the　brisk　sea　breeze　and　the　strong　ebb…tide；

which　together　kicked　up　a　nasty　sea；　to　bring　me　to　grief。　　But　I

was　on　my　mettle；　and　never　in　all　my　life　did　I　sail　a　boat　better

than　on　that　day。　　I　was　keyed　up　to　concert　pitch；　my　brain　was

working　smoothly　and　quickly；　my　hands　never　fumbled　once；　and　it

seemed　that　I　almost　divined　the　thousand　little　things　which　a

small…boat　sailor　must　be　taking　into　consideration　every　second。



It　was　Demetrios　who　came　to　grief　instead。　　Something　went　wrong

with　his　centre…board；　so　that　it　jammed　in　the　case　and　would　not

go　all　the　way　down。　　In　a　moment's　breathing　space；　which　he　had

gained　from　me　by　a　clever　trick；　I　saw　him　working　impatiently

with　the　centre…board；　trying　to　force　it　down。　　I　gave　him　little

time；　and　he　was　compelled　quickly　to　return　to　the　tiller　and

sheet。



The　centre…board　made　him　anxious。　　He　gave　over　playing　with　me；

and　started　on　the　long　beat　to　Vallejo。　　To　my　joy；　on　the　first

long　tack　across；　I　found　that　I　could　eat　into　the　wind　just　a

little　bit　closer　than　he。　　Here　was　where　another　man　in　the　boat

would　have　been　of　value　to　him；　for；　with　me　but　a　few　feet

astern；　he　did　not　dare　let　go　the　tiller　and　run　amidships　to　try

to　force　down　the　centre…board。



Unable　to　hang　on　as　close　in