登陆注册
4809500000013

第13章 A RAID ON THE OYSTER PIRATES(5)

After our raid on the oyster pirates we had returned to Oakland, where two more weeks passed before Neil Partington's wife was out of danger and on the highroad to recovery. So it was after an absence of a month, all told, that we turned the Reindeer's nose toward Benicia. When the cat's away the mice will play, and in these four weeks the fishermen had become very bold in violating the law. When we passed Point Pedro we noticed many signs of activity among the shrimp-catchers, and, well into San Pablo Bay, we observed a widely scattered fleet of Upper Bay fishing-boats hastily pulling in their nets and getting up sail.

This was suspicious enough to warrant investigation, and the first and only boat we succeeded in boarding proved to have an illegal net. The law permitted no smaller mesh for catching shad than one that measured seven and one-half inches inside the knots, while the mesh of this particular net measured only three inches. It was a flagrant breach of the rules, and the two fishermen were forthwith put under arrest. Neil Partington took one of them with him to help manage the Reindeer, while Charley and I went on ahead with the other in the captured boat.

But the shad fleet had headed over toward the Petaluma shore in wild flight, and for the rest of the run through San Pablo Bay we saw no more fishermen at all. Our prisoner, a bronzed and bearded Greek, sat sullenly on his net while we sailed his craft. It was a new Columbia River salmon boat, evidently on its first trip, and it 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 Ihastened 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.

同类推荐
  • 仲夏夜之梦

    仲夏夜之梦

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 九还七返龙虎金丹析理真诀

    九还七返龙虎金丹析理真诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 长爪梵志请问经

    长爪梵志请问经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 金光明最胜王经疏

    金光明最胜王经疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 真元妙道要略

    真元妙道要略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 游戏高手大比拼(青少年挖掘大脑智商潜能训练集)

    游戏高手大比拼(青少年挖掘大脑智商潜能训练集)

    潜能是人类原本存在但尚未被开发与利用的能力,是潜在的能量。根据能量守恒定律,能量既不会消灭,也不会创生,它只会从一种形式转化为其他形式,或者从一个物体转移到另一个物体,而转化和转移过程中,能的总量保持不变。
  • 快穿之后妈养成记

    快穿之后妈养成记

    年逾三十的柳春莹在好男人极度稀少的小县城千挑万选,没想到选了个二婚的好男人,一嫁人就当妈,还是后妈。柳春莹很是纠结,太难抉择,柳春莹睡都睡不好,好不容易睡个好觉,一睁眼开,就发现自己已经进入了后妈养成系统,偶的个神啊!这是要岗前培训的节奏么?
  • 快穿之终极反派不在线

    快穿之终极反派不在线

    相知相许、不相欺携手一生不相离他以为求得是超脱大道踏破六道轮回却不想在这漫长的强者路上,求的只是...
  • 废材女县令:降服土匪相公

    废材女县令:降服土匪相公

    此身貌美却是草包一个。某天成县令,百姓个个是刁民,拖她游街还毁容。土匪相公要作乱,还宣称什么,方圆百里他最大。相公竟是负心汉,抢走她娃踢她走,好绝情啊!一朝浴火重生,貌丑却好厉害哦!从此治刁民,杀毒妇,还要狠狠虐残负心男。“娘子,你丑我残,乃是绝配。”“姐虽丑,却很厉害,美男手到擒来。你个废人,姐才不稀罕呢!”(男主是好滴,超级好哦!)
  • 穿越千年觅恋

    穿越千年觅恋

    公告:《穿越:玩转大宅门》已发布,书号:123719,欢迎大家收藏抱养哦!~(@^_^@)~本书简介:现在是神马情况啊啊啊?不但穿越成王府洗衣小丫鬟,身份还是个身怀绝技,不能见人的卧底?老天可不可以不要这么玩她?她再死一次,再让她回去好不好?一头撞向南墙,醒来后神马都没有变啊啊啊!!!撞了南墙了,只好回头。没有了回去的可能,她无限悲愤啊!竖起中指,她在心里大吼:老天,你看着吧,我一定会将这辈子活的异常精彩,不会让你老人家失望的,哼哼哼!咦咦咦,现在又是神马情况?救命恩人对她深情款款!妖美王爷要与她玩勾勾缠!她祝小天啥时候变得这么抢手了?这都不算哦,最厉害的是,竟然还有个千年不老妖等着与她再续前缘!老天啊,不要啦!能不能再把她扔回去?她的人生目标真的只是当一只超级大米虫啊啊啊!那个,喜欢的亲们,使劲的用推荐、收藏和留言向某猪砸过来吧!某猪会全部努力的接着的!(*^__^*)嘻嘻……
  • 鬻婴提要说

    鬻婴提要说

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 往南不见

    往南不见

    她本是大家千金,但却突然破产,高高摔下。自此,她众叛亲离,往日的朋友,也只是对她落井下石的对象。可这时,一位“故人”突然出现,与她签订了结婚协议。她开始了一段不情不愿的婚姻。可原来一切的一切,都只是遥远的爱恨纠葛。他和她何去何从?
  • 娇娘子拐冷相公

    娇娘子拐冷相公

    啥米?偶死哩?啥米啥米?收错魂魄了?XXXOOOO……该死的阎王!该死的判官!该死的牛头!该死的马面!偶这么一个美丽无双、聪明盖世、前无古人、后无来者……(以下省略N字)的大美女就这么被你们轻轻松松的一句弄错了就给搞死哩?偶刚定做的限量跑车!!!偶刚做完的任务,还没收到的香香MONEY!你们赔偿我?行!那你们送偶回去吧!啥米?偶的身体已经毁的不能在毁了?回不去了?只能让偶重新投胎?在来一回?有没有搞错啊!!!啥米?条件任我开?随我选择?这个好!那偶要沉鱼落雁、闭月羞花的外貌。阎王点头,可以。偶要丰盈窈窕、婀娜多姿的体态。阎王点头。偶要疼偶爱偶奉偶为珍宝的家人。阎王点头。偶还要花不完的金山银山!阎王顿了下,点了点头。偶还要……还有……在有……阎王脖子已经僵住,起身来到女主身边,飞起一脚直接将女主踢到转生池中。转头怒视手下的人:“下回你们谁要是在给我做错事,我就把你们OOXX了!”“那个,阎王大人.”判官弱弱的出声。“有话说!有屁放!”阎王喊道。“您刚才忘记给她喝‘孟婆汤’了……”判官说完就躲到一边,生怕阎王把气撒到他身上。阎王青筋暴露吼道:“散会!”“是!”众人作鸟兽散。——————————此文帅哥多多,结局1对1,喜欢滴亲支持下点下收藏 ̄来张票票 ̄妖捧着香吻等着哦(*^__^*)...嘻嘻
  • 万界之逆天求生

    万界之逆天求生

    98K了解一下!这把枪是用来吃鸡的,也可以撕碎那些阻挡在我们面前所有的愚蠢东西!这是一个只有杀死对方才能活下来的可怕世界,大家为了活命各展所长。靠美人计苟活的大长腿,拿着Ak的女装大佬,还有外国雇佣兵,天朝小萝莉。好乱!剧情交流请加群:783905881
  • 小农女的田园生活

    小农女的田园生活

    韩氏集团的大小姐,集万千宠爱于一身。只可惜一朝穿越却成了被人欺负的农家女。只能和吃货弟弟相依为命。厨艺.赚钱.怼人!已经是信手拈来的事情。平静的生活终于被打破,冥冥之中的缘分自有天定。“我不允许你们成亲!”天子的话胜过一切!身世成迷!且看她将如何翻云覆雨,与他携手走遍天下!