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run their heads through these meshes； and are prevented from going
on through by their larger girth of body； and from going back
because of their gills； which catch in the mesh。 It requires two
fishermen to set such a net； … one to row the boat； while the
other； standing in the stern； carefully pays out the net。 When it
is all out； stretching directly across the stream； the men make
their boat fast to one end of the net and drift along with it。
As we came upon the fleet of law…breaking fishermen； each boat two
or three hundred yards from its neighbors； and boats and nets
dotting the river as far as we could see； Charley said：
〃I've only one regret； lad； and that is that I have'nt a thousand
arms so as to be able to catch them all。 As it is； we'll only be
able to catch one boat； for while we are tackling that one it will
be up nets and away with the rest。〃
As we drew closer； we observed none of the usual flurry and
excitement which our appearance invariably produced。 Instead； each
boat lay quietly by its net； while the fishermen favored us with
not the slightest attention。
〃It's curious；〃 Charley muttered。 〃Can it be they don't recognize
us？〃
I said that it was impossible； and Charley agreed； yet there was a
whole fleet； manned by men who knew us only too well； and who took
no more notice of us than if we were a hay scow or a pleasure
yacht。
This did not continue to be the case； however； for as we bore down
upon the nearest net； the men to whom it belonged detached their
boat and rowed slowly toward the shore。 The rest of the boats
showed no； sign of uneasiness。
〃That's funny；〃 was Charley's remark。 〃But we can confiscate the
net； at any rate。〃
We lowered sail； picked up one end of the net； and began to heave
it into the boat。 But at the first heave we heard a bullet zip…
zipping past us on the water； followed by the faint report of a
rifle。 The men who had rowed ashore were shooting at us。 At the
next heave a second bullet went zipping past； perilously near。
Charley took a turn around a pin and sat down。 There were no more
shots。 But as soon as he began to heave in； the shooting
recommenced。
〃That settles it；〃 he said； flinging the end of the net overboard。
〃You fellows want it worse than we do； and you can have it。〃
We rowed over toward the next net； for Charley was intent on
finding out whether or not we were face to face with an organized
defiance。 As we approached； the two fishermen proceeded to cast
off from their net and row ashore； while the first two rowed back
and made fast to the net we had abandoned。 And at the second net
we were greeted by rifle shots till we desisted and went on to the
third； where the manoeuvre was again repeated。
Then we gave it up； completely routed； and hoisted sail and started
on the long windward beat back to Benicia。 A number of Sundays
went by； on each of which the law was persistently violated。 Yet；
short of an armed force of soldiers； we could do nothing。 The
fishermen had hit upon a new idea and were using it for all it was
worth； while there seemed no way by which we could get the better
of them。
About this time Neil Partington happened along from the Lower Bay；
where he had been for a number of weeks。 With him was Nicholas；
the Greek boy who had helped us in our raid on the oyster pirates；
and the pair of them took a hand。 We made our arrangements
carefully。 It was planned that while Charley and I tackled the
nets； they were to be hidden ashore so as to ambush the fishermen
who landed to shoot at us。
It was a pretty plan。 Even Charley said it was。 But we reckoned
not half so well as the Greeks。 They forestalled us by ambushing
Neil and Nicholas and taking them prisoners； while； as of old；
bullets whistled about our ears when Charley and I attempted to
take possession of the nets。 When we were again beaten off； Neil
Partington and Nicholas were released。 They were rather shamefaced
when they put in an appearance； and Charley chaffed them
unmercifully。 But Neil chaffed back； demanding to know why
Charley's imagination had not long since overcome the difficulty。
〃Just you wait； the idea'll come all right；〃 Charley promised。
〃Most probably；〃 Neil agreed。 〃But I'm afraid the salmon will be
exterminated first； and then there will be no need for it when it
does come。〃
Neil Partington； highly disgusted with his adventure； departed for
the Lower Bay； taking Nicholas with him； and Charley and I were
left to our own resources。 This meant that the Sunday fishing
would be left to itself； too； until such time as Charley's idea
happened along。 I puzzled my head a good deal to find out some way
of checkmating the Greeks； as also did Charley； and we broached a
thousand expedients which on discussion proved worthless。
The fishermen； on the other hand； were in high feather； and their
boasts went up and down the river to add to our discomfiture。
Among all classes of them we became aware of a growing
insubordination。 We were beaten； and they were losing respect for
us。 With the loss of respect； contempt began to arise。 Charley
began to be spoken of as the 〃olda woman；〃 and I received my rating
as the 〃pee…wee kid。〃 The situation was fast becoming unbearable；
and we knew that we should have to deliver a stunning stroke at the
Greeks in order to regain the old…time respect in which we had
stood。
Then one morning the idea came。 We were down on Steamboat Wharf；
where the river steamers made their landings； and where we found a
group of amused long…shoremen and loafers listening to the hard…
luck tale of a sleepy…eyed young fellow in long sea…boots。 He was
a sort of amateur fisherman； he said； fishing for the local market
of Berkeley。 Now Berkeley was on the Lower Bay； thirty miles away。
On the previous night； he said； he had set his net and dozed off to
sleep in the bottom of the boat。
The next he knew it was morning； and he opened his eyes to find his
boat rubbing softly against the piles of Steamboat Wharf at
Benicia。 Also he saw the river steamer Apache lying ahead of him；
and a couple of deck…hands disentangling the shreds of his net from
the paddle…wheel。 In short； after he had gone to sleep； his
fisherman's riding light had gone out； and the Apache had run over
his net。 Though torn pretty well to pieces； the net in some way
still remained foul； and he had had a thirty…mile tow out of his
course。
Charley nudged me with his elbow。 I grasped his thought on the
instant； but objected：
〃We can't charter a steamboat。〃
〃Don't intend to；〃 he rejoined。 〃But let's run over to Turner's
Shipyard。 I've something in my mind there that may be of use to
us。〃
And over we went to the shipyard； where Charley led the way to the
Mary Rebecca； lying hauled out on the ways； where she was being
cleaned and overhauled。 She was a scow…schooner we both knew well；
carrying a cargo of one hundred and forty tons and a spread of
canvas greater than other schooner on the bay。
〃How d'ye do； Ole；〃 Charley greeted a big blue…shirted Swede who
was greasing the jaws of the main gaff with a piece of pork rind。
Ole grunted； puffed away at his pipe； and went on greasing。 The
captain of a bay schooner is supposed to work with his hands just
as well as the men。
Ole Ericsen verified Charley's conjecture that the Mary Rebecca； as
soon as launched； would run up the San Joaquin River nearly to
Stockton for a load of wheat。 Then Charley made his proposition；
and Ole Ericsen shook his head。
〃Just a hook； one good…sized hook；〃 Charley pleaded。
〃No； Ay tank not；〃 said Ole Ericsen。 〃Der Mary Rebecca yust hang
up on efery mud…bank with that hook。 Ay don't want to lose der
Mary Rebecca。 She's all Ay got。〃
〃No； no；〃 Charley hurried to explain。 〃We can put the end of the
hook through the bottom from the outside； and fasten it on the
inside with a nut。 After it's done its work； why； all we have to
do is to go down into the hold； unscrew the nut； and out drops the
hook。 Then drive a wooden peg into the hole； and the Mary Rebecca
will be all right again。〃
Ole Ericsen was obstinate for a long time； but in the end； after we
had had dinner with him； he was brought round to consent。
〃Ay do it； by Yupiter！〃 he said； striking one huge fist into the
palm of the other hand。 〃But yust hurry you up wid der hook。 Der
Mary Rebecca slides into der water to…night。〃
It was Saturday； and Charley had need to hurry。 We headed for the
shipyard blacksmith shop； where； under Charley's directions； a most
generously curved book of heavy steel was made。 Back we hastened
to the Mary Rebecca。 Aft of the great centre…board case； through
what was properly her keel； a hole was bored。 The end of the hook
was inserted from the outside； and Charley； on the inside； screwed
the nut on