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was inserted from the outside； and Charley； on the inside； screwed
the nut on tightly。 As it stood complete； the hook projected over
a foot beneath the bottom of the schooner。 Its curve was something
like the curve of a sickle； but deeper。
In the late afternoon the Mary Rebecca was launched； and
preparations were finished for the start up…river next morning。
Charley and Ole intently studied the evening sky for signs of wind；
for without a good breeze our project was doomed to failure。 They
agreed that there were all the signs of a stiff westerly wind … not
the ordinary afternoon sea…breeze； but a half…gale； which even then
was springing up。
Next morning found their predictions verified。 The sun was shining
brightly； but something more than a half…gale was shrieking up the
Carquinez Straits； and the Mary Rebecca got under way with two
reefs in her mainsail and one in her foresail。 We found it quite
rough in the Straits and in Suisun Bay； but as the water grew more
land…locked it became calm； though without let…up in the wind。
Off Ship Island Light the reefs were shaken out； and at Charley's
suggestion a big fisherman's staysail was made all ready for
hoisting； and the maintopsail； bunched into a cap at the masthead；
was overhauled so that it could be set on an instant's notice。
We were tearing along； wing…and…wing； before the wind； foresail to
starboard and mainsail to port； as we came upon the salmon fleet。
There they were； boats and nets； as on that first Sunday when they
had bested us； strung out evenly over the river as far as we could
see。 A narrow space on the right…hand side of the channel was left
clear for steamboats； but the rest of the river was covered with
the wide…stretching nets。 The narrow space was our logical course；
but Charley； at the wheel； steered the Mary Rebecca straight for
the nets。 This did not cause any alarm among the fishermen；
because up…river sailing craft are always provided with 〃shoes〃 on
the ends of their keels； which permit them to slip over the nets
without fouling them。
〃Now she takes it！〃 Charley cried； as we dashed across the middle
of a line of floats which marked a net。 At one end of this line
was a small barrel buoy； at the other the two fishermen in their
boat。 Buoy and boat at once began to draw together； and the
fishermen to cry out； as they were jerked after us。 A couple of
minutes later we hooked a second net； and then a third； and in this
fashion we tore straight up through the centre of the fleet。
The consternation we spread among the fishermen was tremendous。 As
fast as we hooked a net the two ends of it； buoy and boat； came
together as they dragged out astern； and so many buoys and boats；
coming together at such breakneck speed； kept the fishermen on the
jump to avoid smashing into one another。 Also； they shouted at us
like mad to heave to into the wind； for they took it as some
drunken prank on the part of scow…sailors； little dreaming that we
were the fish patrol。
The drag of a single net is very heavy； and Charley and Ole Ericsen
decided that even in such a wind ten nets were all the Mary Rebecca
could take along with her。 So when we had hooked ten nets； with
ten boats containing twenty men streaming along behind us； we
veered to the left out of the fleet and headed toward Collinsville。
We were all jubilant。 Charley was handling the wheel as though he
were steering the winning yacht home in a race。 The two sailors
who made up the crew of the Mary Rebecca； were grinning and joking。
Ole Ericsen was rubbing his huge hands in child…like glee。
〃Ay tank you fish patrol fallers never ban so lucky as when you
sail with Ole Ericsen；〃 he was saying； when a rifle cracked sharply
astern； and a bullet gouged along the newly painted cabin； glanced
on a nail； and sang shrilly onward into space。
This was too much for Ole Ericsen。 At sight of his beloved
paintwork thus defaced； he jumped up and shook his fist at the
fishermen； but a second bullet smashed into the cabin not six
inches from his head； and he dropped down to the deck under cover
of the rail。
All the fishermen had rifles； and they now opened a general
fusillade。 We were all driven to cover … even Charley； who was
compelled to desert the wheel。 Had it not been for the heavy drag
of the nets； we would inevitably have broached to at the mercy of
the enraged fishermen。 But the nets； fastened to the bottom of the
Mary Rebecca well aft； held her stern into the wind； and she
continued to plough on； though somewhat erratically。
Charley； lying on the deck； could just manage to reach the lower
spokes of the wheel； but while he could steer after a fashion； it
was very awkward。 Ole Ericsen bethought himself of a large piece
of sheet steel in the empty hold。
It was in fact a plate from the side of the New Jersey； a steamer
which had recently been wrecked outside the Golden Gate； and in the
salving of which the Mary Rebecca had taken part。
Crawling carefully along the deck； the two sailors； Ole； and myself
got the heavy plate on deck and aft； where we reared it as a shield
between the wheel and the fishermen。 The bullets whanged and
banged against it till it rang like a bull's…eye； but Charley
grinned in its shelter； and coolly went on steering。
So we raced along； behind us a howling； screaming bedlam of
wrathful Greeks； Collinsville ahead； and bullets spat…spatting all
around us。
〃Ole；〃 Charley said in a faint voice； 〃I don't know what we're
going to do。〃
Ole Ericsen； lying on his back close to the rail and grinning
upward at the sky； turned over on his side and looked at him。 〃Ay
tank we go into Collinsville yust der same；〃 he said。
〃But we can't stop；〃 Charley groaned。 〃I never thought of it； but
we can't stop。〃
A look of consternation slowly overspread Ole Ericsen's broad face。
It was only too true。 We had a hornet's nest on our hands； and to
stop at Collinsville would be to have it about our ears。
〃Every man Jack of them has a gun；〃 one of the sailors remarked
cheerfully。
〃Yes； and a knife； too；〃 the other sailor added。
It was Ole Ericsen's turn to groan。 〃What for a Svaidish faller
like me monkey with none of my biziness； I don't know；〃 he
soliloquized。
A bullet glanced on the stern and sang off to starboard like a
spiteful bee。 〃There's nothing to do but plump the Mary Rebecca
ashore and run for it；〃 was the verdict of the first cheerful
sailor。
〃And leaf der Mary Rebecca？〃 Ole demanded； with unspeakable horror
in his voice。
〃Not unless you want to；〃 was the response。 〃But I don't want to
be within a thousand miles of her when those fellers come aboard〃 …
indicating the bedlam of excited Greeks towing behind。
We were right in at Collinsville then； and went foaming by within
biscuit…toss of the wharf。
〃I only hope the wind holds out；〃 Charley said； stealing a glance
at our prisoners。
〃What of der wind？〃 Ole demanded disconsolately。 〃Der river will
not hold out； and then 。 。 。 and then 。 。 。〃
〃It's head for tall timber； and the Greeks take the hindermost；〃
adjudged the cheerful sailor； while Ole was stuttering over what
would happen when we came to the end of the river。
We had now reached a dividing of the ways。 To the left was the
mouth of the Sacramento River； to the right the mouth of the San
Joaquin。 The cheerful sailor crept forward and jibed over the
foresail as Charley put the helm to starboard and we swerved to the
right into the San Joaquin。 The wind； from which we had been
running away on an even keel； now caught us on our beam； and the
Mary Rebecca was pressed down on her port side as if she were about
to capsize。
Still we dashed on； and still the fishermen dashed on behind。 The
value of their nets was greater than the fines they would have to
pay for violating the fish laws； so to cast off from their nets and
escape； which they could easily do； would profit them nothing。
Further； they remained by their nets instinctively； as a sailor
remains by his ship。 And still further； the desire for vengeance
was roused； and we could depend upon it that they would follow us
to the ends of the earth； if we undertook to tow them that far。
The rifle…firing had ceased； and we looked astern to see what our
prisoners were doing。 The boats were strung along at unequal
distances apart； and we saw the four nearest ones bunching
together。 This was done by the boat ahead trailing a small rope
astern to the one behind。 When this was caught； they would cast
off from their net and heave in on the line till they were brought
up to the boat in front。 So great was the speed at which we were
travelling； however； that this was very slow work。 Sometimes the
men would strain to their utmost and fail to get in an inch of the
rope； at other times they came ahead more rapid