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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 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 int