steered　for　it。
  〃These　two　men　are　old　offenders；〃　he　explained　to　the　angry　owner；
  〃and　they　are　most　persistent　violators　of　the　fish　and　game　laws。
  You　have　seen　them　caught　in　the　act；　and　you　may　expect　to　be
  subpoenaed　as　witness　for　the　state　when　the　trial　comes　off。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　rounded　alongside　the　skiff。　　It　had　been　torn　from
  the　line；　a　section　of　which　was　dragging　to　it。　　He　hauled　in
  forty　or　fifty　feet　with　a　young　sturgeon　still　fast　in　a　tangle　of
  barbless　hooks；　slashed　that　much　of　the　line　free　with　his　knife；
  and　tossed　it　into　the　cockpit　beside　the　prisoners。
  〃And　there's　the　evidence；　Exhibit　A；　for　the　people；〃　Charley
  continued。　　〃Look　it　over　carefully　so　that　you　may　identify　it　in
  the　court…room　with　the　time　and　place　of　capture。〃
  And　then；　in　triumph；　with　no　more　veering　and　yawing；　we　sailed
  into　Benicia；　the　King　of　the　Greeks　bound　hard　and　fast　in　the
  cockpit；　and　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　a　prisoner　of　the　fish
  patrol。
  A　RAID　ON　THE　OYSTER　PIRATES
  Of　the　fish　patrolmen　under　whom　we　served　at　various　times；
  Charley　Le　Grant　and　I　were　agreed；　I　think；　that　Neil　Partington
  was　the　best。　　He　was　neither　dishonest　nor　cowardly；　and　while　he
  demanded　strict　obedience　when　we　were　under　his　orders；　at　the
  same　time　our　relations　were　those　of　easy　comradeship；　and　he
  permitted　us　a　freedom　to　which　we　were　ordinarily　unaccustomed；　as
  the　present　story　will　show。
  Neil's　family　lived　in　Oakland；　which　is　on　the　Lower　Bay；　not　more
  than　six　miles　across　the　water　from　San　Francisco。　　One　day；　while
  scouting　among　the　Chinese　shrimp…catchers　of　Point　Pedro；　he
  received　word　that　his　wife　was　very　ill；　and　within　the　hour　the
  Reindeer　was　bowling　along　for　Oakland；　with　a　stiff　northwest
  breeze　astern。　　We　ran　up　the　Oakland　Estuary　and　came　to　anchor；
  and　in　the　days　that　followed；　while　Neil　was　ashore；　we　tightened
  up　the　Reindeer's　rigging；　overhauled　the　ballast；　scraped　down；
  and　put　the　sloop　into　thorough　shape。
  This　done；　time　hung　heavy　on　our　hands。　　Neil's　wife　was
  dangerously　ill；　and　the　outlook　was　a　week's　lie…over；　awaiting
  the　crisis。　　Charley　and　I　roamed　the　docks；　wondering　what　we
  should　do；　and　so　came　upon　the　oyster　fleet　lying　at　the　Oakland
  City　Wharf。　　In　the　main　they　were　trim；　natty　boats；　made　for
  speed　and　bad　weather；　and　we　sat　down　on　the　stringer…piece　of　the
  dock　to　study　them。
  〃A　good　catch；　I　guess；〃　Charley　said；　pointing　to　the　heaps　of
  oysters；　assorted　in　three　sizes；　which　lay　upon　their　decks。
  Pedlers　were　backing　their　wagons　to　the　edge　of　the　wharf；　and
  from　the　bargaining　and　chaffering　that　went　on；　I　managed　to　learn
  the　selling　price　of　the　oysters。
  〃That　boat　must　have　at　least　two　hundred　dollars'　worth　aboard；〃　I
  calculated。　　〃I　wonder　how　long　it　took　to　get　the　load？〃
  〃Three　or　four　days；〃　Charley　answered。　　〃Not　bad　wages　for　two　men
  …　twenty…five　dollars　a　day　apiece。〃
  The　boat　we　were　discussing；　the　Ghost；　lay　directly　beneath　us。
  Two　men　composed　its　crew。　　One　was　a　squat；　broad…shouldered
  fellow　with　remarkably　long　and　gorilla…like　arms；　while　the　other
  was　tall　and　well　proportioned；　with　clear　blue　eyes　and　a　mat　of
  straight　black　hair。　　So　unusual　and　striking　was　this　combination
  of　hair　and　eyes　that　Charley　and　I　remained　somewhat　longer　than
  we　intended。
  And　it　was　well　that　we　did。　　A　stout；　elderly　man；　with　the　dress
  and　carriage　of　a　successful　merchant；　came　up　and　stood　beside　us；
  looking　down　upon　the　deck　of　the　Ghost。　　He　appeared　angry；　and
  the　longer　he　looked　the　angrier　he　grew。
  〃Those　are　my　oysters；〃　he　said　at　last。　　〃I　know　they　are　my
  oysters。　　You　raided　my　beds　last　night　and　robbed　me　of　them。〃
  The　tall　man　and　the　short　man　on　the　Ghost　looked　up。
  〃Hello；　Taft；〃　the　short　man　said；　with　insolent　familiarity。
  （Among　the　bayfarers　he　had　gained　the　nickname　of　〃The　Centipede〃
  on　account　of　his　long　arms。）　　〃Hello；　Taft；〃　he　repeated；　with　the
  same　touch　of　insolence。　　〃Wot　'r　you　growling　about　now？〃
  〃Those　are　my　oysters　…　that's　what　I　said。　　You've　stolen　them
  from　my　beds。〃
  〃Yer　mighty　wise；　ain't　ye？〃　was　the　Centipede's　sneering　reply。
  〃S'pose　you　can　tell　your　oysters　wherever　you　see　'em？〃
  〃Now；　in　my　experience；〃　broke　in　the　tall　man；　〃oysters　is　oysters
  wherever　you　find　'em；　an'　they're　pretty　much　alike　all　the　Bay
  over；　and　the　world　over；　too；　for　that　matter。　　We're　not　wantin'
  to　quarrel　with　you；　Mr。　Taft；　but　we　jes'　wish　you　wouldn't
  insinuate　that　them　oysters　is　yours　an'　that　we're　thieves　an'
  robbers　till　you　can　prove　the　goods。〃
  〃I　know　they're　mine；　I'd　stake　my　life　on　it！〃　Mr。　Taft　snorted。
  〃Prove　it；〃　challenged　the　tall　man；　who　we　afterward　learned　was
  known　as　〃The　Porpoise〃　because　of　his　wonderful　swimming
  abilities。
  Mr。　Taft　shrugged　his　shoulders　helplessly。　　Of　course　he　could　not
  prove　the　oysters　to　be　his；　no　matter　how　certain　he　might　be。
  〃I'd　give　a　thousand　dollars　to　have　you　men　behind　the　bars！〃　he
  cried。　　〃I'll　give　fifty　dollars　a　head　for　your　arrest　and
  conviction；　all　of　you！〃
  A　roar　of　laughter　went　up　from　the　different　boats；　for　the　rest
  of　the　pirates　had　been　listening　to　the　discussion。
  〃There's　more　money　in　oysters；〃　the　Porpoise　remarked　dryly。
  Mr。　Taft　turned　impatiently　on　his　heel　and　walked　away。　　From　out
  of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Charley　noted　the　way　he　went。　　Several
  minutes　later；　when　he　had　disappeared　around　a　corner；　Charley
  rose　lazily　to　his　feet。　　I　followed　him；　and　we　sauntered　off　in
  the　opposite　direction　to　that　taken　by　Mr。　Taft。
  〃Come　on！　　Lively！〃　Charley　whispered；　when　we　passed　from　the　view
  of　the　oyster　fleet。
  Our　course　was　changed　at　once；　and　we　dodged　around　corners　and
  raced　up　and　down　side…streets　till　Mr。　Taft's　generous　form　loomed
  up　ahead　of　us。
  〃I'm　going　to　interview　him　about　that　reward；〃　Charley　explained；
  as　we　rapidly　over…hauled　the　oyster…bed　owner。　　〃Neil　will　be
  delayed　here　for　a　week；　and　you　and　I　might　as　well　be　doing
  something　in　the　meantime。　　What　do　you　say？〃
  〃Of　course；　of　course；〃　Mr。　Taft　said；　when　Charley　had　introduced
  himself　and　explained　his　errand。　　〃Those　thieves　are　robbing　me　of
  thousands　of　dollars　every　year；　and　I　shall　be　glad　to　break　them
  up　at　any　price；　…　yes；　sir；　at　any　price。　　As　I　said；　I'll　give
  fifty　dollars　a　head；　and　call　it　cheap　at　that。　　They've　robbed　my
  beds；　torn　down　my　signs；　terrorized　my　watchmen；　and　last　year
  killed　one　of　them。　　Couldn't　prove　it。　　All　done　in　the　blackness
  of　night。　　All　I　had　was　a　dead　watchman　and　no　evidence。　　The
  detectives　could　do　nothing。　　Nobody　has　been　able　to　do　anything
  with　those　men。　　We　have　never　succeeded　in　arresting　one　of　them。
  So　I　say；　Mr。　…　　What　did　you　say　your　name　was？〃
  〃Le　Grant；〃　Charley　answered。
  〃So　I　say；　Mr。　Le　Grant；　I　am　deeply　obliged　to　you　for　the
  assistance　you　offer。　　And　I　shall　be　glad；　most　glad；　sir；　to　co…
  operate　with　you　in　every　way。　　My　watchmen　and　boats　are　at　your
  disposal。　　Come　and　see　me　at　the　San　Francisco　offices　any　time；
  or　telephone　at　my　expense。　　And　don't　be　afraid　of　spending　money。
  I'll　foot　your　expenses；　whatever　they　are；　so　long　as　they　are
  within　reason。　　The　situation　is　growing　desperate；　and　something
  must　be　done　to　determine　whether　I　or　that　band　of　ruffians　own
  those　oyster　beds。〃
  〃Now　we'll　see　Neil；〃　Charley　said；　when　he　had　seen　Mr。　Taft　upon
  his　train　to　San　Francisco。
  Not　only　did　Neil　Partington　interpose　no　obstacle　to　our
  adventure；　but　he　proved　to　be　of　the　greatest　assistance。　　Charley
  and　I　knew　nothing　of　the　oyster　industry；　while　his　head　was　an
  encyclopaedia　of　facts　concerning　it。　　Also；　within　an　hour　or　so；
  he　was　able　to　bring　to　us　a　Greek　boy　of　seventeen　or　eighteen　who
  knew　thoroughly　well　the　ins　and　outs　of　oyster　piracy。
  At　this　point　I　may　as　well　explain　that　we　of　the　fish　patrol　were
  free　lances　in　a　way。　　While　Neil　Partington；　who　was　a　patrolman
  proper；　received　a　regular　salary；　Charley　and　I；　being　merely
  deputies；　received　only　what　we　earned　…　that　is　to　say；　a　certain
  percentage　of　the　fines　imposed　on　convicted　violators　of　the　fish
  laws。　　Also；　any　rewards　that　chanced　our　way　were　ours。　　We
  offered　to　share　with　Partington　whatever　we　should　get　from　Mr。
  Taft；　but　the　patrolman　would　not　hear　of　it。　　He　was　only　too
  happy；　he　said；　to　do　a　good　turn　for　us；　who　had　done　so　many　for
  him。
  We　held　a　long　council　of　war；　and　mapped　out　the　following　line　of
  action。　　Our　faces　were　unfamiliar　on　the　Lower　Bay；　but　as　the
  Reindeer　was　well　known　as　a　fish…patrol　sloop；　the　Greek　boy；
  whose　name　was　Nicholas；　and　I　were　to　sail　some　innocent…looking
  craft　down　to　Asparagus　Island　and　join　the　oyster　pirates'　fleet。
  Her