The　watchmen　wisely　retreated　before　so　overwhelming　a　force；　and
  rowed　their　boat　along　the　channel　toward　where　the　shore　should
  be。　　Besides；　it　was　in　the　plan　for　them　to　retreat。
  We　hauled　the　noses　of　the　boats　up　on　the　shore　side　of　a　big
  shoal；　and　all　hands；　with　sacks；　spread　out　and　began　picking。
  Every　now　and　again　the　clouds　thinned　before　the　face　of　the　moon；
  and　we　could　see　the　big　oysters　quite　distinctly。　　In　almost　no
  time　sacks　were　filled　and　carried　back　to　the　boats；　where　fresh
  ones　were　obtained。　　Nicholas　and　I　returned　often　and　anxiously　to
  the　boats　with　our　little　loads；　but　always　found　some　one　of　the
  pirates　coming　or　going。
  〃Never　mind；〃　he　said；　〃no　hurry。　　As　they　pick　farther　and　farther
  away；　it　will　take　too　long　to　carry　to　the　boats。　　Then　they'll
  stand　the　full　sacks　on　end　and　pick　them　up　when　the　tide　comes　in
  and　the　skiffs　will　float　to　them。〃
  Fully　half　an　hour　went　by；　and　the　tide　had　begun　to　flood；　when
  this　came　to　pass。　　Leaving　the　pirates　at　their　work；　we　stole
  back　to　the　boats。　　One　by　one；　and　noiselessly；　we　shoved　them　off
  and　made　them　fast　in　an　awkward　flotilla。　　Just　as　we　were　shoving
  off　the　last　skiff；　our　own；　one　of　the　men　came　upon　us。　　It　was
  Barchi。　　His　quick　eye　took　in　the　situation　at　a　glance；　and　he
  sprang　for　us；　but　we　went　clear　with　a　mighty　shove；　and　he　was
  left　floundering　in　the　water　over　his　head。　　As　soon　as　he　got
  back　to　the　shoal　he　raised　his　voice　and　gave　the　alarm。
  We　rowed　with　all　our　strength；　but　it　was　slow　going　with　so　many
  boats　in　tow。　　A　pistol　cracked　from　the　shoal；　a　second；　and　a
  third；　then　a　regular　fusillade　began。　　The　bullets　spat　and　spat
  all　about　us；　but　thick　clouds　had　covered　the　moon；　and　in　the　dim
  darkness　it　was　no　more　than　random　firing。　　It　was　only　by　chance
  that　we　could　be　hit。
  〃Wish　we　had　a　little　steam　launch；〃　I　panted。
  〃I'd　just　as　soon　the　moon　stayed　hidden；〃　Nicholas　panted　back。
  It　was　slow　work；　but　every　stroke　carried　us　farther　away　from　the
  shoal　and　nearer　the　shore；　till　at　last　the　shooting　died　down；
  and　when　the　moon　did　come　out　we　were　too　far　away　to　be　in
  danger。　　Not　long　afterward　we　answered　a　shoreward　hail；　and　two
  Whitehall　boats；　each　pulled　by　three　pairs　of　oars；　darted　up　to
  us。　　Charley's　welcome　face　bent　over　to　us；　and　he　gripped　us　by
  the　hands　while　he　cried；　〃Oh；　you　joys！　　You　joys！　　Both　of　you！〃
  When　the　flotilla　had　been　landed；　Nicholas　and　I　and　a　watchman
  rowed　out　in　one　of　the　Whitehalls；　with　Charley　in　the　stern…
  sheets。　　Two　other　Whitehalls　followed　us；　and　as　the　moon　now
  shone　brightly；　we　easily　made　out　the　oyster　pirates　on　their
  lonely　shoal。　　As　we　drew　closer；　they　fired　a　rattling　volley　from
  their　revolvers；　and　we　promptly　retreated　beyond　range。
  〃Lot　of　time；〃　Charley　said。　　〃The　flood　is　setting　in　fast；　and　by
  the　time　it's　up　to　their　necks　there　won't　be　any　fight　left　in
  them。〃
  So　we　lay　on　our　oars　and　waited　for　the　tide　to　do　its　work。　　This
  was　the　predicament　of　the　pirates：　　because　of　the　big　run…out；
  the　tide　was　now　rushing　back　like　a　mill…race；　and　it　was
  impossible　for　the　strongest　swimmer　in　the　world　to　make　against
  it　the　three　miles　to　the　sloops。　　Between　the　pirates　and　the
  shore　were　we；　precluding　escape　in　that　direction。　　On　the　other
  hand；　the　water　was　rising　rapidly　over　the　shoals；　and　it　was　only
  a　question　of　a　few　hours　when　it　would　be　over　their　heads。
  It　was　beautifully　calm；　and　in　the　brilliant　white　moonlight　we
  watched　them　through　our　night　glasses　and　told　Charley　of　the
  voyage　of　the　Coal　Tar　Maggie。　　One　o'clock　came；　and　two　o'clock；
  and　the　pirates　were　clustering　on　the　highest　shoal；　waist…deep　in
  water。
  〃Now　this　illustrates　the　value　of　imagination；〃　Charley　was
  saying。　　〃Taft　has　been　trying　for　years　to　get　them；　but　he　went
  at　it　with　bull　strength　and　failed。　　Now　we　used　our　heads　。　。　。〃
  Just　then　I　heard　a　scarcely　audible　gurgle　of　water；　and　holding
  up　my　hand　for　silence；　I　turned　and　pointed　to　a　ripple　slowly
  widening　out　in　a　growing　circle。　　It　was　not　more　than　fifty　feet
  from　us。　　We　kept　perfectly　quiet　and　waited。　　After　a　minute　the
  water　broke　six　feet　away；　and　a　black　head　and　white　shoulder
  showed　in　the　moonlight。　　With　a　snort　of　surprise　and　of　suddenly
  expelled　breath；　the　head　and　shoulder　went　down。
  We　pulled　ahead　several　strokes　and　drifted　with　the　current。　　Four
  pairs　of　eyes　searched　the　surface　of　the　water；　but　never　another
  ripple　showed；　and　never　another　glimpse　did　we　catch　of　the　black
  head　and　white　shoulder。
  〃It's　the　Porpoise；〃　Nicholas　said。　　〃It　would　take　broad　daylight
  for　us　to　catch　him。〃
  At　a　quarter　to　three　the　pirates　gave　their　first　sign　of
  weakening。　　We　heard　cries　for　help；　in　the　unmistakable　voice　of
  the　Centipede；　and　this　time；　on　rowing　closer；　we　were　not　fired
  upon。　　The　Centipede　was　in　a　truly　perilous　plight。　　Only　the
  heads　and　shoulders　of　his　fellow…marauders　showed　above　the　water
  as　they　braced　themselves　against　the　current；　while　his　feet　were
  off　the　bottom　and　they　were　supporting　him。
  〃Now；　lads；〃　Charley　said　briskly；　〃we　have　got　you；　and　you　can't
  get　away。　　If　you　cut　up　rough；　we'll　have　to　leave　you　alone　and
  the　water　will　finish　you。　　But　if　you're　good　we'll　take　you
  aboard；　one　man　at　a　time；　and　you'll　all　be　saved。　　What　do　you
  say？〃
  〃Ay；〃　they　chorused　hoarsely　between　their　chattering　teeth。
  〃Then　one　man　at　a　time；　and　the　short　men　first。〃
  The　Centipede　was　the　first　to　be　pulled　aboard；　and　he　came
  willingly；　though　he　objected　when　the　constable　put　the　handcuffs
  on　him。　　Barchi　was　next　hauled　in；　quite　meek　and　resigned　from
  his　soaking。　　When　we　had　ten　in；　our　boat　we　drew　back；　and　the
  second　Whitehall　was　loaded。　　The　third　Whitehall　received　nine
  prisoners　only　…　a　catch　of　twenty…nine　in　all。
  〃You　didn't　get　the　Porpoise；〃　the　Centipede　said　exultantly；　as
  though　his　escape　materially　diminished　our　success。
  Charley　laughed。　　〃But　we　saw　him　just　the　same；　a…snorting　for
  shore　like　a　puffing　pig。〃
  It　was　a　mild　and　shivering　band　of　pirates　that　we　marched　up　the
  beach　to　the　oyster　house。　　In　answer　to　Charley's　knock；　the　door
  was　flung　open；　and　a　pleasant　wave　of　warm　air　rushed　out　upon　us。
  〃You　can　dry　your　clothes　here；　lads；　and　get　some　hot　coffee；〃
  Charley　announced；　as　they　filed　in。
  And　there；　sitting　ruefully　by　the　fire；　with　a　steaming　mug　in　his
  hand；　was　the　Porpoise。　　With　one　accord　Nicholas　and　I　looked　at
  Charley。　　He　laughed　gleefully。
  〃That　comes　of　imagination；〃　he　said。　　〃When　you　see　a　thing；
  you've　got　to　see　it　all　around；　or　what's　the　good　of　seeing　it　at
  all？　　I　saw　the　beach；　so　I　left　a　couple　of　constables　behind　to
  keep　an　eye　on　it。　　That's　all。〃
  THE　SIEGE　OF　THE　〃LANCASHIRE　QUEEN〃
  Possibly　our　most　exasperating　experience　on　the　fish　patrol　was
  when　Charley　Le　Grant　and　I　laid　a　two　weeks'　siege　to　a　big　four…
  masted　English　ship。　　Before　we　had　finished　with　the　affair；　it
  became　a　pretty　mathematical　problem；　and　it　was　by　the　merest
  chance　that　we　came　into　possession　of　the　instrument　that　brought
  it　to　a　successful　termination。
  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　p