CAPTAIN AND CREW
"Come! Wake up! We 're going into anchor."
Joe roused with a start, bewildered at the unusual scene; for sleep had
banished his troubles for the time being, and he knew not where he was.
Then he remembered. The wind had dropped with the night. Beyond, the
heavy after-sea was still rolling; but the _Dazzler_ was creeping up in
the shelter of a rocky island. The sky was clear, and the air had the
snap and vigor of early morning about it. The rippling water was laughing
in the rays of the sun just shouldering above the eastern sky-line. To
the south lay Alcatraz Island, and from its gun-crowned heights a flourish
of trumpets saluted the day. In the west the Golden Gate yawned between
the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. A full-rigged ship, with her
lightest canvas, even to the sky-sails, set, was coming slowly in on the
flood-tide.
It was a pretty sight. Joe rubbed the sleep from his eyes and drank in
the glory of it till 'Frisco Kid told him to go for'ard and make ready
for dropping the anchor.
"Overhaul about fifty fathoms of chain," he ordered, "and then stand by."
He eased the sloop gently into the wind, at the same time casting off
the jib-sheet. "Let go the jib-halyards and come in on the downhaul!"
Joe had seen the manoeuver performed the previous night, and so was able
to carry it out with fair success.
"Now! Over with the mud-hook! Watch out for turns! Lively, now!"
The chain flew out with startling rapidity and brought the _Dazzler_
to rest. 'Frisco Kid went for'ard to help, and together they lowered
the mainsail, furled it in shipshape manner and made all fast with the
gaskets, and put the crutches under the main-boom.
"Here 's a bucket," said 'Frisco Kid, as he passed him the article in
question. "Wash down the decks, and don't be afraid of the water, nor
of the dirt either. Here 's a broom. Give it what for, and have everything
shining. When you get that done bail out the skiff. She opened her seams
a little last night. I 'm going below to cook breakfast."
The water was soon slushing merrily over the deck, while the smoke pouring
from the cabin stove carried a promise of good things to come. Time and
again Joe lifted his head from his task to take in the scene. It was one
to appeal to any healthy boy, and he was no exception. The romance of it
stirred him strangely, and his happiness would have been complete could
he have escaped remembering who and what his companions were. The thought
of this, and of French Pete in his bleary sleep below, marred the beauty
of the day. He had been unused to such things and was shocked at the harsh
reality of life. But instead of hurting him, as it might a lad of weaker
nature, it had the opposite effect. It strengthened his desire to be clean
and strong, and to not be ashamed of himself in his own eyes. He glanced
about him and sighed. Why could not men be honest and true? It seemed too
bad that he must go away and leave all this; but the events of the night
were strong upon him, and he knew that in order to be true to himself
he must escape.
At this juncture he was called to breakfast. He discovered that 'Frisco
Kid was as good a cook as he was a sailor, and made haste to do justice
to the fare. There were mush and condensed milk, beefsteak and fried
potatoes, and all topped off with good French bread, butter, and coffee.
French Pete did not join them, though 'Frisco Kid attempted a couple of
times to rouse him. He mumbled and grunted, half opened his bleared eyes,
then fell to snoring again.
"Can't tell when he 's going to get those spells," 'Frisco Kid explained,
when Joe, having finished washing dishes, came on deck. "Sometimes he
won't get that way for a month, and others he won't be decent for a
week at a stretch. Sometimes he 's good-natured, and sometimes he 's
dangerous; so the best thing to do is to let him alone and keep out of
his way; and don't cross him, for if you do there 's liable to be trouble.
"Come on; let 's take a swim," he added, abruptly changing the subject
to one more agreeable. "Can you swim?"
Joe nodded.
"What 's that place?" he asked, as he poised before diving, pointing toward
a sheltered beach on the island where there were several buildings and a
large number of tents.
"Quarantine station. Lots of smallpox coming in now on the China steamers,
and they make them go there till the doctors say they 're safe to land. I
tell you, they 're strict about it, too. Why--"
Splash! Had 'Frisco Kid finished his sentence just then, instead of diving
overboard, much trouble might have been saved to Joe. But he did not finish
it, and Joe dived after him.
"I 'll tell you what," 'Frisco Kid suggested half an hour later, while they
clung to the bobstay preparatory to climbing out. "Let 's catch a mess of
fish for dinner, and then turn in and make up for the sleep we lost last
night. What d' you say?"
They made a race to clamber aboard, but Joe was shoved over the side again.
When he finally did arrive, the other lad had brought to light a pair of
heavily leaded, large-hooked lines and a mackerel-keg of salt sardines.
"Bait," he said. "Just shove a whole one on. They 're not a bit partic'lar.
Swallow the bait, hook and all, and go--that 's their caper. The fellow
that does n't catch the first fish has to clean 'em."
Both sinkers started on their long descent together, and seventy feet of
line whizzed out before they came to rest. But at the instant his sinker
touched the bottom Joe felt the struggling jerks of a hooked fish. As
he began to haul in he glanced at 'Frisco Kid and saw that he too had
evidently captured a finny prize. The race between them was exciting.
Hand over hand the wet lines flashed inboard. But 'Frisco Kid was more
expert, and his fish tumbled into the cockpit first. Joe's followed an
instant later--a three-pound rock-cod. He was wild with joy. It was
magnificent--the largest fish he had ever landed or ever seen landed.
Over went the lines again, and up they came with two mates of the ones
already captured. It was sport royal. Joe would certainly have continued
till he had fished the bay empty, had not 'Frisco Kid persuaded him
to stop.
"We 've got enough for three meals now," he said, "so there 's no use in
having them spoil. Besides, the more you catch the more you clean, and
you 'd better start in right away. I 'm going to bed."