have　been　swept　away　by　the　chaotic　currents。　　I　saw　Demetrios
  Contos　looking　back　from　his　boat；　and　heard　the　vindictive　and
  mocking　tones　of　his　voice　as　he　shouted　exultantly。　　He　held
  steadily　on　his　course；　leaving　me　to　perish。
  There　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　swim　for　it；　which；　in　that　wild
  confusion；　was　at　the　best　a　matter　of　but　a　few　moments。　　Holding
  my　breath　and　working　with　my　hands；　I　managed　to　get　off　my　heavy
  sea…boots　and　my　jacket。　　Yet　there　was　very　little　breath　I　could
  catch　to　hold；　and　I　swiftly　discovered　that　it　was　not　so　much　a
  matter　of　swimming　as　of　breathing。
  I　was　beaten　and　buffeted；　smashed　under　by　the　great　San　Pablo
  whitecaps；　and　strangled　by　the　hollow　tide…rip　waves　which　flung
  themselves　into　my　eyes；　nose；　and　mouth。　　Then　the　strange　sucks
  would　grip　my　legs　and　drag　me　under；　to　spout　me　up　in　some　fierce
  boiling；　where；　even　as　I　tried　to　catch　my　breath；　a　great
  whitecap　would　crash　down　upon　my　head。
  It　was　impossible　to　survive　any　length　of　time。　　I　was　breathing
  more　water　than　air；　and　drowning　all　the　time。　　My　senses　began　to
  leave　me；　my　head　to　whirl　around。　　I　struggled　on；　spasmodically；
  instinctively；　and　was　barely　half　conscious　when　I　felt　myself
  caught　by　the　shoulders　and　hauled　over　the　gunwale　of　a　boat。
  For　some　time　I　lay　across　a　seat　where　I　had　been　flung；　face
  downward；　and　with　the　water　running　out　of　my　mouth。　　After　a
  while；　still　weak　and　faint；　I　turned　around　to　see　who　was　my
  rescuer。　　And　there；　in　the　stern；　sheet　in　one　hand　and　tiller　in
  the　other；　grinning　and　nodding　good…naturedly；　sat　Demetrios
  Contos。　　He　had　intended　to　leave　me　to　drown；　…　he　said　so
  afterward；　…　but　his　better　self　had　fought　the　battle；　conquered；
  and　sent　him　back　to　me。
  〃You　all…a　right？〃　he　asked。
  I　managed　to　shape　a　〃yes〃　on　my　lips；　though　I　could　not　yet
  speak。
  〃You　sail…a　de　boat　verr…a　good…a；〃　he　said。　　〃So　good…a　as　a　man。〃
  A　compliment　from　Demetrios　Contos　was　a　compliment　indeed；　and　I
  keenly　appreciated　it；　though　I　could　only　nod　my　head　in
  acknowledgment。
  We　held　no　more　conversation；　for　I　was　busy　recovering　and　he　was
  busy　with　the　boat。　　He　ran　in　to　the　wharf　at　Vallejo；　made　the
  boat　fast；　and　helped　me　out。　　Then　it　was；　as　we　both　stood　on　the
  wharf；　that　Charley　stepped　out　from　behind　a　net…rack　and　put　his
  hand　on　Demetrios　Contos's　arm。
  〃He　saved　my　life；　Charley；〃　I　protested；　〃and　I　don't　think　he
  ought　to　be　arrested。〃
  A　puzzled　expression　came　into　Charley's　face；　which　cleared
  immediately　after；　in　a　way　it　had　when　he　made　up　his　mind。
  〃I　can't　help　it；　lad；〃　he　said　kindly。　　〃I　can't　go　back　on　my
  duty；　and　it's　plain　duty　to　arrest　him。　　To…day　is　Sunday；　there
  are　two　salmon　in　his　boat　which　he　caught　to…day。　　What　else　can　I
  do？〃
  〃But　he　saved　my　life；〃　I　persisted；　unable　to　make　any　other
  argument。
  Demetrios　Contos's　face　went　black　with　rage　when　he　learned
  Charley's　judgment。　　He　had　a　sense　of　being　unfairly　treated。　　The
  better　part　of　his　nature　had　triumphed；　he　had　performed　a
  generous　act　and　saved　a　helpless　enemy；　and　in　return　the　enemy
  was　taking　him　to　jail。
  Charley　and　I　were　out　of　sorts　with　each　other　when　we　went　back
  to　Benicia。　　I　stood　for　the　spirit　of　the　law　and　not　the　letter；
  but　by　the　letter　Charley　made　his　stand。　　As　far　as　he　could　see；
  there　was　nothing　else　for　him　to　do。　　The　law　said　distinctly　that
  no　salmon　should　be　caught　on　Sunday。　　He　was　a　patrolman；　and　it
  was　his　duty　to　enforce　that　law。　　That　was　all　there　was　to　it。
  He　had　done　his　duty；　and　his　conscience　was　clear。　　Nevertheless；
  the　whole　thing　seemed　unjust　to　me；　and　I　felt　very　sorry　for
  Demetrios　Contos。
  Two　days　later　we　went　down　to　Vallejo　to　the　trial。　　I　had　to　go
  along　as　a　witness；　and　it　was　the　most　hateful　task　that　I　ever
  performed　in　my　life　when　I　testified　on　the　witness　stand　to
  seeing　Demetrios　catch　the　two　salmon　Charley　had　captured　him
  with。
  Demetrios　had　engaged　a　lawyer；　but　his　case　was　hopeless。　　The
  jury　was　out　only　fifteen　minutes；　and　returned　a　verdict　of
  guilty。　　The　judge　sentenced　Demetrios　to　pay　a　fine　of　one　hundred
  dollars　or　go　to　jail　for　fifty　days。
  Charley　stepped　up　to　the　clerk　of　the　court。　　〃I　want　to　pay　that
  fine；〃　he　said；　at　the　same　time　placing　five　twenty…dollar　gold
  pieces　on　the　desk。　　〃It　…　it　was　the　only　way　out　of　it；　lad；〃　he
  stammered；　turning　to　me。
  The　moisture　rushed　into　my　eyes　as　I　seized　his　hand。　　〃I　want　to
  pay　…　〃　I　began。
  〃To　pay　your　half？〃　he　interrupted。　　〃I　certainly　shall　expect　you
  to　pay　it。〃
  In　the　meantime　Demetrios　had　been　informed　by　his　lawyer　that　his
  fee　likewise　had　been　paid　by　Charley。
  Demetrios　came　over　to　shake　Charley's　hand；　and　all　his　warm
  Southern　blood　flamed　in　his　face。　　Then；　not　to　be　outdone　in
  generosity；　he　insisted　on　paying　his　fine　and　lawyer's　fee
  himself；　and　flew　half…way　into　a　passion　because　Charley　refused
  to　let　him。
  More　than　anything　else　we　ever　did；　I　think；　this　action　of
  Charley's　impressed　upon　the　fishermen　the　deeper　significance　of
  the　law。　　Also　Charley　was　raised　high　in　their　esteem；　while　I
  came　in　for　a　little　share　of　praise　as　a　boy　who　knew　how　to　sail
  a　boat。　　Demetrios　Contos　not　only　never　broke　the　law　again；　but
  he　became　a　very　good　friend　of　ours；　and　on　more　than　one　occasion
  he　ran　up　to　Benicia　to　have　a　gossip　with　us。
  YELLOW　HANDKERCHIEF
  〃I'm　not　wanting　to　dictate　to　you；　lad；〃　Charley　said；　〃but　I'm
  very　much　against　your　making　a　last　raid。　　You've　gone　safely
  through　rough　times　with　rough　men；　and　it　would　be　a　shame　to　have
  something　happen　to　you　at　the　very　end。〃
  〃But　how　can　I　get　out　of　making　a　last　raid？〃　I　demanded；　with　the
  cocksureness　of　youth。　　〃There　always　has　to　be　a　last；　you　know；
  to　anything。〃
  Charley　crossed　his　legs；　leaned　back；　and　considered　the　problem。
  〃Very　true。　　But　why　not　call　the　capture　of　Demetrios　Contos　the
  last？　　You're　back　from　it　safe　and　sound　and　hearty；　for　all　your
  good　wetting；　and　…　and　…　〃　　His　voice　broke　and　he　could　not　speak
  for　a　moment。　　〃And　I　could　never　forgive　myself　if　anything
  happened　to　you　now。〃
  I　laughed　at　Charley's　fears　while　I　gave　in　to　the　claims　of　his
  affection；　and　agreed　to　consider　the　last　raid　already　performed。
  We　had　been　together　for　two　years；　and　now　I　was　leaving　the　fish
  patrol　in　order　to　go　back　and　finish　my　education。　　I　had　earned
  and　saved　money　to　put　me　through　three　years　at　the　high　school；
  and　though　the　beginning　of　the　term　was　several　months　away；　I
  intended　doing　a　lot　of　studying　for　the　entrance　examinations。
  My　belongings　were　packed　snugly　in　a　sea…chest；　and　I　was　all
  ready　to　buy　my　ticket　and　ride　down　on　the　train　to　Oakland；　when
  Neil　Partington　arrived　in　Benicia。　　The　Reindeer　was　needed
  immediately　for　work　far　down　on　the　Lower　Bay；　and　Neil　said　he
  intended　to　run　straight　for　Oakland。　　As　that　was　his　home　and　as
  I　was　to　live　with　his　family　while　going　to　school；　he　saw　no
  reason；　he　said；　why　I　should　not　put　my　chest　aboard　and　come
  along。
  So　the　chest　went　aboard；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　we
  hoisted　the　Reindeer's　big　mainsail　and　cast　off。　　It　was
  tantalizing　fall　weather。　　The　sea…breeze；　which　had　blown　steadily
  all　summer；　was　gone；　and　in　its　place　were　capricious　winds　and
  murky　skies　which　made　the　time　of　arriving　anywhere　extremely
  problematical。　　We　started　on　the　first　of　the　ebb；　and　as　we
  slipped　down　the　Carquinez　Straits；　I　looked　my　last　for　some　time
  upon　Benicia　and　the　bight　at　Turner's　Shipyard；　where　we　had
  besieged　the　Lancashire　Queen；　and　had　captured　Big　Alec；　the　King
  of　the　Greeks。　　And　at　the　mouth　of　the　Straits　I　looked　with　not　a
  little　interest　upon　the　spot　where　a　few　days　before　I　should　have
  drowned　but　for　the　good　that　was　in　the　nature　of　Demetrios
  Contos。
  A　great　wall　of　fog　advanced　across　San　Pablo　Bay　to　meet　us；　and
  in　a　few　minutes　the　Reindeer　was　running　blindly　through　the　damp
  obscurity。　　Charley；　who　was　steering；　seemed　to　have　an　instinct
  for　that　kind　of　work。　　How　he　did　it；　he　himself　confessed　that　he
  did　not　know；　but　he　had　a　way　of　calculating　winds；　currents；
  distance；　time；　drift；　and　sailing　speed　that　was　truly　marvellous。
  〃It　looks　as　though　it　were　lifting；〃　Neil　Partington　said；　a
  couple　of　hours　after　we　had　entered　the　fog。　　〃Where　do　you　say　we
  are；　Charley？〃
  Charley　looked　at　his　watch；　〃Six　o'clock；　and　three　hours　more　of
  ebb；〃　he　remarked　casually。
  〃But　where　do　you　say　we　are？〃　Neil　insisted。
  Charley　pondered　a　moment；　and　then　answered；　〃The　tide　has　edged
  us　over　a　bit　out　of　our　course；　but　if　the　fog　lifts　right　now；　as
  it　is　going　to　lift；　you'll　find　we're　not　more　than　a　thousand