taken him or ever could take him, and the fishermen cheered him and
said it was true. They grew excited, and it looked like trouble
for a while; but Big Alec asserted his kingship and quelled them.

Carmintel also laughed at Charley, and dropped sarcastic remarks,
and made it hard for him. But Charley refused to be angered,
though he told me in confidence that he intended to capture Big
Alec if it took all the rest of his life to accomplish it.

"I don't know how I'll do it," he said, "but do it I will, as sure
as I am Charley Le Grant. The idea will come to me at the right
and proper time, never fear."

And at the right time it came, and most unexpectedly. Fully a
month had passed, and we were constantly up and down the river, and
down and up the bay, with no spare moments to devote to the
particular fisherman who ran a Chinese line in the bight of
Turner's Shipyard. We had called in at Selby's Smelter one
afternoon, while on patrol work, when all unknown to us our
opportunity happened along. It appeared in the guise of a helpless
yacht loaded with seasick people, so we could hardly be expected to
recognize it as the opportunity. It was a large sloop-yacht, and
it was helpless inasmuch as the trade-wind was blowing half a gale
and there were no capable sailors aboard.

From the wharf at Selby's we watched with careless interest the
lubberly manoeuvre performed of bringing the yacht to anchor, and
the equally lubberly manoeuvre of sending the small boat ashore. A
very miserable-looking man in draggled ducks, after nearly swamping
the boat in the heavy seas, passed us the painter and climbed out.