of them come from all points of the compass to
fight it out with him for the spoils. Well, Mascola's men are just like
that. We may spot the fish first. We generally do. But that doesn't make
the slightest bit of difference to Mascola. It only saves him the
trouble. When our nets are out and he sees we're getting a good haul, he
lays around us and cuts us off. Do you get the idea?"

Gregory nodded vaguely.

"But can't you do something?" he asked. "I should think----"

Again the girl laughed. "You bet I can do something," she snapped. "You
just watch me. That's what I brought you out here for this morning. If
those devils try to lay around me, I'll show them a thing or two. I wish
we had an earlier start though," she concluded. "They've got the best of
it by a couple of hours."

Through the darkness they raced to the open sea. The cool morning breeze
blew briskly in their faces and Gregory noticed they were overhauling a
few of the stragglers.

"It oughtn't to take you long to catch up with them at this clip," he
said admiringly. "Are all of your boats as fast as this one?"

"If they were it would break me up," the girl answered. "The _Petrel's_
my flag ship. She's a gas-hog, but she can travel. She has fifty horse,
and built on the lines she is, there aren't many of them around here
that can make her run in their wake. Only two in fact," she added.
"Mascola's speed-boat and Rossi's fleet-tender."

"Who is Rossi?"

"Mascola's fishing captain. Next to his boss and old Rock, one of the
biggest crooks in town. He knows his business though," she supplemented
half-admiringly, "and is a good man for Mascola."

"Who's Rock?" asked Gregory.

The girl faced about suddenly.

"Rock's the big man of a little town. He's in everything. The further
you go without meeting with him the better off you'll be. He's president
of the bank, the Rock Commercial Company and several other concerns. He
owns the controlling interest in the Golden Rule Cannery besides. He has
a finger in everything. He's a mighty busy man. But he's never too busy
to meddle with other people's business. At least he tried to in mine."

Her teeth snapped in a vicious click.

A number of questions crowded to Gregory's mind, as they crossed the
jettied inlet and headed down the coast. He asked them in rapid-fire
order.

"How many boats have you?"

"Twenty-five. Using sixteen to-day."

"Why don't you run them all?"

"Can't get the men. That is, good