was more prosperous than my folks. She was nursing
sick people at a good weekly wage. Would she lend her "white child" the
money? WOULD SHE? What she had was mine.

Then I sought out French Frank, the oyster pirate, who wanted to sell, I
had heard, his sloop, the Razzle Dazzle. I found him lying at anchor on
the Alameda side of the estuary near the Webster Street bridge, with
visitors aboard, whom he was entertaining with afternoon wine. He came
on deck to talk business. He was willing to sell. But it was Sunday.
Besides, he had guests. On the morrow he would make out the bill of sale
and I could enter into possession. And in the meantime I must come below
and meet his friends. They were two sisters, Mamie and Tess; a Mrs.
Hadley, who chaperoned them; "Whisky" Bob, a youthful oyster pirate of
sixteen; and "Spider" Healey, a black-whiskered wharf-rat of twenty.
Mamie, who was Spider's niece, was called the Queen of the Oyster
Pirates, and, on occasion, presided at their revels. French Frank was in
love with her, though I did not know it at the time; and she steadfastly
refused to marry him.

French Frank poured a tumbler of red wine from a big demijohn to drink to
our transaction. I remembered the red wine of the Italian rancho, and
shuddered inwardly. Whisky and beer were not quite so repulsive. But
the Queen of the Oyster Pirates was looking at me, a part-emptied glass
in her own hand. I had my pride. If I was only fifteen, at least I
could not show myself any less a man than she. Besides, there were her
sister, and Mrs. Hadley, and the young oyster pirate, and the whiskered
wharf-rat, all with glasses in their hands. Was I a milk-and-water sop?
No; a thousand times no, and a thousand glasses no. I downed the
tumblerful like a man.

French Frank was elated by the sale, which I had bound with a
twenty-dollar goldpiece. He poured more wine. I had learned my strong
head and stomach, and I was certain I could drink with them in a
temperate way and not poison myself for a week to come. I could stand as
much as they; and besides, they had already been drinking for some time.

We got to singing. Spider sang "The Boston Burglar" and "Black Lulu."
The Queen sang "Then I Wisht I Were a Little Bird." And her sister Tess
sang "Oh, Treat My Daughter Kindily." The fun grew fast and furious. I
found myself able to miss drinks without being noticed or called to
account. Also, standing in the companionway,