"Five days with luck; two weeks without," snapped the captain, a very short, red-faced little man, giving orders right and left and sending mate and sailors running, as the _Mary Ann_ swung free from her anchorage. Up went the foresail and out shook the jib. Leaning, the _Mary Ann_ slowly gathered way, gliding through the ripples. The great Bay of San Francisco was beautiful. The morning sun had broken through the fog, to gild the hundreds of ships, and the dancing water. Heeling to a smart breeze, the _Mary Ann_ soon passed vessel after vessel lying at anchor--among them the _California_ herself. The jumble of low buildings and tents forming the city of San Francisco dwindled, behind; the uproar of voices and hammers died; and heading for the north the _Mary Ann_ clipped merrily along, the Golden Gate entrance on her left, the rolling hills of the California mainland distant on her right. Her passengers numbered thirty-seven--about seven more than she ought to hold, decided Charley. Everybody was in high feather at the prospects of being on the way to the "diggin's." They pressed against the weather rail, mounted atop the cook's galley and the cabin roof, and several of the boldest even climbed aloft to the cross-trees of fore-mast and mainmast, where they cheered and whooped. Yes, it seemed to be a sort of pleasure excursion. Voices were constantly shouting. "That's Goat Island, isn't it? The first one we passed." "There's Alcatraz." "Hurrah for Angel Island! Anybody want to land?" "Is this still San Francisco Bay?" "Of course it is." "Where's San Pablo Bay, then?" "At the end, before we turn into the Sacramento River." The _Mary Ann_ was making good time. The red-faced little captain stood near the wheel, with folded arms and vigilant eye, as if he was very proud of her. All the shipping at anchor had been left behind long ago, and now the schooner seemed to have joined with a regular procession of small boats, hastening in the same direction as she. Some were sail-boats, many were skiffs and launches; all were crowded, and in a great hurry. The bay narrowed, and between two points called San Pablo (or Saint Paul) and San Pedro (or Saint Peter), guarded by islands called the Brothers and the Sisters, the _Mary Ann_ entered San Pablo Bay, which really was a round basin forming the north end of San Francisco Bay. The bell below was ringing for dinner, but the _Mary Ann_ had turned more toward the east, and against the land, in front, could be seen the masts of more shipping. "That must be at Mare Island, and at Benicia beyond," said Mr. Grigsby. "You know how Mare Island gets its name? Because there used to be a big herd of elk on it, led by an old mare. The Government's going to make a naval station of it. Benicia is the town General Vallejo donated the site of. There's where the army headquarters are being built. Well, guess we'll have time to eat, before we get there."