Quotation from: Tales of the Fish Patrol

Written by: Jack London

The watchmen wisely retreated before so overwhelming a force, and
rowed their boat along the channel toward where the shore should
be. Besides, it was in the plan for them to retreat.

We hauled the noses of the boats up on the shore side of a big
shoal, and all hands, with sacks, spread out and began picking.
Every now and again the clouds thinned before the face of the moon,
and we could see the big oysters quite distinctly. In almost no
time sacks were filled and carried back to the boats, where fresh
ones were obtained. Nicholas and I returned often and anxiously to
the boats with our little loads, but always found some one of the
pirates coming or going.