5. FOGS 



Benjie warned us all right. While he was help- 

 ing shove the boat off the beach he took his hands 

 away from the gunwale, stood more than upright, 

 and looked keenly out to sea. 'Aye !' he said, 

 'southerly wind, an' the leastis bit of a chill in it. 

 I've a-see'd fogs come in on a day like this, for all 

 'tis the middle o' summer. Where be you voung 

 fellers bound for?' 



'Down along,' we replied. 



We didn't tell him we were after cakes and 

 scald cream because Benjie, having In youth made 

 a virtue of necessity, now, in his old age, scorns 

 too many meals a day. 



'Four o'ee, is it?' he continued. 'An' all 

 o'ee skipper, I'll lay. Well, jest you take care to 

 keep a good look-out. You bain't passengers on 

 a steamship, remember. Fogs don't matter to the 

 likes o' they; all they got to do is to bide quiet 



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