io6 ALONGSHORE n 



go down to Ware beach any more, an' threatened 

 to lock her up. But when the new trawl was 

 ready, what her'd had a hand in the making 

 of .... I mind her creeping away from the 

 farm thic evening wi' some food an' extry clothes 

 under her arm. "Pearnie," her said, "what do 'ee 

 make o' the weather? I be going to sea in my 

 boat 'long wi' my man." 



' "Your man, Miss?" says I. 



' "Silly boy — Dan'l Biscoe," her answers back 

 wi' a blush, turning down the cliff path so light- 

 some as a rabbit. Her eyes was very bright, an' 

 yet they had the look o' a suffering animal in 'em. 

 Young as I was, I know'd well 'nufif what that 

 meant. 



^^Twas a night, thic night. The sea were roar- 

 ing under cliff, an' when farmer sent me down to 

 Ware village for to find out what was become o' 

 her, the spray was flying right over the Head. I 

 was only a boy an' got frightened. 'Twas such a 

 rush an' a roar o' wind wi' it all. I hid meself in 

 a linhay an' catched clean off to sleep. It might 

 have made a difference If I'd gone on; an' it might 

 not; nobody can tell. 



"Bout midnight Dan'l's boat drove in. They 

 was half-drownded aboard, Ruth most of all. Her 



