1 62' ALONGSHORE m 



on a narrow strip of shingle, netting a little strip 

 of sea, we laboured till dawn was heralded by a 

 change in the colour of the moonlight. Thereupon, 

 with aching backs and stiff sore hands, keeping as 

 close as possible to the water's edge for fear any 

 cliff should fall upon us, we tramped along a couple 

 of miles of shingle home. On the beach, before peo- 

 ple were about, Benjie sorted the fish, distributed 

 some for breakfast, and wished us 'Good morning !' 

 to bed. There were not, after all, many soles. 



Benjie it was, too, who brought about the great 

 catch of bass. Long before it was light, one 

 summer's morning, he came in house. 



'Hi ! Be there? Wake up ! Tell Jim to turn 

 out. The bass be in upon the sand to Western 

 Bay. Tve see'd 'em — like a shoal o' gert salmon — 

 see'd 'em there this two or three mornings. Us 

 can make a haul o' they. There's a kettle o' 

 boiling water up to my house, if thee's care to 

 bring up the tay-pot. Time 'nuff for that. Ah ! 

 they'll be there come peep o' day. Us'll hae 'em 1' 

 We drank our cup o' tay, sitting round the 

 kitchen ready-booted, and by the first glimmer 

 of daylight we rowed the seine-boat and a punt 

 across Broken Rocks to Western Bay. Benjie 

 crept alongshore. 



