lyo ALONGSHORE m 



'Why dl'sn't stay out, then, till 'twas daylight? 

 Nice little haul that'd ha' been — day's work afore 

 breakfast. Us have a-missed thic bit lying in bed.' 



Tom were in bed. . . .' 



'FoM might so well ha' been!' 



The drifters came in with several thousand a 

 boat. Immediately prices fell. After breakfast 

 two or three large hauls — chiefly of small fish — - 

 were again made by the men from the other end. 

 Buyers refused to deal. Mackerel were left on 

 the beach. 



During that day, while the sun was high in the 

 sky, the fish held off. They were not, it seemed, 

 on the feed. Hookers caught nothing extra- 

 ordinary. But at sundown the shout went up, 

 'There they be ! Lookse ! there they be again, 

 all alongshore !' 



'Let 'em bide,' said fishermen. 'They hain't 

 wuth the bother o' catching.' 



'There they be ! There they be !' urged the 

 beachcombers and loafers, who wanted a few 

 mackerel for breakfast, or half-a-dozen to sell 

 for a drink, and knew that after the haul was 

 made they would not be troubled with the net 

 or boat. 'There they be ! Right under your 

 nose !' they cried. 'Can't help but catch 'em.' 



