22. THE BARE-KNEED MATE 



'Who? Thic there whipsey little chap scraping 

 Bill Brimworthy's drifter? There isn't nort the 

 matter wi' he, not that I knows of. He looks a 

 sight better 'n he used to, anyhow. But he don't 

 look like a fisherman that's been at it all his life — 

 do he? — for all he wears a guernsey like the rest 

 o'us, which you've got to if you goes to sea much 

 an' handles nets. Coat-buttons catches in every- 

 thing. An' he ain't a proper fisherman, nuther, 

 though he's a chap as goes fishing an' been on the 

 beach this ten year or more. If ever anybody was 

 mazed for to get to sea, he was; an' as 't turned 

 out 'twas me give'd 'en his fust chance. The Bare- 

 kneed Mate, us calls 'en, 'cause he jumped into the 

 boat bare-kneed, on the hop, like, wi'out ort wi'en. 

 *An't 'ee never spoke to 'en? He could spin 

 'ee up a yarn if he was minded. Ol' Bare-knees 

 have a-see'd hard times, if anybody have. I reckon 



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