242 ALONGSHORE iv 



us? 'Tisn't as if us know'd the herrings was 

 there after a gale like what us have a-had. They'm 

 gone into deep water. There isn't no prospects, 

 I tell 'ee." 



' "I've a-catched 'em times likes this," I 

 says. 



' "Seems to me," says Bare-knees joining in, 

 "that them as can go out don't want to go, an' 

 them as wants to can't get the chance." 



' "Thee's better ****** well go then," says 

 Jack, "I hain't going." 



' "Do 'ee mean it?" I says. 



' "Mean it — aye !" says Jack, wi' his rag proper 

 out. "Take 'en, if thee't minded. An' if thee's 

 lose nets thee ca'st get he pay for 'em." 



'Which put my rag out too. "Come on !" 

 I says to Bare-knees; an' down us shoved the 

 drifter. "Don' 'ee want to go home an' fetch 

 some things?" I asted 'en. "No," he says; an' 

 in he jumps, just like he was, bare-kneed. If he'd 

 ha' gone home for to fetch ort, very likely us 

 wouldn't ha' gone, 'cause the fog come'd on 

 thicker'n ever; couldn't see nort. An' I daresay, 

 if the truth was told, he hadn't got nort to his 

 name for to go an' fetch. Cheated the gulls out o' 

 some bread an' stuff o' mine what had been in the 



