296 ALONGSHORE v 



charge. Meanwhile, we will fetch from our 

 lodgings some more clothes.' 



'Bien, ni'sieiir. Almost Immediately I go to 

 prepare your equipage.' 



Our equipage! That was the end of deciding 

 to start, which, as all longshoremen know, is the 

 toughest part of fishing. We returned to the 

 cafe; 'thic perty li'l maid' braved the charcutier; 

 and when we went along the quay with coats and 

 the equipage ( a bottle of red wine, two bottles of 

 eau-de-vie, and a paper packet of garlicky sliced 

 sausages) under our arms, It was much like going 

 drifting at home. The basket, even, had Its 

 handle broken on one side, for all the world 

 like our baskets at home. 'So that's It, Is It?' 

 exclaimed Jim, In reference to nothing at all; and 

 I laughed, as one laughs when a weight (In this 

 case, of sausages) is off one's mind. L'oncle Jean 

 greeted us. 'You are not coming!' he cried, 

 fishing out a small copper box from underneath 

 his blouse. 'Then make a cigarette — Belgian 

 tobacco — tres hon — ver' goot, ver' sheap — It has 

 not paid duty.' After that welcome, it was, as 

 It were, our own ship that we boarded, puffing 

 smuggled cigarettes. 



By noon the last cart-load of coal had been 



