3o6 ALONGSHORE v 



the forecastle. We, too, were called for our 

 supper. 



In the narrow chart-room, the skipper and two 

 fishermen were wedged bolt upright, along the 

 wallseat. Like three gigantic mechanical dolls 

 they looked, all in loose brown jumpers; and the 

 resemblance of the place to a toy-shop was not 

 diminished by the sacred statuettes in a glass- 

 fronted box shaped like a doll's-house, which 

 hung above their heads between the aneroid 

 barometer and a clock. Upon the brass-bound 

 flap-table, underneath a very modern electric glow- 

 lamp, stood a basin of hot, savoury stew, into 

 which, primitively, they fished for titbits and 

 dipped their hunks of bread. 'Shipboard cus- 

 toms,' the skipper apologised. 'Ours also afloat,' 

 we said, 'only we cannot have hot stew at sea.' 

 They would not share our wine and charcuterie, 

 saying, 'The ship's beer and stew are better.' 

 And so they were. 



'Beer for us ! A votre sante, messieurs' said 

 the skipper, nodding. 



A la votre, et a la pechel De la bonne chance 

 — bonne prise/' 



Jim smiled his compliments; he would have 

 been more emphatic had he understood that on 



