We Go A-Fishing 133 



to accomplish something more than what every 

 one does. We should endeavor to eat our 

 cake and keep it too. I am led to say all this 

 in order to explain why it was that we did not 

 give way to dejection when we discovered, after 

 a throw or two of the lines, that the tide had 

 turned and that there were no fish to be had. 

 The other boats had begun to raise their 

 anchors and were taking advantage of the fine 

 southwesterly breeze to spread their wings for 

 home. It was a question whether the wind 

 would last until sundown or not. So the fish- 

 ing was abandoned, and we sailed over to the 

 wharfs near the oil-factories for a run on shore. 

 By the time that the last of the fishermen 

 had made sail for home, we took up the tail of 

 the procession. No more splendid breeze could 

 be desired straight from the southwest and 

 without a flaw. With our centreboard up we 

 cared not for flats there was enough water for 

 us, and our course was laid straight for home. 

 Everything in the east was hazy, and it looked 

 as if rain might be falling in the neighborhood 

 of Montauk Point, for the sun was painting 

 resplendent pictures upon the banks of clouds. 



