FISHERMEN'S OWN BOOK. 175 



Rob's First Cruise. 



BY S. G. D. 



It was an event of importance when John Wayne bought the Phillis with 

 the accumulated savings of many years, and began to go master of his own 

 vessel. He and his wife Margery had discussed the matter many times and 

 weighed the pros and cons carefully before the purchase was completed. 

 And when the bargain was fully concluded, and the Phillis was brought 

 round to the little cove before the cottage door, the repairing and painting 

 and outfitting of the Phillis was a topic of ever fresh and all-absorbing in- 

 terest to John and Margery, and Rob and little Ran ; and the fishermen at 

 the cove, and all the boys in the region roundabout came by twos and 

 threes to critically inspect and comment on John Wayne's craft. 



Proudest of all was Rob. "Father '11 go skipper now," he remarked glee- 

 fully. "I'll tell you what, I shall be skipper a good part of the time 

 when I play with the cove boys, that is, if I play with them any more now. 

 I think I am big enough to leave school and go cook. Can't I go, father ? 

 I shall be thirteen next Spring, you know, and I have got to the Rule of 

 Three in arithmetic." 



John Wayne thought, however, it would be wiser for Rob to keep on at 

 his ciphering awhile longer, and when the long Summer vacation came, he 

 should go two or three trips and see how he liked fishing. But he must 

 learn a little about cooking first. And with that Rob had to be content. 



Did ever the weeks of a term of school before stretch out so endlessly } 

 Long before vacation came Rob had become quite an adept in the making 

 of bread and molasses short-cake, and in the preparation of various dishes 

 adapted to the menu of a Galilee fisherman. But, as an end comes to all 

 terrestrial things, tedious howsoever they may be, so there came a blissful 

 day when Rob danced home with his books, too happy to walk soberly, now 

 that the vacation had really come. And for once he was in great luck ; for 

 the Phillis was in and would be ready to sail for the fishing ground the first 

 of the following week. 



'^Vhat a perfect Summer morning it was when Rob proudly sailed away on 

 his first cruise just as the rays of the rising sun illumined the sparkling sea. 

 Margery fondly looked after her boy so gaily swinging his hat, and her hus- 

 band standing at the tiller, till she could distinguish them no longer, and 

 then she watched the Phillis till it was a mere speck on the blue waters of 

 the bay. And when she turned to her morning tasks how still and lonely 



