DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 277 



told that the captain ofttimes dined, and sometimes 

 slept, on board. A tar-smudged, iron crock, half 

 filled with dying embers on which potatoes baked, 

 gave forth a pleasant, peaty smell but, like all else 

 on board, it was the worse for use and stood 

 lopsidedly on two legs, and on that portion of its 

 bottom that had lost the third. So much were man 

 and boat alike that after some days spent with him 

 and her I had to ask if he had made it himself. 



Millet was the first to speak. "Jennings, these 

 gentlemen want you to take them for pollack to- 



morrow." 



"Shure thin it's meself that will be delighted to 

 do that same and see the jintlemen hauling at the 

 monsters, and it's me gear, and none like it, will 

 hould thim." 



Jennings' eyes turned to where a number of stout 

 cord lines, wound upon wooden frames, lay, and 

 then he smilingly remarked : 



" It's fun they'll be giving yer honours if it plaises 

 the weather." 



As we were turning to go I said : " Have you a 

 gaff, Jennings ? " 



The answer to this held a reproach as if the 

 speaker thought it was in my mind to doubt his 

 lines. 



" Gaff, yer honour ? It's no gaff ye'll need." 



We I say "we" as I do not desire to hurt 

 tender feelings had lost our gaff and I feared for 

 our chances of replacing it, but I got one that 

 evening which answered splendidly. An obliging 

 man, all Irishmen are that, unscrewed a hook from 

 out the ceiling of his shop and then, with the aid of 

 a gimlet, got it into the end of a broom handle. I 



