A SHELLBACK OF THE CROUCH 301 



egg of one o' they roker, laid after she got in the net." 

 And, to satisfy Maldoon that he was not joking, the 

 skipper opened the biggest of the roker, and drew forth 

 a handful of similar eggs, together with a quantity of 

 immature eggs resembling the yolks of an ordinary hen's 



egg. 



" Lesson No. 1. regarding the roker," said Pat ; but he 



had more to learn about the roker — more, indeed, than 



he bargained for, as I shall presently show. 



Shortly after the trawl had been cleared of crabs, sea- 

 weed, etc., it was again dropped over the stern ; and then 

 Dan set to work cleaning the catch, laying the smaller 

 flat-fish and bullrouts on one side, to be hung up in the 

 rigging to dry and become firm before being fried on the 

 cabin stove for luncheon. 



" What a magnificent view ! " suddenly exclaimed 

 Maldoon, as he sat smoking on the cabin top. 



" Ah ! it's a fine view, and no mistake, sir. Those 

 high landmarks you see to the southward are the 

 Reculvers towers ; and if you look through the glasses 

 further along the coast, you will be able to make out 

 Margate — I can see it with my naked eye. That piece 

 on the Essex coast is Clacton ; and, deary me, how the 

 place have growed the last few years. It don't seem 

 long since it warn't much more than a village, and gunners 

 used to get some tidy shooting along the shore ; but, bless 

 me, you wouldn't see half-a-dozen head o' fowl there in a 

 season, nowadays. Tide's just on the turn, gentlemen, 

 and we'll take another haul at the net when you're agree- 



