behind him to begin softly rubbing his back: "he've gone yonder
to do somethin' to his boat."

"Come on, Mike; we'll cut straight across here and catch him. It's much
nearer."

"Going fishing, young sirs?" said the man.

"Yes, and for a sail."

"If you see that boy o' mine--"

"What, Lobster?" said Vince.

"Eh? lobster?" said the man eagerly. "Ay, if you ketch any, you might
leave us one as you come back. I arn't seen one for a week."

"All right," said Mike, after a merry glance at Vince; "if we get any
we'll leave you one."

"Ay, do, lad," said the man. "Good for them as has to tyle all day. If
you see my boy, tell him I want him. I'm not going to do all the work
and him nothing."

"We'll tell him," said Vince.

"And if he says he won't come, you lick him, mind. Don't you be
feared."

The boys were pretty well out of hearing when the last words were
spoken; and after a sharp trot, along by the side of the cliff where it
was possible, they came to the rugged descent leading to old Daygo's
tiny port.

This time they were not disappointed, for they caught sight of the old
man's cap as he stood below with his back to them, driving a wooden peg
into a crack in the rock with a rounded boulder, ready for hanging up
some article of fishing-gear.

"You ask him," said Mike: "he likes you best."

"All right," said Vince; and, putting his hands to his lips, he shouted
out, "Daygo, ahoy!"

"Ahoy!" cried the old man, without turning his head; and he kept on
thumping away till the boys had reached him, when he slowly turned to
face them, and threw down the great pebble.

Vince was too thorough to hesitate, and he opened the business at once,
in his outspoken way:

"Here, Joe!" he cried; "we want you to lend us your boat to go for a
sail."

"To lend you my boat to go for a sail?" said the old man, nodding his
head softly.

"Yes; and we shan't be very long, because we must be back to tea."

"And you won't be very long, because you must be back to tea?"

"Yes; and we won't trouble you. We can get it out ourselves."

"And you won't trouble me, because you can get it out yourselves?"

"That's right."

"Oh, that's right, is it, Master Vince? That's what you thinks," said
the old fisherman.

"But you'll lend it to us, won't you?"

"Nay, my lad--I won't."

"Why?"

"Why?" said Daygo, beginning to rasp his nose, according to custom, with
his rough forefinger. "He says why? Mebbe you'd lose h