at to them Frenchies; for their fishing boats
have to keep so close over to their own shores that they can't take
much. Besides, all their best fishermen are away in the privateers,
and the lads have to go to fight Boney's battles with the Austrians or
Russians, or Spanish or our chaps, or else to go on board their ships
of war and spend all their time cooped up in harbor, for they scarce
show now beyond the range of the guns in their forts. Well, will you
come this evening?"

"Yes, I think so, Joe. My mother doesn't much care about my being out
at night, you know; but as I have been away all this time to please
her, I expect she will let me do what I like for the rest of the
holidays."

"Don't you come if your mother don't like it, Master Conway; there is
never no good comes of boys vexing their mothers. I have known
misfortune to follow it over and over again. Boys think as they know
best what's good for them; but they don't, and sooner or later they
are sure to own it to themselves."

"I shouldn't do it if I knew she really didn't like it, Joe; but I
don't think she does mind my going out with you at any time. She knows
she can trust you. Beside, what harm could come of it? You never go
out in very rough weather."

"Pretty roughish sometimes, Master Conway."

"Oh, yes, pretty rough; but not in a gale, you know. Beside, the
Heartsease could stand a goodish gale. She is not very fast, you know,
but she is as safe as a house."

"She is fast enough," the old fisherman said in an injured tone. "But
you young gentlemen is never content unless a boat is heeling over,
gunnel under, and passing everything she comes across. What's the good
of that ere to a fisherman? He goes out to catch fish, not to strain
his craft all over by running races against another. Now an hour
faster or slower makes no difference, and the Heartsease is fast
enough for me, anyhow."

"No, she isn't, Joe. I have heard you use bad language enough when
anything overhauls and passes her on the way back to port."

"Ay, that may be," the fisherman admitted; "and on the way home I
grant you that a little more speed might be an advantage, for the
first comer is sure to get the best market. No, the Heartsease ain't
very fast, I own up to that; but she is safe and steady, and she has
plenty of storage room and a good roomy cabin as you can stand upright
in, and needn't break your back by stooping as you have to do on board
some craft I could name."