t when it is taken out of the water;
and I have got bread and a keg of beer, to say nothing of a mouthful
of spirits in case we get wet. Not that it looks likely we shall, for
I doubts if there will be any rain to-night I think there will be more
wind perhaps, and that it will get thicker; that's my view of the
weather."

They sailed straight out to sea. Joe had fitted his boat to be worked
with the aid of a boy only. He had a handy winch, by which he hoisted
his heavy lug-sails, and when the weather was rough hauled up his
trawls. Of these he carried two, each fourteen feet long, and fished
with them one out on each quarter. When he reached the fishing ground
six miles out, Joe lowered the mizzen lug and reefed the main, for
there was plenty of wind to keep the boat going at the pace required
for trawling under the reduced sail. Then the trawls were got
overboard, each being fastened to the end of a stout spar lashed
across the deck, and projecting some eight feet on either side, by
which arrangement the trawls were kept well apart. They were hauled
alternately once an hour, two hours being allowed after they were put
down before the first was examined.

By the time the first net came up the sun had set. The wind had
freshened a bit since they had started, but there was no sea to speak
of. The night had set in thick, and the stars could only occasionally
be seen. Joe had picked out two or three fine fish from the first
haul, and these he took down and soon had frizzling in a frying-pan
over the fire, which he had lighted as soon as the boat was under
sail.

"These are for you, Master Conway," he said. "With your permission I
shall stick to that ere piece of beef your mother was good enough to
send. Fish ain't no treat to me, and I don't often get meat. Keep your
eye lifting while I am down below. There ain't many craft about in
these days, still we might tumble against one."

"I should not see a light far in this mist, Joe."

"No, you couldn't; and what's worse, many of them don't carry no
lights at all."

"It would be a good thing, Joe, if there was a law to make all vessels
carry lights."

"Ay, ay, lad; but you see in war times it ain't always convenient. A
peaceful merchantman don't want to show her lights to any privateers
that may happen to be cruising about, and you may be sure that the
privateer don't want to attract the attention of peaceful traders
until she is close upon them, or to come under the e