fish will begin to bite again for another
hour."

"I see someone standing up in that off boat, don't I?" said Mr.
Murray, reaching for the spyglass.

"No, that's only Rob Leslie's crew trying to fool us. They've tried it
before this afternoon. They think it would be a joke to coax us out
there to broil like themselves."

"Frank," shouted Mr. Murray, "come here, I want you."

Aside to Benjamin he said, "He's my nephew--a fine young chap. You'll
like him, I know."

Braithwaite came over, and Mr. Murray put one hand on his shoulder and
one on Benjamin's.

"Boys, I want you to know each other. Benjamin, this is Frank
Braithwaite. Frank, this is Benjamin Selby, the high line of the gulf
shore, as I told you."

While Mr. Murray was speaking, the two men looked steadily at each
other. The few seconds seemed very long; when they had passed,
Benjamin knew that the other man was his rival.

Braithwaite was the first to speak. He put out his hand with easy
cordiality.

"I am glad to meet you, Mr. Selby," he said heartily, "although I am
afraid I should feel very green in the presence of such a veteran
fisherman as yourself."

His frank courtesy compelled some return. Benjamin took the proffered
hand with restraint.

"I'm sorry there's no mackerel going this afternoon," continued the
American. "I wanted to have a chance at them. I never saw mackerel
caught before. I suppose I'll be very awkward at first."

"It's not a very hard thing to do," said Benjamin stiffly, speaking
for the first time since their meeting. "Most anybody could catch
mackerel for a while--it's the sticking to it that counts."

He turned abruptly and went back to his boat. He could not force
himself to talk civilly to the stranger, with that newly born demon of
distrust gnawing at his heart.

"I think I'll go out," he said. "It's freshening up. I shouldn't
wonder if the mackerel schooled soon."

"I'll go, too, then," said Mr. Murray. "Hi, up there! Leon and Pete!
Hi, I say!"

Two more French Canadians came running down from the Murray
fish-house, where they had been enjoying a siesta. They fished in the
Murray boat. A good deal of friendly rivalry as to catch went on
between the two boats, while Leon and Mosey Louis were bitter enemies
on their own personal account.

"Think you'll try it, Frank?" shouted Mr. Murray.

"Well, not this afternoon," was the answer. "It's rather hot. I'll see
what it is like tomorrow."

The boats were quic