fun! Here, when are you going to put in that line?"

"Sundown," said Josh.

"Here, I want to go," said our friend on the pier. "I'll give you a
shilling if you'll take me."

"No; we can't take you," said Josh grimly. "We should make you in such
a mess you'd have to be washed."

"There, Taff, I told you so," cried Dick. "Why don't you put on your
flannels. I hate being dressed up at the sea-side!" he added to himself
as his brother stalked impatiently away.

"There, now, he's chuffy," said Dick, half to himself. "Oh! I do wish
he wasn't so soon upset! Hi, Taff, old man, don't go, I'm coming soon.
He had a bad illness once, you know," he said confidentially to Will;
but his brother did not stop, walking slowly away along the pier, to be
met by a tall, dark, keen-looking man of about forty who was coming from
the inn.

"I say," said Dick, who did not see the encounter at the shore end of
the pier, "I _should_ like to come with you to-night."

"Why, you'd be sea-sick," said Josh, laughing.

"Oh, no! I shouldn't. I've been across the Channel eight times and not
ill. I say, you'll let me come?"

Will looked at Josh, who was turning the new wire binding of the
gaff-hook into a file for the gentle rubbing of his nose.

"Shall we take him, Josh?" said Will.

"I don't mind," replied that worthy, "only he'll get in a gashly mess."

"I don't mind," said Dick. "Flannels will wash. I'll put on my old
ones, and--"

"Why, Dick, what are you doing there?" cried the keen-looking man, who
had come down the pier.

"Talking to the fishermen, father," cried the boy, starting up. "I say,
they're going out to lay this line. May I go with them?"

His father hesitated a moment and glanced quickly to seaward before
turning to Josh.

"Weather going to be fine?" he said in a quick way that indicated
business more than command, though there was enough of the latter in his
speech to make Josh answer readily:

"Going to be fine for a week;" and then confidentially, "We'll take care
on him."

The stranger smiled.

"Yes, you can go, Dick; but take care of yourself. It does not take you
long to make friends, young man. Come, Arthur, I'm going for a walk
along the beach."

"Can't I go with Dick, papa?" said the boy addressed, in an ill-used
tone.

"No; I should think three will be enough in a small boat; and besides--"

He said no more, but glanced in a half-amused way at his son's costume,
being himself in a