Then the three lads pulled hard, and in a circle, so that at last they were sending the bow of the boat straight toward the floating guy pole.The other guy pole was near the stern of the boat, the rope made fast to one of the thwarts.In a few minutes Rob had caught this first guy pole: they were now possessed of the two ends of the net.
But the water had grown suddenly quiet.Had the fish dived, and escaped them? There was not the motion of a fin anywhere, and yet the net seemed heavy to haul.
"Rob," said Neil, almost in a whisper, "we've got them!""We haven't got them, but they're in the net.Man, I wonder if it'll hold out?"Then it was that the diligent patching and the strong tackle told; for they had succeeded in inclosing a goodly portion of a large shoal of mackerel, and the weight seemed more than they could get into the boat.
But even the strength of the younger lads seemed to grow into the strength of giants when they saw through the clear water a great moving mass like quicksilver.And then the wild excitement of hauling in; the difficulty of it; the danger of the fish escaping; the warning cries of Rob; the possibility of swamping the boat, as all the four were straining their utmost at one side!
When that heaving, sparkling mass of quicksilver at last was captured, the young lads sat down quite exhausted, wet through, but happy.
"Man! Rob, what do you think of that?" said Neil, in amazement."What do I think?" said Rob."I think, that, if we could get two or threemore hauls like that, I would soon buy a share in Coll MacDougall's boat, and go after the herring."V.They had no more thought that afternoon of "cuddy" fishing afterthis famous "take," but rowed back to Erisaig; then Rob left the boat at the slip, and walked up to the office of the fish salesman.
"What will you give me for mackerel?" he said.The salesman laughed at him, thinking he had caught a few with rods and flies.
"I'm not buying mackerel," said he; "not by the half-dozen." "I have half a boat load," said Rob.
The salesman glanced toward the slip, and saw the tailor's boat pretty low in the water.
"I'll go down to the slip with you."
So he and Rob together walked down to the slip, and the salesman had a look at the mackeral.
"Well, I will buy the mackerel from you," he said."I will give you half a crown the hundred for them.""Half a crown!" said Rob."I will take three and sixpence the hundred for them.""I will not give it to you.But I will give you three shillings the hundred, and a good price too."--"Very well, then," said Rob.
So the MacNicols got altogether two pounds and eight shillings for that load of mackerel; and out of that Rob spent the eight shillings on still further improving the net, the two pounds going into the savings hank.
VI.
As time went on, by dint of hard and constant work, the sum in the savings bank slowly increased; and at last Rob announced to his companions that they had saved enough to enable him to purchase a share in Coll MacDougall's boat.
These MacNicol boys had grown to be very much respected in Erisaig; and one day, as Rob was going along the main street, the banker called him into his office."Rob," said he, "have you seen the yacht at the building yard?""Yes," said Rob, rather wistfully, for many a time he had stood and looked at the beautiful lines of the new craft; "she's a splendid boat.""Well, you see, Rob," continued Mr.Bailie, regarding him with a good-natured look, "I had the boat built as a kind of speculation.Now, I have been hearing a good deal about you, Rob, from the neighbors.Theysay that you and your brothers and cousin are good, careful seamen.Now, do you think you could manage that new boat?"Rob was quite bewildered.All he could say was, "I am obliged to you, sir.Will you wait for a minute till I see Neil?" And very soon the wild rumor ran through Erisaig, that Rob MacNicol had been appointed master of the new yacht the Mary of Argyle and that he had taken his brothers and cousin as a crew.
