their heads from side to side to dodge the shot. They were as black as sweeps when the flurry ended; but a pile of fresh squid lay on the deck, and the large cod thinks very well of a little shiny piece of squid tentacle at the tip of a clam-baited hook. Next day they caught many fish, and met the Carrie Pitman , to whom they shouted their luck, and she wanted to trade—seven cod for one fair-sized squid; but Disko would not agree at the price, and the Carrie dropped sullenly to leeward and anchored half a mile away, in the hope of striking on to some for herself.
Disco said nothing till after supper, when he sent Dan and Manuel out to buoy the We’re Here ’s cable and announced his intention of turning in with the broad-axe. Dan naturally repeated these remarks to the dory from the Carrie , who wanted to know why they were buoying their cable, since they were not on rocky bottom.
“Dad sez he wouldn’t trust a ferryboat within five mile o’ you,” Dan howled cheerfully.
“Why don’t he git out, then? Who’s hinderin’?” said the other.
“ ’Cause you’ve jest the same ez lee-bowed him, an’ he don’t take that from any boat, not to speak o’ sech a driftin’ gurry-butt as you be.”
“She ain’t driftin’ any this trip,” said the man angrily, for the Carrie Pitman had an unsavory reputation for breaking her ground-tackle.
“Then haow d’you make berths?” said Dan. “It’s her best p’int o’ sailin’. An’ ef she’s quit driftin’, what in thunder are you doin’ with a new jib-boom?” That shot went home.
“Hey, you Portugoosy organ-grinder, take your monkey back to Gloucester. Go back to school, Dan Troop,” was the answer.
“O‑ver‑alls! O‑ver‑alls!” yelled Dan, who knew that one of the Carrie ’s crew had worked in an overall factory the winter before.