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Then such boys as were awake saw two great eyes of light coming up from
Granton； rattle went the chain cable； and Lord Ipsden's cutter swung at
anchor in four fathom water。
A thousand questions to Flucker。
A single puff of tobacco…smoke was his answer。
And now crept up a single eye of light from Leith； she came among the
boats； the boys recognized a crazy old cutter from Leith harbor； with
Christie Johnstone on board。
〃What is that brown heap on her deck？〃
〃A mountain of netsfifty stout herring…nets。〃
_Tunc manifesta fides。_
A yell burst from all the boys。
〃He's gaun to tak us to Dunbar。〃
〃Half a crown！ ye're no blate。〃
Christie ordered the boats alongside her cutter； and five nets were
dropped into each boat； six into Flucker's。
The depth of the water was given them； and they were instructed to shoot
their nets so as to keep a fathom and a half above the rocky bottom。
A herring net is simply a wall of meshes twelve feet deep； fifty feet
long； it sinks to a vertical position by the weight of net twine； and is
kept from sinking to the bottom of the sea by bladders or corks。 These
nets are tied to one another； and paid out at the stern of the boat。 Boat
and nets drift with the tide； if； therefore； the nets touched the rocks
they would be torn to pieces； and the fisherman ruined。
And this saves the herringthat fish lies hours and hours at the very
bottom of the sea like a stone； and the poor fisherman shall drive with
his nets a yard or two over a square mile of fish； and not catch a
herring tail； on the other hand； if they rise to play for five minutes；
in that five minutes they shall fill seven hundred boats。
At nine o'clock all the boats had shot their nets； and Christie went
alongside his lordship's cutter； he asked her many questions about
herring fishery； to which she gave clear answers； derived from her
father； who had always been what the fishermen call a lucky fisherman；
that is； he had opened his eyes and judged for himself。
Lord Ipsden then gave her blue lights to distribute among the boats； that
the first which caught herring might signal all hands。
This was done； and all was expectation。 Eleven o'clock cameno signal
from any boat。
Christie became anxious。 At last she went round to the boats； found the
boys all asleep except the baddish boy； waked them up； and made them all
haul in their first net。 The nets came in as black as ink； no sign of a
herring。
There was but one opinion； there was no herring at Inch Keith； they had
not been there this seven years。
At last； Flucker； to whom she came in turn； told her he was going into
two fathom water； where he would let out the bladders and drop the nets
on their cursed backs。
A strong remonstrance was made by Christie； but the baddish boy insisted
that he had an equal right in all her nets； and； setting his sail； he ran
into shoal water。
Christie began to be sorrowful； instead of making money； she was going to
throw it away； and the ne'er…do…weel Flucker would tear six nets from the
ropes。
Flucker hauled down his sail； and unstepped his mast in two fathom water；
but he was not such a fool as to risk his six nets； he devoted one to his
experiment； and did it well； he let out his bladder line a fathom； so
that one half his net would literally be higgledy…piggledy with the
rocks； unless the fish were there _en masse。_
No long time was required。
In five minutes he began to haul in the net； first； the boys hauled in
the rope； and then the net began to approach the surface。 Flucker looked
anxiously down； the other lads incredulously； suddenly they all gave a
yell of triumphan appearance of silver and lightning mixed had glanced
up from the bottom； in came the first two yards of the netthere were
three herrings in it。 These three proved Flucker's point as well as three
million。
They hauled in the net。 Before they had a quarter of it in； the net came
up to the surface； and the sea was alive with molten silver。 The upper
half of the net was empty； but the lower half was one solid mass of fish。
The boys could not find a mesh； they had nothing to handle but fish。
At this moment the easternmost boat showed a blue light。
〃The fish are rising；〃 said Flucker； 〃we'll na risk nae mair nets。〃
Soon after this a sort of song was heard from the boat that had showed a
light。 Flucker； who had got his net in； ran down to her； and found； as he
suspected； that the boys had not power to draw the weight of fish over
the gunwale。
They were singing； as sailors do； that they might all pull together； he
gave them two of his crew； and ran down to his own skipper。
The said skipper gave him four men。
Another blue light！
Christie and her crew came a little nearer the boats； and shot twelve
nets。
The yachtsmen entered the sport with zeal； so did his lordship。
The boats were all full in a few minutes； and nets still out。
Then Flucker began to fear some of these nets would sink with the weight
of fish； for the herring die after a while in a net； and a dead herring
sinks。
What was to be done？
They got two boats alongside the cutter； and unloaded them into her as
well as they could； but before they could half do this the other boats
hailed them。
They came to one of them； the boys were struggling with a thing which no
stranger would have dreamed was a net。
Imagine a white sheet； fifty feet long； varnished with red…hot silver。
There were twenty barrels in this single net。 By dint of fresh hands they
got half of her in； and then the meshes began to break； the men leaned
over the gunwale； and put their arms round blocks and masses of fish； and
so flung them on board； and the codfish and dogfish snapped them almost
out of the men's hands like tigers。
At last they came to a net which was a double wall of herring； it had
been some time in the water； and many of the fish were dead； they tried
their best； but it was impracticable； they laid hold of the solid
herring； and when they lifted up a hundred…weight clear of the water；
away it all tore； and sank back again。
They were obliged to cut away this net； with twenty pounds sterling in
her。 They cut away the twine from the head…ropes； and net and fish went
to the bottom。
All hands were now about the cutter； Christie's nets were all strong and
new； they had been some time in the water； in hauling them up her side；
quantities of fish fell out of the net into the water； but there were
enough left。
She averaged twelve barrels a net。
Such of the yawls as were not quite full crept between the cutter and the
nets； and caught all they wanted。
The projector of this fortunate speculation suddenly announced that she
was very sleepy。
Flucker rolled her up in a sail； and she slept the sleep of infancy on
board her cutter。
When she awoke it was seven o'clock in the morning； and her cutter was
creeping with a smart breeze about two miles an hour； a mile from
Newhaven pier。
The yacht had returned to Granton； and the yawls； very low in the water；
were creeping along like snails； with both sails set。
The news was in Edinburgh long before they landed。 They had been
discerned