VII.
Then came the afternoon on which they were to set out for the
first time after the herring. All Erisaig came out to see; and
Rob was a proud lad as he stepped on board, and took his seat as
stroke oar.
It was not until they were at the mouth of the harbor that
something occurred which seemed likely to turn this fine setting
out into ridicule. This was Daft Sandy (a half-witted old man to
whom Robert MacNicol had been kind), who rowed his boat right
across the course of the Mary of Argyle, and, as she came up,
called to Rob.
"What do you want?" cried Rob.
"I want to come on board, Rob," the old man said, as he now rowed
his boat up to the stern of the yacht. "Rob," said he, in a
whisper, as he fastened the painter of his boat, "I promised I
would tell you something. I'll show you how to find the herring."
"You!" said Rob.
"Yes, Rob," said Daft Sandy; "I'll make a rich man of you. I will
tell you something about the herring that no one in Erisaig
knows,--that no one in all Scotland knows."
Then he begged Rob to take him for that night's fishing.
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