He had
discovered a sure sign of the presence of herring, unknown to any
of the fishermen: it was the appearance, on the surface of the
water, of small air-bubbles.
Rob MacNicol was doubtful, for he had never heard of this thing
before; but at last he could not resist the pleading of the old
man. So they pulled in, and anchored the boats until toward
sunset. Then, taking poor Sandy on board of the Mary of Argyle,
they set forth again, rowing slowly as the light faded out of the
sky, and keeping watch all around on the almost glassy sea.
VIII.
The night was coming on, and they were far away from home; but
old Sandy kept up his watch, studying the water as though he
expected to find pearls floating in it. At last, in great
excitement, he grasped Rob's arm. Leaning over the side of the
boat, they could just make out in the dusk a great quantity of
air-bubbles rising to the surface.
"Put some stones along with the sinkers, Rob," the old man said,
in a whisper, as though he were afraid of the herring hearing.
"Go deep, deep, deep!"
To let out a long drift-net, which sometimes goes as deep as
fifteen fathoms, is an easy affair: but to haul it in again is a
hard task; and when it happens to be laden, and heavily laden,
with silver gleaming fish, that is a breakback business for four
young lads.
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