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‘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 three more hauls like that I would soon buy a share in Coll MacDougall’s boat and go after the herring.’

They had no more thought that afternoon of ‘cuddy’-fishing after this famous take. Rob and Neil–the younger ones having had their share–rowed back to Erisaig; then Rob left the boat at the slip, and walked up to the office of the fish-salesman.

‘What will ye give me for mackerel?’ he said.

The salesman laughed at him, thinking he had caught a few with rods and flies.

‘I’m no buying mackerel,’ said he; ‘no by the half-dozen.’

‘I’ve half a boat load,’ said Rob.

The salesman glanced towards the slip, and saw the tailor’s boat pretty low in the water.

‘Is that mackerel?’

‘Yes, it is mackerel.’

‘Where were you buying them?’

‘I was not buying them anywhere. I caught them myself–my brothers and me.’

‘I do not believe you.’

‘I cannot help that, then,’ said Rob. ‘But where had I the money to buy mackerel from any one?’

The salesman glanced at the boat again.

‘I’ll go down to the slip with you.’

So he and Rob together walked down to the slip, and the salesmen had a look at the mackerel. Apparently he had arrived at the conclusion that, after all, Rob was not likely to have bought a cargo of mackerel as a commercial speculation.

‘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 2 pounds 8 shillings for that load of mackerel: and out of that Rob spent the eight shillings on still further improving the net; the 2 pounds going into the savings bank. It is to be imagined that after this they kept a pretty sharp look-out for ‘broken water;’ but of course they could not expect to run across a shoal of mackerel every day.

However, as time went on, with bad luck and with good, and by dint of hard and constant work whatever the luck was, 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. Neil and Duncan and Nicol were sorely disinclined to part with Rob; but yet they saw clearly enough that he was getting too old to remain at the cuddy-fishing, and they knew they could now work that line of business quite well by themselves. What Rob said was this:

‘You see it is a great chance for all of us that I should get a share in the boat; for what I make at the herring-fishing will go into the bank along with what you make at the trawling by the shore. And who knows, if we all work hard enough, who knows but we may have a herring-skiff all to ourselves some day? And that would be a fine thing to have a herring-skiff to ourselves, and our own nets; and all that we earned our own, and not in debt to any one whatever.’

Of course that was a dream of the future; for a herring-skiff costs a considerable sum of money, and so do nets. But in the meantime they were all agreed that what Rob counselled was wise; and a share in Coll MacDougall’s boat was accordingly purchased, after a great deal of bargaining.

A proud lad was Rob MacNicol the afternoon he came along to the wharf to take his place in the boat that was now partly his own. His brothers and cousin were there to see him (envious a little, perhaps; but proud also, for part of their money had gone to buy the share). He had likewise purchased second-hand a huge pair of boots that were as soft and pliable as grease could make them; and he carried a brand-new yellow oilskin in his hand that crackled as he walked. Neil, Duncan, and Nicol watched him throw his oilskin into the boat, and go forward to the bow, and take his place there at the oar; and they knew very well that if there was any one who could pull a huge oar better than Rob MacNicol, it was not in Erisaig that that person was to be found. Then the big herring-skiff passed away out to the point in the red glow of the evening; and Rob had achieved the first great ambition of his life.