happened. Soon he
became a timid, shrinking lad, utterly lacking confidence in the
strength of his arms and his skill with an oar and a sail; and after
that came to pass, his life was hard. He was afraid to go out to the
fishing-grounds, where he must go every day with his father to keep
the head of the punt up to the wind, and he had a great fear of the
wind and the fog and the breakers. But he was not a coward. On the
contrary, although he was circumspect in all his dealings with the
sea, he never failed in his duty.

In Ruddy Cove all the men put out their salmon nets when the ice
breaks up and drifts away southward, for the spring run of salmon then
begins. These nets are laid in the sea, at right angles to the rocks
and extending out from them; they are set alongshore, it may be a mile
or two, from the narrow passage to the harbour. The outer end is
buoyed and anchored, and the other is lashed to an iron stake which is
driven deep into some crevice of the rock.

When belated icebergs hang offshore a watch must be kept on the nets,
lest they be torn away or ground to pulp by the ice.

"The wind's haulin' round a bit, b'y," said Donald's father, one day
in spring, when the lad was twelve years old, and he was in the
company of Jimmie Grimm and Billy Topsail on the sunny slope of the
Broken Nose. "I think 'twill freshen and blow inshore afore night."

"They's a scattered pan of ice out there, father," said Donald, "and
three small bergs."

"Yes, b'y, I knows," said North. "'Tis that I'm afeared of. If the
wind changes a bit more, 'twill jam the ice agin the rocks. Does you
think the net is safe?"

Jimmie Grimm glanced at Billy Topsail; and Billy Topsail glanced at
Jimmie Grimm.

"Wh-wh-what, sir?" Donald stammered.

It was quite evident that the net was in danger, but since Donald had
first shown sign of fearing the sea, Job North had not compelled him
to go out upon perilous undertakings. He had fallen into the habit of
leaving the boy to choose his own course, believing that in time he
would master himself.

"I says," he repeated, quietly, "does you think that net's in
danger?"

Billy Topsail nudged Jimmie Grimm. They walked off together. It would
never do to witness a display of Donald's cowardice.

"He'll not go," Jimmie Grimm declared.

"'Tis not so sure," said Billy.

"I tell you," Jimmie repeated, confidently, "that he'll never go out
t' save that net." "But!" he added; "he'll have no heart f