r
again, when she declared herself still "all in a fog!"

Her brother, however, the barrister, comprehended it at once.

"I should think it was great fun," he observed; "so I would like to come
with you."

"Do," said the Captain, with much heartiness. "You'll be amply repaid
for the trouble. It is intensely exciting waiting and watching for what
the trawl will bring up. It's just like dipping your hands in the
`lucky bag,' Miss Nellie, at Christmas-time."

"Do you ever find any very curious things, Captain?" she inquired on
being thus appealed to. "I mean really curious things!"

"Oh yes, my dear," replied the old sailor. "I was once out trawling
with a fisherman off Saint Helens, when we dragged up a donkey-cart!"

"O-oh!" exclaimed Nellie, opening her blue eyes wide with wonder. "Did
you catch the donkey as well?"

"Well, no," answered the Captain, smiling at her amazement, her eyes
being so big and her face such a study. "The poor man's donkey, missy,
had been eaten by the crabs, but the cart was there, shafts, wheels, and
all; and, a nice mess the lot made of the trawl-net, tearing it all to
pieces!"

"That clenches it then. I'll come with you by all means!" cried Mr
Dugald Strong, a pleased smile creeping over his face as he rubbed his
hands with expectant glee. "If you find such strange fish as that, it
must be worth going out."

"All right, I shall be glad of your company," replied the Captain;
"only, mind, you'll have to work your passage, and help hauling in the
trawl."

"I agree to that," said the other; and, the matter being thus settled,
it was arranged that they should proceed the following day on their
expedition, if the weather were favourable and nothing occurred to alter
their plans. Nellie was specially granted permission to accompany the
party, much against the wish of her mother, who declared that she would
spoil all her things to a certainty; saying besides, that, from what she
had gathered of the conversation, she did not believe trawling was a
very ladylike pursuit, "for little girls, at all events."

However, all the same, Miss Nellie was up betimes the next morning, and
sallied out with Bob and his father, whose pet she was, just as the
early milkman was coming his rounds; the trio getting down to the beach
punctually at seven o'clock, the hour fixed by the Captain for their
start.

Here they found the old sailor and Dick, ready and waiting for them;
when, going off in