limpet was a kind
of profanation. He was a keen fisherman, but he would rather have missed
the chance of catching the largest lithe that ever swam than lure it
with a bait fastened with Una's glossy hair.

They fished till noon, and the tide rose slowly round their rock. Then
Una's luncheon basket was fetched from the boat, the mooring rope
was made secure above high water mark, and the three sat down on the
sun-baked rock and ate with keen appetites. Maurice stared seawards.

"That brig," he said, "is lying very close inshore. Look at her, Neal."

"I saw her pass the point of the Skerries an hour ago." said Neal. "She
must have hauled her wind since then to fetch in so close with the tide
running against her."

"I wonder why she's doing it," said Maurice. "She'll have to run off
again to clear Benmore."

"She looks a big ship," said Una.

"Maybe she's 250 tons," said Neal. "She's about the size of the brig
that sailed from Portrush for Boston last summer year with two hundred
emigrants in her."

"She's fetching closer in yet," said Maurice. "See, she's hoisted some
flag or other, two flags, no, three, from the peak of her spanker. It's
a signal. I wonder what they want. Now they've laid her to. She must
want a boat out from the shore. Come on, Neal, come on, Brown-Eyes.
We'll go out to her. We'll be first. There's no other boat nearer than
those at the Port, and we've got a long start of them. Never mind the
fish. Or wait. Fling them in. I dare say the men on the brig will be
glad of them. She must be an American."

In a few minutes the boat was pulled clear of the little bay and out of
the shelter of Rackle Roy. The mast was stepped and the sail set.
The sheet was slacked out and the boat sped seawards before the wind.
Maurice was all impatience. He got out his oar.

"It's no use," said Neal, "the breeze has freshened since morning.
She'll sail quicker than we could row."

The brig lay little more than a mile from the shore. The boat soon
reached her.

"Boat, ahoy," yelled a voice from the deck. "Lower your sail, and come
up under my lee."

Maurice and Neal obeyed. The sea was rougher than it had been near
the shore. The boat, when Maurice had made fast the rope flung to him,
plunged up and down beside the brig, and needed careful handling to
prevent her being damaged.

The crew looked over the side with eager curiosity.

"Say, boys," said the captain, "what will you take for your fish? I'll
trade w