call that cool. You'll be telling me next that the fish in the sea are
yours, and that I mustn't whiff or lay a fish-pot or trammel."

"Ay, unless you want to lose your net or other gear. I hev knowed folk
as fished on other people's ground finding a hole knocked in the bottoms
of their boats."

"What!" cried Aleck. "That's as good as saying that if I fish along
here you'll sink my boat."

"Didn't say I would, but it's like enough as some 'un might shove a
boat-hook through or drop in a good big boulder stone."

"Then I tell you what it is, Master Eben Megg. If any damage is done to
my Seagull you'll have to answer for it before the magistrate."

"Oh! that's your game, is it, my lad? Now, lookye here, don't you get
threatening of me or you'll get the worst on it. We folk at Eilygugg
never interferes with you and the captain and never interferes about
your ketching a bit o' fish or taking a few eggs so long as you are
civil; but you're on'y foreigners and intruders and don't belong to
these parts, and we do."

"Well, of all the impudence," cried Aleck, "when my uncle bought the
whole of the Den estate right down to the sea! Don't you know that
you're intruders and trespassers when you come laying your crab-pots
under our cliff and shooting your seine on the sandy patch off the
little harbour?"

"No, youngster, I don't; but I do know as you're getting a deal too
sarcy, and that I'm going to stop it, and my mates too."

"Get out! Who are you?" cried the boy, indignantly. "What do you
mean?"

"I mean that if you want to fish off our shore and wants a man to help
with your boat you've got to ask some of us to help, and not get
bringing none o' your wooden-legged cripples spying and poking about our
ground."

"Spy? What is there to spy?" said Aleck, giving the man a peculiar
look.

"Never you mind about that. You be off home, and don't you come spying
about here with none of your glasses."

Aleck laughed derisively.

"Ah, you may grin, my lad; but I've been a-watching of yer this
morning," said the man, fiercely. "You've been busy with that glass,
prying and peering about, and I caught yer at it."

Aleck laughed again.

"Oh! that's what you think, is it?" he said.

"Yes, and it's what I says; so be off home."

"I shall do nothing of the kind, Eben," said the boy, hotly. "I've a
better right here than you have, and I shall come whenever I please.
Spying, eh?"

"Ay, spying, youngster; and I