netting, his fingers going rapidly and
the meshes seeming to run off the ends of his fingers.

Intent upon his work, active with hands and arms, but rather helpless as
to his legs, Tom Bodger was a splendid butt for the exercise of the
boys' pertinacious tactics, and with mischief sparkling out of the young
rascals' eyes they made their plans of approach and began to buzz round
him like flies, calling names, asking questions, laughing and jeering
too, all of which had but little effect upon the man, who was an adept
at what he called giving "tongue." And so the boys found, for they
decidedly got the worst of it.

Soon after, growing bolder, some of the most daring began to make
approaches to snatch at the net or the ball of water-cord, but they
gained nothing by that. For Tom Bodger never went out without his
stick, a weapon he used for offence as well as defence, and there was
not a boy there in Rockabie who did not know how hard he could hit.

A few little experiences of this sort of thing were quite enough to make
the party draw off and take to the hurling of missiles. But they did
not confine themselves to heads, tails, and bones of fish, for they were
rather scarce, so they took to the stones which were swept up in ridges
by the sea right across the harbour.

But even this was dangerous, for the sailor could "field" the stones
thrown at him and return them with a correctness of aim and activity
that would have driven a skilful cricketer half mad with envy.

Finally, several of the bigger lads held a kind of conference, but not
unseen, for though apparently bending intently over his netting, the
sailor was watching them with one eye and asking himself what game
they--to wit, the boys--were going, as he put it, to start next.

Old discipline on a man-of-war had made Bodger thoroughly alert, and
suspecting a rush he took hold of his ball of net twine, unrolled
sufficient to make many meshes, and then put it down again, seizing the
opportunity to draw the stout oaken cudgel he generally carried well
within reach of his hand.

Then, netting away as skilfully as a woman, he indulged in a hearty
laugh, chuckling to himself as he thought of the accuracy and force with
which he could send it skimming over the ground, spinning round the
while and looking like a star.

"That'll give one on 'em a sore leg for a week if I do have to throw it.
On'y wish I could do it with a string tied to it so as to haul it back.
W