it so far inside the mouth of the inlet, that there was less trouble in
pulling it the rest of the way. It was hardly worth the labor, but Dab
knew what a tempest the loss of it might bring around the ears of poor
Dick.

When they reached the landing, and began to over-haul their very
brilliant "catch," Dabney said,--

"Now, Dick, take your string home, leave that basket of crabs at Mr.
Foster's, and then come back with the basket, and carry the rest of 'em
to our house. Ford and I'll see to the rest of the fish."

"I haven't caught half as many as you have, either of you," said Ford,
when he saw with what even-handed justice the fish were divided in three
piles, as they were scooped out of the fish-car.

"What of that?" replied Dab. "We follow fishermen's rules, down this
way. Share and share alike, you know. All the luck is outside the boat,
they say. Once the fish are landed, your luck's as good as mine."

"Do they always follow that rule?"

"The man that broke it wouldn't find company very easily, hereabouts,
next time he wanted to go a-fishing. No, nor for any thing else.
Nobody'd boat with him."

"Well, if it's the regular thing," said Ford hesitatingly. "But I'll
tell who really caught 'em."

"Oh, some of yours are right good ones! Your string'd look big enough,