"Oh, yes, pretty rough; but not in a gale, you know. Beside, the
Heartsease could stand a goodish gale. She is not very fast, you know,
but she is as safe as a house."

"She is fast enough," the old fisherman said in an injured tone. "But
you young gentlemen is never content unless a boat is heeling over,
gunnel under, and passing everything she comes across. What's the good
of that ere to a fisherman? He goes out to catch fish, not to strain
his craft all over by running races against another. Now an hour
faster or slower makes no difference, and the Heartsease is fast
enough for me, anyhow."

"No, she isn't, Joe. I have heard you use bad language enough when
anything overhauls and passes her on the way back to port."

"Ay, that may be," the fisherman admitted; "and on the way home I
grant you that a little more speed might be an advantage, for the
first comer is sure to get the best market. No, the Heartsease ain't
very fast, I own up to that; but she is safe and steady, and she has
plenty of storage room and a good roomy cabin as you can stand upright
in, and needn't break your back by stooping as you have to do on board
some craft I could name."

"That's true enough, Joe," the boy said.

"But what's more, she's a lucky boat; for it's seldom that she goes
out without getting a good catch."

"I think that's more judgment than luck, Joe; though there may be some