alternately once an hour, two hours being allowed after they were put
down before the first was examined.

By the time the first net came up the sun had set. The wind had
freshened a bit since they had started, but there was no sea to speak
of. The night had set in thick, and the stars could only occasionally
be seen. Joe had picked out two or three fine fish from the first
haul, and these he took down and soon had frizzling in a frying-pan
over the fire, which he had lighted as soon as the boat was under
sail.

"These are for you, Master Conway," he said. "With your permission I
shall stick to that ere piece of beef your mother was good enough to
send. Fish ain't no treat to me, and I don't often get meat. Keep your
eye lifting while I am down below. There ain't many craft about in
these days, still we might tumble against one."

"I should not see a light far in this mist, Joe."

"No, you couldn't; and what's worse, many of them don't carry no
lights at all."

"It would be a good thing, Joe, if there was a law to make all vessels
carry lights."

"Ay, ay, lad; but you see in war times it ain't always convenient. A
peaceful merchantman don't want to show her lights to any privateers
that may happen to be cruising about, and you may be sure that the
privateer don't want to attract the attention of peaceful traders
until she is close upon them, or to come under the eye of any of our