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           Thiswasindeedourchiefpleasureandbusiness;andnotonlytosaveourmealagainstworsetimes,butwitharivalrythatmuchamusedus,wespentagreatpartofourdaysatthewater-side,strippedtothewaistandgropingaboutor(astheysay)guddlingforthesefish.Thelargestwegotmighthavebeenaquarterofapound;buttheywereofgoodfleshandflavour,andwhenbroileduponthecoals,lackedonlyalittlesalttobedelicious.

           Inanyby-timeAlanmustteachmetousemysword,formyignorancehadmuchdistressedhim;andIthinkbesides,asIhadsometimestheupper-handofhiminthefishing,hewasnotsorrytoturntoanexercisewherehehadsomuchtheupper-handofme.Hemadeitsomewhatmoreofapainthanneedhavebeen,forhestormedatmeallthroughthelessonsinaveryviolentmannerofscolding,andwouldpushmesoclosethatImadesurehemustrunmethroughthebody.Iwasoftentemptedtoturntail,butheldmygroundforallthat,andgotsomeprofitofmylessons;ifitwasbuttostandonguardwithanassuredcountenance,whichisoftenallthatisrequired.So,thoughIcouldneverintheleastpleasemymaster,Iwasnotaltogetherdispleasedwithmyself.

           Inthemeanwhile,youarenottosupposethatweneglectedourchiefbusiness,whichwastogetaway.

           “Itwillbemanyalongday,”Alansaidtomeonourfirstmorning,“beforethered-coatsthinkuponseekingCorrynakiegh;sonowwemustgetwordsenttoJames,andhemustfindthesillerforus.”

           “Andhowshallwesendthatword?”saysI.