"Why, drop it over the side as soon as you get out to the fishing- ground," replied the Captain laconically; "and now, I hope, you understand all about it?" "Oh yes," responded his listeners with alacrity; all, that is, but Mrs Gilmour, who assented somewhat dubiously, as if she could not quite grasp the idea, requiring the whole thing to be explained to her over again, when she declared herself still "all in a fog!" Her brother, however, the barrister, comprehended it at once. "I should think it was great fun," he observed; "so I would like to come with you." "Do," said the Captain, with much heartiness. "You'll be amply repaid for the trouble. It is intensely exciting waiting and watching for what the trawl will bring up. It's just like dipping your hands in the `lucky bag,' Miss Nellie, at Christmas-time." "Do you ever find any very curious things, Captain?" she inquired on being thus appealed to. "I mean really curious things!" "Oh yes, my dear," replied the old sailor. "I was once out trawling with a fisherman off Saint Helens, when we dragged up a donkey-cart!" "O-oh!" exclaimed Nellie, opening her blue eyes wide with wonder. "Did you catch the donkey as well?" "Well, no," answered the Captain, smiling at her amazement, her eyes being so big and her face such a study. "The poor man's donkey, missy, had been eaten by the crabs, but the cart was there, shafts, wheels, and all; and, a nice mess the lot made of the trawl-net, tearing it all to pieces!" "That clenches it then. I'll come with you by all means!" cried Mr Dugald Strong, a pleased smile creeping over his face as he rubbed his hands with expectant glee. "If you find such strange fish as that, it must be worth going out." "All right, I shall be glad of your company," replied the Captain; "only, mind, you'll have to work your passage, and help hauling in the trawl." "I agree to that," said the other; and, the matter being thus settled, it was arranged that they should proceed the following day on their expedition, if the weather were favourable and nothing occurred to alter their plans. Nellie was specially granted permission to accompany the party, much against the wish of her mother, who declared that she would spoil all her things to a certainty; saying besides, that, from what she had gathered of the conversation, she did not believe trawling was a very ladylike pursuit, "for little girls, at all events." However, all the same, Miss Nellie was up betimes the next morning, and sallied out with Bob and his father, whose pet she was, just as the early milkman was coming his rounds; the trio getting down to the beach punctually at seven o'clock, the hour fixed by the Captain for their start.