The boy or lad went out to sea with the men, and worked at the oar until he got enough of money to buy a share of a boat--and a boat with its nets costs from a hundred and fifty to two hundred pounds. When he had a share of a boat, he required some one to bait his lines and sell his fish. Among the girls he knew, and whose tempers he had tested in play, he naturally selected the girl he liked best, and asked her first; and then, perhaps, like Kepler, the great astronomer, he had a list in his mind, and asked one girl after another until he was accepted. On the other hand, it is probable the principles of affinity may sometimes have been in operation for years, and the boat may have been a greater difficulty than the wife. As soon as they were betrothed by the consent and blessings of the old folks, the young woman went to live with her future father and mother-in-law for a week or two, and in the house with the young man. No doubt she had been taught by her own mother to search for bait, to tip and bait the lines, and do all manner of household work; but the fisher-people judged wisely she would be all the better for knowing all her mother-in-law could teach her; and her husband would be likely to think all the more of her for being as clever as his own mother could make her. A few days prior to the marriage, she returned to her father’s roof, and the ceremony took place in the house of her childhood. After the ceremony, the young couple went to a house of their own. They went in procession from the paternal to the connubial home. A fiddler playing merry strains, headed the procession, and he was followed by a boat-mate of the bridegroom, carrying the flag of the boat. When the bride arrived before the door of the home of her husband, his boat-mates rolled their flag around her. The spectators witnessed the ceremony in silence until she was enveloped in the folds, and then they applauded the actors in it with loud and long cheers. The ceremony seemed to be a public intimation that the young wife was henceforth placed within the sanctuary of the honour of the crew, who engaged themselves solemnly to protect her from insult and injury, as brave men defend their flag.