Courtin dropped this hint of his locality, hoping that the fisherman, whom he took to be a sailor stationed there by the captain of the schooner to take Monsieur Michel de la Logerie on board, would catch it up; but he was mistaken; the man gave no sign of recognizing the name; on the contrary he remarked coolly:--
"You boast of your talent for the great art of fishing, but I don't believe in it."
"Pray why?" asked Courtin. "Have you the monopoly?"
"Because you seem to me, my good sir, to be ignorant of the first principle of that art."
"And what may that principle be?" asked Courtin.
"When you want to catch fish avoid four things."
"What are they?"
"Wind, dogs, women, and chatterers. It is true, I might say three," added the man in the pea-jacket, philosophically, "for women and chatterers are one."
"Pshaw! you'll soon find out that my chattering, as you call it, is not out of season, for I am going to propose to you to earn a couple of francs."
"When I've caught half a dozen fish I shall have earned more than a couple of francs, and amused myself into the bargain."