“No, Mrs. Stephen, I was never so much in earnest in all my life. Look at my brawny arms, look at my chest. I’ve been used to the scythe and the plough, the pluck and the hoe. Think you that casting a net is going to frighten me?
“But,” he said after a pause, “I thought you might know of some one who would be glad to have youth, strength, and agility.”
“Oh, plenty will be glad to have you. Why, as sure as I live, there goes the very man, and I ken weel that his boat’s crew is no complete. I’ll tap at the window.”
She did so, and then hurried out to meet the fisherman.
Suffice it to say, that in less than half-an-hour Sandie was appointed to John Menzies’ boat, at a good wage and his chance, that is, so much per crane on the take.
Not only that, but, to his great joy, John told him that his wife Eppie would take him in and do for him for an auld sang. He would have a canty wee roomie, with a wee window lookin’ oot to the hills, where he could study to the ring o’ the bonnet when the boat wasn’t at sea. This is pretty much John’s own language, and it is needless to say that Sandie was glad to accept the offer.
Willie and Sandie spent a very agreeable day indeed, and slept at the little inn, but next morning Willie departed after a friendly and somewhat sad farewell, and Sandie sauntered along the beach to John’s house.
He found the worthy couple both waiting for him, and he noted at once that they were characters. When I mention the fact that they are sketched from the real life, perhaps my reader will understand my reasons for not giving the village in which they resided its real name. A few words about this queer, delightful couple won’t, I feel sure, be thrown away.
John Menzies, then, was an honest fisherman of this same famous old town of Blackhive, celebrated from time immemorial for the finest smoked haddies that ever delighted the eye, or tickled the palate of gourmand or epicure.
John Menzies (pronounced Maingees) lived with his wife, “as,” he himself more than once remarked, “every decent man should.” It was the custom with John to catch the fish, and the custom with John’s wife to sell them, and thus they shared life’s burden.