"Coming in pretty fast now," Pat, who was sitting in the middle of the boat, answered.
"Found any pearls?" Jack asked.
"Six."
"Six?"
"Faith an' thot's whot I said an' here's another," and the mate held up a pearl nearly as large as the end of his thumb.
"You've got us licked by five," Bob told him as the two boats touched.
It was evident that they had struck the bed for, as one of the sailors pulled in his rake, they could see that it was nearly filled with oysters.
"Why didn't you tell us you'd struck them?" Bob demanded.
"Faith an' it's only a minute thot we hit 'em thick. It's meself as was jest goin' ter shout ter yer whin I seed yer comin'."
The boys pitched in with renewed effort and soon had the oysters coming in thick and fast.