"Rock-bass, tautog, and the everywhere-present and forever-biting sea-perch," Judd laughingly answered.
"What about the gill-net?"
"Oh, we'll put that in just at night, and get another run of fish entirely different. Scup, butterfish, and succoteague, or weak-fish, will probably be the principal kinds we shall haul then. That will give us quite a variety for our sale to-morrow," explained Judd.
Breakfast was eaten, a lunch packed, and lines, baskets and hoes stowed on board the sloop by sunrise. In fact the golden orb peeped above Conanicut, and sent a dazzling gleam down across the dancing waters, just as the lads weighed anchor, hoisted the sails, and with a gentle breeze from the northwest started down the bay. A half-hour later they had run within fifty yards of Plum Beach Point, where they anchored. Putting baskets and hoes in the yawl, which was in tow, they cast off the painter and rowed ashore. The tide was well out. Under the click of the hoes the clams sent up their tiny spouts of water, revealing their hiding-places; and, throwing off their coats, the boys were soon at work.
For over two hours they toiled without interruption; then Judd, who had been watching the waves for an instant, cried out:
"Hold up, Budd! The tide has turned, and we must be off for our fishing-grounds. First, however, we will wash and sort over these bivalves--the large and sound ones for the trade, the small and broken ones for bait. Here goes!"
Suiting the action to the word, he emptied his basket in a shallow pool close beside him.
Budd followed his example, and with many an exclamation of delight at the quantity they had obtained, the lads soon completed this work, and entering the yawl pulled back to the sloop. Ten minutes later she was tacking across the bay for the fishing-grounds, known as "Hazard's pork-barrel."
Budd soon found that his comrade had not over-estimated the piscatorial possibilities of the place. Scarcely were their baited hooks cast into the briny deep when the fish began to bite with a steadiness and greed that would have delighted the most ambitious angler. For three hours this continued, then suddenly all the biting ceased.
"Our luck is over for to-day," Judd announced, pulling in his lines. "We may as well weigh anchor and start for home."