Menhardoc Part 40

"Better, I think," said Arthur, for he had forgotten its existence all through the walk home.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

MACK'REL IN THE BAY--AND THE SEINE FAIRPLAY--AND A HAUL FOR OUR WIVES AND BAIRNS.

If you want to go to a place where the air you breathe seems to till your veins with joy, and you begin to tingle with a desire to be up and doing something, go down into Cornwall, where the breeze seems to sparkle and effervesce like the waves that beat upon the rocky sh.o.r.e, and from whose crests it bears off the health-giving ozone to mix with the fragrant scent of the wild thyme and heather of the hills and barren moors. The sea never looks two days alike: now it is glistening like frosted silver, now it is as liquid gold. At one time it is ruddy like wine, at another time rich orange or amber, and a few hours after intensely blue, as if the sky had fallen or joined it then and there.

Only in storm time is it thick and muddy, as it is in other parts of our coast, and even then it is not long before it settles down once more to its crystal purity.

"Ahoy-ay! Ahoy-ay!"

A musical chorus, softened by distance as it came off the sea, awakened d.i.c.k Temple from dreams of boats and mines, and rocks, and caves full of cuttle-fish, crabs, and seals, so big that they seemed monsters of the deep.

The window was open, for he had left it so when he had scrambled out of his clothes and jumped into bed.

Then Arthur, who was calmly folding his garments, or rather his brother's, had quietly gone across the room and shut the window.

"The night air is dangerous," he said.

"No, it isn't," said d.i.c.k. "It's all fancy."

"I wish the window to be shut," said Arthur with dignity.

"Oh, very well!" said d.i.c.k drowsily; and his brother went on talking.

"Papa has sent for a suit of flannels and a suit of tweeds for me, for I suppose I must wear them while we are down amongst these savages."

The bed creaked and squeaked a little, consequent upon d.i.c.k rolling about and laughing; but Arthur was at work with two hair-brushes upon his head, and did not hear.

"I have sent word that the tailor is to make an outside breast-pocket for my handkerchief, and that the flannels are to be edged and bound with black."

d.i.c.k's head had been half under the clothes, but he popped it out now to raise himself up a little and say:

"Oh, won't you look lovely!"

Then the bed creaked again as d.i.c.k dropped down, his brother not condescending to notice his frivolous remark.

A few minutes later and Arthur had deliberately climbed into bed, yawned, dropped asleep, and d.i.c.k had rolled out on his side.

"I don't mean to be smothered when there's such lots of beautiful air outside," he muttered; and he softly opened the window once more, jumped into bed, fell asleep directly, and was awakened by the musical chorus off the sea.

"Oh, I say, what a morning!" he cried as he drew up the blind and saw that about a dozen luggers were coming in from the fishing-ground, where they had been all night, while the sun was turning the bay into one sparkling sheet of glory. "Here! Ahoy! Hi! Rouse up, Arthur. Come and have a bathe."

He made a bound at his brother, and punched and shook him, with the result that Arthur shut his eyes more tightly and hit out at him savagely.

"Get up, or you sha'n't have any clothes," cried d.i.c.k, trying to drag them off; but--_Whuff, huff, bang_! down came one of the pillows upon his head, and Arthur rolled himself in the clothes and settled himself for another sleep.

"Oh, sleep away, then!" cried d.i.c.k. "Here, hi! Will! Where are you going?"

"To bathe," said Will. "Come!"

"Down in a minute," cried d.i.c.k; and deferring all washing till he could get plenty of water out in the bay, he thrust a comb in his pocket, a towel under his arm, and ran down-stairs.

"A nasty old nuisance!" grumbled Arthur, getting out of bed like a badly made parcel, with sheet, blanket, and patchwork quilt rolled round him; and as he shut the window with a bang he could see his brother and Will trudging towards the harbour.

"I'll just have another five minutes, and then I'll get up and dress, and go and meet them," yawned Arthur; then he rolled on to the bed and went off fast asleep.

"Goin' to have a bathe?" said Josh, who was mopping out the boat.

"Yes. Good-morning! How are you?" cried d.i.c.k.

"Just nicely, lad," sang Josh. "Here, I don't mind rowing you out if you'll promise to bring me half ounce o' the best 'bacco next time you come."

"I'll bring it," said d.i.c.k eagerly; and jumping into the boat, Josh rowed the boys out half a mile or so, and then in they went with a plunge off the boat's side, and down into the invigorating clear cool water, to come up again and swim steadily off side by side, d.i.c.k being a pretty fair swimmer, though in his modesty he had disclaimed the accomplishment. And as the boys swam, Josh had steadily rowed after them, so that when they had had enough the boat was at hand for them to climb in, have a good towel, scrub, and dress.

"Why don't you have a bathe, Josh?" cried d.i.c.k, panting with his exertions. "It's lovely."

"Yes, a good bathe be lovely," said Josh; "but I don't bathe much. I be delicate."

He said it so seriously that d.i.c.k never thought of laughing, though Josh seemed solid and hard as wood, which in truth he was.

"Look yonder, lad!" he cried; "see him on the cliff;" and putting the handle of one oar under his leg, he pointed towards the sh.o.r.e west of the village.

"Yes, I can see him: what's he doing?"

"Signalling," cried Josh excitedly; "it's mack'rel."

"What--up there?" cried d.i.c.k.

"No, no, lad; in the bay. He can see fish, and he's signalling."

"But he can't see fish in the bay up there."

"Oh, yes! he can. Colour of the water, my lad. He can see a school, and--All right! The lads have seen. There goes the seine-boat."

He pointed to a large boat that seemed laden with something brown.

There were several men in her, and they had pushed off, and were rowing steadily out towards the middle of the bay, the water that they lifted with their oars flashing like silver in the sunshine.

"I can see the school, Josh," said Will. "There, just beyond Dallow buoy;" and he stood up pointing with his hand, while the man on the cliff seemed to have a bunch of something in each hand, and to be turning himself into a human semaph.o.r.e.

"Right, lad! There's the school," said Josh, who had also risen in the boat, and was shading his eyes with his hand. "See, Master d.i.c.k?"

"No, I can't see anything."

"What--not out yonder, to left of that buoy?"

"I can see the water looks dark and rippled," said d.i.c.k.