Benjamin Pump was invariably the coxswain and net caster of Richard’s boat, unless the sheriff saw fit to preside in person: and, on the present occasion, Billy Kirby, and a youth of about half his strength, were assigned to the oars.
A long time was passed in this necessary part of the process, for Benjamin prided himself greatly on his skill in throwing the net, and, in fact, most of the success of the sport depended on its being done with judgment.
The Fisherman took the net and the fish to the cave, a dark, gloomy, smoky place.
He put a hand as big as a spade into the net and pulled out a handful of mullets.
I'm glad you don't insist upo' buyin' the net, for then I should ha' lost my two best bargains for Mrs.
Now then, mum, if you'll please to give me the net "
So saying, he threw away the rubbish, and after having washed his nets clean of the dirt, he threw them for the third time.
But no, it will be better if I throw you into the sea whence I drew you out, and I will build a house on the shore to warn fishermen who come to cast their nets here, against fishing up such a wicked genius as you are, who vows to kill the man who frees you."
Indeed, the nets are let down for several hours, and enclose in their meshes an infinite variety.
Besides other things the nets brought up, were several flabellariae and graceful polypi, that are peculiar to that part of the ocean.
I commend your mode of entertainment, and thank you for the kindness of your invitation; and if I can serve you, you may command me with full confidence of being obeyed, for my profession is none other than to show myself grateful, and ready to serve persons of all conditions, but especially persons of quality such as your appearance indicates; and if, instead of taking up, as they probably do, but a small space, these
nets took up the whole surface of the globe, I would seek out new worlds through which to pass, so as not to break them; and that ye may give some degree of credence to this exaggerated language of mine, know that it is no less than Don Quixote of La Mancha that makes this declaration to you, if indeed it be that such a name has reached your ears."
This in itself would not be bad, were it not for the small mesh of the
nets, so small that the tiniest fishes, little new-hatched things not a quarter of an inch long, cannot pass through.