"He don't deserve 'em," he growled, "for coming; but he did show me

where you was."

"And he saved the rope," I said.

Ike nodded.

"You sit down till I come back, my lad," he said; and then he went off,

to return in a few minutes to face me at a table where we were regaled

with steaming coffee and grilled haddocks.

"This is the best part of the coming to market, my lad," he said, "only

it's a mistake."

"What is?" I asked.

"Haddocks, my lad. They're a trickier kind o' meat than bloaters. I

ordered this here for us 'cause it seemed more respectable like, as I'd

got company, than herrin'; but it's a mistake."

"But this is very nice," I said, beginning very hungrily upon the hot

roll and fish, but with a qualm in my mind as to how it was to be paid

for.

"Ye-es," said Ike, after saying "soup" very loudly as he took a long sip

of his coffee; "tidyish, my lad, tidyish, but you see one gets eddicated

to a herring, and knows exactly where every bone will be. These things

seems as if the bones is all nowhere and yet they're everywhere all the

time, and so sure as you feel safe and take a bite you find a sharp

pynte, just like a trap laid o' purpose to ketch yer."

"Well, there are a good many little bones, certainly," I said.

"Good many! Thick as slugs after a shower. There's one again, sharp as

a needle. Wish I'd a red herrin', that I do."

"I say, Ike," I said suddenly, as I was in the middle of my breakfast,

"I wish I could make haste and grow into a man."

"Do you, now?" he said with a derisive laugh. "Ah! I shouldn't wonder.

If you'd been a man I s'pose you'd have pitched all those rough uns out

o' window, eh?"

"I should have liked to be able to take care of myself," I said.

"Without old Ike, eh, my lad?"

"I don't mean that," I said; "only I should like to be a man."

"Instead o' being very glad you're a boy with everything fresh and

bright about you. Red cheeks and clean skin and all your teeth, and all

the time to come before you, instead of having to look back and think

you're like an old spade--most wore out."

"Oh, but you're so strong, Ike! I should like to be a man."

"Like to be a boy, my lad, and thank God you are one," said old Ike,

speaking as I had never heard him speak before. "It's natur', I s'pose.

All boys wishes they was men, and when they're men they look back on

that happiest time of their lives when they was boys and wishes it could

come over again."




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