This is the true story of how four lads in a fishing village in
the North of Scotland, being left orphans by the drowning of
their father, learned the great lesson of self-help.
They were the four MacNicols,--Robert, an active, stout-sinewed,
black-eyed lad of seventeen; his two younger brothers, Duncan and
Nicol; and his cousin Neil.
It was a sad evening for Rob MacNicol when the body of his father
was brought home to their poor lodgings. It was his first
introduction to the hard facts of life.
"Neil," said Rob to his cousin, "we'll have to think about things
now. We have just about as much left as will pay the lodgings
this week, and Nicol must go three nights a week to the night
school. What we get for stripping the nets will not do now."--"It
will not," said Neil.
"Neil," said he, "if we had only a net; do you not think we could
trawl for cuddies?" And again he said, "Neil, do you not think we
could make a net for ourselves out of the old rags lying about
the shed?" And again he said, "Do you think that Peter the tailor
would let us have his old boat for a shilling a week?"
It was clear that Rob had been carefully considering the details
of this plan. And it was eagerly welcomed, not only by Neil, but
also by the brothers, Duncan and Nicol.
It was agreed, under Rob's direction, to set to work at once. So
Rob bade his brothers and cousin get their rude fishing rods, and
hie away down to the rocks at the mouth of the harbor, and see
what fish they could get for him during the afternoon.
Meanwhile he himself went along to a shed which was used as a
sort of storage house by some of the fishermen; and here he found
lying about plenty of pieces of net that had been cast aside as
worthless.
Rob was allowed to pick out a number of pieces that he thought
might serve his purpose; and these he carried home. But then came
the question of floats and sinkers. Enough pieces of cork to form
the floats might in time be found about the beach; but the
sinkers had all been removed from the castaway netting.