The Republican journal., 1907-05-09
Benny Socks Lobster Pots.

When he came home two mornings in
succession without a fish in his tub
every bit of bait stolen from his trawl-
the other fishermen said dog fish," but
old Benny shook his head and muttered
'tKeezegbezet!" and nobody could shake
his belief in the universal miSchievOus-
ness of this hobgoblin that the Passa-
maquoddies fear SO much.
Benny's dory ventured out in the
toughest winter seas and he quailed
before none of the dangers of wind or
water but when stray sheep broke
into his shanty one night, he awoke the
neighbors with his terrified shrieks and
supplications.
1t was the very last day of March,
and dull, moist afternoon. Two Rock
hogan boys, Alb. Norris and Milton
Rowe, sat in the door of a fish-house
cutting bait, when Benny Sock went
by in his oilskins.
"Halloo, Benny"
"Hul-low."
"Going out this tide?"
"Ye-up."
"Wbere are you going?'
'Two-mile grounds Benny kept
on down to the beach without stopping
to look at the boys.
"Milt," said Ab, tomorrow is April
Fools day and let's have some fun with
Benny Sock"
How are we going to do it,"
Cant we play trick on him."
eve might put something in his
pots
Good. Milt-say there amt anybody
around, is there?-I tell you how we
can scare the old Injun half to death.
Suppose he should find red Holsters in
his traps?'
''Ha, ha" Milt roared at the idea.
Ssh" cautioned Alb. Don't make
so much noise. Well boil some lob
sters tonight and go out early in the
morning and chuck EN- into his traps"
ooh, Jimmy, won't he jump
This plot would take the boys from
them hard, cold pull half way around
the island; but these hardships were
trifes for two young Rockhegan fisher
men bent on carrying out what was
thought was the best of jokes.
At five o'clock in the morning they
set out in Abs dory with basket OF
big crimson Holsters for Gunner Point,
where Benny's line of pots began. They
had to make this early start to get ahead
of Old Sock and the other fishermen.
"Now," said Milt, when the traps
had been fixed, 1--WE want to be sure to
be around and see the fun when Benny
comes"
''Of course. That'll be the best part
of it-but whew. amt it cold?"
Fearful My hands are half frozen.
We can't stan it to hang around here
and do nothing; and besides, we want
to make it scents if we happened along
just as the old man pulls up
Lets row around the point into the
cove and land Wecan see Benny COM
ing in time to get out here again.
The cove was so we'll sheltered that
they had no trouble in Bleaching their
dory and getting ashore. BY that time
the sun was up and they could see some
of the fishermen putting out from the
little Rockhegan harbor.
But all at once the wind shifted into
the east and great blotehes of gray va
por began to straggle i'll from the ocean,
helter-skelter.
Too bad. In five minutes we can't
see a thing said Alb.
Lets get out of this, or we shall
miss our fun," said Milt, and pushing
Off their boat they cautiously roWed
around the point, their ears pricked and
their eyes strained to catch clue to
their course: but there was little to help
them.
Growing thicker every minute
Milt exclaimed-"th goes the fog
horn, How faint it sounds"
tine wind is blowing it square away
from us, you see. Confound this nasty
fogw
Were going to have hard chance
to find our way back-do you know it,"
'Pooh" I'll risk that part of it.
We know these waters we'll enough. |
could go anywhere hereabouts, blind
folded. Guess we shan't see Benny,
though"
''He won't come out"
Eyes, he will. He doesn't care any
more for fog like this than for a
spoonful of wind"
The mist was still rolling in from the
east, and it became so thick that the
boys could hardly see boats length
ahead.
Tides running out, amt it ABB"
Milt asked, after they had pulled u
while in silence.
''Y es, and drawing like good one.
Say! Where are WEI"
Il reckon about half way between
Gunner Point and the red buoy"
by hooky, don't know. Seems as
if that whistle keeps growing further
and further off,
"Oh, you can't tell anything about
that with this wind
"'Twould be an April Fool joke on
us if we headed the wrong way. Hark!
What's that?"
The boys heard low humping at
regular ls-chug-chug.
That's Ben, now, rowing around to
his traps"
81 tell you it isn't Ben. It's the
Bangor steamer. Hear her puff"
Just then there were three short,
gruff whistles, answered family by the
doleful fog horn. Then they could
hear the great engines rhythmic beat
and the hard breathing of her fires.
'Sure enough" said Milt. She's
late this morning, and either she's
mile out Of her course or we're way off
ours"
"Seems to me we've been rowing
round and round in CIRCLE
"Well, what shall we do?"
Walt for the fog to lift, that's all"
Suddenly there were four more short,
grutf whistles, startlingly loud.
'Jew-peter" cried Alb. eve must
give her wide berth. She's uncom-
fortably close on us, noW.'
"What can Captain Gray mean by
A.. Il l.