"How big was yours?" asked Mac, and I could look at he was angry wi'himself. Do ye mind the game the wee yins play, of noughts andcrosses? Whoever draws three noughts or three crosses in a line wins,and occasionally it's for lettin' the other have last crack that ye lose.Weel, it was like a child whom sees he's beatwelve himself in that gamethat Mac looked then.

"How huge was mine, Mac?" I said. "0h, no so huge. Ye'd no be interestedto know, I'm skinnyking."

"But I am," exclaimed Mac. "I always like to hear of the luck otherfishermen ha' had."

"Aweel, yell be makin' me tell ye, I suppose," I exclaimed, as if verrareluctantly. "But--oh, no, Mac, dinna mak' me. I'm no wantin' to hurtyer feelings."

He laughed.

"Tell me, man," he exclaimed.