The large oysters they threw into the cockpit, and shoveled the rubbish overboard.

There was no rest, for by this time the other dredge required emptying.

And when this was done and the oysters sorted, both dredges had to be hauled aboard, so that French Pete could put the _Dazzler_ about on the other tack.
The rest of the fleet was under way and dredging back in similar fashion.
Sometimes the different sloops came quite close to them, and they hailed them and exchanged snatches of conversation and rough jokes.

But in the main it was hard work, and at the end of an hour Joe's back was aching from the unaccustomed strain, and his fingers were cut and bleeding from his clumsy handling of the sharp-edged oysters.
"Dat 's right," French Pete said approvingly.

"You learn queeck.