As his son said, he was studying the fish--pitting his knowledge and experience on the Banks against the roving cod in his own sea.

He accepted the presence of the inquisitive schooners on the horizon as a compliment to his powers.

But now that it was paid, he wished to draw away and make his berth alone, till it was time to go up to the Virgin and fish in the streets of that roaring town upon the waters.

So Disko Troop thought of recent weather, and gales, currents, food-supplies, and other domestic arrangements, from the point of view of a twenty-pound cod; was, in fact, for an hour a cod himself, and looked remarkably like one.

Then he removed the pipe from his teeth.
"Dad," said Dan, "we've done our chores.