When they bit, they bit all together; and so when they stopped.

There was a slack time at noon, and the dories began to search for amusement.

It was Dan who sighted the Hope of Prague just coming up, and as her boats joined the company they were greeted with the question: "Who's the meanest man in the Fleet ?" Three hundred voices answered cheerily: "Nick Bra-ady." It sounded an organ chant.
"Who stole the lamp-wicks ?" That was Dan's contribution.
"Nick Bra-ady," sang the boats.
"Who biled the salt bait fer soup ?" This was an unknown backbiter a quarter of a mile away.
Again the joyful chorus.

Now, Brady was not especially mean, but he had that reputation, and the Fleet made the most of it.

Then they discovered a man from a Truro boat who, six years before, had been convicted of using a tackle with five or six hooks--a "scrowger," they call it--on the Shoals.