第9章 Final Fight[第1页/共6页]

“You're tired,old man,”he said.“ You're tired inside.”

I cannot be too far out now,he thought.I hope no one has been too worried. There is only the boy to worry, of course.But I am sure he would have confidence.Many of the older fishermen will worry.Many others too,he thought.I live in a good town.

The old man saw the brown fins coming along the wide trail the fish must make in the water.They were not even quartering on the scent.They were headed straight for the skiff swimming side by side.

He liked to think of the fish and what he could do to a shark if he were swimming free.I should have chopped the bill off to fight them with,he thought.But there was no hatchet and then there was no knife.

“I'd like to buy some if there's any place they sell it,”he said.

He lay in the stern and steered and watched for the glow to come in the sky.I have half of him,he thought.Maybe I'll have the luck to bring the forward half in.I should have some luck.No,he said.You violated your luck when you went too far outside.

“Come on,galano.”the old man said.“ Come in again.”

He saw the reflected glare of the lights of the city at what must have been around ten o'clock at night.They were only perceptible at first as the light is in the sky before the moon rises.Then they were steady to see across the ocean which was rough now with the increasing breeze.He steered inside of the glow and he thought that now,soon,he must hit the edge of the stream.