After having fulfilled his errand, the little boy reluctantly went back to mucking the lines, casting glances up at his cousin, and pricking himself on the hooks, because he wasn't paying attention.

"Thank ye. That's good of 'em." Ben chewed the corner of his mouth - a sign that he was thinking - while I baited another few hooks. Then he looked up at the young man. "Well, I'd say you've come at a perfect time. Collin, our third man wants to move his family to the Teeside, but 'e was engaged for another year last March. He'd be happy to have someone to replace 'im. If ye're willin' to stay till March at least? Let me see how you coil. Will, make some space, son." And the older boy moved away to let his cousin coil.

Coiling was a good indication of a man's understanding of fishing and his skill. One line contained hundreds of smaller lines, 'snoods', with hooks, and if the coiling wasn't done exactly right, the snoods would tangle or the hooks would catch on to other hooks or snoods, and it would be impossible to cast the lines properly.