“Hello. You and your sister must be new to town… of course. I haven’t seen you before.” Norman quickly deduced.  “You foreign types are usually very sturdy.  Shapely rear, sturdy sides, two large… yes all very practical. The older one wears a dirty band of blue or black.”

Norman paused his quiet monologue and looked up from his telescope on the West Cliff to add the details of these new ladies to his records.  All boats were ladies of course from the smallest fishing skiff to the grandest warship.  These two were new visitors to Whitby. By their design they appeared to be deep sea trawlers, but he couldn’t read their names from up here.  He would have to go down to the harbour and ask about them, so he could record their names in his little black book. 

Norman should have been a sailor.  That would have delighted his young self and probably pleased his father, but in truth Norman had once had a queasy time in a rowing boat and had never worked up the courage to try it again, let alone the bravery to go to actual sea.

Still, he couldn’t think of a better away to spend an afternoon.  It had been a quiet one thus far, just a couple of fishing boats and the collier Northern Belle ironically heading south. Norman swung his telescope close in shore to peek on the harbour below.  From up here, the couples strolling the harbour and fisher families tending their nets all looked like ants on a picnic.

James could think of lots of better ways to spend an afternoon. Like tramping about on the moors and fields and cliffs around Whitby; climbing into the Carrington grounds to check the snare he set yesterday and climbing back out with a dead rabbit in his bag; plundering farmer's fields and orchards; peeing off a cliffside just too watch it fall down a great distance. But he was tired now and so he was on his way home to hand over the haul to his siblings. He wouldn't tell Noah of course. His brother had been all weird since they had moved into Mr. Meijer's place and would scold him where once he would have told him 'good job'.

He was just passing the West Cliff when he noticed a man with a telescope. He stopped to watch, wishing the object was his so that he could play pirate or spy on people. But while his attention was on the gadget first, he soon realized the opportunity for obtaining... well... not a spyglass, but some coin, for the man was very focused on whatever lady the pervert was peeping at.

James tiptoed over, looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to him, and then carefully reached into the pocket of the man's jacket.

Norman was too preoccupied with a trawler's shapely gunwale to see the lad with the light fingers.

"I see you there with your delicate features.." said Norman aloud.

James gasped and pulled jerked his hand back. "I didn't do nowt!"

The young boy's exclamation snapped Norman out of his observations and he turned his head in the direction of the sound. The boy had lank hair, looked unkempt, and impoverished, if his clothes were anything to go by.

"May I help you?" Norman asked in the tone that responsible adults should use with children. Especially poor children.

James looked away shortly, frowned and then turned his eyes back on the man questioningly. He hadn't noticed? Then he lifted his chin a little. "Ye can't spy on people from 'ere, ser. But if ye give me a shillin' I won't get t' coppers," said the boy without a blush. He held out his hand.

"How dare you! You scruffy little urchin. I'm not paying you a penny." Norman exclaimed.

James jumped out of reach the moment the man shouted at him. He stuck out his tongue and made an obscene gesture. Then he ran. "I'll tell 'eeeeeeeem!"

A pang of fear struck Norman as it was clear the boy was indeed going to inform the police. The shame of it, the embarrassment of having to explain his unusual hobby to someone.. again. But why should he care about the actions of some two foot thug? Other people collected stamps or butterflies. But fear, not defiance, got the better of him.

"Wait!" Norman shouted after the boy.

James stopped and turned, but only because he was at a safe distance. He was ready to run, in case the man had called after him to catch him and give him a hiding. He crossed his arms. He sniffed because his nose was runny and the exercise made it worse. "I will!" he shouted back.