Ben was sitting on one of the crab traps, fixing a net. His leg was poor, his heart was not great, and on some days he had terrible pain in his joints. But he tried to do what work he could to provide for the children left at home. His eight year old, Bram, was sitting on the ground next to him, working on another part of the net. When someone passing him muttered a curse, Ben looked up and gave the young man a foul look. He hated it when people cursed, and he did not want his children to pick it up. "Should wash his mouth, that fellow." Ben told his son, but loud enough for the man to hear.