Fishing was done for that day. After delivering their catch to the containers of the middle men waiting in the upper harbour, Ben and Will had docked the coble and returned for a quick lunch. Anne had already picked up the lines when they had entered the harbour, and would make a start with cleaning and baiting them with the bait she had gathered and skaned (removing the soft part from the shells) that morning. So now after lunch, he and Will sat in out the yard, baiting and coiling the lines, while Anne was inside, cleaning and washing dishes before she would come and help them.

They weren't the only fishing family working outside that afternoon. Whenever the weather permitted it, the fishing families of the Cragg liked to work outside. Skaning and baiting was a great opportunity to catch up on gossip, laugh, sing songs, or do other things that made the tough, wet and cold life of a fisherman or fishlass a little more bearable. But the more important reason to work outside was the fresher air and the muckiness of the work. The little tenements were damp enough as they were, though most fishwives and daughters took pride in keeping them as clean as they could. The last thing anyone wanted was to bring the buckets with bait, water and seaweed, the discarded, smelly old bait, and the wet lines inside.

Some of the fisherfolk looked up at the well dressed gentleman who entered their yard. Ben too watched the man with increasing surprise as he made his way up the steps to their door and knocked. Ben did not have good experiences with wealthy people coming to his home. What did this fellow want? "Can I help ye, ser?" he called out. Other fisherfolk had already stopped their chatter and now all eyes were on Douglas.