Anne looked at Mable with an expression of horror. "Oh, ye mustn't ever camp in alleys again, Mable. Some of those streets are really not safe at night. Oh... oh come on!"

She began to lead the other girl down the pier back to the town. "Our Bram was sent on an errand. He might be back. Will and me da' are in t' boat. Ye'll meet them." But Anne felt a little bit of dread at Mable's words. What if her father somehow disapproved of Mable and wouldn't allow them to be friends. He could be so oddly specific yet so very unyielding in the things he approved and disapproved of.

Anne led her friend through a street by the harbour, but then she suddenly turned and led her up a few steps trough a narrow alley between two buildings and turned left. They found themselves in a long very narrow street, or perhaps it was better to call it an alley, parallel to the main street. There were houses opening directly on to it, as well as several yards with even more homes. Some ragged shoeless young children were playing in the street despite the foul weather. A toddler sitting on a doorstep to watch her siblings play, looked up when Anne and Mable approached and pointed at Mable. "This is t' Cragg. There's a lot of fisherfolk livin' 'ere. Don't point, Polly. It's rude."