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When they became young men they matched their season's catches

and raced their father's schooners. They were the two natural

leaders of the Freekirk Head young bloods, but they were never on

the same side of an argument.

Schofield wondered why Nat Burns was not at the fire, as usual

attempting to make himself leader of the battle without doing

much of the work, and now the reason was apparent. He preferred

to pursue his courting under the eyes of the village rather than

to obey the unwritten law of service. And he was with Nellie

Tanner!

Unlike most youths, there had never been a time in Code's life

when he had passed the favor of his affections around. Since the

time they were both five Nellie Tanner had supplied in full all

the feminine requirements he had ever desired. And she did at

this moment. But Nat Burns had seen a great deal of her in the

last three months, he remembered, taking advantage of Code's

desperate search for fish.