For All Our Tomorrows Read Online Free PDF Page B

the rest of the crew dipped in their oars and rowed with a rhythm which spoke of long practise. All were expected to keep a look-out for unwanted intruders, and for any stray mines. At least that was the general idea but, as usual, it was Scobey who spotted it first. It was floating in the water, but, instead of calling out and warning everyone, he leaned right over and picked it up.
    ‘What you got there, m’boy?’ asked Sid, the more alert of the crew.
    ‘I do reckon it be a shell,’ said Scobey, holding the offending article in his hand.
    ‘What sort of a shell would that be, ‘xactly? Mussel or scallop?’
    ‘The sort that goes boom,’ said Scobey, giving his gap-toothed grin.
    The silence in the boat following this statement was palpable, and had anyone dropped a pin, they’d have heard it for sure across the water in Polruan. Though as things turned out, the calm and quiet was perhaps a good thing since it gave Scobey time to think on what he’d just said, and every drop of blood seemed to drain from his face, leaving it as waxy and pale as the moon.  
    ‘I do reckon,’ said Hamil, in a carefully composed tone of voice, ‘That you should put that back, d’rekly.’
    ‘I think ee might be right there, m’boy.’
    And so he did, except that instead of setting it gently back where he found it, in the water, Scobey flung it with all his might at some nearby rocks that jutted out into the river. The explosion broke the largest rock in two, sending the major portion of it catapulting into the water which, coupled with the force of the blast, created such a wash that it rocked and near overturned them.
    The men clung to each other, and the boat, with grim and terrified determination; Hamil and Cory having a few choice words to say in the process. Even as they roared their disapproval at Scobey’s hair-brained stupidity, they suddenly became aware of a strange phenomenon.
    ‘What’s this? I do believe it be raining fish,’ said Cory, as a mullet dropped into his lap.
    ‘Will you look at that! Scobey must’ve hit a shoal.’
    He had indeed, and a good one at that, judging by the number of monkfish, sea-bass and sea-trout that flopped into the little boat.
    ‘Well, it do save us the trouble of going fishing in the morn.’
    ‘Aye, and saves on coupons too, that’s for sure,’ said Scobey, well pleased with their catch. Their stroke of good fortune would be sufficient to feed all their families, friends and neighbours, for days to come.
     
    It was Nora Snell’s idea that some of the fish be used to hold a welcome party for the newcomers. Nora wasn’t particularly well known for her generosity but even she couldn’t cope with this bounty, and she always enjoyed showing off her husband’s prowess, considering the stick he got just because of his misfortune to have a slight squint. Nora, however, did not want the bother of organising the event herself but was past-master at organising people, and since she naturally needed a venue in which to hold it, who better to ask than Sara Marrack?
    She cornered her the very next morning outside Varco’s wet fish shop, the proprietor of which wasn’t best pleased by this competition, even though he’d agreed to take a few off her hands.
    Sara was startled. ‘Goodness, I’m not sure I’m the right person to ask. Besides, I don’t think there’d be room at The Ship, do you, Nora? We’d need somewhere much bigger.’
    Nora wasn’t for letting Sara off the hook quite so easily and chewed over this problem in silence for a moment or two. ‘You could always ask the mayor if we could use the Town hall. I’d do it meself only I have enough on my plate, d’you see, cooking the fish. And we’d have to do it quick, afore they go off. Tomorrow, at the latest. Besides, those boys do deserve something special to show they’m welcome.’  
    Sara lapsed into deep thought. Nora was right for once. It would be good to offer some sort of welcome party. And if, at