Wreck of the Golden Fleece Author:Robert Leighton Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. RIDING AT THE NETS. THE sun dropped down behind the low-lying land in a blaze of red and gold, tinging the sea-waves with its reflections... more ». Here and there a gaunt windmill stood out black against the rosy sky, and the spires and towers of churches became as familiar landmarks to show the position of town or village along the dark line of the coast. With all sails set, the North Star sped outward with a fresh sou'-west breeze. Her bows ploughed through the furrowed sea and sent a belt of foam about her black hull and a bubbling track behind. Soon the rosy glow of the sunset faded into darker purple, and then into a dull gray haze that spread over the land and shut out all but the piercing beam of the lighthouse and the restless, dancing waves. On and on the good smack sped, now overtaking some other vessel of the fleet, or again being herself overtaken by some quicker sailer. The head-lights that shone out like tiny stars across the darkening waters showed that the boats were keeping well apart. None had yet attempted to shoot her nets. On the North Star, Leonard Golding and Dan Kerridge were at the bow, watching for signs of the herrings. Therewere no gulls about now to guide them. They leaned over and watched the waves as they fell back from the cutwater, but as yet there were no appearances of fish. " D'ye see nothin' yet, my lads 1" asked old Peter Durrant, coming forward and planting himself between them. " No, nothing to speak of," answered Leonard. " I seen a herrin dart out, a bit ago," said Dan, " with a train o' fire behind him." " That aren't enough. Wait till ye see a score of 'em dart away. We bean't fur enough out for that yet, I reckon, though I've known us fetch a good strike hereabout afore now." "P'r'aps you catchecl all...« less