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evening to be scattered around。 That； at least； was how it was in principle。 Actually every sort of gear they owned was scattered all over everywhere。 Thomas Hudson did not mind it。 When a man lives in a house by himself he gets very precise habits and they get to be a pleasure。 But it felt good to have some of them broken up。 He knew he would have his habits again long after he would no longer have the boys。
Sitting on the sea porch working he could see the biggest one and the middle…sized one and the small one lying on the beach with Roger。 They were talking； and digging in the sand； and arguing but he could not hear what they were saying。
The biggest boy was long and dark with Thomas Hudsonˇs neck and shoulders and the long swimmerˇs legs and big feet。 He had a rather Indian face and was a happy boy although in repose his face looked almost tragic。
Thomas Hudson had looked at him when his face had that sad look and asked； ¨What are you thinking about； Schatz？〃
¨Fly…tying；〃 the boy would say； his face lighting instantly。 It was the eyes and the mouth that made it tragic…looking when he was thinking and； when he spoke； they brought it to life。
The middle boy always reminded Thomas Hudson of an otter。 He had the same color hair as an otterˇs fur and it had almost the same texture as that of an underwater animal and he browned all over in a strange dark gold tan。 He always reminded his father of the sort of animal that has a sound and humorous life by itself。 Otters and bears are the animals that joke most and bears； of course； are very close to men。 This boy would never be wide enough and strong enough to be a bear and he would never be an athlete； nor did he want to be； but he had a lovely small…animal quality and he had a good mind and a life of his own。 He was affectionate and he had a sense of justice and was good company。 He was also a Cartesian doubter and an avid arguer and he teased well and without meanness although sometimes he teased toughly。 He had other qualities no one knew about and the other two boys respected him immensely although they tried to tease him and tear him down on any point where he was vulnerable。 Naturally they had rows among themselves and they teased each other with considerable malice； but they were well mannered and respectful with grown…ups。
The smallest boy was fair and was built like a pocket battleship。 He was a copy of Thomas Hudson； physically； reduced in scale and widened and shortened。 His skin freckled when it tanned and he had a humorous face and was born being very old。 He was a devil too； and deviled both his older brothers； and he had a dark side to him that nobody except Thomas Hudson could ever understand。 Neither of them thought about this except that they recognized it in each other and knew it was bad and the man respected it and understood the boyˇs having it。 They were very close to each other although Thomas Hudson had never been as much with this boy as with the others。 This youngest boy； Andrew； was a precocious excellent athlete and he had been marvelous with horses since he had first ridden。 The other boys were very proud of him but they did not want any nonsense from him； either。 He was a little unbelievable and anyone could well have doubted his feats except that many people had seen him ride and watched him jump and seen his cold； professional modesty。 He was a boy born to be quite wicked who was being very good and he carried his wickedness around with him transmuted into a sort of teasing gaiety。 But he was a bad boy and the others knew it and he knew it。 He was just being good while his badness grew inside him。
There； below the sea porch； the four of them were lying on the sand with the oldest boy； young Tom； on one side of Roger and the smallest one； Andrew； next to him on the middle side and the middle one； David； stretched out next to Tom on his back with his eyes closed。 Thomas Hudson cleaned up his gear and went down to join them。
¨Hi； papa；〃 the oldest boy said。 ¨Did you work well？〃
¨Are you going to swim； papa？〃 asked the middle boy。
¨The waterˇs pretty good； papa；〃 the youngest boy said。
¨How are you father？〃 Roger grinned。 ¨Howˇs the painting business； Mr。 Hudson？〃
¨Painting business is over for the day； gentlemen。〃
¨Oh swell；〃 said David； the middle boy。 ¨Do you think we can go goggle…fishing？〃
¨Letˇs go after lunch。〃
¨Thatˇs wonderful；〃 the big boy said。
¨Wonˇt it maybe be too rough？〃 Andrew； the youngest boy； asked。
¨For you； maybe；〃 his oldest brother； Tom； told him。
¨No； Tommy。 For anyone。〃
¨They stay in the rocks when itˇs rough；〃 David said。 ¨Theyˇre afraid of the surge the same way we are。 I think it makes them seasick too。 Papa； donˇt fish get seasick？〃
¨Sure；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Sometimes in the live…well of a smack in rough weather the groupers will get so seasick that they die。〃
¨Didnˇt I tell you？〃 David asked his older brother。
¨They get sick and they die；〃 young Tom said。 ¨But what proves that itˇs seasick？〃
¨I think you could say they were really seasick；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨I donˇt know whether they would be if they could swim freely； though。〃
¨But donˇt you see that in the reef they canˇt swim freely either； papa？〃 David said。 ¨They have their holes and certain places they move out in。 But they have to stay in the holes for fear of bigger fish and the surge bangs them around just the way it would if they were in the well of a smack。〃
¨Not quite as much；〃 young Tom disagreed。
¨Maybe not quite as much；〃 David admitted judiciously。
¨But enough；〃 Andrew said。 He whispered to his father； ¨If they keep it up； we wonˇt have to go。〃
¨Donˇt you like it？〃
¨I like it wonderful but Iˇm scared of it。〃
¨What scares you？〃
¨Everything underwater。 Iˇm scared as soon as I let my air out。 Tommy can swim wonderfully but heˇs scared underwater too。 Davidˇs the only one of us that isnˇt scared underwater。〃
¨Iˇm scared lots of times；〃 Thomas Hudson told him。
¨Are you really？〃
¨Everybody is； I think。〃
¨David isnˇt。 No matter where it is。 But Davidˇs scared now of horses because they threw him so many times。〃
¨Listen； punk；〃 David had heard him。 ¨How was I thrown？〃
¨I donˇt know。 It was so many times I donˇt remember。〃
¨Well let me tell you。 I know how I was thrown so much。 When I used to ride Old Paint that year he used to swell himself up when they cinched him and then later the saddle would slip with me。〃
¨I never had that trouble with him；〃 Andrew said smartly。
¨Oh； the devil；〃 David said。 ¨Probably he liked you like everybody does。 Maybe somebody told him who you were。〃
¨I used to read out loud to him about me out of the papers；〃 Andrew said。
¨Iˇll bet he went off on a dead run then；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨You know what happened to David was that he started to ride that old broken…down quarter horse that got sound on us and there wasnˇt any place for the horse to run。 Horses arenˇt supposed to go like that across that sort of country。〃
¨I wasnˇt saying I could have ridden him； papa；〃 Andrew said。
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