"But you went turtle-ing for years off the Mosquito Coast and your eyes are good."
"I am a strange old man."
"But are you strong enough now for a truly big fish?"
"I think so. And there are many tricks."
"Let us take the stuff home," the boy said. "So I can get the cast net and go after the sardines."
They picked up the gear from the boat.
The old man carried the mast on his shoulder and the boy carried the wooden box with the coiled, hard-braided brown lines, the gaff and the harpoon with its shaft.
The box with the baits was under the stern of the skiff along with the club that was used to subdue the big fish when they were brought alongside.
No one would steal from the old man but it was better to take the sail and the heavy lines home as the dew was bad for them and, though he was quite sure no local people would steal from him, the old man thought that a gaff and a harpoon were needless temptations to leave in a boat.
They walked up the road together to the old man's shack and went in through its open door.