He developed into quite an expert fisherman ; nor , when the boats came in , did he shirk work , but manfully rolled up his trousers and helped carry water and `` gib '' mackerel as if he enjoyed it . He never put on any `` airs , '' and he stoutly took Leon 's part against the aggressive Mosey Louis . Even the French Canadians , those merciless critics , admitted that the `` Yankee '' was a good fellow . Benjamin Selby alone held stubbornly aloof . One evening the loaded boats came in at sunset . Benjamin sprang from his as it bumped against the skids , and ran up the path . At the corner of his fish-house he stopped and stood quite still , looking at Braithwaite and Mary Stella , who were standing by the rough picket fence of the pasture land . Braithwaite 's back was to Benjamin ; he held the girl 's hand in his and was talking earnestly . Mary Stella was looking up at him , her delicate face thrown back a little . There was a look in her eyes that Benjamin had never seen there before -- but he knew what it meant . His face grew pale and rigid ; he clenched his hands and a whirlpool of agony and bitterness surged up in his heart . All the great blossoms of the hope that had shed beauty and fragrance over his rough life seemed suddenly to shrivel up into black unsightliness . He turned and went swiftly and noiselessly down the road to his boat . The murmur of the sea sounded very far off . Mosey Louis was busy counting out the mackerel , Xavier was dipping up buckets of water and pouring it over the silvery fish . The sun was setting in a bank of purple cloud , and the long black headland to the west cut the golden seas like a wedge of ebony . It was all real and yet unreal . Benjamin went to work mechanically . Presently Mary Stella came down to her father 's boat . Braithwaite followed slowly , pausing a moment to exchange some banter with saucy Mosey Louis .
Benjamin bent lower over his table ; now and then he caught the dear tones of Mary XXXXX 's voice or her laughter at some sally of Pete or Leon .
Benjamin Braithwaite Canadians Louis Selby Stella Xavier Yankee fish-house unsightliness