Malachi kept as still as he could, even going so far as to set a hand to the back of Mable’s shoulder to steady her as well. Similarly transfixed, he watched the slow passage of the fish without once taking his eyes off of them.

“I haven’t a clue,” he admitted, matching her volume. “But I suspect you could ask someone in town and they’d be able to tell you.”

It did not seem like that far of a stretch to assume that most people in Whitby – at least most of the locals - knew a fair bit more about the native fish than either of them did. Slowly, Malachi got to his feet, soaked through and raining droplets down upon the surface of the water.

“They’re headed up the river, though. If it wasn’t so late already, we could follow them to the beach.”

Heading that far from the hotel at this hour, without her brother’s knowledge, did not feel like a good idea.

Malachi offered her a smile and said, “next time. I’m sure there are plenty of creatures to be found there besides worms, too.”

He extended a hand towards her, expecting for her to hold on to him again, and nodded towards the path they’d walked down from.

“We should head back to the road before we catch colds, don’t you think?”