Eleven o'clock
At nine o'clock all the boats had shot their nets , and Christie went alongside his lordship 's cutter ; he asked her many questions about herring fishery , to which she gave clear answers , derived from her father , who had always been what the fishermen call a lucky fisherman ; that is , he had opened his eyes and judged for himself . Lord Ipsden then gave her blue lights to distribute among the boats , that the first which caught herring might signal all hands . This was done , and all was expectation . Eleven o'clock came -- no signal from any boat . Christie became anxious . At last she went round to the boats ; found the boys all asleep except the baddish boy ; waked them up , and made them all haul in their first net . The nets came in as black as ink , no sign of a herring .