Murray and I were the ones who set out with high hopes for cod that morning. The sea was calm, the day felt right, and we figured we’d be bringing back something worth bragging about. Instead, we came back with nothing but a single ugly skulphin — the kind of fish you almost apologize to for catching.

Back at the cabin, though, Peg and Ada had already made their own adventure. Peg, not to be outdone, had hauled in a large mackerel earlier that day. But instead of keeping it for the pan, she just shook her head, laughed, and tossed it to the gulls circling overhead. “They’ll enjoy it more than we will,” she said, and sure enough the gulls swooped down like it was a feast fit for royalty.

The real feast, though, was in the cabin that evening. Ada and Peg settled in by the stove, trading yarns like seasoned storytellers. Family tales, tall stories, and a few “you remember when” classics filled the air until the cabin rang with laughter. Murray and I might not have brought home cod, but between Peg’s mackerel giveaway and Ada’s sharp wit, we had plenty to carry us through the night.