From Martin, the proprietor at the Terrace, Manolin gets coffee with plenty of milk and sugar. Martin says, "What a fish … . There has never been such a fish." Then he also praises Manolin's two fish, but the boy isn't interested. He tells Martin that he'll be back when he knows what Santiago can eat and that in the meantime, no one should disturb the old man. Martin replies, "Tell him how sorry I am."
Santiago sleeps so long and hard that Manolin has to go across the road to borrow wood to reheat the coffee. Eventually the old man does awaken, and after he drinks some of the coffee, he tells Manolin, "They beat me." Manolin responds adamantly that the great fish didn't beat him, and Santiago explains it was after he caught the fish that he was defeated.
Manolin tells Santiago that Pedrico is taking care of the skiff and the gear and wants to know what Santiago wants done with the fish. Santiago tells Manolin to give Pedrico the head to chop up and use in fish traps and then offers Manolin the spear. Manolin replies that he wants the fish's spear. When Santiago asks whether anyone searched for him, Manolin tells him they did, with coast guard and planes. Santiago replies that the ocean is very large and the skiff small. He notices how welcome it is to have someone to talk to after three days of talking to himself.
When Santiago asks about Manolin's catch, Manolin tells the old man that he caught four fish, but now he will fish with Santiago again. Santiago says no, because he is not lucky. But Manolin says to hell with luck; he'll bring the luck with him. Santiago asks what the young man's family will say, and Manolin replies that he doesn't care and still has much to learn from Santiago.
