Then he dismissed them, bidding them use all speed, and again they did homage after their manner, and bent before Phelim, and so paddled out among the waves as swiftly and skilfully as they had come.

There was never a word of pay or even reward spoken.

It would seem to be enough for them that they should be honoured in serving their lord, or else they had no choice but to do his bidding.

Maybe that last is most likely.
Now we had to wait for their signal that all was ready for us, and how long that might be we could not tell.

It depended mostly on where the king was holding his court, which the fishers did not know.