"Mrs. Plimmer came down to the wharf every time the ship was up, arter
that. Sometimes she'd spend the evening aboard, and sometimes they'd go
off and spend it somewhere else. She 'ad a fancy for the cabin, I think,
and the cap'n told me that she 'ad said when they were married she was
going to sail with 'im sometimes.

"'But it ain't for six months yet,' he ses, 'and a lot o' things might
'appen to the other one in that time, with luck.'

"It was just about a month arter that that 'e came to me one evening
trembling all over. I 'ad just come on dooty, and afore I could ask 'im
wot was the matter he 'ad got me in the 'Bull's Head' and stood me three
'arf-pints, one arter the other.

"'I'm ruined,' he ses in a 'usky whisper; 'I'm done for. Why was wimmen
made? Wot good are they? Fancy 'ow bright and 'appy we should all be
without 'em.'

"'I started to p'int out one or two things to 'im that he seemed to 'ave
forgot, but 'e wouldn't listen. He was so excited that he didn't seem to
know wot 'e was doing, and arter he 'ad got three more 'arf-pints waiting
for me, all in a row on the counter, I 'ad to ask 'im whether he thought
I was there to do conjuring tricks, or wot?'

"'There was a letter waiting for me in the office,' he ses. 'From Miss
Lamb--she's in London. She's coming to pay me a surprise visit this
evening--I know who'll get the surprise. Mrs. Plimmer's coming too.'

"I gave 'im one of my 'arf-pints and made 'im drink it. He chucked the