"'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
pot on the floor when he 'ad done, in a desprit sort o' way, and 'im and
the landlord 'ad a little breeze then that did 'im more good than wot the
beer 'ad. When we came outside 'e seemed more contented with 'imself,
but he shook his 'ead and got miserable as soon as we got to the wharf
agin.

"'S'pose they both come along at the same time,' he ses. 'Wot's to be