"What I say, of course," I said. "There _are_ too many shadows."

He sat up, and leant forward out from his bunk, extending his hand and
pipe. His eyes plainly showed his excitement.

"'ave yer seen--" he hesitated, and looked at me, struggling inwardly to
express himself.

"Well?" I prompted.

For perhaps a minute he tried to say something. Then his expression
altered suddenly from doubt, and something else more indefinite, to a
pretty grim look of determination.

He spoke.

"I'm blimed," he said, "ef I don't tike er piy-diy out of 'er, shadders
or no shadders."

I looked at him, with astonishment.

"What's it got to do with your getting a pay-day out of her?" I asked.

He nodded his head, with a sort of stolid resolution.

"Look 'ere," he said.

I waited.

"Ther crowd cleared"; he indicated with his hand and pipe towards the