"I'd know that foot anywhere," ses Peter, still staring at it; and the
words was hardly out of 'is mouth afore the foot 'ad moved itself away
and tucked itself under its chair. "Why, that's my dear old friend Sam
Small, ain't it?"

"Do you know the captin?" ses the woman, smiling at 'im.

"Cap----?" ses Peter. "Cap----? Oh, yes; why, he's the biggest friend
I've got." "'Ow strange!" ses the woman.

"We've been wanting to see 'im for some time," ses Ginger. "He was kind
enough to lend me arf a crown the other day, and I've been wanting to pay
'im."

"Captin Small," ses the woman, pushing open the door, "here's some old
friends o' yours."

Old Sam turned 'is face round and looked at 'em, and if looks could ha'
killed, as the saying is, they'd ha' been dead men there and then.

"Oh, yes," he ses, in a choking voice; "'ow are you?"

"Pretty well, thank you, captin," ses Ginger, grinning at 'im; "and 'ow's
yourself arter all this long time?"

He held out 'is hand and Sam shook it, and then shook 'ands with Peter
Russet, who was grinning so 'ard that he couldn't speak.

"These are two old friends o' mine, Mrs. Finch," ses old Sam, giving 'em
a warning look; "Captin Dick and Captin Russet, two o' the oldest and