"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
best friends a man ever 'ad."

"Captin Dick 'as got arf a crown for you," ses Peter Russet, still
grinning.

"There now," ses Ginger, looking vexed, "if I ain't been and forgot it;
I've on'y got arf a sovereign."

"I can give you change, sir," ses Mrs. Finch. "P'r'aps you'd like to sit
down for five minutes?"

Ginger thanked 'er, and 'im and Peter Russet took a chair apiece in front
o' the fire and began asking old Sam about 'is 'ealth, and wot he'd been