DEEP WATERS

By W.W. JACOBS




SHAREHOLDERS


Sailor man--said the night-watchman, musingly--a sailorman is like a fish
he is safest when 'e is at sea. When a fish comes ashore it is in for
trouble, and so is sailorman. One poor chap I knew 'ardly ever came
ashore without getting married; and he was found out there was no less
than six wimmen in the court all taking away 'is character at once. And
when he spoke up Solomon the magistrate pretty near bit 'is 'ead off.

Then look at the trouble they get in with their money! They come ashore
from a long trip, smelling of it a'most, and they go from port to port
like a lord. Everybody has got their eye on that money--everybody except
the sailorman, that is--and afore he knows wot's 'appened, and who 'as
got it, he's looking for a ship agin. When he ain't robbed of 'is money,
he wastes it; and when 'e don't do either, he loses it.

I knew one chap who hid 'is money. He'd been away ten months, and,
knowing 'ow easy money goes, 'e made up sixteen pounds in a nice little
parcel and hid it where nobody could find it. That's wot he said, and
p'r'aps 'e was right. All I know is, he never found it. I did the same
thing myself once with a couple o' quid I ran acrost unexpected, on'y,
unfortunately for me, I hid it the day afore my missus started 'er