stepped outside the gate. "Here's your fifteen bob; are you going to
give me that watch and chain?"

"Sartainly not," I ses. "I don't know wot you mean by a watch and chain.
If I 'ad it and I gave it to anybody, I should give it to Sam's widder,
not to you."

"It's nothing to do with 'er," ses Joe, very quick. "Sam was most
pertikler about that."

"I expect you dreamt it all," I ses. "Where would pore Sam get a gold
watch and chain from? And why should 'e go to you about it? Why didn't
'e come to me? If 'e thinks I 'ave got it let 'im come to me."

"All right, I'll go to the police-station," ses Joe.

"I'll come with you," I ses. "But 'ere's a policeman coming along.
Let's go to 'im."

I moved towards 'im, but Joe hung back, and, arter using one or two words
that would ha' made any ghost ashamed to know 'im, he sheered off. I 'ad
a word or two with the policeman about the weather, and then I went
inside and locked the gate.

My idea was that Sam 'ad told Joe about the watch and chain afore he fell
overboard. Joe was a nasty customer, and I could see that I should 'ave
to be a bit careful. Some men might ha' told the police about it--but I
never cared much for them. They're like kids in a way, always asking
questions--most of which you can't answer.