"'Oh, watchman!' ses the boy. 'I wonder where you expect to go to?'

"'Missis my grandmother!' ses the skipper, with a wink. 'I'm going to
'ave a peep.'

"'Stand back!' I ses, pushing 'im off. 'I don't spy on you, and I don't
want you to come spying on me. You get off! D'ye hear me? Get off!'

"We had a bit of a struggle, till my foot slipped, and while I was waving
my arms and trying to get my balance back 'e made a dash for the empties.
Next moment he was roaring like a mad bull that 'ad sat down in a
sorsepan of boiling water, and rushing back agin to kill me.

"I believe that if it 'adn't ha' been for a couple o' lightermen wot 'ad
just come on to the jetty from their skiff, and two of his own 'ands,
he'd ha' done it. Crazy with passion 'e was, and it was all the four of
'em could do to hold 'im. Every now and then he'd get a yard nearer to
me, and then they'd pull 'im back a couple o' yards and beg of 'im to
listen to reason and 'ear wot I 'ad to say. And as soon as I started and
began to tell 'em about 'is lady-friend he broke out worse than ever.
People acrost the river must ha' wondered wot was 'appening. There was
two lightermen, two sailormen, me and the skipper, and Mrs. Pratt all
talking at once, and nobody listening but the office-boy. And in the
middle of it all the wicket was pushed open and the 'ed of the lady wot
all the trouble was about peeped in, and drew back agin.

"'There you are!' I ses, shouting my 'ardest. 'There she is. That's the
lady I was telling you about. Now, then: put 'em face to face and clear
my character. Don't let 'er escape.'