of people arter me ready to give me double the money, but I knew he could
never get anybody to do their dooty by the wharf like I 'ad done, so I
kept quiet. It's the way I treat my missis nowadays, and it pays; in the
old days I used to waste my breath answering 'er back.

"I wouldn't ha' minded so much if it 'adn't ha' been for that boy. He
used to pass me, as 'e went off of a evening, with a little sly smile on
'is ugly little face, and sometimes when I was standing at the gate he'd
give a sniff or two and say that he could smell beer, and he supposed it
came from the Bear's Head.

"It was about three weeks arter the guv'nor 'ad forgot 'imself, and I was
standing by the gate one evening, when I saw a woman coming along
carrying a big bag in her 'and. I 'adn't seen 'er afore, and when she
stopped in front of me and smiled I was on my guard at once. I don't
smile at other people, and I don't expect them to smile at me.

"'At last!' she ses, setting down 'er bag and giving me another smile.
'I thought I was never going to get 'ere."

"I coughed and backed inside a little bit on to my own ground. I didn't
want to 'ave that little beast of a office-boy spreading tales about me.

"'I've come up to 'ave a little fling,' she ses, smiling away harder than
ever. 'My husband don't know I'm 'ere. He thinks I'm at 'ome.'

"I think I went back pretty near three yards.

"'I come up by train,' she ses, nodding.