The fust I knew about it was they came round to the wharf to see me. He
'ad been a fine-looking chap in 'is day, and even then 'e was enough like
me for me to see 'ow she 'ad made the mistake; and all the time she was
telling me 'ow it 'appened, he was looking me up and down and sniffing.

"'Ave you got a cold?" I ses, at last.

"Wot's that got to do with you?" he ses. "Wot do you mean by walking out
with my wife? That's what I've come to talk about."

For a moment I thought that his bad luck 'ad turned 'is brain. "You've
got it wrong," I ses, as soon as I could speak. "She walked out with
me."

"Cos she thought you was her 'usband," he ses, "but you didn't think you
was me, did you?"

"'Course I didn't," I ses.

"Then 'ow dare you walk out with 'er?" he ses.

"Look 'ere!" I ses. "You get off 'ome as quick as you like. I've 'ad
about enough of your family. Go on, hook it."

Afore I could put my 'ands up he 'it me hard in the mouth, and the next
moment we was at it as 'ard as we could go. Nearly every time I hit 'im
he wasn't there, and every time 'e hit me I wished I hadn't ha' been.
When I said I had 'ad enough, 'e contradicted me and kept on, but he got
tired of it at last, and, arter telling me wot he would do if I ever