"Let 'em ring," I ses, off-hand.

The words was 'ardly out of my mouth afore they did ring, and if they 'ad
been selling muffins they couldn't ha' kept it up harder. And all the
time the umberella was doing rat-a-tat tats on the gate, while a voice--
much too loud for the potman's--started calling out: "Watch-man ahoy!"

"They're calling you, Bill," ses the skipper. "I ain't deaf," I ses,
very cold.

"Well, I wish I was," ses the skipper. "It's fair making my ear ache.
Why the blazes don't you do your dooty, and open the gate?"

"You mind your bisness and I'll mind mine," I ses. "I know wot I'm
doing. It's just some silly fools 'aving a game with me, and I'm not
going to encourage 'em."

"Game with you?" ses the skipper. "Ain't they got anything better than
that to play with? Look 'ere, if you don't open that gate, I will."

"It's nothing to do with you," I ses. "You look arter your ship and I'll
look arter my wharf. See? If you don't like the noise, go down in the
cabin and stick your 'ead in a biscuit-bag."

To my surprise he took the mate by the arm and went, and I was just
thinking wot a good thing it was to be a bit firm with people sometimes,
when they came back dressed up in their coats and bowler-hats and climbed
on to the wharf.