the letter and told 'im to sheer off.

"'The skipper told me to stay 'ere,' he ses, looking obstinate.

"'You do as you're told,' I ses. 'I'm in charge, and I take full
responsibility. I shall lock the gate arter you. Wot are you worrying
about?'

"'And here's a shilling, Joe, for a bus fare,' ses the gal, smiling.
'You can keep the change.'

"Joe took off 'is cap and scratched 'is silly bald 'ead.

"'Come on,' I ses; 'it's a letter to a dressmaker. A letter that must
go to-night.'

"'Else it's no use,' ses the gal. 'You don't know 'ow important it is.'

"'All right,' ses Joe. ''Ave it your own way. So long as you don't
tell the skipper I don't mind. If anything 'appens you'll catch it too,
Bill.'

"He climbed ashore, and I follered 'im to the gate and unlocked it. He
was screwing up 'is eye ready for a wink, but I give 'im such a look
that he thought better of it, and, arter rubbing his eye with 'is finger
as though he 'ad got a bit o' dust in it, he went off.

"I locked the gate and went back to the cabin, and for some time we sat
talking about fathers and the foolish ideas they got into their 'eads,
and things o' that sort. So far as I remember, I 'ad two more goes o'