lock. Then she came back into the cabin, breathing rather hard, and
stood thinking.

"'I've just remembered,' she ses, pinching her chin. 'Yes!'

"She stepped to the door and went up the companion-ladder, and the next
moment I 'eard a sliding noise and a key turn in a lock. I jumped to
the foot of the ladder and, 'ardly able to believe my senses, saw that
the hatch was closed. When I found that it was locked too, you might
ha' knocked me down with a feather.

"I went down to the cabin agin, and, standing on the locker, pushed the
skylight up with my 'ead and tried to lookout. I couldn't see the gate,
but I 'eard voices and footsteps, and a little while arterwards I see
that gal coming along the wharf arm in arm with the young man she 'ad
told me she didn't like, and dancing for joy. They climbed on to the
schooner, and then they both stooped down with their hands on their
knees and looked at me.

"'Wot is it?' ses the young man, grinning.

"'It's a watchman,' ses the gal. 'It's here to take charge of the
wharf, you know, and see that nobody comes on.'

"'We ought to ha' brought some buns for it,' ses the young man; 'look at
it opening its mouth.'

"They both laughed fit to kill themselves, but I didn't move a muscle.

"'You open the companion,' I ses, 'or it'll be the worse for you. D'ye