I couldn't think wot to make of it. "Was the gal there, then?" I ses,
staring at 'im.

"No," ses the skipper; "but I was."

"You?" I ses, starting back. "You! Wot for? I'm surprised at you! I
wouldn't ha' believed it of you!"

"I felt a bit curious," he ses, with a silly sort o' smile. "But wot I
can't understand is why the gal didn't turn up."

"I'm ashamed of you, Bill," I ses, very severe.

"P'r'aps she did," he ses, 'arf to 'imself, "and then saw my missis
standing there waiting. P'r'aps that was it."

"Or p'r'aps it was somebody 'aving a game with you," I ses.

"You're getting old, Bill," he ses, very short. "You don't understand.
It's some pore gal that's took a fancy to me, and it's my dooty to meet
'er and tell her 'ow things are."

He walked off with his 'ead in the air, and if 'e took that letter out
once and looked at it, he did five times.

"Chuck it away," I ses, going up to him.

"Certainly not," he ses, folding it up careful and stowing it away in
'is breastpocket. "She's took a fancy to me, and it's my dooty----"