"A cushion," he ses, winking, "or maybe a couple. And what about
clothes? You'll 'ave to sell me those you've got on. Hat and all. And
boots."

I put a price on 'em that I thought would 'ave finished 'im then and
there, but it didn't. And at last, arter paying me so many more
compliments that they began to get into my 'ead, he fixed up a meeting
for the next night and went off.

"And mind," he ses, coming back, "not a word to a living soul!"

He went off agin, and, arter going to the Bull's Head and 'aving a pint
to clear my 'ead, I went and sat down in the office and thought it over.
It seemed all right to me as far as I could see; but p'r'aps the pint
didn't clear my 'ead enough--p'r'aps I ought to 'ave 'ad two pints.

I lay awake best part of next day thinking it over, and when I got up I
'ad made up my mind. I put my clothes in a sack, and then I put on some
others as much like 'em as possible, on'y p'r'aps a bit older, in case
the missis should get asking questions; and then I sat wondering 'ow to
get out with the sack without 'er noticing it. She's got a very
inquiring mind, and I wasn't going to tell her any lies about it.
Besides which I couldn't think of one.

I got out at last by playing a game on her. I pertended to drop 'arf a
dollar in the washus, and while she was busy on 'er hands and knees I
went off as comfortable as you please.

I got into the office with it all right, and, just as it was getting
dark, a cab drove up to the wharf and the actor-chap jumped out with a