much too long for him. Being so deadly white he looked like a horrible
dirty invalid in a ragged dressing gown. The coat flapped open in front
and the rest of his apparel consisted of one brace which crossed his
naked, bony chest, and a pair of trousers. He blinked rapidly as if
dazed by the faint light, while his patron, the old bandit, glowered at
young Powell from under his beetling brow.

"Say the word, Capt'in. The bobby'll let us in all right. 'E knows both
of us."

"I didn't answer him," continued Mr. Powell. "I was listening to
footsteps on the other side of the gate, echoing between the walls of the
warehouses as if in an uninhabited town of very high buildings dark from
basement to roof. You could never have guessed that within a stone's
throw there was an open sheet of water and big ships lying afloat. The
few gas lamps showing up a bit of brick work here and there, appeared in
the blackness like penny dips in a range of cellars--and the solitary
footsteps came on, tramp, tramp. A dock policeman strode into the light
on the other side of the gate, very broad-chested and stern.

"Hallo! What's up here?"

"He was really surprised, but after some palaver he let me in together
with the two loafers carrying my luggage. He grumbled at them however
and slammed the gate violently with a loud clang. I was startled to
discover how many night prowlers had collected in the darkness of the
street in such a short time and without my being aware of it. Directly
we were through they came surging against the bars, silent, like a mob of
ugly spectres. But suddenly, up the street somewhere, perhaps near that
public-house, a row started as if Bedlam had broken loose: shouts, yells,