"What folly you talk, Dent. Even suppose I were willing, you haven't
sixpence--you know you haven't."

"May I go home with you?" said Dent, "and I'll show you what I have.
I'm in real earnest--I want to get away, and I can pay for it. The
'Good Queen Anne' is quite to my mind--time for sailing, length of
voyage--all just what I wants. I'll give you ten pound if you'll drop
that berth of yours in my favor. There--I can't speak fairer than
that."

All the time Dent was speaking Will had walked on stoically. There was
not the faintest appearance of wavering about him; but Dent, who was
a shrewd observer of character, and knew this particular young sailor
well, guessed that Will's teeth were set hard, and that there was a
struggle going on in his breast.

"May I come home with you, mate," he said, "just for a bit, to talk
the matter over quiet like? I ha' got ten pound--no matter how and no
matter where--and it's yours just to let me go to sea this week instead
of next. A handy, neat-looking sailor like you, Will, need never be
long out of a berth, and it's vital for me to get away just now. Ten
pound, just to oblige a mate! You won't get such an offer again in a
hurry, Scarlett."

"Stop!" said Will, suddenly. "What child is that? I'll be back with
you in a minute if you'll wait by the corner, Dent, but I must follow
up that littl'un--he have no call to be out at this hour."

Will made a step or two forward, and found himself in the midst of a
small crowd who were admiring the antics of a very small and grotesque