t twelve by
the time they reached Wapping, but the watchman was wide awake and, with
much bustle, helped them to berth their craft. He received the news of
the skipper's untimely end with well-bred sorrow, and at once excited
the wrath of the sensitive Joe by saying that he was not surprised.

"I 'ad a warning," he said solemnly, in reply to the indignant seaman.
"Larst night exactly as Big Ben struck ten o'clock the gate-bell was
pulled three times."

"I've pulled it fifty times myself before now," said Joe, scathingly,
"and then had to climb over the gate and wake you up."

"I went to the gate at once," continued George, addressing himself to
the cook; "sometimes when I'm shifting a barge, or doing any little job
o' that sort, I do 'ave to keep a man waiting, and, if he's drunk, two
minutes seems like ages to 'im."

"You ought to know wot it seems like," muttered Joe.

"When I got to the gate an' opened it there was nobody there," continued
the watchman, impressively, "and while I was standing there I saw the
bell-pull go up an' down without 'ands and the bell rung agin three
times."

The cook shivered. "Wasn't you frightened, George?" he asked,
sympathetically.

"I knew it was a warning," continued the vivacious George. "W'y'e should
come to me I don't know. One thing is I think 'e always 'ad a bit of a
fancy for me."

"He 'ad," said Joe; "everybody wot sees you loves you, George. They
can't help theirselves."

"And I 'ave 'ad them two ladies down agin asking for Mr. Robinson, and
also for poor Cap'n Flower," said the watchman; "they asked me some
questions about 'im, and I told 'em the lies wot you told me to tell
'em, Joe; p'r'aps that's w'y I 'ad the warning."

Joe turned away with a growl and went below, and Tim and the cook after
greedily waiting for some time to give the watchman's imagination a
further chance, followed his example. George left to himself took his
old seat on the post at the end of the jetty, being, if the truth must
be told, some-what alarmed by his own fertile inventions.

Three times did the mate, in response to the frenzied commands of the
skipper, come stealthily up the companion-way and look at him. Time was
passing and action of some kind was imperative.

"George," he whispered, suddenly.

"Sir," said the watchman.

"I want to speak to you," said Fraser, mysteriously; "come down here."

George rose carefully from his seat, and lowering himself gingerly on
board, crept