so I felt doubly helpless in having to depend on
her, and she felt doubly kind, and, in short, I put my face in my hands
and sobbed.

For quite four hours after this I was puzzled to death by smelling stale
bad tobacco about myself; then I discovered that by some extraordinary
jerk in the vehemence of the embrace which was Biddy's first response to
my appeal, the little black pipe had got out of her coat-pocket and
tumbled down the breast of my slops.

I hope my breakdown was partly due to the infectious nature of emotion,
of which Biddy was so lavish that my prospects were discussed in a sadly
unbusiness-like fashion. My conscience is really quite clear of having
led her to hope that I would look out for Micky on the other side of the
Atlantic, but I fear that she had made up her mind that we should meet,
and that this went far towards converting her to my views for stowing
away on the vessel lying alongside of us. However, that important point
once reached, the old woman threw herself into the enterprise with a
practical knowledge of the realities of the undertaking and a zest for
the romance of it which were alike invaluable to me.

"The botheration of it is," said Biddy, after some talk, tangling her
bonnet and handkerchief over her face till I felt inclined to beg her to
let me put her straight--"the botheration of it is, that it's near to
closing-time, and when the bell rings every soul'll be cleared out,
labourers and idlers, and myself among 'em. Ye'll have to hide, me
darlin', but there'll be no mighty difficulty in that, for I see a fine
bit of tarpaulin yonder that'd consale a dozen of the likes of you. But
there's that fool of a watchman that'll come parading and meandering up
and down wid all the airs of a sentry on him and none of his good looks,
and wid a sneaking bull's-eye of a lantern in his hand. He's at the end
of the wharf now, purshuin' to him! Maybe I'll get him to taste a dhrop
of me coffee before the bell rings. Many's the cup I gave to the old
watchman before him, peace to his sowl, the kindly craythur! that never
did a more ill-natured thing on his beat than sleep like a child. Hide
now, darlin', and keep the tail of your eye at the corner where ye'll
see the ship. Maybe he'll take a nap yet, for all his airs, and then
there's the chance for ye! And mind now, keep snug till the pilot's gone
as I warned ye, and then it's the bold heart and the civil tongue, and
just the good-nature of your w