"'You've wasted pretty near arf a 'undered-weight,' I ses. 'I've a good
mind to report you.'

"'Don't do that, watchman!' he ses, in a pitiful voice. 'Don't do that!
'Ere, I tell you wot I'll do. I'll pick it all up agin.'

"Afore I could move 'and or foot he 'ad shifted a couple o' cases out of
'is way and was in among the empties. I stood there dazed-like while two
bits o' coke came flying back past my 'ed; then I 'eard a loud whistle,
and 'e came out agin with 'is eyes rolling and 'is mouth wide open.

"'Wot's the matter?' ses the skipper, staring at 'im.

"'I--I--I'm sorry, watchman,' ses that beast of a boy, purtending 'e was
'ardly able to speak. 'I'd no idea----'

"'All right,' I ses, very quick.

"'Wot's the matter?' ses the skipper agin; and as 'e spoke it came over
me like a flash wot a false persition I was in, and wot a nasty-tempered
man 'e could be when 'e liked.

"'Why didn't you tell me you'd got a lady-friend there?' ses the boy,
shaking his 'ed at me. 'Why, I might 'ave hit 'er with a bit o' coke,
and never forgiven myself!'

"'Lady-friend!' ses the skipper, with a start. 'Oh, Bill, I am
surprised!'

"My throat was so dry I couldn't 'ardly speak. 'It's my missis,' I ses,
at last.

"'Your missis?' ses the skipper. 'Woes she 'iding behind there for?'

"'She--she's shy,' I ses. 'Always was, all 'er life. She can't bear
other people. She likes to be alone with me.'

"'Oh, watchman!' ses the boy. 'I wonder where you expect to go to?'

"'Missis my grandmother!' ses the skipper, with a wink. 'I'm going to
'ave a peep.'

"'Stand back!' I ses, pushing 'im off. 'I don't spy on you, and I don't
want you to come spying on me. You get off! D'ye hear me? Get off!'

"We had a bit of a struggle, till my foot slipped, and while I was waving
my arms and trying to get my balance back 'e made a dash for the empties.
Next moment he was roaring like a mad bull that 'ad sat down in a
sorsepan of boiling water, and rushing back agin to kill me.

"I believe that if it 'adn't ha' been for a couple o' lightermen wot 'ad
just come on to the jetty from their skiff, and two of his own 'ands,
he'd ha' done it. Crazy with passion 'e was, and it was all the four of
'em could do to hold 'im. Every now and then he'd get a yard nearer to
me, and then they'd pull 'im back a couple o' yards and beg of 'im to
listen to reason and 'ear wot I 'ad to say. And as soon as I started and
began to tell 'em a