sked the
two officers in, and presented them to a woman who sat by the fire
with a shawl over her shoulders. She was young, and seemed to be of
the gipsy type; tall, handsome features, jet black hair, sparkling
eyes and eyebrows; and when she asked them to be seated, her voice and
accent gave the impression of a lady. She chatted quite freely to the
sailors about their profession and the countries they had visited,
which led them to suppose that the lady was a great traveller. She,
however, told them that her knowledge was derived from books.
Shortlegs was mute. While the others talked he was closely
scrutinizing the surroundings. Their host was a tall, well-set man,
with shifty, evil-looking eyes that were kept busy, as was his tongue.
After they had been in the house some time, he asked them if they
wished to stay all night.

"We don't want ter press yer, but if yer like we've got a comfortable
room. But ye'll both 'ave to sleep in one bed."

"We don't mind that," said James Leigh. "Show us where it is."

They bade the lady good morning, as it was 2 a.m., and they were
escorted upstairs to a moderately-furnished room with an iron bed,
wooden washstand, wardrobe, two chairs, and canvased floor.

"Well, do you think it'll do?" asked the host.

"Yes," replied James, in a jaunty way. "We've slept in many a worse
place than this, Shorty, haven't we? See that we're called at six in
the morning, gov'nor."

"That's all right," said the shifty-eyed host; "we're early birds, we
are, in this 'ere 'ouse. We goes to bed early too. Wot'll ye 'ave for
breakfast?"

"Never mind breakfast; we'll get that when we get aboard," replied
Leigh. "Good-night; it's very good of you to put us up."

The host remarked that he was pleased to do a kindness to anybody, but
especially to sailors, and then he slid out of the room. Shortlegs
watched him downstairs, then closed the door. When he looked round his
second officer was half undressed. He whispered to him not to undress,
and that if he knew as much about bugs as he did he would need no
telling.

"Oh! d---- the bugs and everything else. I'm in for a good nap."

"Well," said Shortlegs, "you may do as you like, but I'm a-going to
keep my clothes on."

Jim, however, did not heed his companion's advice; he undressed,
jumped into bed, and was soon asleep. Shortlegs sat smoking his pipe
for a while, then rose and commenced a survey of the room. He looked
under the bed, into a cupboard