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and everything else, and it's my opinion that if they 'ad only 'ad one pair o' boots between 'em they'd 'ave hopped along in one each. They 'ad been like it for years, and they kept it up when they left the sea and got berths ashore. Anybody knowing them would ha' thought that nothing but death could part 'em; but it happened otherwise. There was a gal in it, of course. A gal that Ted Denver got into conversation with on top of a bus, owing to her steadying 'erself by putting her hand on 'is shoulder as she passed 'im. Bright, lively sort o' gal she seemed, and, afore Ted knew where he was, they was talking away as though they 'ad known each other for years. Charlie didn't seem to care much for it at fust, but he didn't raise no objection; and when the gal got up to go he stopped the bus for 'er by poking the driver in the back, and they all got off together. Ted went fust to break her fall, in case the bus started off too sudden, and Charlie 'elped her down behind by catching hold of a lace collar she was wearing. When she turned to speak to 'im about it, she knocked the conductor's hat off with 'er umbrella, and there was so much unpleasantness that by the time they 'ad got to the pavement she told Charlie that she never wanted to see his silly fat face agin. "It ain't fat," ses Ted, speaking up for 'im; "it's the shape of it." "And it ain't silly," ses Charlie, speaking very quick; "mind that!" "It's a bit o' real lace," ses the gal, twisting her 'ead round to look at the collar; "it cost me one and two-three only last night." "One an' _wot?_" ses Charlie, who, not being a married man, didn't understand 'er. "One shilling," ses the gal, "two pennies, and three farthings. D'ye understand that?" "Yes," ses Charlie. "He's cleverer than he looks," ses the gal, turning to Ted. "I s'pose you're right, and it is the shape after all." Ted walked along one side of 'er and Charlie the other, till they came to the corner of the road where she lived, and then Ted and 'er stood there talking till Charlie got sick and tired of it, and kept tugging at Ted's coat for 'im to come away. "I'm coming," ses Ted, at last. "I s'pose you won't be this way to-morrow night?" he ses, turning to the gal. "I might if I thought there was no chance of seeing you," she ses, tossing her 'ead. "You needn't be alarmed," ses Charlie, shoving in his oar; "we're going to a music-'all to-morrow night." "Oh, go t
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