n agin and lay there wondering wot was going to
'appen next.

"If you ever break your oath by on'y so much as a teaspoonful," ses
Silas, "you'll see me agin, and the second time you see me you'll die as
if struck by lightning. No man can see me twice and live."

Bill broke out in a cold perspiration all over. "You'll be careful,
won't you, Silas?" he ses. "You'll remember you 'ave seen me once, I
mean?"

"And there's another thing afore I go," ses Silas. "I've left a widder,
and if she don't get 'elp from some one she'll starve."

"Pore thing," ses Bill. "Pore thing."

"If you 'ad died afore me," ses Silas, "I should 'ave looked arter your
good wife--wot I've now put in a sound sleep--as long as I lived."

Bill didn't say anything.

"I should 'ave given 'er fifteen shillings a week," ses Silas.

"'Ow much?" ses Bill, nearly putting his 'ead up over the clothes, while
'is wife almost woke up with surprise and anger.

"Fifteen shillings," ses Silas, in 'is most awful voice. "You'll save
that over the drink."

"I--I'll go round and see her," ses Bill. "S'he might be one o' these
'ere independent--" 277

"I forbid you to go near the place," ses Silas. "Send it by post every
week; 15 Shap Street will find her. Put your arm up and swear it; same
as you did afore."

Bill did as 'e was told, and then 'e lay and trembled, as Silas gave
three more awful groans.

"Farewell, Bill," he ses. "Farewell. I am going back to my bed at the
bottom o' the sea. So long as you keep both your oaths I shall stay
there. If you break one of 'em or go to see my pore wife I shall appear
agin. Farewell! Farewell! Farewell!"

Bill said "Good-by," and arter a long silence he ventured to put an eye
over the edge of the clothes and discovered that the ghost 'ad gone. He
lay awake for a couple o' hours, wondering and saying over the address to
himself so that he shouldn't forget it, and just afore it was time to get
up he fell into a peaceful slumber. His wife didn't get a wink, and she
lay there trembling with passion to think 'ow she'd been done, and
wondering 'ow she was to alter it.

Bill told 'er all about it in the morning; and then with tears in his
eyes 'e went downstairs and emptied a little barrel o' beer down the
sink. For the fust two or three days 'e went about with a thirst that
he'd ha' given pounds for if 'e'd been allowed to satisfy it, but arter a
time it went off, and then, like all teetotallers,