light from the policeman's lantern flashing
about all over the place. I was shivering with cold and temper. The mud
was drying on me.

"If you've finished 'unting for the pickpocket I'll let you out and get
on with my work," I ses, drawing myself up.

"Good night," ses the policeman, moving off. "Good night, dear," ses the
landlord. "Mind you tuck yourself up warm."

I lost my temper for the moment and afore I knew wot I was doing I 'ad
got hold of him and was shoving 'im towards the gate as 'ard as I could
shove. He pretty near got my coat off in the struggle, and next moment
the police-man 'ad turned his lantern on me and they was both staring at
me as if they couldn't believe their eyesight.

"He--he's turning black!" ses the landlord.

"He's turned black!" ses the policeman.

They both stood there looking at me with their mouths open, and then
afore I knew wot he was up to, the policeman came close up to me and
scratched my chest with his finger-nail.

"It's mud!" he ses.

"You keep your nails to yourself," I ses. "It's nothing to do with you."
and I couldn't 'elp noticing the smell of it. Nobody could. And wot was
worse than all was, that the tide 'ad turned and was creeping over the
mud in the dock.

They got tired of it at last and came back to where I was and stood there
shaking their 'eads at me.

"If he was on the wharf 'e must 'ave made his escape while you was in the
Bear's Head," ses the policeman.

"He was in my place a long time," ses the landlord.

"Well, it's no use crying over spilt milk," ses the policeman. "Funny
smell about 'ere, ain't there?" he ses, sniffing, and turning to the
landlord. "Wot is it?"

"I dunno," ses the landlord. "I noticed it while we was talking to 'im
at the gate. It seems to foller 'im about."

"I've smelt things I like better," ses the policeman, sniffing agin.
"It's just like the foreshore when somebody 'as been stirring the mud up
a bit."

"Unless it's a case of 'tempted suicide," he ses, looking at me very
'ard.

"Ah!" ses the landlord.

"There's no mud on 'is clothes," ses the policeman, looking me over with
his lantern agin.

"He must 'ave gone in naked, but I should like to see 'is legs to make--
All right! All right! Keep your 'air on."

"You look arter your own legs, then," I ses, very sharp, "and mind your
own business."

"It is my business," he ses, turning to the landlord. "Was 'e strange in
his manner at all when 'e was