man was run over. He told me 'e should only be away five
minutes. And he 'ad got an honest face: nice open blue eyes, and a smile
that done you good to look at."

"You've been swindled," I ses, "and you know it. If I'd been done like
that I should never hold up my 'ead agin. Why, a child o' five would
know better. You and your crew all seem to be tarred with the same
brush. You ain't fit to be trusted out alone."

I believe 'e told his 'ands wot I said; anyway, two bits o' coke missed
me by 'arf an inch next evening, and for some weeks not one of 'em spoke
a word to me. When they see me coming they just used to stand up
straight and twist their nose.

It didn't 'urt me, o' course. I took no notice of 'em. Even when one of
'em fell over the broom I was sweeping with I took no notice of 'im. I
just went on with my work as if 'e wasn't there.

I suppose they 'ad been in the sulks about a month, and I was sitting
'ere one evening getting my breath arter a couple o' hours' 'ard work,
when one of 'em, George Tebb by name, came off the ship and nodded to me
as he passed.

"Evening, Bill," he ses.

"Evening," I ses, rather stiff.

"I wanted a word with you, Bill," he ses, in a low voice. "In fact, I
might go so far as to say I want to ask you to do me a favour."

I looked at him so 'ard that he coughed and looked away.

"We might talk about it over a 'arf-pint," he ses.

"No, thank you," I ses. "I 'ad a 'arf-pint the day before yesterday, and
I'm not thirsty."

He stood there fidgeting about for a bit, and then he puts his 'and on my
shoulder.

"Well, come to the end of the jetty," he ses. "I've got something
private to say."

I got up slow-like and followed 'im. I wasn't a bit curious. Not a bit.
But if a man asks for my 'elp I always give it.

"It's like this," he ses, looking round careful, "only I don't want the
other chaps to hear because I don't want to be laughed at. Last week an
old uncle o' mine died and left me thirty pounds. It's just a week ago,
and I've already got through five of 'em, and besides that the number of
chaps that want to borrow ten bob for a couple o' days would surprise
you."

"I ain't so easy surprised," I ses, shaking my 'ead.

"It ain't safe with me," he ses; "and the favour I want you to do is to
take care of it for me. I know it'll go if I keep it. I've got it
locked up in this box. And if you keep the box I'll keep the key, and
when I want a bit I'll com