ed 'im wot he meant by it, and, arter he 'ad explained, I'm blest if
the landlord didn't advise him to search me. I stood still and let
George go through my pockets, and then I told 'im I 'ad done with 'im and
I never wanted to see 'im agin as long as I lived.

"I dare say," ses George, "I dare say. But you'll come along with me to
the wharf and see the skipper. I'm not going to lose five-and-twenty
quid through your carelessness."

I marched along in front of 'im with my 'ead in the air, and when he
spoke to me I didn't answer him. He went aboard the ship when we got to
the wharf, and a minute or two arterwards 'e came to the side and said
the skipper wanted to see me.

The airs the skipper gave 'imself was sickening. He sat down there in
'is miserable little rat-'ole of a cabin and acted as if 'e was a judge
and I was a prisoner. Most of the 'ands 'ad squeezed in there too, and
the things they advised George to do to me was remarkable.

"Silence!" ses the skipper. "Now, watchman, tell me exactly 'ow this
thing 'appened."

"I've told you once," I ses.

"I know," ses the skipper, "but I want you to tell me again to see if you
contradict yourself. I can't understand 'ow such a clever man as you
could be done so easy."

I thought I should ha' bust, but I kept my face wonderful. I just asked
'im wot the men was like that got off with 'is watch and chain and two
pounds, in case they might be the same.

"That's different," he ses.

"Oh!" ses I. "'Ow?"

"I lost my own property," he ses, "but you lost George's, and 'ow a man
like you, that's so much sharper and cleverer than other people, could be
had so easy, I can't think. Why, a child of five would ha' known
better."

"A baby in arms would ha' known better," ses the man wot 'ad bought the
di'mond ring. "'Ow could you 'ave been so silly, Bill? At your time o'
life, too!"

"That's neither 'ere nor there," ses the skip-per. "The watchman has
lost twenty-five quid belonging to one o' my men. The question is, wot
is he going to do about it?"

"Nothing," I ses. "I didn't ask 'im to let me mind the box. He done it
of 'is own free will. It's got nothing to do with me."

"Oh, hasn't it?" ses the skipper, drawing 'imself up. "I don't want to
be too 'ard on you, but at the same time I can't let my man suffer. I'll
make it as easy as I can, and I order you to pay 'im five shillings a
week till the twenty-five pounds is cleared off."

I laughed; I