couldn't 'elp it. I just stood there and laughed at 'im.

"If you don't," ses the skipper, "then I shall lay the facts of the case
afore the guv'nor. Whether he'll object to you being in a pub a mile
away, taking care of a box of gold while you was supposed to be taking
care of the wharf, is his bisness. My bisness is to see that my man 'as
'is rights."

"'Ear, 'ear !" ses the crew.

"You please yourself, watchman," ses the skipper. "You're such a clever
man that no doubt you could get a better job to-morrow. There must be
'eaps of people wanting a man like you. It's for you to decide. That's
all I've got to say--five bob a week till pore George 'as got 'is money
back, or else I put the case afore the guv'nor. Wot did you say?"

I said it agin, and, as 'e didn't seem to understand, I said it once
more.

"Please yourself," 'e ses, when I 'ad finished. "You're an old man, and
five bob a week can't be much loss to you. You've got nothing to spend
it on, at your time o' life. And you've got a very soft job 'ere. Wot?"

I didn't answer 'im. I just turned round, and, arter giving a man wot
stood in my way a punch in the chest, I got up on deck and on to the
wharf, and said my little say all alone to myself, behind the crane.

I paid the fust five bob to George Tebb the next time the ship was up,
and arter biting 'em over and over agin and then ringing 'em on the
deck 'e took the other chaps round to the Bear's Head.

"P'r'aps it's just as well it's 'appened," he ses. "Five bob a week for
nearly two years ain't to be sneezed at. It's slow, but it's sure."

I thought 'e was joking at fust, but arter working it out in the office
with a bit o' pencil and paper I thought I should ha' gorn crazy. And
when I complained about the time to George 'e said I could make it
shorter if I liked by paying ten bob a week, but 'e thought the steady
five bob a week was best for both of us.

I got to 'ate the sight of 'im. Every week regular as clockwork he used
to come round to me with his 'and out, and then go and treat 'is mates to
beer with my money. If the ship came up in the day-time, at six o'clock
in the evening he'd be at the wharf gate waiting for me; and if it came
up at night she was no sooner made fast than 'e was over the side patting
my trouser-pocket and saying wot a good job it was for both of us that I
was in steady employment.

Week arter week and month arter month I went on paying. I a'most forgo