course--that's
wot people get married for--but when she found it woke me up three times
she quieted down and said wot a nice coat it 'ad got.

The three of 'em came round next evening to see it, and they was so
afraid of its being lost that when they stood me a pint at the Bull's
Head we 'ad to take it with us. Ginger was going to buy a sausage-roll
for it, but, arter Sam 'ad pointed out that they was paying me fourpence
a day for its keep, he didn't. And Sam 'ad the cheek to tell me that it
liked a nice bit o' fried steak as well as anything.

A lot o' people admired that dog. I remember, on the fourth night I
think it was, the barge Dauntless came alongside, and arter she was made
fast the skipper came ashore and took a little notice of it.

"Where did you get 'im?" he ses.

I told 'im 'ow it was, and he stood there for some time patting the dog
on the 'ead and whistling under 'is breath.

"It's much the same size as my dog," he ses; "that's a black retriever,
too."

I ses "Oh!"

"I'm afraid I shall 'ave to get rid of it," he ses. "It's on the barge
now. My missis won't 'ave it in the 'ouse any more cos it bit the baby.
And o' course it was no good p'inting out to 'er that it was its first
bite. Even the law allows one bite, but it's no good talking about the
law to wimmen."

"Except when it's on their side," I ses.

He patted the dog's 'ead agin and whistled, and a big black dog came up
out of the cabin and sprang ashore. It went up and put its nose to
Sam's dog, and they both growled like thunderstorms.

"Might be brothers," ses the skipper, "on'y your dog's got a better
'eead and a better coat. It's a good dog."

"They're all alike to me," I ses. "I couldn't tell 'em apart, not if
you paid me."

The skipper stood there a moment, and then he ses: "I wish you'd let me
see 'ow my dog looks in your dog's collar," he ses.

"Whaffor?" I ses.

"On'y fancy," he ses. "Oh, Bill!"

"Yes," I ses.

"It ain't Christmas," he ses, taking my arm and walking up and down a
bit, "but it will be soon, and then I mightn't see you. You've done me
one or two good turns, and I should like to make you a Christmas-box of
three 'arf-dollars."

I let 'im give 'em to me, and then, just to please 'im, I let 'im try
the collar on 'is dog, while I swept up a bit.

"It looked beautiful on 'im," he ses, when I'd finished; "but I've put
it back agin. Come on, Bruno. Good-night, Bill."

He got 'is dog on the ba