"I stood there for a moment 'arf dazed, looking down at the water. Then
I pulled down a life-belt from the wall 'ere and threw it in, and, arter
another moment's thought, ran back to the _Lizzie and Annie,_ wot was in
the inside berth, and gave them a hail. I've always 'ad a good voice,
and in a flash the skipper and Ted Sawyer came tumbling up out of the
cabin and the 'ands out of the fo'c'sle.

"'Gal overboard!' I ses, shouting.

"The skipper just asked where, and then 'im and the mate and a couple of
'ands tumbled into their boat and pulled under the jetty for all they was
worth. Me and the boy ran back and stood with the others, watching.

"'Point out the exact spot,' ses the skipper.

"The boy pointed, and the skipper stood up in the boat and felt round
with a boat-hook. Twice 'e said he thought 'e touched something, but it
turned out as 'e was mistaken. His face got longer and longer and 'e
shook his 'ead, and said he was afraid it was no good.

"'Don't stand cryin' 'ere,' he ses to the boy, kindly. 'Jem, run round
for the Thames police, and get them and the drags. Take the boy with
you. It'll occupy 'is mind.'

"He 'ad another go with the boat-hook arter they 'ad gone; then 'e gave
it up, and sat in the boat waiting.

"'This'll be a bad job for you, watchman,' he ses, shaking his 'ead.
'Where was you when it 'appened?'

"'He's been missing all the evening,' ses the cook, wot was standing
beside me. 'If he'd been doing 'is dooty, the pore gal wouldn't 'ave
been drownded. Wot was she doing on the wharf?'

"'Skylarkin', I s'pose,' ses the mate. 'It's a wonder there ain't more
drownded. Wot can you expect when the watchman is sitting in a pub all
the evening?'

"The cook said I ought to be 'ung, and a young ordinary seaman wot was
standing beside 'im said he would sooner I was boiled. I believe they
'ad words about it, but I was feeling too upset to take much notice.

"'Looking miserable won't bring 'er back to life agin,' ses the skipper,
looking up at me and shaking his 'ead. 'You'd better go down to my cabin
and get yourself a drop o' whisky; there's a bottle on the table. You'll
want all your wits about you when the police come. And wotever you do
don't say nothing to criminate yourself.'

"'We'll do the criminating for 'im all right,' ses the cook.

"'If I was the pore gal I'd haunt 'im,' ses the ordinary seaman; 'every
night of 'is life I'd stand afore 'im dripping with water a