Thems my orders, ses the skipper, swelling his chest and looking round, to everybody. You know wotll appen to you, Joe, if things aint right when I come back. Come along, Bill, and lock the gate arter me. An mind, for your own sake, dont let anything appen to that gal while Im away.
Wot timell you be back? I ses, as e stepped through the wicket.
Not afore twelve, and praps a good bit later, he ses, smiling all over with appiness. But young slab-chest dont know Im out, and Winnie thinks Im just going out for arf an hour, so itll be all right. So long.
I watched im up the road, and I must say I began to wish I adnt taken the job on. Arter all, I ad ony had two pints and a bit o flattery, and I knew wot ud appen if anything went wrong. Built like a bull he was, and fond o using his strength. I locked the wicket careful, and, putting the key in my pocket, began to walk up and down the wharf.
For about ten minutes the gal went on reading and didnt look up once. Then, as I passed, she gave me a nice smile and shook er little fist at the cook, wot ad got is back towards er. I smiled back, o course, and by and by she put her book down and climbed on to the side o the ship and held out her and for me to elp her ashore.
Im so tired of the ship, she ses, in a soft voice; its like a prison. Dont you get, tired of the wharf?
Sometimes, I ses; but its my dooty.
Yes, she ses. Yes, of course. But youre a big, strong man, and you can put up with things better.
She gave a little sigh, and we walked up and down for a time without saying anything.
And its all fathers foolishness, she ses, at last; thats wot makes it so tiresome. I cant help a pack of silly young men writing to me, can I?
No, I spose not, I ses.
Thank you, she ses, putting er little and on my arm. I knew that you were sensible. Ive often watched you when Ive been sitting alone on the schooner, longing for somebody to speak to. And Im a good judge of character. I can read you like a book.
She turned and looked up at me. Beautiful blue eyes shed got, with long, curling lashes, and teeth like pearls.
Father is so silly, she ses, shaking her ead and looking down; and its so unreasonable, because, as a matter of fact, I dont like young men. Oh, I beg your pardon, I didnt mean that. I didnt mean to be rude.
Rude? I ses, staring at her.
Of course it was a rude thing for me to say, she ses, smiling; because you are still a young man yourself.
I shook my ead. Youngish, I ses.
Young! she ses, stamping er little foot.
She gave me another look, and this time er blue eyes seemed large and solemn. She walked along like one in a dream, and twice she tripped over the planks and would ave fallen if I hadnt caught er round the waist.
Thank you, she ses. Im very clumsy. How strong your arm is!
We walked up and down agin, and every time we went near the edge of the jetty she eld on to my arm for fear of stumbling agin. And there was that silly cook standing about on the schooner on tip-toe and twisting his silly old neck till I wonder it didnt twist off.
Wot a beautiful evening it is! she ses, at last, in a low voice. I ope father isnt coming back early. Do you know wot time he is coming home?
About twelve, I ses; but dont tell im I told you so.
O course not, she ses, squeezing my arm. Poor father! I hope he is enjoying himself as much as I am.
We walked down to the jetty agin arter that, and sat side by side looking acrost the river. And she began to talk about Life, and wot a strange thing it was; and ow the river would go on flowing down to the sea thousands and thousands o years arter we was both dead and forgotten. If it hadnt ha been for her little ead leaning agin my shoulder I should have ad the creeps.
Lets go down into the cabin, she ses, at last, with a little shiver; it makes me melancholy sitting here and thinking of the might-have-beens.
I got up first and elped her up, and, arter both staring hard at the cook, wot didnt seem to know is place, we went down into the cabin. It was a comfortable little place, and arter she ad poured me out a glass of er fathers whisky, and filled my pipe for me, I wouldnt ha changed places with a king. Even when the pipe wouldnt draw I didnt mind.
May I write a letter? she ses, at last.
Sartainly, I ses.
She got out her pen and ink and paper, and wrote. I shant be long, she ses, looking up and nibbling er pen. Its a letter to my dressmaker; she promised my dress by six oclock this afternoon, and I am just writing to tell her that if I dont have it by ten in the morning she can keep it.
Quite right, I ses; its the ony way to get things done.
Its my way, she ses, sticking the letter in an envelope and licking it down. Nice name, isnt it?
She passed it over to me, and I read the name and address: Miss Minnie Miller, 17, John Street, Mile End Road.
Thatll wake her up, She ses, smiling. Will you ask Joe to take it for me?
Hehes on guard, I ses, smiling back at er and shaking my ead.
I know, she ses, in a low voice. But I dont want any guardonly you. I dont like guards that peep down skylights.
I looked up just in time to see Joes ead disappear. Then I nipped up, and arter I ad told im part of wot I thought about im I gave im the letter and told im to sheer off.
The skipper told me to stay ere, he ses, looking obstinate.
You do as youre told, I ses. Im in charge, and I take full responsibility. I shall lock the gate arter you. Wot are you worrying about?
And heres a shilling, Joe, for a bus fare, ses the gal, smiling. You can keep the change.
Joe took off is cap and scratched is silly bald ead.
Come on, I ses; its a letter to a dressmaker. A letter that must go to-night.
Else its no use, ses the gal. You dont know ow important it is.
All right, ses Joe. Ave it your own way. So long as you dont tell the skipper I dont mind. If anything appens youll catch it too, Bill.
He climbed ashore, and I follered im to the gate and unlocked it. He was screwing up is eye ready for a wink, but I give im such a look that he thought better of it, and, arter rubbing his eye with is finger as though he ad got a bit o dust in it, he went off.
I locked the gate and went back to the cabin, and for some time we sat talking about fathers and the foolish ideas they got into their eads, and things o that sort. So far as I remember, I ad two more goes o whisky and one o the skippers cigars, and I was just thinking wot a beautiful thing it was to be alive and ealthy and in good spirits, talking to a nice gal that understood wot you said amost afore you said it, when I eard three blows on a whistle.
Wots that? I ses, starting up. Police whistle?
I dont think so, ses Miss Butt, putting her and on my shoulder. Sit down and stay where you are. I dont want you to get hurt, if it is. Let somebody I dont like go.
I sat down agin and listened, but there was no more whistling.
Boy in the street, I expect, ses the gal, going into the state-room. Oh, Ive got something to show you. Wait a minute.
I eard her moving about, and then she comes back into the cabin.
I cant find the key of my box, she ses, and its in there. I wonder whether youve got a key that would open it. Its a padlock.
I put my and in my pocket and pulled out my keys. Shall I come and try? I ses.
No, thank you, she ses, taking the keys. This looks about the size. What key is it?
Its the key of the gate, I ses, but I dont suppose itll fit.
She went back into the state-room agin, and I eard her fumbling at a lock. Then she came back into the cabin, breathing rather hard, and stood thinking.
Ive just remembered, she ses, pinching her chin. Yes!
She stepped to the door and went up the companion-ladder, and the next moment I eard a sliding noise and a key turn in a lock. I jumped to the foot of the ladder and, ardly able to believe my senses, saw that the hatch was closed. When I found that it was locked too, you might ha knocked me down with a feather.
I went down to the cabin agin, and, standing on the locker, pushed the skylight up with my ead and tried to lookout. I couldnt see the gate, but I eard voices and footsteps, and a little while arterwards I see that gal coming along the wharf arm in arm with the young man she ad told me she didnt like, and dancing for joy. They climbed on to the schooner, and then they both stooped down with their hands on their knees and looked at me.
Wot is it? ses the young man, grinning.
Its a watchman, ses the gal. Its here to take charge of the wharf, you know, and see that nobody comes on.
We ought to ha brought some buns for it, ses the young man; look at it opening its mouth.
They both laughed fit to kill themselves, but I didnt move a muscle.
You open the companion, I ses, or itll be the worse for you. Dye hear? Open it!
Oh, Alfred, ses the gal, hes losing is temper. Wotever shall we do?
I dont want no more nonsense, I ses, trying to fix er with my eye. If you dont let me out itll be the worse for you.
Dont you talk to my young lady like that, ses the young man.
Your young lady? I ses. Hmm! You should ha seen er arf an hour ago.
The gal looked at me steady for a moment.
He put is nasty fat arm round my waist, Alfred, she ses.
Wot! ses the young man, squeaking. WOT!
He snatched up the mop wot that nasty, untidy cook ad left leaning agin the side, and afore I ad any idea of wot e was up to he shoved the beastly thing straight in my face.
Next time, he ses, Ill tear you limb from limb!
I couldnt speak for a time, and when I could e stopped me with the mop agin. It was like a chained lion being tormented by a monkey. I stepped down on to the cabin floor, and then I told em both wot I thought of em.
Come along, Alfred, ses the gal, else the cookll be back before we start.
Hes all right, ses the young man. Minnies looking arter him. When I left hed got arf a bottle of whisky in front of im.
Still, we may as well go, ses Miss Butt. It seems a shame to keep the cab waiting.
All right, he ses. I just want to give this old chump one more lick with the mop and then well go.
He peeped down the skylight and waited, but I kept quite quiet, with my back towards im.
Come along, ses Miss Butt.
Im coming, he ses. Hi! You down there! When the capn comes back tell im that Im taking Miss Butt to an aunt o mine in the country. And tellim that in a week or two hell ave the largest and nicest piece of wedding-cake he as ever ad in his life. So long!
Good-bye, watchman, ses the gal.
They moved off without another wordfrom them, I mean. I heard the wicket slam and then I eard a cab drive off over the stones. I couldnt believe it at first. I couldnt believe a gal with such beautiful blue eyes could be so hard-earted, and for a long time I stood listening and hoping to ear the cab come back. Then I stepped up to the companion and tried to shift it with my shoulders.
I went back to the cabin at last, and arter lighting the lamp I ad another sup o the skippers whisky to clear my ead, and sat down to try and think wot tale I was to tell im. I sat for pretty near three hours without thinking of one, and then I eard the crew come on to the wharf.
They was a bit startled when they saw my ead at the skylight, and then they all started at the same time asking me wot I was doing. I told em to let me out fust and then Id tell em, and one of em ad just stepped round to the companion when the skipper come on to the wharf and stepped aboard. He stooped down and peeped at me through the skylight as though he couldnt believe is eyesight, and then, arter sending the hands forard and telling em to stay there, wotever appened, he unlocked the companion and came down.
THE UNDERSTUDY
Dogs on board ship is a nuisance, said the night-watchman, gazing fiercely at the vociferous mongrel that had chased him from the deck of the Henry William; the skipper asks me to keep an eye on the ship, and then leaves a thing like that down in the cabin.
He leaned against a pile of empty casks to recover his breath, shook his fist at the dog, and said, slowly
Some people cant make too much of em. They talk about a dogs honest eyes and his faithful art. I ad a dog once, and I never saw his eyes look so honest as they did one day when e was sitting on a pound o beefsteak we was unting high and low for.
Ive known dogs to cause a lot of trouble in my time. A man as used to live in my street told me he ad been in jail three times because dogs follered him ome and wouldnt go away when he told em to. He said that some men would ha kicked em out into the street, but he thought their little lives was far too valuable to risk in that way.
Some people used to wink when e talked like that, but I didnt: I remembered a dog that took a fancy to old Sam Small and Ginger Dick and Peter Russet once in just the same way.
It was one night in a little public-ouse down Commercial Road way. They ad ony been ashore a week, and, aving been turned out of a music-all the night afore because a man Ginger Dick had punched in the jaw wouldnt behave imself, they said theyd spend the rest o their money on beer instead. There was just the three of em sitting by themselves in a cosy little bar, when the door was pushed open and a big black dog came in.
He came straight up to Sam and licked his and. Sam was eating a arrowroot biscuit with a bit o cheese on it at the time. He wasnt wot youd call a partickler sort o man, but, seeing as ow the dog was so careless that e licked the biscuit amost as much as he did his and, he gave it to im. The dog took it in one gulp, and then he jumped up on Sams lap and wagged his tail in is face for joy and thankfulness.
Hes took a fancy to you, Sam, ses Ginger.
Sam pushed the dog off on to the floor and wiped his face.
Hes a good dog, by the look of im, ses Peter Russet, who was country bred.