I come
back, I'll skin 'im alive. Now, I want you to watch 'er, too. Keep the
gate locked, and don't let anybody in you don't know. Especially that
monkey-faced imitation of a man. Here 'e is. That's his likeness.'

"He pulled a photygraph out of 'is coatpocket and 'anded it to me.

"'That's 'im,' he ses. 'Fancy a gal getting love-letters from a thing
like that! And she was on'y twenty last birthday. Keep your eye on
'er, Bill, and don't let 'er out of your sight. You're worth two o' the
cook.'

"He finished 'is beer, and, cuddling my arm, stepped back to the wharf.
Miss Butt was sitting on the cabin skylight reading a book, and old Joe,
the cook, was standing near 'er pretending to swab the decks with a mop.

"'I've got to go out for a little while--on business,' ses the skipper.
'I don't s'pose I shall be long, and, while I'm away, Bill and the cook
will look arter you.'

"Miss Butt wrinkled up 'er shoulders.

"'The gate'll be locked, and you're not to leave the wharf. D'ye 'ear?'

"The gal wriggled 'er shoulders agin and went on reading, but she gave
the cook a look out of 'er innercent baby eyes that nearly made 'im drop
the mop.

"'Them's my orders,' ses the skipper, swelling his chest and looking
round, 'to everybody. You know wot'll 'appen to you, Joe, if things
ain't right when I come back. Come along, Bill, and lock the gate arter
me. An' mind, for your own sake, don't let anything 'appen to that gal
while I'm away.'

"'Wot time'll you be back?' I ses, as 'e stepped through the wicket.

"'Not afore twelve, and p'r'aps a good bit later,' he ses, smiling all
over with 'appiness. 'But young slab-chest don't know I'm out, and
Winnie thinks I'm just going out for 'arf an hour, so it'll be all
right. So long.'

"I watched 'im up the road, and I must say I began to wish I 'adn't
taken the job on. Arter all, I 'ad on'y 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 didn't 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