other people were sure not to like
it.

"And you brought it all on yourself," ses Charlie. "You've only got
yourself to thank for it. I 'ad thought o' picking a bone with you over
those letters you wrote."

"Let's 'ope 'e's come back more sensible than wot 'e was when 'e went
away," ses old Burge, with 'is mouth full o' toast.

By the time he'd been back a couple o' days George Dixon could see that
'is going away 'adn't done any good at all. Nobody seemed to take any
notice of 'im or wot he said, and at last, arter a word or two with
Charlie about the rough way he spoke to some o' the customers, Charlie
came in to Mrs. Dixon and said that he was at 'is old tricks of
interfering, and he would not 'ave it.

"Well, he'd better keep out o' the bar altogether," ses Mrs. Dixon.
"There's no need for 'im to go there; we managed all right while 'e was
away."

"Do you mean I'm not to go into my own bar?" ses Dixon, stammering.

"Yes, I do," ses Mrs. Dixon. "You kept out of it for four years to
please yourself, and now you can keep out of it to please me."

"I've put you out o' the bar before," ses Charlie, "and if you come
messing about with me any more I'll do it agin. So now you know."

He walked back into the bar whistling, and George Dixon, arter sitting
still for a long time thinking, got up and went into the bar, and he'd
'ardly got his foot inside afore Charlie caught 'old of 'im by the
shoulder and shoved 'im back into the parlour agin.

"I told you wot it would be," ses Mrs. Dixon, looking up from 'er sewing.
"You've only got your interfering ways to thank for it."

"This is a fine state of affairs in my own 'ouse," ses Dixon, 'ardly able
to speak. "You've got no proper feeling for your husband, Julia, else
you wouldn't allow it. Why, I was happier at sea than wot I am 'ere."

"Well, you'd better go back to it if you're so fond of it," ses 'is wife.

"I think I 'ad," ses Dixon. "If I can't be master in my own 'ouse I'm
better at sea, hard as it is. You must choose between us, Julia--me or
your relations. I won't sleep under the same roof as them for another
night. Am I to go?"

"Please yourself," ses 'is wife. "I don't mind your staying 'ere so long
as you behave yourself, but the others won't go; you can make your mind
easy on that."

"I'll go and look for another ship, then," ses Dixon, taking up 'is cap.
"I'm not wanted here. P'r'aps you wouldn't mind 'aving some clothes
packed into a ch