est for me so as I can go away decent."

He looked round at 'is wife, as though 'e expected she'd ask 'im not to
go, but she took no notice, and he opened the door softly and went out,
while old Burge, who 'ad come into the room and 'eard what he was saying,
trotted off upstairs to pack 'is chest for 'im.

In two hours 'e was back agin and more cheerful than he 'ad been since he
'ad come 'ome. Bob was in the bar and the others were just sitting down
to tea, and a big chest, nicely corded, stood on the floor in the corner
of the room.

"That's right," he ses, looking at it; "that's just wot I wanted."

"It's as full as it can be," ses old Burge. "I done it for you myself.
'Ave you got a ship?"

"I 'ave," ses Dixon. "A jolly good ship. No more hardships for me this
time. I've got a berth as captain."

"Wot?" ses 'is wife. "Captain? You!"

"Yes," ses Dixon, smiling at her. "You can sail with me if you like."

"Thankee," ses Mrs. Dixon, "I'm quite comfortable where I am."

"Do you mean to say you've got a master's berth?" ses Charlie, staring at
'im.

"I do," ses Dixon; "master and owner."

Charlie coughed. "Wot's the name of the ship?" he asks, winking at the
others.

"The BLUE LION," ses Dixon, in a voice that made 'em all start. "I'm
shipping a new crew and I pay off the old one to-night. You first, my
lad."

"Pay off," ses Charlie, leaning back in 'is chair and staring at 'im in a
puzzled way. "Blue Lion?"

"Yes," ses Dixon, in the same loud voice. "When I came 'ome the other
day I thought p'r'aps I'd let bygones be bygones, and I laid low for a
bit to see whether any of you deserved it. I went to sea to get
hardened--and I got hard. I've fought men that would eat you at a meal.
I've 'ad more blows in a week than you've 'ad in a lifetime, you
fat-faced land-lubber."

He walked to the door leading to the bar, where Bob was doing 'is best to
serve customers and listen at the same time, and arter locking it put the
key in 'is pocket. Then 'e put his 'and in 'is pocket and slapped some
money down on the table in front o' Charlie.

"There's a month's pay instead o' notice," he ses. "Now git."

"George!" screams 'is wife. "'Ow dare you? 'Ave you gone crazy?"

"I'm surprised at you," ses old Burge, who'd been looking on with 'is
mouth wide open, and pinching 'imself to see whether 'e wasn't dreaming.

"I don't go for your orders," ses Charlie, getting up. "Wot d'ye mean by
locking t