hear of me paying for
it, because 'e said it was his treat.

"We'll 'ave a quid out o' the box," he ses. "I must 'ave one to go on
with, anyway." I shook my 'ead at 'im.

"Only one," he ses, "and that'll last me a fortnight. Besides, I want to
give you the quid I promised you."

I gave way at last, and he put his 'and in 'is trouser-pocket for the
key, and then found it wasn't there.

"I must ha' left it in my chest," he ses. "I'll 'op back and get it."
And afore I could prevent 'im he 'ad waved his 'and at me and gorn.

My fust idea was to go arter 'im, but I knew I couldn't catch 'im, and if
I tried to meet 'im coming back I should most likely miss 'im through the
side streets. So I sat there with my pipe and waited.

I suppose I 'ad been sitting down waiting for him for about ten minutes,
when a couple o' sailormen came into the bar and began to make themselves
a nuisance. Big fat chaps they was, and both of 'em more than 'arf
sprung. And arter calling for a pint apiece they began to take a little
notice of me.

"Where d'you come from?" ses one of 'em. "'Ome," I ses, very quiet.

"It's a good place--'ome," ses the chap, shaking his 'ead. "Can you sing
"Ome, Sweet 'Ome'? You seem to 'ave got wot I might call a 'singing
face.'"

"Never mind about my face," I ses, very sharp. "You mind wot you're
doing with that beer. You'll 'ave it over in a minute."

The words was 'ardly out of my mouth afore 'e gave a lurch and spilt his
pint all over me. From 'ead to foot I was dripping with beer, and I was
in such a temper I wonder I didn't murder 'im; but afore I could move
they both pulled out their pocket-'ankerchers and started to rub me down.

"That'll do," I ses at last, arter they 'ad walked round me 'arf-a-dozen
times and patted me all over to see if I was dry. "You get off while
you're safe."

"It was my mistake, mate," ses the chap who 'ad spilt the beer.

"You get outside," I ses. "Go on, both of you, afore I put you out."

They gave one look at me, standing there with my fists clenched, and then
they went out like lambs, and I 'eard 'em trot round the corner as though
they was afraid I was following. I felt a little bit damp and chilly,
but beer is like sea-water--you don't catch cold through it--and I sat
down agin to wait for George Tebb.

He came in smiling and out 'o breath in about ten minutes' time, with the
key in 'is 'and, and as soon as I told 'im wot had 'appened to me with
t