ered as a great favour, to help rinse
the glasses, and so on, and as the other men used to joke with me, and
tell me that I should carry off the prize, I began to think that she was
fond of me, and so very naturally I became fond of her; and we met and
we parted (and she would allow me to kiss her when we parted), until I
was quite gone altogether, and did nothing but think of her all day and
dream of her all night. Well, the last time that I was in the transport
to Portsmouth, I had made up my mind to clench the business, and as soon
as the sails were furled, I dressed myself in my best toggery, and made
all sail for the old house. When I came in I found Peggy in the bar,
and a very fancy sort of young chap alongside of her. I did not think
so much of that, and I was going inside the bar to shake hands as usual,
when says she, `Well, I should not wonder,' pulling to the half-door, as
if she were surprised at my attempting to come in.

"`Oh, ho!' says I, `are you on that tack? what next?' and then I looked
more at the chap, and he was a very nice young man, as the saying is.
As I afterwards found out, he was in the smuggling line between
Cherbourg and our coast, and he had Frenchified manners, and he talked
little bits of French, and he had French gloves for presents, and had
ear-rings in his ears, and lots of rings on his fingers. So I took my
seat at the wooden benches near the fire, just as sulky as a bear with a
sore head, watching their manoeuvres: at last he walked out, kissing his
hand as she smiles. As the coast was clear I went up to the bar.

"`Well,' says I, `Peggy, so the wind's shifted, is it?'

"`What do you mean?' says she. `I suppose I may be civil to another
person as well as to you.'

"`Yes, I see no objection,' says I; `but why was he to be inside the
bar, and I put out?'

"`Oh,' replied she, `one at a time, you know, Mr Philip. I haven't
made any promises to you that I know of.'

"`That's very true,' replied I, `but--'

"`Oh, you mustn't fret here,' interrupted she. `I'm my own mistress, I
suppose. However, I'll tell you this much, that I don't care a bit
about him, and that's the truth of it--but I did not like your coming
inside the bar so quietly, as if you had a right there, for I don't want
people to make remarks.'

"Well, the end of it was that she pacified me, and we were as great
friends almost as ever: I say almost, for I had my eyes upon her and
that chap, and did not much