and everything
else, and it's my opinion that if they 'ad only 'ad one pair o' boots
between 'em they'd 'ave hopped along in one each.

They 'ad been like it for years, and they kept it up when they left the
sea and got berths ashore. Anybody knowing them would ha' thought that
nothing but death could part 'em; but it happened otherwise.

There was a gal in it, of course. A gal that Ted Denver got into
conversation with on top of a bus, owing to her steadying 'erself by
putting her hand on 'is shoulder as she passed 'im. Bright, lively sort
o' gal she seemed, and, afore Ted knew where he was, they was talking
away as though they 'ad known each other for years.

Charlie didn't seem to care much for it at fust, but he didn't raise no
objection; and when the gal got up to go he stopped the bus for 'er by
poking the driver in the back, and they all got off together. Ted went
fust to break her fall, in case the bus started off too sudden, and
Charlie 'elped her down behind by catching hold of a lace collar she was
wearing. When she turned to speak to 'im about it, she knocked the
conductor's hat off with 'er umbrella, and there was so much
unpleasantness that by the time they 'ad got to the pavement she told
Charlie that she never wanted to see his silly fat face agin.

"It ain't fat," ses Ted, speaking up for 'im; "it's the shape of it."

"And it ain't silly," ses Charlie, speaking very quick; "mind that!"

"It's a bit o' real lace," ses the gal, twisting her 'ead round to look
at the collar; "it cost me one and two-three only last night."

"One an' _wot?_" ses Charlie, who, not being a married man, didn't
understand 'er.

"One shilling," ses the gal, "two pennies, and three farthings. D'ye
understand that?"

"Yes," ses Charlie.

"He's cleverer than he looks," ses the gal, turning to Ted. "I s'pose
you're right, and it is the shape after all."

Ted walked along one side of 'er and Charlie the other, till they came to
the corner of the road where she lived, and then Ted and 'er stood there
talking till Charlie got sick and tired of it, and kept tugging at Ted's
coat for 'im to come away.

"I'm coming," ses Ted, at last. "I s'pose you won't be this way
to-morrow night?" he ses, turning to the gal.

"I might if I thought there was no chance of seeing you," she ses,
tossing her 'ead.

"You needn't be alarmed," ses Charlie, shoving in his oar; "we're going
to a music-'all to-morrow night."

"Oh, go t