retty near four years since George Dixon 'ad run off to
sea when Charlie, who was sitting in the bar one arternoon reading the
paper, things being dull, saw a man's head peep through the door for a
minute and then disappear. A'most direckly arterward it looked in at
another door and then disappeared agin. When it looked in at the third
door Charlie 'ad put down 'is paper and was ready for it.

"Who are you looking for?" he ses, rather sharp. "Wot d'ye want? Are
you 'aving a game of peepbo, or wot?"

The man coughed and smiled, and then 'e pushed the door open gently and
came in, and stood there fingering 'is beard as though 'e didn't know wot
to say.

"I've come back, Charlie," he ses at last.

"Wot, George!" ses Charlie, starting. "Why, I didn't know you in that
beard. We all thought you was dead, years ago."

"I was pretty nearly, Charlie," ses Dixon, shaking his 'ead. "Ah! I've
'ad a terrible time since I left 'once."

"'You don't seem to ha' made your fortune," ses Charlie, looking down at
'is clothes. "I'd ha' been ashamed to come 'ome like that if it 'ad been
me."

"I'm wore out," ses Dixon, leaning agin the bar. "I've got no pride
left; it's all been knocked out of me. How's Julia?"

"She's all right," ses Charlie. "Here, Ju--"

"H'sh!" ses Dixon, reaching over the bar and laying his 'and on his arm.
"Don't let 'er know too sudden; break it to 'er gently."

"Fiddlesticks!" ses Charlie, throwing his 'and off and calling, "Here,
Julia! He's come back."

Mrs. Dixon came running downstairs and into the bar. "Good gracious!"
she ses, staring at her 'us-band. "Whoever'd ha' thought o' seeing you
agin? Where 'ave you sprung from?"

"Ain't you glad to see me, Julia?" ses George Dixon.

"Yes, I s'pose so; if you've come back to behave yourself," ses Mrs.
Dixon. "What 'ave you got to say for yourself for running away and then
writing them letters, telling me to get rid of my relations?"

"That's a long time ago, Julia," ses Dixon, raising the flap in the
counter and going into the bar. "I've gone through a great deal o'
suffering since then. I've been knocked about till I 'adn't got any
feeling left in me; I've been shipwrecked, and I've 'ad to fight for my
life with savages."

"Nobody asked you to run away," ses his wife, edging away as he went to
put his arm round 'er waist. "You'd better go upstairs and put on some
decent clothes."

[Illustration: "You'd better go upstairs and p