s; and again others
whose windows glittered with compass, sextant, and patent logs, not
wooden, but brass.

Perhaps it was seeing all this through the steamy, misty rain.

"What a while he is!" I said to myself, "and what a dismal place!"

Just then, as we were going down the muddiest street I ever saw, I
became aware of a dirty, ragged-looking fellow of eighteen or nineteen
trotting along beside the cab, and directly after of one on the other
side, who kept up persistently till at last we reached the docks and the
cabman drew up.

"Drive on," I shouted.

"Don't go no further," was the reply, and I stepped out into the drizzle
to see about my chest and pay the man, just as a sharp quarrel was going
on close by, and I saw a lad a little bigger than myself scuffling with
two more rough-looking fellows who had seized upon his chest, and
insisted upon carrying it.

The next moment I was engaged with the pair who had trotted by my cab,
and who had fastened most officiously upon mine.

"You touch it again," came sharply, "and I'll let you know."

"Leave the box alone," I said, "I don't want your help."

"Carry it in, sir. I was fust, sir. Yah! you get out."

"Don't let 'em take it," shouted the lad who was squabbling with the
first pair, and I was just beginning to think that I should have to
fight for my belongings, when a dock policeman came to our help, the
cabmen were paid, and our chests were placed upon a truck, while the cab
touts pressed upon us and insisted on being paid for doing nothing.

"You must have got plenty of tin," said my companion in difficulties,
after I had compromised matters by giving each of the ragged touts a
shilling; "you won't do that next voyage. I did first time I came."

"Have you been to sea before, then?" I said, looking at the speaker
with interest.

"Rather. Are you going in the Burgh Castle? Yes, I can see you are."

"How?" I asked, as I saw him glance at my new cap, which I knew was
beginning to be soaked by the rain.

"By that," he said, nodding at the embroidered flag and star upon the
front. "We're going to be shipmates, then."

"I am glad," I said; but as I uttered the words it did not seem as if I
were uttering the truth, for I felt anything but joyful, and my
companion did not impress me favourably. For he looked sour, yellow,
and discontented as we tramped over the wet stones along by towering
warehouses, stacks of chests, and huge buttresses of barrel