d cum
back from a vyage. They did it just quiet like, and would just say,
natural, 'Lend us a hand here, Joe, boy,' or 'Give us a shoulder over
the bank, Joe,' and ask me what I thought o' the weather. It was a
hard day for me when, after staying nigh two months, the little ladies
came to say good-by. It warn't as bad as might have been, though, for
they were going to stay with some friends near York, and were to come
back again in a fortnight before they went back to London. But they
kissed me, and cried, and gave me a pipe and a lot o' 'bacca, and I
was to think of them whenever I smoked it, and they would be sure to
think of me, for they loved me very much.

"That very afternoon, sir, as I was standing by my stage, Jim
Saunders--he'd been mate with me before I owned a boat of my own--says
out loud:

"'Lor', here's my party a-coming down, and I've jammed my hand so as I
can't hoist a sail. Who'll come out and lend me a hand?'

"Well, everyone says they were busy, and couldn't come; but I believe
now as the whole thing was a got-up plan to get me afloat again; and
then Jim turns to me as if a sudden idea had struck him.

"'Come, Joe, lend us a hand for the sake o' old times; come along, old
chap.'

"I was taken aback like, and could only say something about my stage;
but half a dozen chaps volunteers to look after my stage, and afore I
scarce knew what I was after I was bundled aboard the boat; and as the
party got in I'm blest if I don't think as every chap on the shore
runs in to help shove her off, and a score of hands was held out just
to give me a shake as we started.

"I don't think I was much good on that vyage, for I went and sat up in
the bow, with my back to the others, and my eyes fixed far ahead.

"I needn't tell you, sir, when I'd once broken the ice I went regular
to the sea again, and handed my stage over to a poor fellow who had
lost his craft and a leg the winter before.

"One day when I came in from a sail I saw two little figures upon the
sands, and it needed no word from anyone to tell me my little ladies
had come back. They jumped and clapped their hands when they saw me,
and would have run across the water to meet me hadn't I shouted to
them to wait just a minute till I should be with them.

"'We've been waiting a long time, Joe. Where have you been?'

"'I've been out sailing, missy.'

"'Joe, don't you know it's wicked to tell stories? You told us you
should never go on sea any more.