ey should
have sent her to my care I couldn't quite see.

"Two days afterwards them children come down, and says:

"'We want you to go through the town to the other cliff with us, Joe.'

"'I can't,' says I. 'I'm all right talking to you here, missies; but I
shouldn't be a credit to you in the town, and your pa wouldn't be
best pleased if he was to see you walking about in the streets with a
boatman.'

"'Papa said we might ask you, Joe.'

"I shook my head, and the little ladies ran off to their nurse, who
come back with them and says:

"'Master told me to say he should be pertickler glad if you would go
with the young ladies.'

"'Oh, very well,' I says; 'if their pa don't object, and they wishes
it, I'd go with 'em anywheres. You wait here a quarter of an hour,
while I goes and cleans myself, and I'll go with you.'

"When I comes back the youngest takes my hand, and the oldest holds by
my jacket, and we goes up into High Street, and across to the other
cliff. We goes along till we comes to a pretty little cottage looking
over the sea. There was a garden in front, new planted with flowers.

"'Are you sure you are going right?' says I, when they turned in.

"They nodded, and ran up to the door and turned the handle.

"'Come in, Joe,' they said; and they dragged me into a parlor, where a
lady and gentleman was sitting.

"The gentleman got up.

"'My little girls have spoken so much to me about you, Joe, that I
feel that we know each other already.'

"'Yes, sir, surely,' says I.

"'Well, Joe, do you know that I owe you a great deal as to these
little girls?'

"'Bless you, sir, it's I as owe a great deal to the little missies;
they have made a changed man of me, they have; you ask anyone on the
shore.'

"'I hope they have, Joe; for had they not got round your heart, and
led you to your better self, I could never have done what I have done,
for you would have rendered it useless.'

"I didn't say nothing, sir, for I could make neither head nor tail of
what he was saying, and, I dessay, looked as surprised as might be.
Then he takes a step forward, and he puts a hand on my shoulder, and
says he:

"'Joe, have you never guessed who these little girls were?'

"I looked first at the children, and then at him, and then at the
lady, who had a veil down, but was wiping her eyes underneath it. I
was downright flummuxed.

"'I see you haven't,' the gentleman went on. 'Well, Joe, it is time
you should know now.