r spirits to recover."

The tavern stood on the high-road side between Godalming and
Portsmouth; that is to say the main artery of communication between
London and Portsmouth.

After rising out of the rich overshadowed weald land, the road had
crossed long sandy wastes, where population was sparse, where were
no enclosures, no farms, only scattered Scottish firs; and in front
rose the stately ridge of sandstone that culminates in Hind Head
and Leith Hill. It was to prepare the wayfarer for a scramble to
the elevation of a little over nine hundred feet that he was
invited to "drink good ale and wine," or, if he were coming from
the opposite direction was called upon to congratulate himself in
a similar manner on having over-passed this ridge. The wayfarer
with the baby under his arm came from the Godalming side. He looked
up at the sign, which appealed at once to his heart, for he was
obviously a sailor, no less than did the invitation commend itself
to his condition.

He entered, tumbled the baby on to the tavern table that was
marked with wet rings from beer cans, and upset a saucer containing
fly poison, and said, with a sigh of relief--

"There you are! Blowed and all of a lather!"

He pulled out a blue cotton pocket-handkerchief, mopped his face
and shouted, "Beer!"

"Well, I never!" exclaimed the landlady. "Whoever heered afore or
saw of a babby lugged about wrong side uppermost. What would you
say if I was to bring you your tankard topsy-turvy?"

"I wouldn't pay for it," said the sailor.

"'Cos why?" asked the woman, planting herself arms akimbo, in front
of the wayfarer.

"'Cos it 'ud capsize the ale," he answered.

"Very well, ain't babbies got no in'ards to capsize?" asked the
landlady, defiantly. "And chucked in among the pison for killing
them dratted flies, too!"

"Never mind about the kid," said the man.

"I do mind about the child," retorted the woman; "look at him
there--the innocent--all in the nasty slops. What'll the mother say
to the mess and crumple you've made of the clothes?"

The landlady took the infant from the table, on one arm, and
proceeded to the bar to draw the beer.

Presently she returned, kissing the child and addressing it in
terms of affection. She thrust the pewter full of foaming ale on
the table towards the customer, with resentfulness in her action.

"He's a stomachy (sturdy) young chap," she said, patting the babe
with the now disengaged hand.

"He ain't a h