R

[Illustration: The Dreamer 234]

DREAMS and warnings are things I don't believe in, said the night
watchman. The only dream I ever 'ad that come anything like true was
once when I dreamt I came in for a fortune, and next morning I found
half a crown in the street, which I sold to a man for fourpence. And
once, two days arter my missis 'ad dreamt she 'ad spilt a cup of tea
down the front of 'er Sunday dress, she spoilt a pot o' paint of mine by
sitting in it.

The only other dream I know of that come true happened to the cook of a
bark I was aboard of once, called the _Southern Belle_. He was a silly,
pasty-faced sort o' chap, always giving hisself airs about eddication
to sailormen who didn't believe in it, and one night, when we was
homeward-bound from Sydney, he suddenly sat up in 'is bunk and laughed
so loud that he woke us all up.

"Wot's wrong, cookie?" ses one o' the chaps.

"I was dreaming," ses the cook, "such a funny dream. I dreamt old Bill
Foster fell out o' the foretop and broke 'is leg."

"Well, wot is there to laugh at in that?" ses old Bill, very sharp.

"It was funny in my dream," ses the cook. "You looked so comic with
your leg doubled up under you, you can't think. It would ha' made a cat
laugh."

Bill Foster said he'd make 'im laugh the other side of his face if he
wasn't careful, and then we went off to sleep agin and forgot all about
it.

If you'll believe me, on'y three days arterwards pore Bill did fall out
o' the foretop and break his leg. He was surprised, but I never see a
man so surprised as the cook was. His eyes was nearly starting out of
'is head, but by the time the other chaps 'ad picked Bill up and asked
'im whether he was hurt, cook 'ad pulled 'imself together agin and was
giving himself such airs it was perfectly sickening.

"My dreams always come true," he ses. "It's a kind o' second sight
with me. It's a gift, and, being tender-'arted, it worries me terrible
sometimes."

He was going on like that, taking credit for a pure accident, when
the second officer came up and told 'em to carry Bill below. He was in
agony, of course, but he kept 'is presence of mind, and as they passed
the cook he gave 'im such a clip on the side of the 'ead as nearly broke
it.

"That's for dreaming about me," he ses.

The skipper and the fust officer and most of the hands set 'is
leg between them, and arter the skipper 'ad made him wot he called
comfortable, but wot Bill called something