, and I couldn't resist a broad grin, though I still felt
uncomfortable.

"I've no objection, I'm sure," said I, "if _you_ have none."

He was silent for a while, and seemed to be thinking it over, then went
on reading and mumbling. Evidently he was a detective. I had met one
before once, dressed as a countryman, and talking Brummagem Yorkshire.
A detective wanting to get into conversation with a sailor was just
likely, I fancied, to start with an out-of-the-way thing like "shiver my
timbers." I made my mind up I wouldn't be pumped very dry.

"Been about the world a good deal, sir, I suppose?" he said, returning
to the charge after a brief pause. "Been wrecked, I dare say--often?"

"Pretty often--often enough."

"Have you, now?" he said, laying down his book, and leaning back, to
have a good look at me as he drew a long breath. "A-h!"

I went on with my meal, putting the best face I could on it, and
pretending not to notice him; but it was not very easy to do this
naturally, and at last I dropped my bread and butter, and fixed him, in
my turn.

"You ought to know me in time," said I.

"I should be proud to!" he answered, readily. "I should take it as a
favour if you'd allow me to make your acquaintance--to become friendly
with you!"

"Well," said I, still with the detective idea strong on me, "you see, I
like to know whom it is I'm making friends with. What port do you hail
from, pray?"

The strange man made a plunge at me, and shook my hand heartily, shaking
also the slice of bread and butter I was holding in it.

"Did you take me for a seafaring man?" he asked, in a joyful voice.
"You really don't mean that? That's capital!"

"Well," said I, "aren't you?"

"No," he answered, in great excitement; "of course not. I'm going to be
very shortly, if I've any luck, but I've not taken to the line yet. See
here, sir, that's who I am."

And, so saying, he produced a large illustrated play-bill from his
pocket, such as you may find stuck about the walls at the East-end, or
on the Surrey side, and on which I read, "The Death Struggle. Enormous
success!" in large letters.

"Oh!" I said; "that's you, is it?"

I thought he was, probably, rather cracked.

But he tapped his finger-end emphatically upon one particular spot, and
indicated half a line of very small type, and stooping my head so as to
bring my eyes down close to it I made out, "Count Randolph, a gambler
and a roue, Mr Jones."

When I ha