ck.

"'Well, I've 'ad a wonderful escape,' ses Sam. 'If it hadn't ha' been
for sleeping in my clothes I suppose he'd ha' 'ad my money as well.'

"He felt in 'is pockets anxious-like, then he smiled, and stood there
letting 'is money fall through 'is fingers into his pocket over and over
agin.

"'Pore chap,' he ses; 'pore chap; p'r'aps he'd got a starving wife and
family. Who knows? It ain't for us to judge 'im, Ginger.'

"He stood a little while longer chinking 'is money, and when he took off
his coat to wash Ginger Dick poured the water out for im and Peter Russet
picked up the soap, which 'ad fallen on the floor. Then they started
pitying themselves, looking very 'ard at the back of old Sam while they
did it.

"'I s'pose we've got to starve, Peter,' ses Ginger, in, a sad voice.

"'Looks like it,' ses Peter, dressing hisself very slowly.

"'There's nobody'll mourn for me, that's one comfort,' ses Ginger.

"'Or me,' ses Peter.

"'P'r'aps Sam'll miss us a bit,' ses Ginger, grinding 'is teeth as old
Sam went on washing as if he was deaf. 'He'ss the only real pal we ever
'ad.'

"'Wot are you talking about?' ses Sam, turning round with the soap in
his eyes, and feeling for the towel. 'Wot d'ye want to starve for? Why
don't you get a ship?'

"'I thought we was all going to sign on in the Cheaspeake agin, Sam,' ses
Ginger, very mild.

"'She won't be ready for sea for pretty near three weeks,' ses Sam. 'You
know that.'

"'P'r'aps Sam would lend us a trifle to go on with, Ginger,' ses Peter
Russet. 'Just enough to keep body and soul together, so as we can hold
out and 'ave the pleasure of sailing with 'im agin.'

"'P'r'aps he wouldn't,' ses Sam, afore Ginger could open his mouth.
'I've just got about enough to last myself; I 'aven't got any to lend.
Sailormen wot turns on their best friends and makes them sleep on the
cold 'ard floor while their new pal is in his bed don't get money lent to
'em. My neck is so stiff it creaks every time I move it, and I've got
the rheumatics in my legs something cruel.'

"He began to 'um a song, and putting on 'is cap went out to get some
brekfuss. He went to a little eating-'ouse near by, where they was in
the 'abit of going, and 'ad just started on a plate of eggs and bacon
when Ginger Dick and Peter came into the place with a pocket-'ankercher
of 'is wot they 'ad found in the fender.

"'We thought you might want it, Sam,' ses Peter.

"'So we brought it along,'