Captains All | Page 6

going to do, and he spent so
much time next morning making 'imself look pretty that the other two
could 'ardly be civil to him.
He went off a'most direckly arter breakfast, and they didn't see 'im agin
till twelve o'clock that night. He 'ad brought a bottle o' whisky in with
'im, and he was so 'appy that they see plain wot had 'appened.
"She said 'yes' at two o'clock in the arternoon," ses old Sam, smiling,
arter they had 'ad a glass apiece. "I'd nearly done the trick at one
o'clock, and then the shop-bell went, and I 'ad to begin all over agin.
Still, it wasn't unpleasant."
"Do you mean to tell us you've asked 'er to marry you?" ses Ginger,
'olding out 'is glass to be filled agin.
"I do," ses Sam; "but I 'ope there's no ill-feeling. You never 'ad a
chance, neither of you; she told me so."
Ginger Dick and Peter Russet stared at each other.
"She said she 'ad been in love with me all along," ses Sam, filling their
glasses agin to cheer 'em up. "We went out arter tea and bought the
engagement-ring, and then she got somebody to mind the shop and we
went to the Pagoda music-'all."
"I 'ope you didn't pay much for the ring, Sam," ses Ginger, who always
got very kind-'arted arter two or three glasses o' whisky. "If I'd known
you was going to be in such a hurry I might ha' told you before."
"We ought to ha' done," ses Peter, shaking his 'ead.
"Told me?" ses Sam, staring at 'em. "Told me wot?"

"Why me and Peter gave it up," ses Ginger; "but, o' course, p'r'aps you
don't mind."
"Mind wot?" ses Sam.
"It's wonderful 'ow quiet she kept it," ses Peter.
Old Sam stared at 'em agin, and then he asked 'em to speak in plain
English wot they'd got to say, and not to go taking away the character
of a woman wot wasn't there to speak up for herself.
"It's nothing agin 'er character," ses Ginger. "It's a credit to her, looked
at properly," ses Peter Russet.
"And Sam'll 'ave the pleasure of bringing of 'em up," ses Ginger.
"Bringing of 'em up?" ses Sam, in a trembling voice and turning pale;
"bringing who up?"
"Why, 'er children," ses Ginger. "Didn't she tell you? She's got nine of
'em."
Sam pretended not to believe 'em at fust, and said they was jealous; but
next day he crept down to the greengrocer's shop in the same street,
where Ginger had 'appened to buy some oranges one day, and found
that it was only too true. Nine children, the eldest of 'em only fifteen,
was staying with diff'rent relations owing to scarlet-fever next door.
Old Sam crept back 'ome like a man in a dream, with a bag of oranges
he didn't want, and, arter making a present of the engagement-ring to
Ginger--if 'e could get it--he took the fust train to Tilbury and signed on
for a v'y'ge to China.

THE BOATSWAIN'S MATE
[Illustration: "The Boatswain's Mate"]

Mr. George Benn, retired boat-swain, sighed noisily, and with a
despondent gesture, turned to the door and stood with the handle in his
hand; Mrs. Waters, sitting behind the tiny bar in a tall Windsor-chair,
eyed him with some heat.
"My feelings'll never change," said the boatswain.
"Nor mine either," said the landlady, sharply. "It's a strange thing, Mr.
Benn, but you always ask me to marry you after the third mug."
"It's only to get my courage up," pleaded the boatswain. "Next time I'll
do it afore I 'ave a drop; that'll prove to you I'm in earnest."
He stepped outside and closed the door before the landlady could make
a selection from the many retorts that crowded to her lips.
After the cool bar, with its smell of damp saw-dust, the road seemed
hot and dusty; but the boatswain, a prey to gloom natural to a man
whose hand has been refused five times in a fortnight, walked on
unheeding. His steps lagged, but his brain was active.
He walked for two miles deep in thought, and then coming to a shady
bank took a seat upon an inviting piece of turf and lit his pipe. The heat
and the drowsy hum of bees made him nod; his pipe hung from the
corner of his mouth, and his eyes closed.
He opened them at the sound of approaching footsteps, and, feeling in
his pocket for matches, gazed lazily at the intruder. He saw a tall man
carrying a small bundle over his shoulder, and in the erect carriage, the
keen eyes, and bronzed face had little difficulty in detecting the old
soldier.
The stranger stopped as he reached the seated boatswain and