Night Watches | Page 7

the wharf without asking
'im. When she went out 'e was with 'er, and, from one or two nasty little
snacks I 'appened to overhear when the skipper thought I was too far
away, I began to see that something was up.
"It all came out one evening, and it only came out because the skipper
wanted my help. I was standing leaning on my broom to get my breath
back arter a bit o' sweeping, when he came up to me, and I knew at
once, by the nice way 'e spoke, that he wanted me to do something for
'im.
"'Come and 'ave a pint, Bill,' he ses.
"I put my broom agin the wall, and we walked round to the Bull's Head
like a couple o' brothers. We 'ad two pints apiece, and then he put his
'and on my shoulder and talked as man to man.
"'I'm in a little bit o' difficulty about that gal o' mine,' he ses, passing
me his baccy-box. 'Six months ago she dropped a letter out of 'er pocket,
and I'm blest if it wasn't from a young man. A young man!'
"'You sur-prise me,' I ses, meaning to be sarcastic.
"'I surprised her,' he ses, looking very fierce. 'I went to 'er box and I
found a pile of 'em-a pile of 'em-tied up with a piece o' pink ribbon.
And a photygraph of my lord. And of all the narrer-chested, weak-eyed,
slack-baked, spindly-legged sons of a gun you ever saw in your life, he
is the worst. If I on'y get my 'ands on him I'll choke 'im with his own
feet.'

"He washed 'is mouth out with a drop o' beer and stood scowling at the
floor.
"'Arter I've choked 'im I'll twist his neck,' he ses. 'If he 'ad on'y put his
address on 'is letters, I'd go round and do it now. And my daughter, my
only daughter, won't tell me where he lives.'
"'She ought to know better,' I ses.
"He took hold o' my 'and and shook it. 'You've got more sense than one
'ud think to look at you, Bill,' he ses, not thinking wot he was saying.
'You see wot a mess I'm in.'
"'Yes,' I ses.
"'I'm a nurse, that's wot I am,' he ses, very savage. 'Just a nursemaid. I
can't move 'and or foot without that gal. 'Ow'd you like it, yourself,
Bill?'
"'It must be very orkard for you,' I ses. 'Very orkard indeed.'
"'Orkard !' he ses; 'it's no name for it, Bill. I might as well be a
Sunday-school teacher, and ha' done with it. I never 'ad such a dull time
in all my life. Never. And the worst of it is, it's spiling my temper. And
all because o' that narrer-eyed, red-chested--you know wot I mean!'
"He took another mouthful o' beer, and then he took 'old of my arm.
'Bill,' he ses, very earnest, 'I want you to do me a favour.'
"'Go ahead,' I ses.
"'I've got to meet a pal at Charing Cross at ha'-past seven,' he ses; 'and
we're going to make a night of it. I've left Winnie in charge o' the cook,
and I've told 'im plain that, if she ain't there when I come back, I'll skin
'im alive. Now, I want you to watch 'er, too. Keep the gate locked, and
don't let anybody in you don't know. Especially that monkey-faced
imitation of a man. Here 'e is. That's his likeness.'
"He pulled a photygraph out of 'is coatpocket and 'anded it to me.

"'That's 'im,' he ses. 'Fancy a gal getting love-letters from a thing like
that! And she was on'y twenty last birthday. Keep your eye on 'er, Bill,
and don't let 'er out of your sight. You're worth two o' the cook.'
"He finished 'is beer, and, cuddling my arm, stepped back to the wharf.
Miss Butt was sitting on the cabin skylight reading a book, and old Joe,
the cook, was standing near 'er pretending to swab the decks with a
mop.
"'I've got to go out for a little while--on business,' ses the skipper. 'I
don't s'pose I shall be long, and, while I'm away, Bill and the cook will
look arter you.'
"Miss Butt wrinkled up 'er shoulders.
"'The gate'll be locked, and you're not to leave the wharf. D'ye 'ear?'
"The gal wriggled 'er shoulders agin and went on reading, but she gave
the cook a look out of 'er innercent baby eyes that nearly made 'im drop
the mop.
"'Them's my orders,' ses the skipper, swelling his chest and looking
round, 'to everybody. You know wot'll 'appen to you, Joe, if things ain't
right when I come back. Come along, Bill, and lock the gate arter me.
An' mind,