“Uncle Dick passed me two minutes arterwards without a word, and set off down the road as fast as ’is little legs ’ud carry ’im.  I watched ’im out o’ sight, and then I went on board the schooner to see how ’Arry ’ad got on.

“Arry,’ I ses, when he ’ad finished, ‘you’re a masterpiece!’

“‘I know I am,’ he ses.  ’Wot about that other ‘arf-quid?’

“‘Here it is,’ I ses, giving it to ’im.  ’Fair masterpiece, that’s wot you are.  They may well call you Artful.  Shake ‘ands.’

“I patted ’im on the shoulder arter we ’ad shook ’ands, and we stood there smiling at each other and paying each other compliments.

“’Fancy ’em sitting ’ere and waiting for you to come back from that bite,’ I ses.

“’I ought to ’ave ‘ad more off of him,’ ses ’Arry. ’’Owever, it can’t be helped.  I think I’ll ‘ave a lay down for a bit; I’m tired.’

“‘Better be off,’ I ses, shaking my ’ead.  ’Time passes, and they might come back afore you think.’

“‘Well, wot of it?’ ses ’Arry.

“‘Wot of it?’ I ses.  ’Why, it’ud spoil everything.  It ’ud be blue ruin.’

“‘Are you sure?’ ses ‘Arry’.

“‘Sartin,’ I ses.

“‘Well, make it five quid, and I’ll go, then,’ he ses, sitting down agin.

“I couldn’t believe my ears at fust, but when I could I drew myself up and told ’im wot I thought of ’im; and he sat there and laughed at me.

“‘Why, you called me a masterpiece just now,’ he ses.  ’I shouldn’t be much of a masterpiece if I let a chance like this slip.  Why, I shouldn’t be able to look myself in the face.  Where’s the skipper?’

“‘Sitting in the “Albion",’ I ses, ’arf choking.

“’Go and tell ‘im it’s five quid,’ ses ’Arry.  ’I don’t mean five more, on’y four.  Some people would ha’ made it five, but I like to deal square and honest.’

“I run over for the skipper in a state of mind that don’t bear thinking of, and he came back with me, ’arf crazy.  When we got to the cabin we found the door was locked, and, arter the skipper ’ad told Artful wot he’d do to ’im if he didn’t open it, he ’ad to go on deck and talk to ’im through the skylight.

“‘If you ain’t off of my ship in two twos,’ he ses, ’I’ll fetch a policeman.’

“‘You go and fetch four pounds,’ ses ’Arry; ’that’s wot I’m waiting for, not a policeman.  Didn’t the watchman tell you?’

“‘The bargain was for one pound,’ ses the skipper, ’ardly able to speak.

“‘Well, you tell that to the policeman,’ ses Artful ’Arry.

“It was no use, he’d got us every way; and at last the skipper turns out ’is pockets, and he ses, ’Look ‘ere,’ he ses, ’I’ve got seventeen and tenpence ha’ penny.  Will you go if I give you that?’

“‘’Ow much has the watchman got?’ ses ’Arry.  ’His lodger lost ’is purse the other day.’

“I’d got two and ninepence, as it ’appened, and then there was more trouble because the skipper wouldn’t give ’im the money till he ’ad gone, and ’e wouldn’t go till he ’ad got it.  The skipper gave way at last, and as soon as he ’ad got it ’Arry ses, ’Now ’op off and borrer the rest, and look slippy about it.’