The world is full of officious, interfering busy-bodies.  I should no more think of posting a letter that didn’t belong to me, with an unused stamp on it, than I should think o’ flying; but some meddle-some son of a ——­a gun posted that letter and I got it.

I was never more surprised in my life.  He asked me to be outside the shop next night at ha’-past eleven with any old clothes I could pick up.  If I didn’t, he said he should ’ang ’imself as the clock struck twelve, and that his ghost would sit on the wharf and keep watch with me every night for the rest o’ my life.  He said he expected it ’ud have a black face, same as in life.

A wharf is a lonely place of a night; especially our wharf, which is full of dark corners, and, being a silly, good-natured fool, I went.  I got a pal off of one of the boats to keep watch for me, and, arter getting some old rags off of another sailorman as owed me arf a dollar, I ’ad a drink and started off for the Mile End Road.

I found the place easy enough.  The door was just on the jar, and as I tapped on it with my finger-nails a wild-looking black man, arf naked, opened it and said “H’sh!” and pulled me inside.  There was a bit o’ candle on the floor, shaded by a box, and a man fast asleep and snoring up in one corner.  Rupert dressed like lightning, and he ’ad just put on ’is cap when the door at the back opened and a ’orrid fat black woman came out and began to chatter.

Rupert told her to hush, and she ’ushed, and then he waved ’is hand to ’er to say “good-bye,” and afore you could say Jack Robinson she ’ad grabbed up a bit o’ dirty blanket, a bundle of assegais, and a spear, and come out arter us.

“Back!” ses Rupert in a whisper, pointing.

[Illustration:  “Back!” ses Rupert in a whisper, pointing.]

Kumbo shook her ’ead, and then he took hold of ’er and tried to shove ’er back, but she wouldn’t go.  I lent him a ’and, but all wimmen are the same, black or white, and afore I knew where I was she ’ad clawed my cap off and scratched me all down one side of the face.

“Walk fast,” ses Rupert.

I started to run, but it was all no good; Kumbo kept up with us easy, and she was so pleased at being out in the open air that she began to dance and play about like a kitten.  Instead o’ minding their own business people turned and follered us, and quite a crowd collected.

“We shall ’ave the police in a minute,” ses Rupert.  “Come in ’ere—­ quick.”

He pointed to a pub up a side street, and went in with Kumbo holding on to his arm.  The barman was for sending us out at fust, but such a crowd follered us in that he altered ’is mind.  I ordered three pints, and, while I was ’anding Rupert his, Kumbo finished ’ers and began on mine.  I tried to explain, but she held on to it like grim death, and in the confusion Rupert slipped out.

He ’adn’t been gone five seconds afore she missed ’im, and I never see anybody so upset in all my life.  She spilt the beer all down the place where ‘er bodice ought to ha’ been, and then she dropped the pot and went arter ’im like a hare.  I follered in a different way, and when I got round the corner I found she ’ad caught ’im and was holding ’im by the arm.