They gave one look at me, standing there with my fists clenched, and then they went out like lambs, and I ’eard ’em trot round the corner as though they was afraid I was following.  I felt a little bit damp and chilly, but beer is like sea-water—­you don’t catch cold through it—­and I sat down agin to wait for George Tebb.

He came in smiling and out ‘o breath in about ten minutes’ time, with the key in ’is ’and, and as soon as I told ’im wot had ’appened to me with the beer he turned to the landlord and ordered me six o’ rum ’ot at once.

“Drink that up,” he ses, ’anding it to me; “but fust of all give me the box, so as I can pay for it.”

I put my ’and in my pocket.  Then I put it in the other one, and arter that I stood staring at George Tebb and shaking all over.

“Wot’s the matter?  Wot are you looking like that for?” he ses.

“It must ha’ been them two,” I ses, choking.  “While they was purtending to dry me and patting me all over they must ’ave taken it out of my pocket.”

“Wot are you talking about?” ses George, staring at me.

“The box ’as gorn,” I ses, putting down the ’ot rum and feeling in my trouser-pocket.  “The box ’as gorn, and them two must ’ave taken it.”

“Gorn!” ses George.  “Gorn!  My box with twenty-five pounds in, wot I trusted you with, gorn?  Wot are you talking about?  It can’t be—­it’s too crool!”

He made such a noise that the landlord wot was waiting for ’is money, asked ’im wot he meant by it, and, arter he ’ad explained, I’m blest if the landlord didn’t advise him to search me.  I stood still and let George go through my pockets, and then I told ’im I ’ad done with ’im and I never wanted to see ’im agin as long as I lived.

“I dare say,” ses George, “I dare say.  But you’ll come along with me to the wharf and see the skipper.  I’m not going to lose five-and-twenty quid through your carelessness.”

I marched along in front of ’im with my ’ead in the air, and when he spoke to me I didn’t answer him.  He went aboard the ship when we got to the wharf, and a minute or two arterwards ’e came to the side and said the skipper wanted to see me.

The airs the skipper gave ’imself was sickening.  He sat down there in ’is miserable little rat-’ole of a cabin and acted as if ’e was a judge and I was a prisoner.  Most of the ’ands ’ad squeezed in there too, and the things they advised George to do to me was remarkable.

“Silence!” ses the skipper.  “Now, watchman, tell me exactly ’ow this thing ’appened.”

“I’ve told you once,” I ses.

“I know,” ses the skipper, “but I want you to tell me again to see if you contradict yourself.  I can’t understand ’ow such a clever man as you could be done so easy.”

I thought I should ha’ bust, but I kept my face wonderful.  I just asked ’im wot the men was like that got off with ’is watch and chain and two pounds, in case they might be the same.