“He’s gettin’ her to-rights,” observed one of the crowd.

A woman said, “I wish I’d a-been took in my young days, when I was comely.”

“Then, whyever wasn’t ’ee, Mrs. Slade?”

“Well-a-well, my dear, I’m sure I dunno.  Three ha’af-crowns is a lot o’ money to see piled in your palm, an’ say ’Fare thee well; increase!’ Store ’s no sore, as my old mother used to say.”

“But,” argued a man, “when once you’ve made up your mind to the gallant speckilation, you never regret it—­danged if you do!”

“Then why hasn’t ’ee been took, Thomas, in all these years?”

“Because that little emmet o’ doubt gets the better o’ me every time.  ‘Tis like holdin’ back from the Fifteen Balls:  you feel sure in your own mind you’ll be better wi’out the drink, but for your life you durstn’t risk the disapp’intment.  Over this matter I’ll grant ye that I preaches what I can’t practise.  But my preachin’ is sound.  Therefore, I bid ye all follow the example o’ Cap’n Hosken here, who, bein’ possessed wi’ true love for ‘Liza Saunders, is havin’ her portrait took for to hang up in his narrow cabin out to sea, an’ remind hissel’ o’ the charms that bide at home a-languishin’.”

“That’s not my reason, though,” said Captain Hosken, a sunburnt and serious man, at the painter’s elbow.

“Then what may it be, makin’ so bold?”

“I’ll tell ye when the painting’s done.”

“A couple of strokes, and it’s finished,” said the artist, cocking his head on one side and screwing up his blue eyes.  “There, I’ll tell you plainly, friend, that my skill is but a seven-and-sixpenny matter, or a trifle beyond.  It does well enough what it pretends to do; but this is a subject I never ought to have touched.  I know my limits.  You’ll see, sir,” he went on, in a more business-like tone, “I’ve indicated your ship here in the middle distance.  I thought it would give the portrait just that touch of sentiment you would desire.”

The faces gathered closer to stare.  ’Liza left the pillar, stretched herself to her full height, and came forward, tying the strings of her sun-bonnet.

“’Tis the very daps of her!” was Captain Hosken’s comment as he pulled out his three half-crowns.  “As for the Rare Plant, what you’ve put in might be took for a vessel; and if a man took it for a vessel, he might go on to take it for a schooner; but I’d be tolerable sorry if he took it for a schooner o’ which I was master.  Hows’ever, you’ve put in all ‘Liza’s good looks an’ enticingness.  ’Tis a picture I’m glad to own, an’ be dashed to the sentiment you talked about!”

He took the portrait carefully from the easel, and held it before him, between his open palms.

“Neighbours all,” he began, his rather stupid face overspread with an expression of satisfied cunning, “I promised to tell ’ee my reasons for havin’ ‘Liza’s portrait took.  They’re rather out o’ the common, an’ ‘Liza hersel’ don’t guess what they be, no more than the biggest fool here present amongst us.”