‘I can’t help it,’ said Sylvia, half inclined to cry at his manner even more than his words.  ’When folk are glad I can’t help being glad too, and I just put out my hand, and she put out hers.  To think o’ yon ship come in at last!  And if yo’d been down seeing all t’ folk looking and looking their eyes out, as if they feared they should die afore she came in and brought home the lads they loved, yo’d ha’ shaken hands wi’ that lass too, and no great harm done.  I never set eyne upon her till half an hour ago on th’ staithes, and maybe I’ll niver see her again.’

Hester was still behind the counter, but had moved so as to be near the window; so she heard what they were saying, and now put in her word: 

‘She can’t be altogether bad, for she thought o’ telling her mother first thing, according to what she said.’

Sylvia gave Hester a quick, grateful look.  But Hester had resumed her gaze out of the window, and did not see the glance.

And now Molly Corney joined them, hastily bursting into the shop.

‘Hech!’ said she.  ’Hearken! how they’re crying and shouting down on t’ quay.  T’ gang’s among ’em like t’ day of judgment.  Hark!’

No one spoke, no one breathed, I had almost said no heart beat for listening.  Not long; in an instant there rose the sharp simultaneous cry of many people in rage and despair.  Inarticulate at that distance, it was yet an intelligible curse, and the roll, and the roar, and the irregular tramp came nearer and nearer.

’They’re taking ’em to t’ Randyvowse,’ said Molly.  ’Eh!  I wish I’d King George here just to tell him my mind.’

The girl clenched her hands, and set her teeth.

‘It’s terrible hard!’ said Hester; ’there’s mothers, and wives, looking out for ’em, as if they were stars dropt out o’ t’ lift.’

’But can we do nothing for ’em?’ cried Sylvia.  ‘Let us go into t’ thick of it and do a bit of help; I can’t stand quiet and see ‘t!’ Half crying, she pushed forwards to the door; but Philip held her back.

’Sylvie! you must not.  Don’t be silly; it’s the law, and no one can do aught against it, least of all women and lasses.

By this time the vanguard of the crowd came pressing up Bridge Street, past the windows of Foster’s shop.  It consisted of wild, half-amphibious boys, slowly moving backwards, as they were compelled by the pressure of the coming multitude to go on, and yet anxious to defy and annoy the gang by insults, and curses half choked with their indignant passion, doubling their fists in the very faces of the gang who came on with measured movement, armed to the teeth, their faces showing white with repressed and determined energy against the bronzed countenances of the half-dozen sailors, who were all they had thought it wise to pick out of the whaler’s crew, this being the first time an Admiralty warrant had been used in Monkshaven for many years; not since the close of the American