The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-29

worriting, and if you didn't talk you was
sulky; but this time e sat quite still and
didn't interfere bit 1t was such pleas
ant change that we all felt a bit grateful,
| and at tea time Tom Baker patted Joe on
| the back and said he was one O the right
| old sort
You've been in a scrap or two in your
time, l know" he ses, admiring like. I
| knew you was a bit of a one with your
! fists directly / see you.
"Oh, 'ow's that?' asks Joe.
| II could see by your nose" ses Tom.
! You never know how to take people like
that. The words 'ad ardly left Toms lips
| afore the other ups with a basin OF 'ot tea
| and heaves it all over i'm.
Take that. you insulting rascal, he ses,
| as Tom jumped up spluttering and wipiEg
Is face with his coat. How dare you in
! suit me?''
Get up, ses Tom, danring with rage.
! Get up; prize fighter or no prize tighteer
I'll mark YOU
sit down, ses Bill turning round.
I'm going 10 ave go at i'm, Bill ses
Tom; IF you're afraid of i'm, l amt"
Sit down." ses Bill starting up. CIV
dare you insult me like that?"
Like wot?'' ses Tom, staring
IF / cant lick i'm gou can't" ses Bill;
that's 'ow it Is mate
| But | can try ses Tom.
"Ali right" ses Bill Me fust, then If
you can lick me. you can ave a go at i'm
| If you can't lick me, 'ow can you lick 'im?'
"Sit down. both of you" ses young Joe,
| drinking Bills tea to make up for is own.
| And mind you. I'm cock O. this fo'c'sie.
and don't you forget il. Sit down, both OF
| you. sfore / start on you
They both sat down, but Tom wasn't
quick enough TO please Bill, and he got a
| wipe O the side O. the cad that made 1t
| ring for an hour afterward.
! That was the beginning of 1t, and instead
| of 'aying one master We found we'd got
! two. owing to the eggstrordinry way BIZ
| had o. looking at things. He gave Joe best
| without even 'aving a try ct him, and II
anybody else wanted 10 ave try. II was
| a insult to Bill. We couldn't make ed or
| tail OF IL, and all we could get out of Bill
was that e had one time 'ad tu.n-up
with Joe Simms ashore. which he'd remem-
Der all lis life. It must ha' been some
| thing Of a turn. too, the way Bill used to
| try and curry favour with i'm.
In about three days our life wasn't
worth living, and the focs'le was more
| like a Sunday school class than anything
else In the fust place Joe put down
| swearing He wouldn't ave no bad lang
/ widge he said, and he didn't neither. II a
| man used bad word Joe would pull i'm
M the fust time. and the second he'd order
| Bill to it i'm. being afraid of 'urting i'm
too much 'imself ART the men 'ad to
| leave off talking altogether when Joe was
; by. but the way they used to swear when
he wasn't was something shocking. Harry
| Moore got Clergyman sore throat one
| AFTERNOON through it.
Then Joe objected to us playing cards
| for money. and we 'ad to arrange on the
| quiet that brace buttons was happenings
| and coat buttons pennies. and that lasted
| until one evening Tom Baker got up anu
| danced and nearly went off is cad with
joy through havin' won few dozen. That
| was enough for Joe. and Bill by his orders
took the cards and pitched EN- over the
| side
Sweet 'earting and that sort O. thing Joe
| couldn't abear, and Ned Davis put his foot
| into it finely one AFTERNOON through not
| knowing. h. was lying in is bunk smok-
| mig and thinking, and beyond by he looked
| across at Bill, who was arr asleep, and e
ses:
Il wonder whether you'll see that little
| gal at Melbourne agin this trip, Bill"
! Bits eyes opened wide and he shook is
fist at Ned, as Ned thought, playful like.
"All right. I'm looking at you, Bill =
| e SEES. Il can see you"
what gal is that. Ned?" ses Joe who
was in the next bunk TO him, and | say
! Bills eyes screw up tight, and e sudden
| ~ fell fast asleep.
Il don't kpow 'er name" ses Ned. but
she was very much struck on Bill; they
used to 90 to the theayier together
| Pretty gaI?" ses Joe leading i'm on.
Rather" ses Ned Trust Bill for that.
e always gets the prettiest gal in the
place-I'ye known as many as six and
seven to"
"Wot!" screams Bill. waking up out of
| is sleep, and jumping out of is bunk.
Keep stin. Bill. and don't interfere
wher I'm talking" ses Joe. very sharp.
''E's insulted me-" ses Bill; talking
about gals when everybody knows l ate
en- worse thar pison."
"Fold your tongue!" ses Joe Now,
| Ned what's this about this little gal?
| What's err name?'
1T was only a little joke O. mine" ses
Ned who saw ed put is foot in it, "BiIl
| 'ates EN- worse than-worse than-pison -
You're telling me 4 lie SEES Joe, stern
| ly. who was it?"
1T was only my fun, joe" ses Ned.
"Oh. very well then. I'm going to ave
| a bit Of fun now" ses Joe. bill"
| Yes SEES Bill.
81 won't 1t Ned myself for fear l shall
| do i'm a lasting injury ses Joe. so you
| lust start on i'm and keep on till e tells
| all about your goings on with that gal"
Hit i'm to make i'm tell about me?'
ses Bill. staring is 'ardest
You card wot said" ses Joe; don't
| repeat my words. You are married man.
| too: I've got sisters of my own. and I'm
| going to put this sort o. thing down If
you don't down i'm, l. will"
Ned wasn't much of a fighter, and 'alf
expected to see i'm do a bolt up on deck
and complain to the skipper. He did look
| like II for a moment, then he stood up
looking a bit white as Bill walked over TO
I'm. and the next moment is fist flew out.
| and afore we could turn round I'm blest ii
| Bill wasn't on the floor q got up as If e
was dazed like. struck out wild at Ned and
missed i'm, and the next moment was
| knocked down agin. We could ardly be-
lieve our eyes, ami as for Ned, e looked as
though ed been doing miracles by mis-
| take.
When Bill got up the second time e was
| that shaky e could 'ardly stand, and Ned