That'll learn 'em not to leave him. You can see there they're a-going to make as little mess of it as they can. They're not used to seeing a fell 'un when the moon is out; but we are. Ah! we 'ad a 'igh old time wi' 'em at Gravesend--regular 'avoc. I say, we 'ad a 'igh old time! By the way, where 'ave you been all this time? Seems to me you 'ave neglected us rather. We've 'ad two men go off--one as went out-a-work and one as died--and it's a good job they were all right or we should 'a been in a tidy mess; but you seemed to have forgotten it." "Forgotten! I'm blowed if I did!" growled the other man. "I knew there were about half-a-dozen places we'd ought to go and see. But when a feller's been out of work and had to live easy as I have for the last six months or so, it's enough to make a man forget all about such things. But I'm all right now, and ready for any day you like." "Well, come along and we'll go down on the wharf--we shall be sure to meet with some of them there; and it's better to nab 'em all in one place and one blow." So saying, he arose and walked away. The other man followed him, and the two strolled down to the wharf side; the ship's lamps at the wharfside towing-path throwing a bright yellow circle of light upon their dark figures. From the water's edge they walked along the towpath with heavy step, making enough noise to attract the attention of any casual passenger. For the short distance they walked, they continued to hear the shouts and cries of those on board the boat as they made the same noise as the others had done, who now numbered fully fifty-five in number; but in ten minutes from the time they had left the old boatman's shed, they had not succeeded in catching sight of a single individual. "I never knowed 'em as a 'oomanish crew," growled the ex-stevedore, who had walked some distance in the rear of his companion, as they slowly pursued their way back to the towpath side; and looking round at him, it appeared as if he were shuffling his feet with a kind of impatience. "Them men is allus a-chawin' and a-chucklin', a-chewin' and a-jawin' like so many monkeys. 'Tisn't allers like this as we shall catch them." "Oh, they'll be here all right in a little time," returned the other. "You'll soon see them." They again proceeded on their way, and were making their way towards the wharf where the barge was lying when, from behind the stacks which lined the wharf, there arose a loud shout: "Here they are! they're coming! Here they are!" "Well, I'm blowed," muttered the former. "I'm blowed if it isn't them now." "Hurrah! boys! Hurrah!" shouted the old man, who had been so successful in getting aboard the cargo; and without pausing to think what he was about, he ran towards the wharf as hard as he could, jumping on board the barge, and calling out: "Hurry up and join me!" The ex-stevedore, however, made no attempt to follow him; he only stood looking on at what he saw. In a few moments the captain and the stevedore appeared, running towards the boat; and as they came alongside the crowd of men, some of whom, hearing their shouts, had left their work, and run to the wharf, called out: "Well, I'm blowed if it isn't old 'Uns!" "Ah! you've given it us though," answered the ex-stevedore, who was standing alone looking on. "You've had us that time." "Cuss you! 'tisn't them as 'as given us much of a time to-night; but I shall have a bit of your skins to pay you for it," muttered the old man, as he looked around to see that his companion was not following him. "Come along, old man; join me! and we'll have a bit of a blow together." Without a word, the other walked slowly towards the barge; and the old man, seeing that he was not likely to make another attempt to run away, went to the captain and asked him in a low voice: "How many has he got? You see I only went and hired him to let me sneak--it's all biznai; you see I only wanted to sneak over them. Did you see me?" "No, my lad; you ought to know better than to do anything like that," returned the man. "Come, lend a hand and we'll pull this cargo back ashore. I know a couple of boats that are down there that we can bring the 'stuff' in." "Come along," said the other. "We'll have 'em all nabbed before long. I'm blowed if they ain't a good one to 'andle, I will say." They walked to the boat where the other man was waiting, and the moment they came up he said: "Come along, old man; I've got another cove wi' me as's just a-waitin' 'ere; he can heave in alongside of us. I told him you was comin' 'long with me and we was bound for our beds. He's comin' over to-night, so we thought we'd go over for a minute, and then get under weigh to-morrow. Come along, old man." "You shall do nothing of the sort," said the other, who began to think that there was something strange in the way they behaved. "What have you got here--anything in that barge which can float?" "We've got a hammick," replied the man; and taking the end of a rope that had been lying on the bank, he threw it in the water and pulled it up by it, and holding it up said, "There's a hammick for ye." The ex-stevedore, feeling that the two men intended mischief, stood looking on in silent astonishment. "We shan't want a hammick at all," said he. "What are we a-doing of? You told me that you were going to the wharf side, where the barges are lying. You ain't a-going to put us down alongside of no hammick and 'ave a night with us. We'll see you hanged if we do, I'm blowed if we will." "You needn't kick up no bother; you've been in a precious deal more trouble than I have, but as we're all square now, why not make it all right, and make things pleasant for us both?" The other had begun to believe that his companion had spoken the truth about there being no more work, and that he had played the poor old man false; and after a few moments he said: "Come, old man, you'll turn out all right and good company yet; you'll see if you don't, and so will I; you just let me work out this hammick alone for a week or two, and you'll see I shall do; you never saw such a mate as me yet; for two days past I've been a-workin' steady. I don't tell a lie; when I come here I never thought of sneakin' over these blokes; I was on'y going over to 'em to say that I didn't want to 'ave no more to do with them; and I told 'em so, as quiet as could be; but 'cos I'm used to a quiet kind of life they've got the better of me, and I've lost my place. You can see for yourself that that's a fact, for I can't get another yet. I don't say but what I'd get a better if I didn't go about so crooked, but I shan't never get one if I go and act as I have done; that's a thing as I never done afore. But, I say, old man, do you mean it? You don't think you're right in getting along like this? You don't think you'll get any better by this sort of goin' on?" "And what the devil would you have me to do?" demanded the other. "If you want to have a