He stood there talking
like a little clergyman, until one of the carmen knocked his 'at over 'is
eyes, and then he forgot 'imself for a bit.
"Arter that I used to wait until he 'ad gorn afore I 'ad my arf-pint. I
didn't want my good name taken away, and I had to be careful, and many's
the good arf-pint I 'ad to refuse because that little imitation monkey
was sitting in the office drawing faces on 'is blotting-paper. But
sometimes it don't matter 'ow careful you are, you make a mistake.
"There was a little steamer, called the Eastern Monarch, used to come up
here in them days, once a week. Fat little tub she was, with a crew o'
fattish old men, and a skipper that I didn't like. He'd been in the
coasting trade all 'is life, while I've knocked about all over the world,
but to hear 'im talk you'd think he knew more about things than I did.
"Eddication, Bill,' he ses one evening, 'that's the thing! You can't
argufy without it; you only talk foolish, like you are doing now.'
"'There's eddication and there's common sense,' I ses.
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