"He always used to go off by hisself of a evening, and I used to wonder
'ow he passed the time. Then one night I found out.
"I had just come out of the Bear's Head, and stopped to look round afore
going back to the wharf, when I see a couple o' people standing on the
swing-bridge saying 'Good-bye' to each other. One of 'em was a man and
the other wasn't.
"'Evening, cap'n,' I ses, as he came towards me, and gave a little start.
'I didn't know you 'ad brought your missis up with you this trip.'
"'Evening, Bill,' he ses, very peaceful. 'Wot a lovely evening!'
"'Bee-utiful!' I ses.
"'So fresh,' ses the skipper, sniffing in some of the air.
"'Makes you feel quite young agin,' I ses.
"He didn't say nothing to that, except to look at me out of the corner of
'is eye; and stepping on to the wharf had another look at the sky to
admire it, and then went aboard his ship. If he 'ad only stood me a
pint, and trusted me, things might ha' turned out different.
"Quite by chance I happened to be in the Bear's Head a week arterwards,
and, quite by chance, as I came out I saw the skipper saying 'Good-bye'
on the bridge agin.
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