I suppose I've been one of
the best customers he ever 'ad, and that's the way he treated me. For
two pins I'd ha' knocked 'is ugly 'ead off, but arter waking him up very
sudden by dropping my glass on the floor I went off back to the wharf.
I locked up agin, and 'ad another look at the dock. The water 'ad nearly
gone and the mud was showing in patches. My mind went back to a
sailorman wot had dropped 'is watch over-board two years before, and
found it by walking about in the dock in 'is bare feet. He found it more
easy because the glass broke when he trod on it.
The evening was a trifle chilly for June, but I've been used to roughing
it all my life, especially when I was afloat, and I went into the office
and began to take my clothes off. I took off everything but my pants,
and I made sure o' them by making braces for 'em out of a bit of string.
Then I turned the gas low, and, arter slipping on my boots, went outside.
It was so cold that at fust I thought I'd give up the idea. The longer I
stood on the edge looking at the mud the colder it looked, but at last I
turned round and went slowly down the ladder.
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