'We shall get out as soon as e comes.'
"She flung 'erself down in the chair agin with 'er back to me, and fornearly three-quarters of an hour we sat there without a word. Then, toour joy, we 'eard footsteps turn in at the gate. Quick footsteps theywas. Somebody turned the handle of the door, and then a face looked inat the window that made me nearly jump out of my boots in surprise. Aface that was as white as chalk with temper, and a bonnet cocked over oneeye with walking fast. She shook 'er fist at me, and then she shook itat Miss Lamb.
"'Who's that?' ses Miss Lamb.
"'My missis,' I ses, in a loud voice. 'Thank goodness she's come.'
"'Open the door!' ses my missis, with a screech.
"'OPEN THE DOOR!'
"'I can't,' I ses. 'Somebody's locked it. This is Cap'n Tarbell's younglady.'
"'I'll Cap'n Tarbell 'er when I get in!' ses my wife. 'You too. I'llmusic-'all you! I'll learn you to go gallivanting about! Open thedoor!'
"She walked up and down the alley-way in front of the window waiting forme just like a lion walking up and down its cage waiting for its dinner,and I made up my mind then and there that I should 'ave to make a cleanbreast of it and let Cap'n Tarbell get out of it the best way he could.I wasn't going to suffer for him.
"'Ow long my missis walked up and down there I don't know. It seemedages to me; but at last I 'eard footsteps and voices, and Bob and thecook and the other two chaps wot we 'ad met at the music'all came alongand stood grinning in at the window.
"'Somebody's locked us in,' I ses. 'Go and fetch Cap'n Tarbell.'
"'Cap'n Tarbell?' ses the cook. 'You don't want to see 'im. Why, he'sthe last man in the world you ought to want to see! You don't know 'owjealous he is.'
"'You go and fetch 'im, I ses. ''Ow dare you talk like that afore mywife!'
"'I dursen't take the responserbility,' ses the cook. 'It might meanbloodshed.'
"'You go and fetch 'im,' ses my missis. 'Never mind about the bloodshed.I don't. Open the door!'
"She started banging on the door agin, and arter talking among themselvesfor a time they moved off to the ship. They came back in three or fourminutes, and the cook 'eld up something in front of the window.
"'The boy 'ad got it,' he ses. 'Now shall I open the door and let yourmissis in, or would you rather stay where you are in peace andquietness?'
"I saw my missis jump at the key, and Bob and the others, laughing fit tosplit their sides, 'olding her back. Then I heard a shout, and the nextmoment Cap'n Tarbell came up and asked 'em wot the trouble was about.
"They all started talking at once, and then the cap'n, arter one look inat the window, threw up his 'ands and staggered back as if 'e couldn'tbelieve his eyesight. He stood dazed-like for a second or two, and then'e took the key out of the cook's 'and, opened the door, and walked in.The four men was close be'ind 'im, and, do all she could, my missiscouldn't get in front of 'em.
"'Watchman!' he ses, in a stuck-up voice, 'wot does this mean? LauraLamb! wot 'ave you got to say for yourself? Where 'ave you been all theevening?'
"'She's been to a music-'all with Bill,' ses the cook. 'We saw 'em.'
"'WOT?' ses the cap'n, falling back again. 'It can't be!'
"'It was them,' ses my wife. 'A little boy brought me a note telling me.You let me go; it's my husband, and I want to talk to 'im.'
"'It's all right,' I ses, waving my 'and at Miss Lamb, wot was going tospeak, and smiling at my missis, wot was trying to get at me.
"'We went to look for you,' ses Miss Lamb, very quick. 'He said you wereat the music-'all, and as you 'adn't got my letter I thought it was verylikely.'
"'But I did get your letter,' ses the cap'n.
"'He said you didn't,' ses Miss Lamb.
"'Look 'ere,' I ses. 'Why don't you keep quiet and let me explain? Ican explain everything.'
"'I'm glad o' that, for your sake, my man,' ses the cap'n, looking at mevery hard. 'I 'ope you will be able to explain 'ow it was you came toleave the wharf for three hours.'
"I saw it all then. If I split about Mrs. Plimmer, he'd split to theguv'nor about my leaving my dooty, and I should get the sack. I thoughtI should ha' choked, and, judging by the way they banged me on the back,Bob and the cook thought so too. They 'elped me to a chair when I gotbetter, and I sat there 'elpless while the cap'n went on talking.
"'I'm no mischief-maker,' he ses; 'and, besides, p'r'aps he's beenpunished enough. And as far as I'm concerned he can take this lady to amusic-'all every night of the week if 'e likes. I've done with her.'
"There was an eggsterrordinary noise from where my missis was standing;like the gurgling water makes sometimes running down the kitchen sink at'ome, only worse. Then they all started talking together, and 'arf-a-dozen times or more Miss Lamb called me to back 'er up in wot she wassaying, but I only shook my 'ead, and at last, arter tossing her 'ead atCap'n Tarbell and telling 'im she wouldn't 'ave 'im if he'd got fiftymillion a year, the five of 'em 'eld my missis while she went off.
"They gave 'er ten minutes' start, and then Cap'n Tarbell, arter lookingat me and shaking his 'ead, said he was afraid they must be going.
"'And I 'ope this night'll be a lesson to you,' he ses. 'Don't neglectyour dooty again. I shall keep my eye on you, and if you be'ave yourselfI sha'n't say anything. Why, for all you know or could ha' done thewharf might ha' been burnt to the ground while you was away!'
"He nodded to his crew, and they all walked out laughing and left mealone--with the missis."
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