so afraid of its being lost that when they stood me a pint at the Bull's Head we 'ad to take it with us. Ginger was going to buy a sausage-roll for it, but, arter Sam 'ad pointed out that they was paying me fourpence a day for its keep, he didn't. And Sam 'ad the cheek to tell me that it liked a nice bit o' fried steak as well as anything.
A lot o' people admired that dog. I remember, on the fourth night I think it was, the barge Dauntless came alongside, and arter she was made fast the skipper came ashore and took a little notice of it.
"Where did you get 'im?" he ses.
I told 'im 'ow it was, and he stood there for some time patting the dog on the 'ead and whistling under 'is breath.
"It's much the same size as my dog," he ses; "that's a black retriever, too."
I ses "Oh!"
"I'm afraid I shall 'ave to get rid of it," he ses. "It's on the barge now. My missis won't 'ave it in the 'ouse any more cos it bit the baby. And o' course it was no good p'inting out to 'er that it was its first bite. Even the law allows one bite, but it's no good talking about the law to wimmen."
"Except when it's on their side," I ses.
He patted the dog's 'ead agin and whistled, and a big black dog came up out of the cabin and sprang ashore. It went up and put its nose to Sam's dog, and they both growled like thunderstorms.
"Might be brothers," ses the skipper, "on'y your dog's got a better 'eead and a better coat. It's a good dog."
"They're all alike to me," I ses. "I couldn't tell 'em apart, not if you paid me."
The skipper stood there a moment, and then he ses: "I wish you'd let me see 'ow my dog looks in your dog's collar," he ses.
"Whaffor?" I ses.
"On'y fancy," he ses. "Oh, Bill!"
"Yes," I ses.
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