if it was pison, passed it to Mrs. Smithers. 

     "It's the same," ses Mrs. Smithers.  "Was the envelope marked 'Private'?" 

     "I didn't see no envelope," ses my missis.  "This is all I found." 

     Mrs. Smithers stepped on to the wharf and, taking 'old of my missis by the arm, led her away whispering. At the same moment the skipper walked across the deck and whispered to me. 

     "Wot d'ye mean by it?"  he ses.  "Wot d'ye mean by 'aving letters from Dorothy and not telling me about it?" 

     "I can't help 'aving letters any more than you can," I ses.  "Now p'r'aps you'll understand wot I meant by calling 'er a forward hussy." 

     "Fancy 'er writing to you!" he ses, wrinkling 'is forehead.  "Pph! She must be crazy." 

     "P'r'aps it ain't a gal at all," I ses.  "My belief is somebody is 'aving a game with us." 

     "Don't be a fool," he ses.  "I'd like to see the party as would make a fool of me like that. Just see 'im and get my 'ands on him. He wouldn't want to play any more games." 

     It was no good talking to 'im. He was 'arf crazy with temper. If I'd said the letter was meant for 'im he'd 'ave asked me wot I meant by opening it and getting 'im into more trouble with 'is missis, instead of giving it to 'im on the quiet. I just stood and suffered in silence, and thought wot a lot of 'arm eddication did for people. 

     "I want some money," ses my missis, coming back at last with Mrs. Smithers. 

     That was the way she always talked when she'd got me in 'er power. She took two-and-tenpence—all I'd got—and then she ordered me to go and get a cab. 

     "Me and this lady are going to meet her," she ses, sniffing at me. 

     "And tell her wot we think of 'er," ses Mrs. Smithers, sniffing too. 

     "And wot we'll do to 'er," ses my missis. 

     I left 'em standing side by side, looking at the skipper as if 'e was a waxworks, while I went to find a cab. When I came back they was in the same persition, and 'e was smoking with 'is eyes shut. 

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