2i6 ALONGSHORE iv 



to pick the gobbets an' he was to empty 'em into 

 the bag. . . . Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Blest 

 If thic there wouldn' be beautiful! But there! 

 what can 'ee 'spect from the likes o' they sort, 

 what an't got no heart for to do ort?' 



And In consequence nothing further was 

 expected from Beautiful, even as a stop-gap. 



A French onion-man gave him his second 

 nickname. He sold Beautiful a couple of strings 

 of onions and agreed to wait for the money until 

 he returned In the evening from some villages 

 back on land. Beautiful, of course, sold the 

 onions again, and with the money went to the 

 'Beacon Light' for a pint of beer. There he 

 stayed, and excited much wonder by calling for 

 drinks round. The Frenchman returned; in- 

 quired after Beautiful; was told about the onions. 

 Very wrathful, he followed to the 'Beacon Light,' 

 asked Beautiful for his money, wanted to fight 

 it out of him. But that couldn't be allowed — 

 not from a Frenchman. While they held him 

 back, he jerked out his grievance amid roars of 

 laughter, and flung at Beautiful all the English 

 he had learnt while hawking round his strings 

 of onions. 'You ****** ****** Anglishman !* 

 he jabbered. 'You buy an' you tell me faithful 



