236 ALONGSHORE w 



'"Fixed up — aye!" I said. "How could us 

 keep a roof over our heads if us wasn't fixed up." 



' "So be I fixed up," he says; an' with the 

 same he puts his hands over his ears — Hke so, 

 as if it hurt 'en there — an' starts coughing. 



'Anyhow, 'er soon found out the difference 

 'tween coming out to beach an' going out to 

 sea. Us have a-see'd they strappers what jumps 

 into a boat so long as there's ort to be earned, 

 an' then when there Isn't nort to be earned and 

 summut wants doing, thee ca'st whistle for 'em 

 like thee's whistle for the wind, an' sometimes 

 'twill come an' sometimes 'twon't. Not that he 

 didn't pick up a copper or two boat-hauling an' 

 the like, an' a pint wi' anybody that went in to 

 hae it; all hands was free an' open enough wi' 

 him, knowing pretty well how he was situated; 

 but they know'd too that he was only waiting 

 his chance for to jump in a boat an' stick there 

 — an' there 'twas. Couldn't expect nobody to 

 turn out for he, an' 'twasn't no use making 'en 

 think so when he ought to ha' been back at his 

 work. 



'He had to pick up odd jobs what'd come 

 to him on the beach, like carpet-beating an' 

 moving luggage. An' then he began to let 



