3IO ALONGSHORE v 



of the police, but if you are rich, they are ex- 

 cellent good fellows, the admiration of the world. 

 If I were to get drunk in a jersey and old sea- 

 trousers, I should be run in, and next day a 

 magistrate would lecture me on the evils of in- 

 temperance; but if I happened to be in dress 

 clothes, I should tell the policeman to call me 

 a cab, and he would help me in and wish me 

 "Good-night, sir!" respectfully; and next day I 

 should only be lectured on the virtues of various 

 liver pills.' 



'It is as bad here; even worse, perhaps,' the 

 French fisherman said. *But you have more 

 teetotalism in England, and more drunkenness 

 than we have. Your English teetotalism — ah !' 

 he went on in a tone of great compassion, lifting 

 up his hands. 'What an unnatural thing! No 

 wonder you are often drunk, you Englishmen !' 



Anyhow he understood, that man, the great 

 and grand spirit of cussedness. 'Won't you turn 

 in now?' he suggested. 'I am going to call the 

 next watch.' 



'No, thank you,' we replied with decision. 

 'We can sleep to-morrow. We are much too 

 interested.' 



Which was half a lie. The fact is, after we 



