DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 137 



" ' Ain't Jaimes all roight ? 'E'll knock 'em a bit, 

 I'll lay, afore 'e's done.' ' 



" At Plymouth he ventured at what proved to be 

 higher game in asking a sailor, who held a pillow- 

 like bundle : ' Say, Jack, what dy d'ye maike it in 

 these 'ere parts ? ' and the reply he got put him out 

 a bit : 



" ' Well, it's to-morrow, if that's any help to set 

 your compass by. But you'd better luff a bit, 

 you're too far west already. With a cargo like 

 yours I should make for Stepney.' 



" Our funny man was vulgar then, so vulgar that 

 the sailor made a swing of his kit-bag at our now 

 red-faced man as we left the station. ' Jaimes,' as 

 his mates called him, seemed even more ruffled by 

 his reception on his hasty retreat from the window 

 than by his encounter with the tar, but it did not 

 prevent his visiting it again at every stopping-place. 



" We were a little sorry for your Devonians, dad, 

 and their neighbours, that no man, as yet, of either 

 county, unless the sailor was a native, had put the 

 noisy man out of countenance, and it was not until 

 we reached St Austell that we found an official 

 sufficiently awake to give us a taste of West 

 Country repartee. There ' Jaimes ' put his head 

 out and saluted a porter with : 



" ' Oi say, shoiny face, Lockhart's open yut ? ' 



" The porter, evidently fresh from a good night's 

 rest and a refreshing scrub, came forward and, in 

 a fairly loud voice, replied : 



" ' Can't say, zur, but if you'll let me have your 

 mug I'll see what I can do for un.' 



" The Londoner was staggered for a moment and 

 then retorted : 



