a sheath at his waist ready to his hand, and of a whistle hanging round his neck, and of a short jagged knotted club with a loaded head that peeped out of a pocket of his loose outer jacket or frock. He sat quietly looking at her; but, with these appendages partially revealing themselves, and with a quantity of bristling oakum-colored head and whisker, he had a formidable appearance. “Won’t you take my word for it?” he asked again.

Pleasant answered with a short dumb nod. He rejoined with another short dumb nod. Then he got up and stood with his arms folded, in front of the fire, looking down into it occasionally, as she stood with her arms folded, leaning against the side of the chimneypiece.

“To wile away the time till your father comes,” he said, — “pray is there much robbing and murdering of seamen about the water-side now?”

“No,” said Pleasant.

“Any?”

“Complaints of that sort are sometimes made, about Ratcliffe and Wapping, and up that way. But who knows how many are true?”

“To be sure. And it don’t seem necessary.”

“That’s what I say,” observed Pleasant. “Where’s the reason for it? Bless the sailors, it ain’t as if they ever could keep what they have, without it.”

“You’re right. Their money may be soon got out of them, without violence,” said the man.

“Of course it may,” said Pleasant; “and then they ship again, and get more. And the best thing for ’em, too, to ship again as soon as ever they can be brought to it. They’re never so well off as when they’re afloat.”

“I’ll tell you why I ask,” pursued the visitor, looking up from the fire. “I was once beset that way myself, and left for dead.”

“No?” said Pleasant. “Where did it happen?”

“It happened,” returned the man, with a ruminative air, as he drew his right hand across his chin, and dipped the other in the pocket of his rough outer coat, “it happened somewhere about here as I reckon. I don’t think it can have been a mile from here.”

“Were you drunk?” asked Pleasant.

“I was muddled, but not with fair drinking. I had not been drinking, you understand. A mouthful did it.”

Pleasant with a grave look shook her head; importing that she understood the process, but decidedly disapproved.

“Fair trade is one thing,” said she, “but that’s another. No one has a right to carry on with Jack in that way.”

“The sentiment does you credit,” returned the man, with a grim smile; and added, in a mutter, “the more so, as I believe it’s not your father’s. — Yes, I had a bad time of it, that time. I lost everything, and had a sharp struggle for my life, weak as I was.”

“Did you get the parties punished?” asked Pleasant.