CHAPTER I
SUDDEN FRIENDSHIPS.
In the midst of the great wilderness — we might
almost say the wilds— of that comparatively un-
known region which lies on the Surrey side of
the Thames, just above London Bridge, there saun-
tered one fine day a big bronzed seaman of , middle
age. He turned into an alley, down which, nautically
speaking, he rolled into a shabby little court. There
he stood still for a few seconds and looked around
him as if in quest of something.
It was a miserable poverty-stricken court, with
nothing to commend it to the visitor save a certain
air of partial-cleanliness and semi-respectability,
which did not form a feature of the courts in its
neighbourhood.
" I say, Capting," remarked a juvenile voice close
at hand, "you've bin an' sailed into the wrong
port." _
The sailor glanced in all directions, but was un-
able to see the owner of the voice until a slight
cough — if not a suppressed laugh — caused him to
look up, when he perceived the sharp, knowing, and
dirty face of a small boy, who calmly contemplated
him from a window not more than a foot above his
head. Fun, mischief, intelligence, precocity sat
enthroned on the countenance of that small boy,
and suffering wrinkled his young brow.
"How d'ee know I'm in the wrong port —
monkey ?" demanded the sailor.
'"Cause there ain't no grog-shop in it — gorilla!"
retorted the boy.
There is a mysterious but well-known power of
attraction between kindred spirits which induces
them to unite, like globules of quicksilver, at the
first moment of contact. Brief as was this inter-
change of politenesses, it sufficed to knit together
the souls of the seaman and the small boy. A
mutual smile, nod, and wink sealed, as it were, the
sudden friendship.
" Come now, younker," said the sailor, thrusting
his hands into his coat-pockets, and leaning a little
forward with legs well apart, as if in readiness to
counteract the rolling of the court in a heavy sea,
" there 's no occasion for you an' me to go beatin'
about — off an' on. Let 's come to close quarters at
once. I haven't putt in here to look for no grog-
shop "
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