"Chummed up with ole Black Whiskers I did,
and promised 'im a 'and ternight at twelve o'clock ter do some loadin'
on ter the fishin' boats wot's on their way ter Belgium. 'You're a
nice-seemin' sort er lad,' he tole me after we'd bin chattin' fer ten
minutes or so. 'Want ter make a bit of extra money by 'oldin' of your
tongue?' I was on it like a knife. 'Ra-_ther!_' I ses. 'Orl right,' ses
'e. 'Come along ter the quayside ternight at twelve o'clock. There's
a bit uf loadin' up ter be done, an' only a few uv the men are required.
I don't choose none wot I don't cotton to.' 'You'll cotton ter me all
right, matey,' I ses, with a sort uv a larf that seemed ter tickle 'im.
'I'm as close as the devil 'imself. Anythink yer doesn't want me ter see,
just tip me the wink.' 'I will that,' ses 'e, and then went off. An' so
'ere I am, sir, fixed up for a busy evenin' along uv ole Black Whiskers.
An' if I don't learn summink this night, well, my name ain't Dollops!"
"Good lad!" said Cleek, giving the boy's arm a squeeze. "That's the way
to do it! And is that all you've got to tell me? I've done a bit myself,
and chummed up with a chap called Jenkins, the tall, thin man who works
on the left of me, and he's let me into the secret of the fishing boat
business.
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