was."
"Well, you've done it now," ses Sam. "Spoilt our evening."
"P'r'aps good will come out of it," ses Ginger. "If the old lady takesa fancy to us we shall be able to come agin, and then to please you,Sam, I'll have a go to cut your nevy out."
Sam stared at 'im, and Peter stared too, and then they looked at eachother and began to laugh till Ginger forgot where 'e was and offered toput Sam through the winder. They was still quarrelling under theirbreath and saying wot they'd like to do to each other when Mrs. Gillcame downstairs. Dressed up to the nines she was, and they walked downthe street with a feeling that everybody was looking at em.
One thing that 'elped to spoil the evening was that Mrs. Gill wouldn'tgo into public'ouses, but to make up for it she went into sweet-stuffshops three times and 'ad ices while they stood and watched 'er andwondered 'ow she could do it. And arter that she stopped at a placePoplar way, where there was a few swings and roundabouts and things.She was as skittish as a school-gal, and arter taking pore Sam on theroundabout till 'e didn't know whether he was on his 'eels or his 'ead,she got 'im into a boat-swing and swung 'im till he felt like a boy on'is fust v'y'ge. Arter that she took 'im to the rifle gallery, andafore he had 'ad three shots the man took the gun away from 'im andthreatened to send for the police.
It was an expensive evening for all of them, but as Ginger said whenthey got 'ome they 'ad broken the ice, and he bet Peter Russet 'arf adollar that afore two days 'ad passed he'd take the nevy's gal for awalk. He stepped round by 'imself the next arternoon and made 'imselfagreeable to Mrs. Gill, and the day arter they was both so nice and kindthat 'e plucked up 'is courage and offered to take Miss Gill to the Zoo.
She said "No" at fust, of course, but arter Ginger 'ad pointed out thatJoe was at work all day and couldn't take 'er 'imself, and that 'e wasJoe's uncle's best pal, she began to think better of it.
"Why not?" ses her mother. "Joe wouldn't mind. He wouldn't be sosilly as to be jealous o' Mr. Ginger Dick."
"Of course not," ses the gal. "There's nothing to be jealous of."
She let 'er mother and Ginger persuade 'er arter a time, and then shewent upstairs to clean herself, and put on a little silver brooch thatGinger said he 'ad picked up coming along.
She took about three-quarters of an hour to get ready, but when she camedown, Ginger felt that it was quite worth it. He couldn't take 'is eyesoff 'er, as the saying goes, and 'e sat by 'er side on the top of theomnibus like a man in a dream.
"This is better than being at sea," he ses at last.
"Don't you like the sea?" ses the gal. "I should like to go to seamyself."
"I shouldn't mind the sea if you was there," ses Ginger.
Miss Gill turned her 'ead away. "You mustn't talk to me like that," sheses in a soft voice. "Still--"
"Still wot?" ses Ginger, arter waiting a long time.
"I mean, if I did go to sea, it would be nice to have a friend onboard," she ses. "I suppose you ain't afraid of storms, are you?"
"I like 'em," ses Ginger.
"You look as if you would," ses the gal, giving 'im a little look under'er eyelashes. "It must be nice to be a man and be brave. I wish I wasa man."
"I don't," ses Ginger.
"Why not?" ses the gal, turning her 'ead away agin.
Ginger didn't answer, he gave 'er elbow a little squeeze instead. Shetook it away at once, and Ginger was just wishing he 'adn't been sofoolish, when it came back agin, and they sat for a long time withoutspeaking a word.
"The sea is all right for some things," ses Ginger at last, "but supposea man married!"
The gal shook her 'ead. "It would be hard on 'is wife," she ses, withanother little look at 'im, "but--but----"
Ginger pinched 'er elbow agin.
"But p'r'aps he could get a job ashore," she ses, "and then he couldtake his wife out for a bus-ride every day."
They 'ad to change buses arter a time, and they got on a wrong bus andwent miles out o' their way, but neither of 'em seemed to mind. Gingersaid he was thinking of something else, and the gal said she was too.They got to the Zoological Gardens at last, and Ginger said he 'ad neverenjoyed himself so much. When the lions roared she squeezed his arm,and when they 'ad an elephant ride she was holding on to 'im with both'ands.
"I am enjoying myself," she ses, as Ginger 'elped her down and said"whoa" to the elephant. "I know it's wicked, but I can't 'elp it, andwot's more, I'm afraid I don't want to 'elp it."
She let Ginger take 'er arm when she nearly tripped up over a peppermintball some kid 'ad dropped; and, arter a little persuasion, she 'ad abottle of lemonade and six bath-buns at a refreshment stall for dinner.
She was as nice as she could be to him, but by the time they started for'ome, she 'ad turned so quiet that Ginger began to think 'e must 'aveoffended 'er in some way.
"Are you tired?" he ses.
"No," ses the gal, shaking her 'ead, "I've enjoyed myself very much."
"I thought you seemed a bit tired," ses Ginger, arter waiting a longtime.
"I'm not tired," ses the gal, giving 'im a sad sort o' little smile,"but I'm a little bit worried, that's all."
"Worried?" ses Ginger, very tender. "Wot's worrying you?"
"Oh, I can't tell you," ses Miss Gill. "It doesn't matter; I'll try andcheer up. Wot a lovely day it is, isn't it? I shall remember it all mylife."
"Wot is it worrying you?" ses Ginger, in a determined voice. "Can'tyou tell me?"
"No," ses the gal, shaking her 'ead, "I can't tell you because you mightwant to 'elp me, and I couldn't allow that."
"Why shouldn't I 'elp you?" ses Ginger. "It's wot we was put 'ere for:to 'elp one another."
"I couldn't tell you," ses the gal, just dabbing at'er eyes--with a lacepocket-'ankercher about one and a 'arf times the size of 'er nose.
"Not if I ask you to?" ses Ginger.
Miss Gill shook 'er 'ead, and then she tried her 'ardest to turn theconversation. She talked about the weather, and the monkey-'ouse, and agal in 'er street whose 'air changed from red to black in a singlenight; but it was all no good, Ginger wouldn't be put off, and at lastshe ses--
"Well," she ses, "if you must know, I'm in a difficulty; I 'ave got toget three pounds, and where to get it I don't know any more than the manin the moon. Now let's talk about something else."
"Do you owe it?" ses Ginger.
"I can't tell you any more," ses Miss Gill, "and I wouldn't 'ave toldyou that only you asked me, and somehow I feel as though I 'ave to tellyou things, when you want me to."
"Three pounds ain't much," ses pore Ginger, wot 'ad just been paid offarter a long v'y'ge. "I can let you 'ave it and welcome."
Miss Gill started away from 'im as though she 'ad been stung, and ittook 'im all his time to talk 'er round agin. When he 'ad she begged'is pardon and said he was the most generous man she 'ad ever met, butit couldn't be.
"I don't know when I could pay it back," she ses, "but I thank you allthe same for offering it."
"Pay it back when you like," ses Ginger, "and if you never pay it back,it don't matter."
He offered 'er the money four or five times, but she wouldn't take it,but at last just as they got near her 'ouse he forced it in her 'and,and put his own 'ands in his pockets when she tried to make 'im take itback.
"You are good to me," she ses arter they 'ad gone inside and 'er mother'ad gone upstairs arter giving Ginger a bottle o' beer to amuse 'imselfwith; "I shall never forget you. Never."
"I 'ope not," ses Ginger, starting. "Are you coming out agin to-morrow?"
"I'm afraid I can't," ses Miss Gill, shaking her 'ead and lookingsorrowful.
"Not with me?" ses Ginger, sitting down beside her on the sofa andputting 'is arm so that she could lean against it if she wanted to.
"I don't