After a bit I was able to crawl down the hatchway, and as they were trying to pour rum into the poor fellows mouth, I lay down in the cabin, for my head felt heavy and stupid, and there I was watching them as by the light of the swinging lanthorn they did what they could for the poor fellow; and at last, lying there listening to the sea beating up against the side, I fell into a half-stupid sort of sleep part owing to the way my head was struck, and partly from being worn-out.
Next morning when I woke, wet and shivering, the dull light through the skylight showed me as the poor fellow lay on the other side, and there was no one else in the cabin. Close aside him was a life-belt; so I knew that he had been one of the lifeboat crew, and, not wanting to disturb him, I was going to creep out, when I thought Id have a look to see who it was Id saved, and so I crept back a bit, and stooped down, when my heart seemed to stop, for I saw as it was my own brother and he was dead!
Cant help feeling a bit soft about it, sir, though its years ago now. Poor chap! he volunteered, as the crew were short-handed, and was one of the many lost, for only two or three got ashore.
Plucky young chap, he was; but the sea was too much for him; and, Lord, sir, youd be surprised how many the sea takes every year.
Chapter Three. K9 A Queer Dog
I had long had my eye upon the policeman, for no one could gaze upon his face without feeling that those impressive features had a large fund of interesting matter concealed behind. There must be something more than whiskers, I said, and then I considered what a sensation novelist he would make if but of a literary bent. Truth is stranger than fiction; and what truths we should get from the man so often sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. However, failing the policemans turning
littérateur , I thought a little of his experience might be made available, and therefore the above-named custodian act was performed.
Now the public that is to say, the reading public cannot guess at a tithe of the difficulties to be encountered in making the policeman speak; he looks upon every question as though it were, with entrapping ideas, put to him by a sharp cross-examining counsel, and is reticent to a degree. He is a regular Quaker he only speaks when the spirit moveth him; and the only effective spirit for moving him is Kinahans LL, which seems to soothe the perturbed current of his thoughts, makes him cease to regard the administering hand as that of prosecutor, prisoner, or witness in an important case, and altogether it reduces him to ones own level, if he will allow the expression.
Bobby sat one evening in my study as my wife insists upon calling the little shabby room over the back kitchen and for awhile he seemed such a Tartar that I regretted having caught him. I almost shrank beneath his hard stare, and began to wonder whether I had done anything that would necessitate the use of the darbies he was fidgeting about in his pocket, especially when his eyes were so intently fixed upon my wrists, which lay upon the table before me in rather an exposed state, from the fact of the tweed jacket I wore not being one of the warranted shrunk. It was enough to make any one shudder and draw the sleeves lower down, and my performance of this act appeared to make my visitor so suspicious that I verily believe he would have interposed to prevent my exit any time during the course of his call.
My friend partook of my hospitality, and then began to speak, when I opened a book and seized a pencil, but,
No, thanky, sir, he cried; not if I knows it. The regular reporters is bad enough; only what cant be cured must be endoored. But none o that, thanky. Praps youll put that book away.
Of course I did so, and felt that I must imitate the special correspondent of the Pall Mall Gazette , and trust to my memory.
Now yer see, sir, I could say a deal; but then I says to myself Its my dooty to tell you as anything you now says may be used in evidence agen you at yer trial. Wherefore, dont you see, I takes notice of the caution?
Id give something to be able to transfer to paper the solemn wink he gave me, but that is impossible, and we both talked on indifferent subjects until my visitor had had another mix, when thoughtfully poking at the sugar, he said,
You see, sir, we do sometimes have cases on hand as makes a feller quite savage; and then people as looks on will make it ten times wuss for the pleeceman by siding with them as is took. Here we gets kicked and butted, knocked down and trod upon; clothes tore, hats once, elmets now, crushed; hair pulled out by the roots, and all sorts o nice delicate attentions o that sort, which naterally puts a feller out, and makes him cut up rough; then the crowd round cries out shame, or, oh, poor feller, or what not, and makes the poor feller as has half killed a couple o pleecemen wuss than he was afore. Pleecemen oughter to keep their tempers says the papers, arter what they calls a police outrage, jest as if the force was recruited out of all thats amiable. We aint angels, sir, not a bit of it; and its a wonder we dont get more outer temper than we does. Jest you go to take a chap inter custody and adwise him to come quietly; and then offer to take him all decent and orderly. Jest you go and do that, and let him turn round and give you a spank in the mouth, as cuts yer lip open and knocks a tooth loose jest see how angelified youll feel then; and try what a job it is not to pull yer staff out and half knock his blessed head off. Why, if Lord Shaftesbury hisself had on the bracelet that night I know hed give my gentleman one or two ugly twists. Wun knows wun oughter keep cool, but yer see a feller aint made o cast iron, which would be a blessin to some of our fellers legs being a hard material. After taking a rough sometimes Ive seen our chaps with legs black, blue, and bleeding with kicks, while ceptin a little touzlin and sech, the prisoner hasnt had a spot on him. Yes, its all werry fine, Keep yer temper, Dont be put out, Take it all coolly, be pitched outer winder and then come up smilin, as Bells Life says. Get kicked in the stummick, and then make a bow; but that youd be sure to do, for youd get reglarly doubled up. Never mind havin yer whiskers pulled, and bein skretched a bit, its all included in yer eighteen bob or pound a week; and, above all keep yer temper.