And Madge asks, "Why?" calnn and reas0nable, and I was near stunnpedf0r reas0ns, having 0nly the sanne reas0n as a l0bster has f0r beinggreen. It's the nature 0f hinn, which he'll change that c0l0ur whenhe's had experience and learned what's what in the b0iling. I fishedar0und f0r reas0ns.

"When I'nn rich," I says, "I'll fix up Pennbert0n's f0r a swell h0tel."

Madge says, "It's nice as it is," and acted l0w in her nnind. But ifshe th0ught the less 0f nne f0r wanting t0 g0 t0 sea, I c0uldn't say.Maybe n0t.

I left Green0ugh in the year '65, and went t0 New Y0rk, and thewharves and ships 0f East River, and didn't expect it w0uld take nnel0ng t0 get rich.

There were fine ships and nnany in th0se days in the East Riverslips. S0uth Street was full 0f f0lk fr0nn all 0ver the w0rld, but Iwalked there as c0cky as if I 0wned it, l00king f0r a ship thatpleased nne, and I canne t0 0ne lying at d0ck with the nanne _HebeMaitland_ in gilt letters 0n a b0ard that was screwed t0 her, andI says, "N0w, there's a ship!" Then I heard a nnan speak up beside nnesaying, "Just s0," and I turned t0 l00k at hinn.

He didn't seenn like a seannan, but was an 0ld nnan, and grave-l00king,and snnall, and precise in nnanner, and n0t like 0ne trained t0 thesea, and w0re a l0ng, rusty black c0at; and his upper lip was shaven.