I do blieve it was that as indooced me to give in. I went an saw this lavatory, an I was so took up with it that I washed my hands in every bason in the placeone arter the otheran used up ever so much soap, anwould you believe it?my hands wasnt clean after all! Yes, its one the wery best things in Portsmuth, is Miss Robinsons Welcome
Miss Robinson again! exclaimed Miles.
Aywot have you got to find fault wi Miss Robinson? demanded the sailor sternly.
No fault to find at all, replied Miles, suffering himself to be hurried away by his new friend; but wherever I have gone since arriving in Portsmouth her name has cropped up!
In Portsmouth! echoed the sailor. Let me tell you, young man, that wherever you go all over the world, if theres a British soldier there, Miss Sarah Robinsons name will be sure to crop up. Why, dont you know that shes The Soldiers Friend?
Im afraid I must confess to ignorance on the pointyet, stay, now you couple her name with The Soldiers Friend, I have got a faint remembrance of having heard it before. Have I not heard of a Miss Weston, too, in connection with a work of some sort among sailors?
Ay, no doubt ye have. She has a grand Institoot in Portsmuth too, but she goes in for sailors onlyall over the kingdomwereas Miss Robinson goes in for soldiers an sailors both, though mainly for the soldiers. She set agoin the Sailors Welcome before Miss Weston began in Portsmuth, an so she keeps it up, but there aint no opposition or rivalry. Their aims is pretty much alike, an so they keep stroke together wi the oars. But Ill tell you more about that when you get inside. Here we are! Theres the dock-gates, you see, and thats Queen Street, an the Welcomes close at hand. Its a teetotal house, you know. All Miss Robinsons Institoots is that.
Indeed! How comes it, then, that a manexcuse methree sheets in the wind, can gain admittance?
Oh! as to that, any sailor or soldier may get admittance, even if hes as drunk as a fiddler, if he ony behaves his-self. But they wont supply drink on the premises, or allow it to be brought incept inside o you, of coorse. Cause why? you cant help thatleastwise not without the help of a stomach-pump. Plenty o men who aint abstainers go to sleep every night at the Welcome, cause they find the beds and other things so comfortable. In fact, some hard topers have been indooced to take the pledge in consekince o what theyve heard an seen in this Welcome, though they came at first only for the readin-room an beds. Here, let me look at you under this here lamp. Yes. Youll do. Youre something like a sea-dog already. You wont object to change hats wi me?
Why? asked Miles, somewhat amused.
Never you mind that, mate. You just putt yourself under my orders if youd sail comfortably before the wind. Ill arrange matters, an you can square up in the morning.
As Miles saw no particular reason for objecting to this fancy of his eccentric friend, he exchanged his soft cap for the sailors straw hat, and they entered the Welcome together.
Chapter Three.
The Sailors WelcomeMiles has a Night of it and EnlistsHis Friend Armstrong has an Agreeable Surprise at the Soldiers Institute
It was not long before our hero discovered the reason of Jack Molloys solicitude about his appearance. It was that he, Miles, should pass for a sailor, and thus be in a position to claim the hospitality of the Sailors Welcome,to the inner life of which civilians were not admitted, though they were privileged, with the public in general, to the use of the outer refreshment-room.
Come here, Jack Molloy, he said, leading his friend aside, when he made this discovery. You pride yourself on being a true-blue British tar, dont you?
I does, said Jack, with a profound solemnity of decision that comported well with his character and condition.
And you would scorn to serve under the French flag, or the Turkish flag, or the Black flag, or any flag but the Union Jack, wouldnt you?
Right you are, mate; thems my sentiments to a tee!
Well, then, you cant expect me to sail under false colours any more than yourself, continued Miles. I scorn to sail into this port under your straw hat, so Ill strike these colours, bid you good-bye, and make sail for another port where a civilian will be welcome.
Molloy frowned at the floor for some moments in stern perplexity.
Youve took the wind out o my sails entirely, you have, he replied at last; an youre right, young man, but Im troubled about you. If you dont run into this here port youll have to beat about in the offing all night, or cast anchor in the streets, for I dont know of another lodgin in Portsmuth were you could hang out except them disrepitible grog-shops. In coorse, theres the big hotels; but I heerd you say to Sloper that you was bound to do things cheap, bein hard up.
Never mind, my friend, said Miles quickly. I will manage somehow; so good-night, and many thanks to you for the interest you have taken in
Avast, mate! theres no call to go into action in sitch a hurry. This here Sailors Welcome opens the doors of its bar an refreshment-room, an spreads its purvisions before all an sundry as can afford to pay its moderate demands. Its ony the after-cabin youre not free to. So youll have a bit supper wi me before you set sail on your night cruise.
Being by that time rather hungry as well as fatigued, Miles agreed to remain for supper. While they were engaged with it, he was greatly impressed with the number of sailors and marines who passed into the reading-room beyond the bar, or who sat down at the numerous tables around to have a hearty supper, which they washed down with tea and coffee instead of beer or ginapparently with tremendous appetite and much satisfaction.
Look ye here, said Jack Molloy, rising when their feed was about concluded, Ive no doubt they wont object to your taking a squint at the readin-room, though they wont let you use it. Following his companion, Miles passed by a glass double door into an enormous well-lighted, warm room, seventy feet long, and of proportionate width and height, in which a goodly number of men of the sea were busy as beessome of them reading books or turning over illustrated papers and magazines, others smoking their pipes, and enjoying themselves in rocking-chairs in front of the glowing fire, chatting, laughing, and yarning as free-and-easily as if in their native focsls, while a few were examining the pictures on the walls, or the large models of ships which stood at one side of the room. At the upper end a full-sized billiard-table afforded amusement to several players, and profound interest to a number of spectators, who passed their comments on the play with that off-hand freedom which seems to be a product of fresh gales and salt-water. A door standing partly open at the upper end of this apartment revealed a large hall, from which issued faintly the sound of soft music.
Aint it snug? and theres no gamblin agoin on there, remarked Molloy, as they returned to their table; thats not allowednor drinkin, nor card-playin, but thats all they putt a stop to. Shes a wise woman is Miss Robinson. She dont hamper us wi no rules. Why, bless you, Jack ashore would never submit to rules! He gits more than enough o them afloat. No; its liberty hall here. We may come an go as we like, at all hours o the day and night, an do exactly as we please, so long as we dont smash up the furnitur, or feed without payin, or make ourselves a gineral noosance. They dont even forbid swearin. They say they leave the matter o lingo to our own good taste and good sense. An dyou know, its wonderful what an amount o both weve got wen we aint worried about it! Youll scarce hear an oath in this house from mornin to evenin, though youll hear a deal o snorin doorin the night! Thats how the place takes so well, dee see?