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?
Then the Welcome is well patronised, I suppose?
Patronised! exclaimed the seaman; thats so, an no mistake. Why, mateBut whats your name? Ive forgot to ax you that all this time!
Call me Miles, said our hero, with some hesitation.
Call you Miles! Aint you Miles?
Well, yes, I am; only theres more of my name than that, but thats enough for your purpose, I daresay.
All right. Well, Miles, you was askin how the house is patronised. Ill tell ee. They make up about two hundred an twenty beds in it altogether, an these are chock-full amost every night. One way or another they had forty-four thousand men, more or less, as slep under this roof last yearso Ive bin told. Thats patronisin, aint it? To say nothin o the fellers as comes forgrub, which, as youve found, is good for the money, and the attendants is civil. You see, theyre always kind an attentive here, cause they professes to think more of our souls than our bodieswhich weve no objection to, dee see, for the lookin arter our souls includes the lookin arter our bodies! An they dont bother us in no way to attend their Bible-readins an sitchlike. There they are in separate rooms; if you want em you may go; if you dont, you can let em alone. No compulsion, which comes quite handy to some on us, for I dont myself care much about sitchlike things. So longs my bodys all right, I leaves my soul to look arter itself.
As the seaman said this with a good-natured smile of indifference, there sprang to the mind of his young companion words that had often been impressed on him by his mother: What shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? but he made no reference to this at the time.
Howsever, continued Molloy, as they dont worrit us about religion, except to give us a good word an a blessin now an again, and may-hap a little book to read, we all patronises the house; an its my opinion if it was twice as big as it is wed fill it chock-full. I would board as well as sleep in it myselffor its full o conveniences, sitch as lockers to putt our things in, an baths, and what not, besides all the other things Ive mentionedbut the want o drink staggers me. I cant git along without a drop o drink.
Miles thought that his nautical friend appeared to be unable to get along without a good many drops of drink, but he was too polite to say so.
Man alive! continued Jack Molloy, striking his huge fist on his thigh with emphasis; its a wonderful place is this Welcome! An its a lively place too. Why, a fellow hanged his-self in one o the bunks overhead not long ago.
You dont mean that? exclaimed Miles, rather shocked.
In course I does. But they heard im gaspin, an cut him down in time to save him. It was drink they say as made him do it, and they got him to sign the pledge arterwards. I believe hes kep it too. Leastwise I know many a hard drinker as have bin indooced to give it up and stuck to itall through comin here to have a snooze in a comfortable hunk. They give the bunks namescubicles they calls em in the lump. Separately, theres the Commodore Goodenough Cot, an the Little Nellie Cot, an the Sunshine Cotso called cause it haint got a port-hole to let in the daylight at all; and the Billy Rough un
The what?
The Billy Rough unarter the ship o that name, you know
Oh! you mean the Bellerophon.
Well, young man, an didnt I say the Billy Rough un? Then theres the But whats your hurry? said the seaman, as Miles rose.
Its getting late now, friend. If Im to find another lodging I must be off. Doubtless, Ill find some respectable house to take me in for the night. Miles suppressed a yawn as he put on his cap.
I dont believe you will, returned Molloy, also rising, and giving full vent to a sympathetic and vociferous yawn. Howsever, wen a young feller insists on havin his way, its best to give him plenty of cable and let him swing. Hes sure to find out his mistake by experience. But look ye here, Miles, Ive took a fancy to you, an Id be sorry to think you was in difficulties. If, he continued, thrusting a hand into his breeches-pocket, and bringing up therefrom a mass of mixed gold, silver, and copperif you dont objec to accep of a loan of
Thank youno, my friend. It is very kind of you, said Miles quickly; but I have quite enough for present necessities. So good-night.
All right, returned the sailor, thrusting the money back into his pocket. But if you should ever want a jaw with Jack Molloy while youre in this here port youve only got to hail him at the Sailors Welcome, an if he should happen to be out, they always can tell you where hes cruisin. Good-night, an luck go wi ye!
Another tremendous yawn finished the speech, and next moment Miles found himself in the street, oppressed with a strange and miserable sensation which he had never before experienced. Indeed, he had to lean against the house for a few minutes after coming out into the fresh air, and felt as if the power of connected thought was leaving him.
He was aroused from this condition by the flashing of a light in his eyes. Opening them wide, he beheld a policeman looking at him earnestly.
Now, then, young fellow, said the guardian of the night; dyou think you can take care of yourself?
Oh! yes, quite well. Its only a giddy feeling that came over me. Im all right, said Miles, rousing himself and passing on.
He staggered slightly, however, and a short Humph! from the policeman showed that he believed the youth to be something more than giddy.
Ashamed to be even unjustly supposed to be intoxicated, Miles hurried away, wondering very much what could be the matter with him, for he had not tasted a drop of strong drink, except the half-glass of beer he had swallowed before Molloy chanced to knock it out of his hand. Suddenly he remembered that the sailor had said the beer was drugged. If he could have asked the barman who had served him, that worthy could have told him that this was true; that the whole glassful, if swallowed, would, ere long, have rendered him insensible, and that what he had already taken was enough to do him considerable damage.