She fair scratted the face off a potman that had brought him a gallon from t' 'Chequers.'

Shouldering heedlessly into the saloon-bar, he found it deserted except for a chinless potman: the liveliest evening trade was always plied in the cheaper bars adjacent.

One glance sufficed to identify him: with a surly nod the potman ducked behind a partition to call the proprietor.

And afore she went off she told the potman from the 'Albion,' wot was listening, that I was known all over Wapping as the Sleeping Beauty.

And afore she went off she told the potman from the 'Albion,' wot was listening, that I was known all over Wapping as the Sleeping Beauty.

Arter he thought he 'ad finished and was going back to bed agin, I pointed' out to 'im that he 'adn't kissed me "good night," and if it 'adn't ha' been for 'is missis and two grown-up daughters and the potman I believe he'd ha' talked to me till daylight.

" Afore she could say anything the potman from the Tiger, a nasty ginger- 'aired little chap that nobody liked, come by and stopped to pat her on the back.

ses the little beast of a potman.

The potman let off a whistle that you could have 'eard acrost the river, and as for me, I thought I should ha' dropped.

"Did he run away from you?" ses the potman.

" "I shouldn't cry over 'im," ses the potman, shaking his 'ead: "he ain't worth it.

It was like opening the door at a theatre, and the fust one through was that woman, shoved behind by the potman.

One o' the draymen 'elped 'em to go out, and 'arf a minute arterwards a stone came over the gate and cut the potman's lip open.

They was all on top o' me at once, and the next thing I can remember is sitting on the ground in my shirt-sleeves listening to the potman, who was making a fearful fuss because somebody 'ad bit his ear 'arf off.

They all started telling 'im at once, and I should think if the potman showed him 'is ear once he showed it to 'im twenty times.

He lost his temper and pushed it away at last, and the potman gave a 'owl that set my teeth on edge.

"Who is it?" "Me, darling," ses a voice I reckernized as the potman's.