\"Theideeofleavin’Kittysosoonarterourmarriagewentaginmygrainconsiderable。Icruisedalongthedocksforsome—thin’todointhewayofstevedore:an’thoughIpickedupastrayjobhereandthere,Ididn’tamenoughtobuyship—bisketforarat;letalonefeedin’twohumanmouths。
Therewasn’tnothin’honestIwouldn’thaveturnedahandto;butthe’longshoremengobbledupallthework,an’aoutsiderlikemedidn’tstandashow。
\"Thingsgotfrombadtoworse;themonth’srenttookallourcashexceptadollarorso,an’theskylookedkindo’squallyforean’aft。Well,Isetoutonemornin’—thatidenticalunluckymornin’—determinedtocomebackan’
tosssomepayintoKitty’slap,ifIhadtosellmyjacketforit。Ispiedabrigunloadin’coalatpierNo。47—howwellIremembersit!Ihailedthemate,an’offeredmyselfforacoal—heaver。ButIwasn’twanted,ashetoldmecivillyenough,whichwasbettertreatmentthanusual。AsIturnedoffratherglumIwassignalledbyoneofthemsleek,smooth—spokenrascalswithawhitehatan’aweedonit,asisalwaysgoin’aboutthepiersa—seekin’whotheymaydevower。
\"Wesailorsknow’emforrascalsfromstemtostarn,butsomehoweveryfreshonefleecesusjestashismatedidaforehim。Wedon’tlamnothin’byexper’ence;we’rejestnobetterthanalotofbabyswithnobrains。