You've got a mother, too, ain't you ?" "Yes; but I shouldn't have liked her to see all we saw that day." "No, sir, you wouldn't.

I haven't got no mother now, sir, but I did have one once." I felt ready to smile, but I kept my countenance.
"Seems rum of a big ugly fellow like me talking about his mother, sir; but, Lor' bless you! all us chaps has got a bit of a soft spot somewhere insides us for our old woman, even them as never talks about it; and do you know, sir, that night just when I felt worst as I rolled about in my hammock, and was going to get out and find the bucket of water for a drink, I got thinking about my old mother, and how she used to come and tuck me up in bed of a night, and kiss me and say, Gawd bless me, and then of how she used to talk to me and tell me always to do what was right, and, no matter what happened, I should feel at rest.

And then I got thinking as I must have done very wrong in killing that Chinee, to feel as bad as I did.

And I got arguing it over first one way and then the other for a minute or two, and the next thing I remember is it being tumble-up time, and till you spoke to me about it just now, I've never hardly thought about it since.

It was doing my duty, sir, of course; now, warn't it ?" "Of course, Morris," I said importantly; and the man nodded, looked satisfied, and then glanced to right and left again before unbuttoning his jacket and cautiously pulling out an old-fashioned gold watch.
"Why, hallo, Morris!" I cried.
"Hush, sir; keep it quiet.