"'Good evening, my lad,' I ses.
"'I s'pose,' he ses, in a trembling voice, 'I suppose you ain't looking out for a cabin-boy, sir?'
"'Cabin-boy?' I ses. 'No, I ain't.'
"'I've run away from 'ome to go to sea,' he ses, and I'm afraid of being pursued. Can I come inside?'
"Afore I could say 'No' he 'ad come, bag and all; and afore I could say anything else he 'ad nipped into the office and stood there with his 'and on his chest panting.
"'I know I can trust you,' he ses; 'I can see it by your face."
"'Wot 'ave you run away from 'ome for?' I ses. 'Have they been ill-treating of you?'
"'Ill-treating me?' he ses, with a laugh. 'Not much. Why, I expect my father is running about all over the place offering rewards for me. He wouldn't lose me for a thousand pounds.'
"I pricked up my ears at that; I don't deny it. Anybody would. Besides, I knew it would be doing him a kindness to hand 'im back to 'is father. And then I did a bit o' thinking to see 'ow it was to be done.
"'Sit down,' I ses, putting three or four ledgers on the floor behind one of the desks. 'Sit down, and let's talk it over.'