"And you mind you behave yourself," said the boatswain, hastily. "Remember your promise, mind."
"Of course I will," said Rosa, carelessly.
"You've promised not to 'ave your evening out till I come back," the boatswain reminded her; "week-days and Sundays both. And it oughtn't to be no 'ardship to you. Gals wot's going to be married don't want to go gadding about."
"Of course they don't," said Rosa. "I shouldn't enjoy being out without you neither. And I can get all the fresh air I want in the garden."
"And cleaning the winders," said the thoughtful boatswain.
Miss Jelks, who held to a firm and convenient belief in the likeness between promises and piecrusts, smiled cheerfully.
"Unless I happen to be sent on an errand I sha'n't put my nose outside the front gate," she declared.
"You've passed your word," said Mr. Walters, slowly, "and that's good enough for me; besides which I've got a certain party wot's promised to keep 'is eye on you and let me know if you don't keep to it."
"Eh?" said the startled Rosa. "Who is it?"
"Never you mind who it is," said Mr. Walters, judicially. "It's better for you not to know, then you can't dodge 'im. He can keep his eye on you, but there's no necessity for you to keep your eye on 'im. I don't mind wot he does."