604 ANGEL PAVEMENT

me English meat, when I can get it. And when I'm at
home, I insist on having it. Get enough o' the other sort
when I'm away."

"You've been on these boats before, haven't you?"

"I have. I've been on this very ship twice before.
They know me here. You ask 'em/*

"Food all right?"

"Suits me," replied Sudgen. "Should suit you, too.
Good quality and plenty of it. Nothing fancy, y'know
—not like these liners, with their chefs and what not—
but plenty o' good solid stuff. That's what I like."

Apparently it was what Mr. Golspie liked too. He
produced a cigar case, and the two men lit up and
through a fragrant dribble of smoke regarded the
moving docks with half-closed eyes and a vague air of
patronage,

"This port of London's a bit of an eye-opener to me,"
Mr. Golspie remarked.

"Ever been all round it? Tremendous—oh tre-
mendous! There's the West India Docks further up
here, and then the Surrey Commercial on the other side.
You never saw such a place. It's a hard day's work look-
ing round the Surrey Commercial. Chap tried to show
me once, but I gave it up. And then you've got the
London Docks further up still. And Tilbury, of course.
If you go out on one of the regular liners and mail boats,
you get on down at Tilbury. I've done that once or
twice, but this suits me better. When I'm aboard a ship,
I like to travel quietly. I don't like all this floating
hotel, song-and-dance, fancy-dress ball business. What
d'you say?"

"Haven't been on one of those big ships for donkeys5
years," Mr. Golspie confessed. *Tve never been out to