On the morning of the day after his talk with Flint, Samuel Greer ruminated doubtfully on the advisability of calling on the ship-store dealer again, or waiting in dignified silence till Flint should approach him. As he ruminated he rubbed his chin, and so rubbing it found it very stubbly. He resolved on the luxury of a penny shave, and, as he walked the street, kept his eyes open for a shop where the operation was performed at that price. Mr. Flint, at any rate, could wait till his chin was smooth. Presently, in a turning by Abbey Street, Bermondsey, he came on just such a barber's shop as he wanted. Within, two men were being shaved already, and another waiting; and Greer felt himself especially fortunate in that three more followed at his heels. He was ahead of their turns, anyhow. So he waited patiently. [Illustration: "HIS WALK WAS UNSTEADY."] The man whose turn was immediately before his own did not appear to be altogether sober. A hiccough shook him from time to time; he grinned with a dull glance at a comic paper held upside down in his hand, and when he went to take his turn at a chair his walk was unsteady. The barber had to use his skill to avoid cutting him, and he opened his mouth to make remarks at awkward times. Then Greer's turn came at the other chair, and when his shave was half completed he saw the unsteady customer rise, pay his penny, and go out. "Beginnin' early in the mornin'!" observed one customer. The barber laughed. "Yes," he said. "He wants to get a proper bust on before he goes to bed, I s'pose." Samuel Greer's chin being smooth at last, he rose and turned to where he had hung his hat. His jaw dropped, and his eyes almost sprang out to meet each other as he saw--a bare peg! The unsteady customer had walked off with the wrong hat--his hat, and--the paper concealed inside! "Lor!" cried the dismayed Greer, "he's took my hat!" All the shopful of men set up a guffaw at this. "Take 'is then," said one. "It's a blame sight better one than yourn!" But Greer, without a hat, rushed into the street, and the barber, without his penny, rushed after him. "Stop 'im!" shouted Greer distractedly. "Stop thief!" Thus it was that Dorrington, at this time of a far less well-groomed appearance than was his later wont, watching outside the barber's, observed the mad bursting forth of Greer, followed by the barber. After the barber came the customers, one grinning furiously beneath a coating of lather. "Stop 'im!" cried Greer. "'E's got my 'at! Stop 'im!" "You pay me my money," said the barber, catching his arm. "Never mind yer 'at--you can 'ave 'is. But just you pay me first." "Leave go! You're responsible for lettin' 'im take it, I tell you! It's a special 'at--valuable; leave go!"