"Are you going to stay by?" asked Frenchy. "If you've got any place to go to, don't leave, but stay by." "Guess I'll stick," I said, "as I am going to my uncle's house. Why don't you stay by?" "They make it tough for you if you do," said Frenchy, nodding at the boats which were now coming alongside with a spurt, the runners, for it was they, racing to see who would get over the side first. At that time there was a gentlemen's agreement--if we may call it such--between the boarding house keepers, in the business of fleecing sailors in the port of New York, whereby all victims were parcelled out according to an impartial schedule, so many sailors to each house. When a rich deep waterman came in, the boarding houses in the combine would each get two or three men, stripping them of the greater part of their payday. When a crew was wanted for a vessel outward bound, they would supply the men in the same manner, taking the advance notes in payment for board, clothes, and what not. Sometimes a sailor beat a boarding master but not often, for Jack generally came in fat and went out under bare poles, with nothing but a kit of second hand slops, as the sole increment from his previous voyage. As the runners bumped alongside, with a great show of rivalry and cheery greetings, for they all knew just who was on board, we were treated to an exhibition of rapid fire generosity and open-handed welcome, by gentlemen of the waterfront, men wearing derby hats and stiff shiny collars, watch chains, and flashy pins stuck into bright neckties. These worthies scrambled up the fore channels like monkeys and onto the deck. The game was to get a sailor to accept a card. As soon as one of the boarding house cards was in the horny fist, that man was marked and belonged to that particular house. This rushing at first consisted in a scramble for the most desirable victims, that is the weakest and most easily fleeced. An evil-looking, pimply-faced runner backed me against the forward house and thrust a card into my hand. He insisted, and I protested. He had a breath that was strong, and told me how well his house could take care of me. Good grub, a good crowd there, and he even mentioned other advantages. He tried to put a five dollar bill into my hands. He was most insistent; finally he saw that he was wasting precious time, and darted after an easier victim. The runners swarmed about the decks, two and three men from each house. In the two sides of the fo'c'sle the crimps were assisting the men in the final roping of their dunnage, bottles of whisky were being sampled. Some of the men proudly handled showy watches, Australia surely got his watch, a big gilt turnip which he showed me with pride. "See, I got it." "How much?" I asked. "Only ten dollars--take it off my pay day. This watch is worth half of that," and Australia winked at me. He had a bottle of whisky in his jacket pocket.