I nodded, and resigning the tiller to Joyce, climbed up on to the deck, and proceeded to reset both the mainsail and the spinnaker, which were lying in splendid confusion along the top of the cabin.  I had just concluded this operation when Tommy and our visitor reappeared—­the latter looking rather comic in a grey jersey, a pair of white flannel trousers, and an old dark blue cricketing blazer and cap.

“I’ve been telling our friend Mr. Gow that he’s got to sue these chaps,” said Tommy.  “He knows who they are:  they’re a couple of Germans who’ve got a bungalow on Sheppey, close to that little creek we used to put in at.”

“You make ’em pay,” continued Tommy.  “They haven’t a leg to stand on, rushing past like that.  They as near as possible swamped us.”

Mr. Gow cast a critical eye round the Betty.  “Ay! and you’d take a deal o’ swampin,’ mister.  She’s a fine manly little ship, an’ that’s a fact.”  Then he paused.  “It’s hard on a man to lose his boat,” he added quietly; “specially when ‘is livin’ depends on ’er.”

“What do you do?” I asked.  “What’s your job?”

Mr. Gow hesitated for a moment.  “Well, in a manner o’ speakin’, I haven’t got what you might call no reg’lar perfession, sir.  I just picks up what I can outer the river like.  I rows folks out to their boats round Tilbury way, and at times I does a bit of eel fishing—­or maybe in summer there’s a job lookin’ arter the yachts at Leigh and Southend.  It all comes the same to me, sir.”

“Do you know Cunnock Creek?” asked Tommy.

“Cunnock Crick!” repeated Mr. Gow.  “Why, I should think I did, sir.  My cottage don’t lie more than a mile from Cunnock Crick.  Is that where you’re makin’ for?”

Tommy nodded.  “We were thinking of putting in there,” he said.  “Is there enough water?”

“Plenty o’ water, sir—­leastways there will be by the time we get up.  It runs a bit dry at low tide, but there’s always a matter o’ three to four feet in the middle o’ the channel.”

This was excellent news, for the Betty with her centre-board up only drew about three feet six, so except at the very lowest point the creek would always be navigable.

“Is it a safe place to leave a boat for the night with no one on board?” inquired Tommy.

Mr. Gow shook his head.  “I wouldn’t go as far as that, sir.  None o’ the reg’lar boatmen or fishermen wouldn’t touch ’er, but they’re a thievin’ lot o’ rascals, some o’ them Tilbury folk.  If they happened to come across ’er, as like as not they’d strip ’er gear, to say nothin’ of the fittings.”  Then he paused.  “But if you was thinkin’ o’ layin’ ‘er up there for the night, I’d see no one got monkeyin’ around with ’er.  I’d sleep aboard meself.”

“Well, that’s a bright notion,” said Tommy, turning to me.  “What do you think, Neil?”