Next news I had was a letter telling me she'd a boy born, and please would I stand godfather?
I didn't like to say no, out of respect to her family.

So I wrote home from Gibraltar that I was agreeable, only it must be done by proxy and she mustn't make it no precedent.

That must be ten years back; and what with one thing and another I never set eyes 'pon mother or child till yesterday when-- having to run down to Dock to order Bill's grave--I thought 'twould be neighbourly to drop 'em a visit.

I found the boy growed to be a terrible plain child, about the size of this youngster.

I didn't like the boy at all.