The sailor looked around him as if he had nothing to do, and then at Mr Marvel's dusty clothes and the books beside him. He had heard the sound of money being dropped into a pocket, and thought that Mr Marvel did not look like a man who would carry much money.
And there was another strange thing he was soon to hear about, that had happened quite close to him. And that was a 'hand full of money' travelling by itself along by the wall. A sailor friend had seen this strange sight that very morning. He had tried to take the money and had been knocked down by an unseen hand, and when he had got to his feet the money had disappeared.