on the wharf for it, and sat
and snoozed in the office instead.

A week went by, and then another, and still there was no sign of Sam
Bullet's ghost, or Joe Peel, and every morning I 'ad to try and work up a
smile as I shelled out ninepence for Ted. It nearly ruined me, and,
worse than that, I couldn't explain why I was short to the missis. Fust
of all she asked me wot I was spending it on, then she asked me who I was
spending it on. It nearly broke up my 'ome--she did smash one kitchen-
chair and a vase off the parlour mantelpiece--but I wouldn't tell 'er,
and then, led away by some men on strike at Smith's wharf, Ted went on
strike for a bob a night.

That was arter he 'ad been with me for three weeks, and when Saturday
came, of course I was more short than ever, and people came and stood at
their doors all the way down our street to listen to the missis taking my
character away.

I stood it as long as I could, and then, when 'er back was turned for
'arf a moment, I slipped out. While she'd been talking I'd been
thinking, and it came to me clear as daylight that there was no need for
me to sacrifice myself any longer looking arter a dead man's watch and
chain.

I didn't know exactly where Joe Peel lived, but I knew the part, and
arter peeping into seven public-'ouses I see the man I wanted sitting by
'imself in a little bar. I walked in quiet-like, and sat down opposite
'im.

"Morning," I ses.

Joe Peel grunted.

"'Ave one with me?" I ses.

He grunted agin, but not quite so fierce, and I fetched the two pints
from the counter and took a seat alongside of 'im.

"I've been looking for you," I ses.

"Oh!" he ses, looking me up and down and all over. "Well, you've found
me now."

"I want to talk to you about the ghost of pore Sam Bullet," I ses.

Joe Peel put 'is mug down sudden and looked at me fierce. "Look 'ere!
Don't you come and try to be funny with me," he ses. "'Cos I won't 'ave
it."

"I don't want to be funny," I ses. "Wot I want to know is, are you

William Wymark Jacobs (September 8, 1863 September 1, 1943), was an English author of short stories and novels. He is now best remembered for his macabre tales The Monkeys Paw (published 1902) and The Toll House (in the collection of short stories The Lady of the Barge). However the majority of his output was humorous in tone. His favourite subjects were marine life: men who go down to the sea in ships of moderate tonnage said Punch, reviewing his first collection of stories, Many Cargoes, which achieved great popular success on its publication in 1896.

William Wymark Jacobs (September 8, 1863 September 1, 1943), was an English author of short stories and novels. He is now best remembered for his macabre tales The Monkeys Paw (published 1902) and The Toll House (in the collection of short stories The Lady of the Barge). However the majority of his output was humorous in tone. His favourite subjects were marine life: men who go down to the sea in ships of moderate tonnage said Punch, reviewing his first collection of stories, Many Cargoes, which achieved great popular success on its publication in 1896.

William Wymark Jacobs (September 8, 1863 September 1, 1943), was an English author of short stories and novels. He is now best remembered for his macabre tales The Monkeys Paw (published 1902) and The Toll House (in the collection of short stories The Lady of the Barge). However the majority of his output was humorous in tone. His favourite subjects were marine life: men who go down to the sea in ships of moderate tonnage said Punch, reviewing his first collection of stories, Many Cargoes, which achieved great popular success on its publication in 1896.