g back. "I never feel comfortable without a pound or two
in my pocket."

"You look as though you're just back from a vy'ge," ses the man, looking
at 'im very hard.

"I am," ses Sam, nodding. "Just back arter ten months, and I'm going to
spend a bit o' money afore I sign on agin, I can tell you."

"That's wot it was given to us for," ses the man, nodding at him.

They both got up to go at the same time and walked out into the street
together, and, when Sam asked 'im whether he might have the pleasure of
standing 'im a drink, he said he might. He talked about the different
kinds of drink as they walked along till Sam, wot was looking for a high-
class pub, got such a raging thirst on 'im he hardly knew wot to do with
'imself. He passed several pubs, and walked on as fast as he could to
the Three Widders.

"Do you want to go in there partikler?" ses the man, stopping at the
door.

"No," ses Sam, staring.

"'Cos I know a place where they sell the best glass o' port wine in
London," ses the man.

He took Sam up two or three turnings, and then led him into a quiet
little pub in a back street. There was a cosy little saloon bar with
nobody in it, and, arter Sam had 'ad two port wines for the look of the
thing, he 'ad a pint o' six-ale because he liked it. His new pal had one
too, and he 'ad just taken a pull at it and wiped his mouth, when 'e
noticed a little bill pinned up at the back of the bar.

"_Lost, between--the Mint and--Tower Stairs,_" he ses, leaning forward
and reading very slow, "_a gold--locket--set with--diamonds. Whoever
will--return--the same to--Mr. Smith--Orange Villa--Barnet--will receive
--thirty pounds--reward."

"'Ow much?" ses Sam, starting. "Thirty pounds," ses the man. "Must be a
good locket. Where'd you get that?" he ses, turning to the barmaid.

"Gentleman came in an hour ago," ses the gal, "and, arter he had 'ad two
or three drinks with the guv'nor, he asks 'im to stick it up. 'Arf
crying he was--said 'it 'ad belonged to his old woman wot

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.