ht 'im by the arm and asked
him to let 'im have another look at it. Then he came back to Sam and led
'im a little way off, whispering to 'im that it was the chance of a
life time.

"And if you prefer to keep it for a little while and then sell it,
instead of getting the reward for it, I dare say it would be worth a
hundred pounds to you," 'e ses.

"I ain't got twenty pounds," ses Sam.

"'Ow much 'ave you got?" ses his pal.

Sam felt in 'is pockets, and the docker came up and stood watching while
he counted it. Altogether it was nine pounds fourteen shillings and
tuppence.

"P'r'aps you've got some more at 'ome," ses his pal.

"Not a farthing," ses Sam, which was true as far as the farthing went.

"Or p'r'aps you could borrer some," ses his pal, in a soft, kind voice.
"I'd lend it to you with pleasure, on'y I haven't got it with me."

Sam shook his 'ead, and at last, arter the docker 'ad said he wouldn't
let it go for less than twenty, even to save 'is life, he let it go for
the nine pounds odd, a silver watch-chain, two cigars wot Sam 'ad been
sitting on by mistake, and a sheath-knife.

"Shove it in your pocket and don't let a soul see it," ses the man,
handing over the locket. "I might as well give it away a'most. But it
can't be 'elped."

He went off up the 'ill shaking his 'ead, and Sam's pal, arter watching
him for a few seconds, said good-bye in a hurry and went off arter 'im to
tell him to keep 'is mouth shut about it.

Sam walked back to his lodgings on air, as the saying is, and even did a
little bit of a skirt-dance to a pianner-organ wot was playing. Peter
and Ginger was out, and so was his land-lady, a respectable woman as was
minding the rest of 'is money for him, and when he asked 'er little gal,
a kid of eleven, to trust 'im for some tin she gave 'im a lecture on
wasting his money instead wot took 'is breath away--all but a word or two.

He got some of 'is money from his landlady at eight o'clock, arter
listening to 'er for 'arf an hour, and then he

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.