Part 39 (1/2)
”You might ha' lorst it, you see, Sam,” continued his benefactor; ”if I could take it, anybody else could. Let this be a lesson to you.”
”If you don't gimme my money----” began Sam violently.
”It's no good trying to do 'im a kindness,” said Harry to the others as he turned to his bunk. ”He can go an' lose it for all I care.”
He put his hand in his bunk, and then with a sudden exclamation searched somewhat hastily amongst the bedding. Mr. Dodds, watching him with a scowl, saw him take every article separately out of his bunk, and then sink down appalled on the locker.
”You've took it, Sam--ain't--you?” he gasped.
”Look 'ere,” said Mr. Dodds, with ominous quietness, ”when you've done your little game.”
”It's gone,” said Harry in a scared voice, ”somebody's taken it.”
”Look 'ere, 'Arry, give 'im his money,” said Steve impatiently; ”a joke's a joke, but we don't want too much of it.”
”I ain't got it,” said Harry trembling. ”Sure as I stand 'ere it's gone.
I took it out of your pocket, and put it under my piller. You saw me, didn't you, Steve?”
”Yes, and I told you not to,” said Steve. ”Let this be a warning to you not to try and teach lessons to people wot don't want 'em.”
”I'm going to the police-station to give 'im in charge,” said Mr. Dodds fiercely, ”that's wot I'm goin' to do.”
”For the Lord's sake don't do that, Sam,” said Pilchard, clutching him by the coat.
”'Arry ain't made away with it, Sam,” said Steve. ”I saw somebody take it out of his bunk while he was asleep.”
”Why didn't you stop him?” cried Harry, starting up.
”I didn't like to interfere,” said Steve simply; ”but I saw where he went to.”
”Where?” demanded Mr. Dodds wildly. ”Where?”
”He went straight up on deck,” said Steve slowly, ”walked aft, and then down into the cabin. The skipper woke up, and I heard 'im say something to him.”
”Say something to 'im?” repeated the bewildered Dodds. ”Wot was it?”
”Well, I 'ardly like to repeat it,” said Steve hesitating.
”Wot was it?” roared the overwrought Mr. Dodds.
”Well, I 'eard this chap say something,” said Steve slowly, ”and then I heard the skipper's voice. But I don't like to repeat wot 'e said, I reely don't.”
”Wot was it?” roared Mr. Dodds, approaching him with clenched fist.
”Well, if you will have it,” said Steve with a little cough, ”the old man said to me, 'Well done, Steve,' he ses, 'you're the only sensible man of the whole bilin' lot. Sam's a fool, 'e ses, and 'Arry's worse, an' if it wasn't for men like you, Steve, life wouldn't be worth living.'”
THE LOST s.h.i.+P
On a fine spring morning in the early part of the present century, Tetby, a small port on the east coast, was keeping high holiday.