Part 8 (1/2)

”O' course; I never thought o' that,” ses Ginger. ”You've got your 'ead on straight, Peter.”

”I see 'im smile, that's why,” ses Peter Russet.

”You're a liar,” ses Sam.

”We'll stick together,” ses Ginger. ”Leastways, one of us'll keep with you, Sam.”

They settled it that way at last, and while Ginger went for a walk down round about where they 'ad found the dog, Sam Small and Peter waited for him in a little public-'ouse down Limehouse way. Their idea was that there would be bills up, and when Ginger came back and said there wasn't, they 'ad a lot to say about people wot wasn't fit to 'ave dogs because they didn't love 'em.

They 'ad a miserable day. When the dog got sick o' sitting in a pub 'e made such a noise they 'ad to take 'im out; and when 'e got tired o'

walking about he sat down on the pavement and they 'ad to drag 'im along to the nearest pub agin. At five o'clock in the arternoon Ginger d.i.c.k was talking about two-penn'orth o' rat-poison.

”Wot are we to do with 'im till twelve o'clock to-night?” ses Peter.

”And s'pose we can't smuggle 'im into the 'ouse agin?” ses Ginger. ”Or suppose he makes that noise agin in the night?”

They 'ad a pint each to 'elp them to think wot was to be done. And, arter a lot o' talking and quarrelling, they did wot a lot of other people 'ave done when they got into trouble: they came to me.

I 'ad on'y been on dooty about arf an hour when the three of 'em turned up at the wharf with the dog, and, arter saying 'ow well I looked and that I seemed to get younger every time they saw me, they asked me to take charge of the dog for 'em.

”It'll be company for you,” ses old Sam. ”It must be very lonely 'ere of a night. I've often thought of it.”

”And of a day-time you could take it 'ome and tie it up in your back-yard,” ses Ginger.

I wouldn't 'ave anything to do with it at fust, but at last I gave way.

They offered me fourpence a day for its keep, and, as I didn't want to run any risk, I made 'em give me a couple o' bob to go on with.

They went off as though they'd left a load o' care be'ind 'em, and arter tying the dog up to a crane I went on with my work. They 'adn't told me wot the game was, but, from one or two things they'd let drop, I'd got a pretty good idea.

The dog 'owled a bit at fust, but he quieted down arter a bit. He was a nice-looking animal, but one dog is much the same as another to me, and if I 'ad one ten years I don't suppose I could pick it out from two or three others.

I took it off 'ome with me when I left at six o'clock next morning, and tied it up in my yard. My missis 'ad words about it, o' course-that's wot people get married for-but when she found it woke me up three times she quieted down and said wot a nice coat it 'ad got.

The three of 'em came round next evening to see it, and they was so afraid of its being lost that when they stood me a pint at the Bull's Head we 'ad to take it with us. Ginger was going to buy a sausage-roll for it, but, arter Sam 'ad pointed out that they was paying me fourpence a day for its keep, he didn't. And Sam 'ad the cheek to tell me that it liked a nice bit o' fried steak as well as anything.

A lot o' people admired that dog. I remember, on the fourth night I think it was, the barge Dauntless came alongside, and arter she was made fast the skipper came ash.o.r.e and took a little notice of it.

”Where did you get 'im?” he ses.

I told 'im 'ow it was, and he stood there for some time patting the dog on the 'ead and whistling under 'is breath.

”It's much the same size as my dog,” he ses; ”that's a black retriever, too.”

I ses ”Oh!”

”I'm afraid I shall 'ave to get rid of it,” he ses. ”It's on the barge now. My missis won't 'ave it in the 'ouse any more cos it bit the baby.

And o' course it was no good p'inting out to 'er that it was its first bite. Even the law allows one bite, but it's no good talking about the law to wimmen.”

”Except when it's on their side,” I ses.