Bill's Paper Chase Read online

and got im on the locker and asked 'im straight out where themoney was.

  "Why, I chucked it overboard," he says. "I told you so afore. What amemory you've got, Bill!"

  Bill picked 'im up and laid 'im on the locker, and we searched 'imthoroughly. We even took 'is boots off, and then we 'ad another look in'is bunk while 'e was putting 'em on ag'in.

  "If you're innercent," says Bill, "why don't you call out?--eh?"

  "Because you told me not to say anything about it, Bill," says the boy."But I will next time. Loud, I will."

  "Look 'ere," says Bill, "you tell us where it is, and the three of us'llgo shares in it. That'll be two 'undered pounds each, and we'll tell you'ow to get yours changed without getting caught. We're cleverer than youare, you know."

  "I know that, Bill," says the boy; "but it's no good me telling you lies.I chucked it overboard."

  "Very good, then," says Bill, getting up. "I'm going to tell theskipper."

  "Tell 'im," says Jimmy. "I don't care."

  "Then you'll be searched arter you've stepped ashore," says Bill, "andyou won't be allowed on the ship ag'in. You'll lose it all by beinggreedy, whereas if you go shares with us you'll 'ave two 'underedpounds."

  I could see as 'ow the boy 'adn't thought o' that, and try as 'e would 'ecouldn't 'ide 'is feelin's. He called Bill a red-nosed shark, and 'ecalled me somethin' I've forgotten now.

  "Think it over," says Bill; "mind, you'll be collared as soon as you'veleft the gangway and searched by the police."

  "And will they tickle the cook too, I wonder?" says Jimmy, savagely.

  "And if they find it you'll go to prison," says Bill, giving 'im a clumpo' the side o' the 'ead, "and you won't like that, I can tell you."

  "Why, ain't it nice, Bill?" says Jimmy, holding 'is ear.

  Bill looked at 'im and then 'e steps to the ladder. "I'm not going totalk to you any more, my lad," 'e says. "I'm going to tell the skipper."

  He went up slowly, and just as 'e reached the deck Jimmy started up andcalled 'im. Bill pretended not to 'ear, and the boy ran up on deck andfollered 'im; and arter a little while they both came down againtogether.

  "Did you wish to speak to me, my lad?" says Bill, 'olding 'is 'ead up.

  "Yes," says the boy, fiddling with 'is fingers; "if you keep your uglymouth shut, we'll go shares."

  "Ho!" says Bill, "I thought you throwed it overboard!"

  "I thought so, too, Bill," says Jimmy, very softly, "and when I camebelow ag'in I found it in my trousers pocket."

  "Where is it now?" says Bill.

  "Never mind where it is," says the boy; "you couldn't get it if I was totell you. It'll take me all my time to do it myself."

  "Where is it?" says Bill, ag'in. "I'm goin' to take care of it. Iwon't trust you."

  "And I can't trust you," says Jimmy.

  "If you don't tell me where it is this minute," says Bill, moving to theladder ag'in, "I'm off to tell the skipper. I want it in my 'ands, or atany rate my share of it. Why not share it out now?"

  "Because I 'aven't got it," says Jimmy, stamping 'is foot, "that's why,and it's all your silly fault. Arter you came pawing through my pocketswhen you thought I was asleep I got frightened and 'id it."

  "Where?" says Bill.

  "In the second mate's mattress," says Jimmy. "I was tidying up down aftand I found a 'ole in the underneath side of 'is mattress and I shoved itin there, and poked it in with a bit o' stick."

  "And 'ow are you going to get it?" says Bill, scratching 'is 'ead.

  "That's wot I don't know, seeing that I'm not allowed aft now," saysJimmy. "One of us'll 'ave to make a dash for it when we get to London.And mind if there's any 'ankypanky on your part, Bill, I'll give the showaway myself."

  The cook came down just then and we 'ad to leave off talking, and I couldsee that Bill was so pleased at finding that the money 'adn't been thrownoverboard that 'e was losing sight o' the difficulty o' getting at it.In a day or two, 'owever, 'e see it as plain as me and Jimmy did, and, astime went by, he got desprit, and frightened us both by 'anging about aftevery chance 'e got.

  The companion-way faced the wheel, and there was about as much chance o'getting down there without being seen as there would be o' taking a man'sfalse teeth out of 'is mouth without 'is knowing it. Jimmy went down oneday while Bill was at the wheel to look for 'is knife, wot 'e thought'e'd left down there, and 'ed 'ardly got down afore Bill saw 'im come upag'in, 'olding on to the top of a mop which the steward was using.

  We couldn't figure it out nohow, and to think o' the second mate, alittle man with a large fam'ly, who never 'ad a penny in 'is pocket,sleeping every night on a six 'undered pound mattress, sent us prettynear crazy. We used to talk it over whenever we got a chance, and Billand Jimmy could scarcely be civil to each other. The boy said it wasBill's fault, and 'e said it was the boy's.

  "The on'y thing I can see," says the boy, one day, "is for Bill to 'ave atouch of sunstroke as 'e's leaving the wheel one day, tumble 'ead-firstdown the companion-way, and injure 'isself so severely that 'e can't bemoved. Then they'll put 'im in a cabin down aft, and p'raps I'll 'ave togo and nurse 'im. Anyway, he'll be down there."

  "It's a very good idea, Bill," I says.

  "Ho," says Bill, looking at me as if 'e would eat me. "Why don't you doit, then?"

  "I'd sooner you did it, Bill," says the boy; "still, I don't mind whichit is. Why not toss up for it?"

  "Get away," says Bill. "Get away afore I do something you won't like,you blood-thirsty little murderer."

  "I've got a plan myself," he says, in a low voice, after the boy 'ad'opped off, "and if I can't think of nothing better I'll try it, andmind, not a word to the boy."

  He didn't think o' nothing better, and one night just as we was makingthe Channel 'e tried 'is plan. He was in the second mate's watch, andby-and-by 'e leans over the wheel and says to 'im in a low voice, "Thisis my last v'y'ge, sir."

  "Oh," says the second mate, who was a man as didn't mind talking to a manbefore the mast. "How's that?"

  "I've got a berth ashore, sir," says Bill, "and I wanted to ask a favour,sir."

  The second mate growled and walked off a pace or two.

  "I've never been so 'appy as I've been on this ship," says Bill; "none ofus 'ave. We was saying so the other night, and everybody agreed as itwas owing to you, sir, and your kindness to all of us."

  The second mate coughed, but Bill could see as 'e was a bit pleased.

  "The feeling came over me," says Bill, "that when I leave the sea forgood I'd like to 'ave something o' yours to remember you by, sir. And itseemed to me that if I 'ad your--mattress I should think of you ev'rynight o' my life."

  "My wot?" says the second mate, staring at 'im. "Your mattress, sir,"says Bill. "If I might make so bold as to offer a pound for it, sir. Iwant something wot's been used by you, and I've got a fancy for that as akeepsake." The second mate shook 'is 'ead. "I'm sorry, Bill," 'e says,gently, "but I couldn't let it go at that."

  "I'd sooner pay thirty shillin's than not 'ave it, sir," says Bill,'umbly.

  "I gave a lot of money for that mattress," says the mate, ag'in. "Iforgit 'ow much, but a lot. You don't know 'ow valuable that mattressis."

  "I know it's a good one, sir, else you wouldn't 'ave it," says Bill."Would a couple o' pounds buy it, sir?"

  The second mate hum'd and ha'd, but Bill was afeard to go any 'igher. Sofar as 'e could make out from Jimmy, the mattress was worth abouteighteen pence--to anybody who wasn't pertiklar.

  "I've