Shareholders Page 3

shares we'll spliton you--see? Then you can't sell it anyway, and perhaps you won't evenget the reward. We can be at Orange Villa as soon as wot you can."

  "Sooner," ses Ginger, nodding. "But there's no need to do that. If 'edon't go shares I'll slip round to the police-station fust thing in themorning."

  "You know the way there all right," ses Sam, very bitter.

  "And we don't want none o' your back-answers," ses Ginger. "Are yougoing shares or not?"

  "Wot about the money I paid for it?" ses Sam, "and my trouble?"

  Ginger and Peter sat down on the bed to talk it over, and at last, artercalling themselves a lot o' bad names for being too kind-'earted, theyoffered 'im five pounds each for their share in the locket.

  "And that means you've got your share for next to nothing, Sam," sesGinger.

  "Some people wouldn't 'ave given you any-thing," ses Peter.

  Sam gave way at last, and then 'e stood by making nasty remarks whileGinger wrote out a paper for them all to sign, because he said he hadknown Sam such a long time.

  It was a'most daylight afore they got to sleep, and the fust thing Gingerdid when he woke was to wake Sam up, and offer to shake 'ands with him.The noise woke Peter up, and, as Sam wouldn't shake 'ands with 'imeither, they both patted him on the back instead.

  They made him take 'em to the little pub, arter breakfast, to read thebill about the reward. Sam didn't mind going, as it 'appened, as he'oped to meet 'is new pal there and tell 'im his troubles, but, thoughthey stayed there some time, 'e didn't turn up. He wasn't at thecoffee-shop for dinner, neither.

  Peter and Ginger was in 'igh spirits, and, though Sam told 'em plain thathe would sooner walk about with a couple of real pickpockets, theywouldn't leave 'im an inch.

  "Anybody could steal it off of you, Sam," ses Ginger, patting 'im on theweskit to make sure the locket was still there. "It's a good job you'vegot us to look arter you."

  "We must buy 'im a money-belt with a pocket in it," ses Peter.

  Ginger nodded at 'im. "Yes," he ses, "that would be safer. And he'dbetter wear it next to 'is skin, with everything over it. I should feelmore comfortable then."

  "And wot about me?" says Sam, turning on 'im.

  "Well, we'll take it in turns," ses Ginger. "You one day, and then me,and then Peter."

  Sam gave way at last, as arter all he could see it was the safest thingto do, but he 'ad so much to say about it that they got fair sick of thesound of 'is voice. They 'ad to go 'ome for 'im to put the belt on; andthen at seven o'clock in the evening, arter Sam had 'ad two or threepints, they had to go 'ome agin, 'cos he was complaining of tight-lacing.

  Ginger had it on next day and he went 'ome five times. The other twowent with 'im in case he lost 'imself, and stood there making nastyremarks while he messed 'imself up with a penn'orth of cold cream. Itwas a cheap belt, and pore Ginger said that, when they 'ad done with it,it would come in handy for sand-paper.

  Peter didn't like it any better than the other two did, and twice they'ad to speak to 'im about stopping in the street and trying to make'imself more comfortable by wriggling. Sam said people misunderstood it.

  Arter that they agreed to wear it outside their shirt, and even thenGinger said it scratched 'im. And every day they got more and moreworried about wot was the best thing to do with the locket, and whetherit would be safe to try and sell it. The idea o' walking about with afortune in their pockets that they couldn't spend a'most drove 'em crazy.

  "The longer we keep it, the safer it'll be," ses Sam, as they was walkingdown Hounds-ditch one day.

  "We'll sell it when I'm sixty," ses Ginger, nasty-like.

  "Then old Sam won't be 'ere to have 'is share," ses Peter.

  Sam was just going to answer 'em back, when he stopped and began to smileinstead. Straight in front of 'im was the gentleman he 'ad met in thecoffee-shop, coming along with another man, and he just 'ad time to seethat it was the docker who 'ad sold him the locket, when they both saw'im. They turned like a flash, and, afore Sam could get 'is breath,bolted up a little alley and disappeared.

  "Wot's the row?" ses Ginger, staring.

  Sam didn't answer 'im. He stood there struck all of a heap.

  "Do you know 'em?" ses Peter.

  Sam couldn't answer 'im for a time. He was doing a bit of 'ard thinking.

  "Chap I 'ad a row with the other night," he ses, at last.

  He walked on very thoughtful, and the more 'e thought, the less 'e likedit. He was so pale that Ginger thought 'e was ill and advised 'im to'ave a drop o' brandy. Peter recommended rum, so to please 'em he 'adboth. It brought 'is colour back, but not 'is cheerfulness.

  He gave 'em both the slip next morning; which was easy, as Ginger waswearing the locket, and, arter fust 'aving a long ride for nothing owingto getting in the wrong train, he got to Barnet.

  It was a big place; big enough to 'ave a dozen Orange Villas, but poreSam couldn't find one. It wasn't for want of trying neither.

  He asked at over twenty shops, and the post-office, and even went to thepolice-station. He must ha' walked six or seven miles looking for it,and at last, 'arf ready to drop, 'e took the train back.

  He 'ad some sausages and mashed potatoes with a pint o' stout at a placein Bishopsgate, and then 'e started to walk 'ome. The only comfort he'ad was the thought of the ten pounds Ginger and Peter 'ad paid 'im; andwhen he remembered that he began to cheer up and even smile. By the timehe got 'ome 'e was beaming all over 'is face.

  "Where've you been?" ses Ginger.

  "Enjoying myself by myself," ses Sam.

  "Please yourself," ses Peter, very severe, "but where'd you ha' been ifwe 'ad sold the locket and skipped, eh?"

  "You wouldn't 'ave enjoyed yourself by yourself then," ses Ginger. "Yes,you may laugh!"

  Sam didn't answer 'im, but he sat down on 'is bed and 'is shoulders shooktill Ginger lost his temper and gave him a couple o' thumps on the backthat pretty near broke it.

  "All right," ses Sam, very firm. "Now you 'ave done for yourselves. I'ad a'most made up my mind to go shares; now you sha'n't 'ave aha'penny."

  Ginger laughed then. "Ho!" he ses, "and 'ow are you going to preventit?"

  "We've got the locket, Sam," ses Peter, smiling and shaking his 'ead at'im.

  "And we'll mind it till it's sold," ses Ginger.

  Sam laughed agin, short and nasty. Then he undressed 'imself very slowand got into bed. At twelve o'clock, just as Ginger was dropping off, hebegan to laugh agin, and 'e only stopped when 'e heard Ginger getting outof bed to 'im.

  He stayed in bed next morning, 'cos he said 'is sides was aching, but 'elaughed agin as they was going out, and when they came back he 'ad gorn.

  We never know 'ow much we' like anything till we lose it. A weekarterwards, as Ginger was being 'elped out of a pawnshop by Peter, hesaid 'e would give all he 'adn't got for the locket to be near enough toSam to hear 'im laugh agin.