by W. W. Jacobs
could ha' 'appened better--to start with.Directly Ted Brown and Joe Smith started, Mrs. Pretty and her sister, andall the kids excepting the baby, run out, and they'd 'ardly gone afore Iwas inside the back door and looking for that hamper, and I'd hardlystarted afore I heard them coming back agin. I was at the foot o' thestairs at the time, and, not knowing wot to do, I went up 'em into Bob'sbedroom."
"Well?" ses Bill Chambers, as Henery Walker stopped and looked round.
"A'most direckly arterwards I 'eard Mrs. Pretty and her sister comingupstairs," ses Henery Walker, with a shudder. "I was under the bed atthe time, and afore I could say a word Mrs. Pretty gave a loud screechand scratched my face something cruel. I thought she'd gone mad."
"You've made a nice mess of it!" ses Bill Chambers.
"Mess!" ses Henery, firing up. "Wot would you ha' done?"
"I should ha' managed diff'rent," ses Bill Chambers. "Did she know whoyou was?"
"Know who I was?" ses Henery. "O' course she did. It's my belief thatBob knew all about it and told 'er wot to do."
"Well, you've done it now, Henery," ses Bill Chambers. "Still, that'syour affair."
"Ho, is it?" ses Henery Walker. "You 'ad as much to do with it as I 'ad,excepting that you was sitting up 'ere in comfort while I was doing allthe work. It's a wonder to me I got off as well as I did."
Bill Chambers sat staring at 'im and scratching his 'ead, and just thenthey all 'eard the voice of Bob Pretty, very distinct, outside, askingfor Henery Walker. Then the door opened, and Bob Pretty, carrying his'ead very 'igh, walked into the room.
"Where's Henery Walker?" he ses, in a loud voice.
"'Where's Henery Walker?' he ses, in a loud voice."]
Henery Walker put down the empty mug wot he'd been pretending to drinkout of and tried to smile at 'im.
"Halloa, Bob!" he ses.
"What was you doing in my 'ouse?" ses Bob Pretty, very severe.
"I--I just looked in to see whether you was in, Bob," ses Henery.
"That's why you was found under my bed, I s'pose?" ses Bob Pretty."I want a straight answer, Henery Walker, and I mean to 'ave it, else I'mgoing off to Cudford for Policeman White."
"I went there to get that hamper," ses Henery Walker, plucking up spirit."You won it unfair last night, and we determined for to get it back. Sonow you know."
"I call on all of you to witness that," ses Bob, looking round. "HeneryWalker went into my 'ouse to steal my hamper. He ses so, and it wasn't'is fault he couldn't find it. I'm a pore man and I can't afford suchthings; I sold it this morning, a bargain, for thirty bob."
"Well, then there's no call to make a fuss over it, Bob," ses BillChambers.
"I sold it for thirty bob," ses Bob Pretty, "and when I went out thisevening I left the money on my bedroom mantelpiece--one pound, twoarf-crowns, two two-shilling pieces, and two sixpences. My wife andher sister both saw it there. That they'll swear to."
"Well, wot about it?" ses Sam Jones, staring at 'im.
"Arter my pore wife 'ad begged and prayed Henery Walker on 'er bendedknees to spare 'er life and go," ses Bob Pretty, "she looked at themantel-piece and found the money 'ad disappeared."
Henery Walker got up all white and shaking and flung 'is arms about,trying to get 'is breath.
"Do you mean to say I stole it?" he ses, at last.
"O' course I do," ses Bob Pretty. "Why, you said yourself afore thesewitnesses and Mr. Smith that you came to steal the hamper. Wot's thedifference between stealing the hamper and the money I sold it for?"
Henery Walker tried for to answer 'im, but he couldn't speak a word.
"I left my pore wife with 'er apron over her 'ead sobbing as if her 'artwould break," ses Bob Pretty; "not because o' the loss of the money somuch, but to think of Henery Walker doing such a thing--and 'aving to goto jail for it."
"I never touched your money, and you know it," ses Henery Walker, findinghis breath at last. I don't believe it was there. You and your wife 'udswear anything."
"As you please, Henery," ses Bob Pretty. "Only I'm going straight off toCudford to see Policeman White; he'll be glad of a job, I know. There'sthree of us to swear to it, and you was found under my bed."
"Let bygones be bygones, Bob," ses Bill Chambers, trying to smile at 'im.
"No, mate," ses Bob Pretty. "I'm going to 'ave my rights, but I don'twant to be 'ard on a man I've known all my life; and if, afore I go to mybed to-night, the thirty shillings is brought to me, I won't say as Iwon't look over it."
He stood for a moment shaking his 'ead at them, and then, still holdingit very 'igh, he turned round and walked out.
"He never left no money on the mantelpiece," ses Sam Jones, at last.
"Don't you believe it. You go to jail, Henery."
"Anything sooner than be done by Bob Pretty," ses George Kettle.
"There's not much doing now, Henery," ses Bill Chambers, in a soft voice.
Henery Walker wouldn't listen to 'em, and he jumped up and carried onlike a madman. His idea was for 'em all to club together to pay themoney, and to borrow it from Smith, the landlord, to go on with. Theywouldn't 'ear of it at fust, but arter Smith 'ad pointed out that theymight 'ave to go to jail with Henery, and said things about 'is license,they gave way. Bob Pretty was just starting off to see Policeman Whitewhen they took the money, and instead o' telling 'im wot they thought of'im, as they 'ad intended, Henery Walker 'ad to walk alongside of 'im andbeg and pray of 'im to take the money. He took it at last as a favor toHenery, and bought the hamper back with it next morning--cheap.Leastways, he said so.