by W. W. Jacobs
was turned for'arf a moment, I slipped out. While she'd been talking I'd beenthinking, and it came to me clear as daylight that there was no need forme to sacrifice myself any longer looking arter a dead man's watch andchain.
I didn't know exactly where Joe Peel lived, but I knew the part, andarter peeping into seven public-'ouses I see the man I wanted sitting by'imself in a little bar. I walked in quiet-like, and sat down opposite'im.
"Morning," I ses.
Joe Peel grunted.
"'Ave one with me?" I ses.
He grunted agin, but not quite so fierce, and I fetched the two pintsfrom the counter and took a seat alongside of 'im.
"I've been looking for you," I ses.
"Oh!" he ses, looking me up and down and all over. "Well, you've foundme now."
"I want to talk to you about the ghost of pore Sam Bullet," I ses.
Joe Peel put 'is mug down sudden and looked at me fierce. "Look 'ere!Don't you come and try to be funny with me," he ses. "'Cos I won't 'aveit."
"I don't want to be funny," I ses. "Wot I want to know is, are you inthe same mind about that watch and chain as you was the other day?"
He didn't seem to be able to speak at fust, but arter a time 'e gives agasp. "Woes the game?" he ses.
"Wot I want to know is, if I give you that watch and chain for fifteenbob, will that keep the ghost from 'anging round my wharf agin?" I ses.
"Why, o' course," he ses, staring; "but you ain't been seeing it agin,'ave you?"
"I've not, and I don't want to," I ses. "If it wants you to 'ave thewatch and chain, give me the fifteen bob, and it's yours."
He looked at me for a moment as if he couldn't believe 'is eyesight, andthen 'e puts his 'and into 'is trowsis-pocket and pulls out one shillingand fourpence, 'arf a clay-pipe, and a bit o' lead-pencil.
"That's all I've got with me," he ses. "I'll owe you the rest. Youought to ha' took the fifteen bob when I 'ad it."
There was no 'elp for it, and arter making 'im swear to give me the resto' the money when 'e got it, and that I shouldn't see the ghost agin, I'anded the things over to 'im and came away. He came to the door to seeme off, and if ever a man looked puzzled, 'e did. Pleased at the sametime.
It was a load off of my mind. My con-science told me I'd done right, andarter sending a little boy with a note to Ted Dennis to tell 'im not tocome any more, I felt 'appier than I 'ad done for a long time. When Igot to the wharf that evening it seemed like a diff'rent place, and I waswhistling and smiling over my work quite in my old way, when the youngpoliceman passed.
"Hullo !" he ses. "'Ave you seen the ghost agin?"
"I 'ave not," I ses, drawing myself up. "'Ave you?"
"No," he ses.
"We missed it."
"Missed it?" I ses, staring at 'im.
"Yes," he ses, nodding. "The day arter you came out screaming, andcuddling me like a frightened baby, it shipped as A.B. on the barqueOcean King, for Valparaiso. We missed it by a few hours. Next time yousee a ghost, knock it down fust and go and cuddle the police arterwards."