Shareholders

by W. W. Jacobs

with diamondsstuck all over it. Then he shoved it back in 'is pocket, while Sam's palwas giving 'im a pinch worse than wot the other was.

  "It's the one," he ses, in a whisper. "Let's 'ave another look at it,"he ses to the docker.

  The man fished it out of his pocket agin, and held on to it tight whilethey looked at it.

  "Where did you find it?" ses Sam.

  "Found it over there, just by the Mint," ses the man, pointing.

  "FOUND IT OVER THERE, JUST BY THE MINT," SES THE MAN,POINTING.]

  "Wot d'ye want for it?" ses Sam's pal.

  "As much as I can get," ses the man. "I don't quite know 'ow much it'sworth, that's the worst of it. Wot d'ye say to twenty pounds, and chanceit?"

  Sam laughed--the sort of laugh a pal 'ad once give him a black eye for.

  "Twenty pounds!" he ses; "twenty pounds! 'Ave you gorn out of your mind,or wot? I'll give you a couple of quid for it."

  "Well, it's all right, captin," ses the man, "there's no 'arm done. I'lltry somebody else--or p'r'aps there'll be a big reward for it. I don'tbelieve it was bought for a 'undred pounds."

  He was just sheering off when Sam's pal caught 'im by the arm and askedhim to let 'im have another look at it. Then he came back to Sam and led'im a little way off, whispering to 'im that it was the chance of alife time.

  "And if you prefer to keep it for a little while and then sell it,instead of getting the reward for it, I dare say it would be worth ahundred pounds to you," 'e ses.

  "I ain't got twenty pounds," ses Sam.

  "'Ow much 'ave you got?" ses his pal.

  Sam felt in 'is pockets, and the docker came up and stood watching whilehe counted it. Altogether it was nine pounds fourteen shillings andtuppence.

  "P'r'aps you've got some more at 'ome," ses his pal.

  "Not a farthing," ses Sam, which was true as far as the farthing went.

  "Or p'r'aps you could borrer some," ses his pal, in a soft, kind voice."I'd lend it to you with pleasure, on'y I haven't got it with me."

  Sam shook his 'ead, and at last, arter the docker 'ad said he wouldn'tlet it go for less than twenty, even to save 'is life, he let it go forthe nine pounds odd, a silver watch-chain, two cigars wot Sam 'ad beensitting on by mistake, and a sheath-knife.

  "Shove it in your pocket and don't let a soul see it," ses the man,handing over the locket. "I might as well give it away a'most. But itcan't be 'elped."

  He went off up the 'ill shaking his 'ead, and Sam's pal, arter watchinghim for a few seconds, said good-bye in a hurry and went off arter 'im totell him to keep 'is mouth shut about it.

  Sam walked back to his lodgings on air, as the saying is, and even did alittle bit of a skirt-dance to a pianner-organ wot was playing. Peterand Ginger was out, and so was his land-lady, a respectable woman as wasminding the rest of 'is money for him, and when he asked 'er little gal,a kid of eleven, to trust 'im for some tin she gave 'im a lecture onwasting his money instead wot took 'is breath away--all but a word or two.

  He got some of 'is money from his landlady at eight o'clock, arterlistening to 'er for 'arf an hour, and then he 'ad to pick it up off ofthe floor, and say "Thank you" for it.

  He went to bed afore Ginger and Peter came in, but 'e was so excited hecouldn't sleep, and long arter they was in bed he laid there and thoughtof all the different ways of spending a 'undred pounds. He kept takingthe locket from under 'is piller and feeling it; then he felt 'e must'ave another look at it, and arter coughing 'ard two or three times andcalling out to the other two not to snore--to see if they was awake--hegot out o' bed and lit the candle. Ginger and Peter was both fastasleep, with their eyes screwed up and their mouths wide open, and 'e saton the bed and looked at the locket until he was a'most dazzled.

  "'Ullo, Sam!" ses a voice. "Wot 'ave you got there?"

  Sam nearly fell off the bed with surprise and temper. Then 'e hid thelocket in his 'and and blew out the candle.

  "Who gave it to you?" ses Ginger.

  "You get off to sleep, and mind your own bisness," ses Sam, grinding 'isteeth.

  He got back into bed agin and laid there listening to Ginger waking upPeter. Peter woke up disagreeable, but when Ginger told 'im that Sam 'adstole a gold locket as big as a saucer, covered with diamonds, he altered'is mind.

  "Let's 'ave a look at it," he ses, sitting up.

  "Ginger's dreaming," ses Sam, in a shaky voice. "I ain't got no locket.Wot d'you think I want a locket for?"

  Ginger got out o' bed and lit the candle agin. "Come on!" he ses, "let's'ave a look at it. I wasn't dreaming. I've been awake all the time,watching you."

  Sam shut 'is eyes and turned his back to them.

  "He's gone to sleep, pore old chap," ses Ginger. "We'll 'ave a look atit without waking 'im. You take that side, Peter! Mind you don'tdisturb 'im."

  He put his 'and in under the bed-clo'es and felt all up and down Sam'sback, very careful. Sam stood it for 'arf a minute, and then 'e sat upin bed and behaved more like a windmill than a man.

  "Hold his 'ands," ses Ginger.

  "Hold 'em yourself," ses Peter, dabbing 'is nose with his shirt-sleeve.

  "Well, we're going to see it," ses Ginger, "if we have to make enoughnoise to rouse the 'ouse. Fust of all we're going to ask you perlite;then we shall get louder and louder. _Show us the locket wot you stole,Sam!_"

  "Show--us--the--diamond locket!" ses Peter.

  "It's my turn, Peter," ses Ginger. "One, two, three. SHOW--US--TH'----"

  "Shut up," ses Sam, trembling all over. "I'll show it to you if you stopyour noise."

  He put his 'and under his piller, but afore he showed it to 'em he sat upin bed and made 'em a little speech. He said 'e never wanted to seetheir faces agin as long as he lived, and why Ginger's mother 'adn't put'im in a pail o' cold water when 'e was born 'e couldn't understand. Hesaid 'e didn't believe that even a mother could love a baby that lookedlike a cod-fish with red 'air, and as for Peter Russet, 'e believed hismother died of fright.

  "That'll do," ses Ginger, as Sam stopped to get 'is breath. "Are yougoing to show us the locket, or 'ave we got to shout agin?"

  Sam swallered something that nearly choked 'im, and then he opened his'and and showed it to them. Peter told 'im to wave it so as they couldsee the diamonds flash, and then Ginger waved the candle to see 'ow theylooked that way, and pretty near set pore Sam's whiskers on fire.

  They didn't leave 'im alone till they knew as much about it as he couldtell 'em, and they both of 'em told 'im that if he took a reward ofthirty pounds for it, instead of selling it for a 'undred, he was abigger fool than he looked.

  "I shall turn it over in my mind," ses Sam, sucking 'is teeth. "When Iwant your advice I'll ask you for it."

  "We wasn't thinking of you," ses Ginger; "we was thinking of ourselves."

  "You!" ses Sam, with a bit of a start. "Wot's it got to do with you?"

  "Our share'll be bigger, that's all," ses Ginger.

  "Much bigger," ses Peter. "I couldn't dream of letting it go at thirty.It's chucking money away. Why, we might get _two_ 'undred for it. Whoknows?"

  Sam sat on the edge of 'is bed like a man in a dream, then 'e began tomake a noise like a cat with a fish-bone in its throat, and then 'e stoodup and let fly.

  "Don't stop 'im, Peter," ses Ginger. "Let 'im go on; it'll do him good."

  "He's forgot all about that penknife you picked up and went shares in,"ses Peter. "I wouldn't be mean for _twenty_ lockets."

  "Nor me neither," ses Ginger. "But we won't let 'im be mean--for 'is ownsake. We'll 'ave our rights."

  "Rights!" ses Sam. "Rights! You didn't find it."

  "We always go shares if we find anything," ses Ginger. "Where's yourmemory, Sam?" "But I didn't find it," ses Sam.

  "No, you bought it," ses Peter, "and if you don't go