W. W. Jacobs
Deep Waters, the Entire Collection
SHAREHOLDERS
Sailor mansaid the night-watchman, musinglya sailorman is like a fish he is safest when e is at sea. When a fish comes ashore it is in for trouble, and so is sailorman. One poor chap I knew ardly ever came ashore without getting married; and he was found out there was no less than six wimmen in the court all taking away is character at once. And when he spoke up Solomon the magistrate pretty near bit is ead off.
Then look at the trouble they get in with their money! They come ashore from a long trip, smelling of it amost, and they go from port to port like a lord. Everybody has got their eye on that moneyeverybody except the sailorman, that isand afore he knows wots appened, and who as got it, hes looking for a ship agin. When he aint robbed of is money, he wastes it; and when e dont do either, he loses it.
I knew one chap who hid is money. Hed been away ten months, and, knowing ow easy money goes, e made up sixteen pounds in a nice little parcel and hid it where nobody could find it. Thats wot he said, and praps e was right. All I know is, he never found it. I did the same thing myself once with a couple o quid I ran acrost unexpected, ony, unfortunately for me, I hid it the day afore my missus started er spring-cleaning.
One o the worst men I ever knew for getting into trouble when he came ashore was old Sam Small. If he couldnt find it by imself, Ginger Dick and Peter Russet would help im look for it. Generally speaking they found it without straining their eyesight.
I remember one time they was home, arter being away pretty near a year, and when they was paid off they felt like walking gold-mines. They went about smiling all over with good-temper and appiness, and for the first three days they was like brothers. That didnt last, of course, and on the fourth day Sam Small, arter saying wot e would do to Ginger and Peter if it wasnt for the police, went off by imself.
His temper passed off arter a time, and e began to look cheerful agin. It was a lovely morning, and, having nothing to do and plenty in is pocket to do it with, he went along like a schoolboy with a arf holiday. He went as far as Stratford on the top of a tram for a mouthful o fresh air, and came back to his favourite coffee-shop with a fine appetite for dinner. There was a very nice gentlemanly chap sitting opposite im, and the way he begged Sams pardon for splashing gravy over im made Sam take a liking to him at once. Nicely dressed he was, with a gold pin in is tie, and a fine gold watch-chain acrost his weskit; and Sam could see he ad been brought up well by the way he used is knife and fork. He kept looking at Sam in a thoughtful kind o way, and at last he said wot a beautiful morning it was, and wot a fine day it must be in the country. In a little while they began to talk like a couple of old friends, and he told Sam all about is father, wot was a clergyman in the country, and Sam talked about a father of his as was living private on three undred a year.
Ah, moneys a useful thing, ses the man.
It aint everything, ses Sam. It wont give you appiness. Ive run through a lot in my time, so I ought to know.
I expect youve got a bit left, though, ses the man, with a wink.
Sam laughed and smacked is pocket. Ive got a trifle to go on with, he ses, winking back. I never feel comfortable without a pound or two in my pocket.
You look as though youre just back from a vyge, ses the man, looking at im very hard.
I am, ses Sam, nodding. Just back arter ten months, and Im going to spend a bit o money afore I sign on agin, I can tell you.
Thats wot it was given to us for, ses the man, nodding at him.
They both got up to go at the same time and walked out into the street together, and, when Sam asked im whether he might have the pleasure of standing im a drink, he said he might. He talked about the different kinds of drink as they walked along till Sam, wot was looking for a high- class pub, got such a raging thirst on im he hardly knew wot to do with imself. He passed several pubs, and walked on as fast as he could to the Three Widders.
Do you want to go in there partikler? ses the man, stopping at the door.
No, ses Sam, staring.
Cos I know a place where they sell the best glass o port wine in London, ses the man.
He took Sam up two or three turnings, and then led him into a quiet little pub in a back street. There was a cosy little saloon bar with nobody in it, and, arter Sam had ad two port wines for the look of the thing, he ad a pint o six-ale because he liked it. His new pal had one too, and he ad just taken a pull at it and wiped his mouth, when e noticed a little bill pinned up at the back of the bar.
Lost, betweenthe Mint andTower Stairs, he ses, leaning forward and reading very slow, a goldlocketset withdiamonds. Whoever willreturnthe same toMr. SmithOrange VillaBarnetwill receive thirty poundsreward.
Ow much? ses Sam, starting. Thirty pounds, ses the man. Must be a good locket. Whered you get that? he ses, turning to the barmaid.
Gentleman came in an hour ago, ses the gal, and, arter he had ad two or three drinks with the guvnor, he asks im to stick it up. Arf crying he wassaid it ad belonged to his old woman wot died.
She went off to serve a customer at the other end of the bar wot was making little dents in it with his pot, and the man came back and sat down by Sam agin, and began to talk about horse-racing. At least, he tried to, but Sam couldnt talk of nothing but that locket, and wot a nice steady sailorman could do with thirty pounds.
Well, praps youll find it, ses the man, chaffing-like. Ave another pint.
Sam had one, but it only made im more solemn, and he got in quite a temper as e spoke about casuals loafing about on Tower Hill with their ands in their pockets, and taking gold lockets out of the mouths of hard-working sailormen.
It mightnt be found yet, ses the man, speaking thoughtful-like. Its wonderful how long a thingll lay sometimes. Wot about going and aving a look for it?
Sam shook his ead at fust, but arter turning the thing over in his mind, and aving another look at the bill, and copying down the name and address for luck, e said praps they might as well walk that way as anywhere else.
Something seems to tell me weve got a chance, ses the man, as they stepped outside.
Its a funny feeling and I cant explain it, but it always means good luck. Last time I had it an aunt o mine swallered er false teeth and left me five undred pounds.
Theres aunts and aunts, ses Sam, grunting. I ad one once, but if she had swallered er teeth shed ha been round to me to help er buy some new ones. Thats the sort she was.
Mind! ses the man, patting im on the shoulder, if we do find this, I dont want any of it. Ive got all I want. Its all for you.
They went on like a couple o brothers arter that, especially Sam, and when they got to the Mint they walked along slow down Tower Hill looking for the locket. It was awkward work, because, if people saw them looking about, theyd ave started looking too, and twice Sam nearly fell over owing to walking like a man with a stiff neck and squinting down both sides of his nose at once. When they got as far as the Stairs they came back on the other side of the road, and they ad turned to go back agin when a docker-looking chap stopped Sams friend and spoke to im.
Ive got no change, my man, ses Sams pal, pushing past him.
I aint begging, guvnor, ses the chap, follering im up. Im trying to sell some-thing.
Wot is it? ses the other, stopping.
The man looked up and down the street, and then he put his ead near them and whispered.
Eh? ses Sams pal.
Something I picked up, ses the man, still a-whispering.
Sam got a pinch on the arm from is pal that nearly made him scream, then they both stood still, staring at the docker.
Wot is it? ses Sam, at last.
The docker looked over his shoulder agin, and then e put his and in his trouser-pocket and just showed em a big, fat gold locket with diamonds stuck all over it. Then he shoved it back in is pocket, while Sams pal was giving im a pinch worse than wot the other was.
Its the one, he ses, in a whisper. Lets 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 while they looked at it.
Where did you find it? ses Sam.
Found it over there, just by the Mint, ses the man, pointing.
As much as I can get, ses the man. I dont quite know ow much its worth, thats the worst of it. Wot dye say to twenty pounds, and chance it?
Sam laughedthe 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? Ill give you a couple of quid for it.
Well, its all right, captin, ses the man, theres no arm done. Ill try somebody elseor praps therell be a big reward for it. I dont believe it was bought for a undred pounds.
He was just sheering off when Sams pal caught im by the arm and asked him 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 a life 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 a hundred pounds to you, e ses.
I aint 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 while he counted it. Altogether it was nine pounds fourteen shillings and tuppence.
Praps youve got some more at ome, ses his pal.
Not a farthing, ses Sam, which was true as far as the farthing went.
Or praps you could borrer some, ses his pal, in a soft, kind voice. Id lend it to you with pleasure, ony I havent got it with me.
Sam shook his ead, and at last, arter the docker ad said he wouldnt let it go for less than twenty, even to save is life, he let it go for the nine pounds odd, a silver watch-chain, two cigars wot Sam ad been sitting on by mistake, and a sheath-knife.
Shove it in your pocket and dont let a soul see it, ses the man, handing over the locket. I might as well give it away amost. But it cant be elped.
He went off up the ill shaking his ead, and Sams pal, arter watching him for a few seconds, said good-bye in a hurry and went off arter im to tell him to keep is mouth shut about it.
Sam walked back to his lodgings on air, as the saying is, and even did a little bit of a skirt-dance to a pianner-organ wot was playing. Peter and Ginger was out, and so was his land-lady, a respectable woman as was minding 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 on wasting his money instead wot took is breath awayall but a word or two.
He got some of is money from his landlady at eight oclock, arter listening to er for arf an hour, and then he ad to pick it up off of the floor, and say Thank you for it.
He went to bed afore Ginger and Peter came in, but e was so excited he couldnt sleep, and long arter they was in bed he laid there and thought of all the different ways of spending a undred pounds. He kept taking the 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 and calling out to the other two not to snoreto see if they was awakehe got out o bed and lit the candle. Ginger and Peter was both fast asleep, with their eyes screwed up and their mouths wide open, and e sat on the bed and looked at the locket until he was amost dazzled.
Ullo, Sam! ses a voice. Wot ave you got there?
Sam nearly fell off the bed with surprise and temper. Then e hid the locket 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 is teeth.
He got back into bed agin and laid there listening to Ginger waking up Peter. Peter woke up disagreeable, but when Ginger told im that Sam ad stole a gold locket as big as a saucer, covered with diamonds, he altered is mind.
Lets ave a look at it, he ses, sitting up.
Gingers dreaming, ses Sam, in a shaky voice. I aint got no locket. Wot dyou think I want a locket for?
Ginger got out o bed and lit the candle agin. Come on! he ses, lets ave a look at it. I wasnt dreaming. Ive been awake all the time, watching you.
Sam shut is eyes and turned his back to them.
Hes gone to sleep, pore old chap, ses Ginger. Well ave a look at it without waking im. You take that side, Peter! Mind you dont disturb im.
He put his and in under the bed-cloes and felt all up and down Sams back, very careful. Sam stood it for arf a minute, and then e sat up in 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, were going to see it, ses Ginger, if we have to make enough noise to rouse the ouse. Fust of all were going to ask you perlite; then we shall get louder and louder. Show us the locket wot you stole, Sam!
Showusthediamond locket! ses Peter.
Its my turn, Peter, ses Ginger. One, two, three. SHOWUSTH
Shut up, ses Sam, trembling all over. Ill show it to you if you stop your noise.
He put his and under his piller, but afore he showed it to em he sat up in bed and made em a little speech. He said e never wanted to see their faces agin as long as he lived, and why Gingers mother adnt put im in a pail o cold water when e was born e couldnt understand. He said e didnt believe that even a mother could love a baby that looked like a cod-fish with red air, and as for Peter Russet, e believed his mother died of fright.
Thatll do, ses Ginger, as Sam stopped to get is breath. Are you going 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 could see the diamonds flash, and then Ginger waved the candle to see ow they looked that way, and pretty near set pore Sams whiskers on fire.
They didnt leave im alone till they knew as much about it as he could tell em, and they both of em told im that if he took a reward of thirty pounds for it, instead of selling it for a undred, he was a bigger fool than he looked.