diff options
Diffstat (limited to '10565-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 10565-0.txt | 459 |
1 files changed, 459 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/10565-0.txt b/10565-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6a5b42a --- /dev/null +++ b/10565-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,459 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10565 *** + +SHIP'S COMPANY + +By W.W. Jacobs + + +[Illustration: "As I was a-saying, kindness to animals is all very well"] + + + +WATCH-DOGS + +"It's a'most the only enj'yment I've got left," said the oldest +inhabitant, taking a long, slow draught of beer, "that and a pipe o' +baccy. Neither of 'em wants chewing, and that's a great thing when you +ain't got anything worth speaking about left to chew with." + +He put his mug on the table and, ignoring the stillness of the summer +air, sheltered the flame of a match between his cupped hands and conveyed +it with infinite care to the bowl of his pipe. A dull but crafty old eye +squinting down the stem assured itself that the tobacco was well alight +before the match was thrown away. + +"As I was a-saying, kindness to animals is all very well," he said to the +wayfarer who sat opposite him in the shade of the "Cauliflower" elms; +"but kindness to your feller-creeturs is more. The pint wot you give me +is gone, but I'm just as thankful to you as if it wasn't." + +He half closed his eyes and, gazing on to the fields beyond, fell into a +reverie so deep that he failed to observe the landlord come for his mug +and return with it filled. A little start attested his surprise, and, +to his great annoyance, upset a couple of tablespoonfuls of the precious +liquid. + +"Some people waste all their kindness on dumb animals," he remarked, +after the landlord had withdrawn from his offended vision, "but I was +never a believer in it. I mind some time ago when a gen'lemen from +Lunnon wot 'ad more money than sense offered a prize for kindness to +animals. I was the only one that didn't try for to win it. + +"Mr. Bunnett 'is name was, and 'e come down and took Farmer Hall's 'ouse +for the summer. Over sixty 'e was, and old enough to know better. He +used to put saucers of milk all round the 'ouse for cats to drink, and, +by the time pore Farmer Hall got back, every cat for three miles round +'ad got in the habit of coming round to the back-door and asking for milk +as if it was their right. Farmer Hall poisoned a saucer o' milk at last, +and then 'ad to pay five shillings for a thin black cat with a mangy tail +and one eye that Bob Pretty said belonged to 'is children. Farmer Hall +said he'd go to jail afore he'd pay, at fust, but arter five men 'ad +spoke the truth and said they 'ad see Bob's youngsters tying a empty +mustard-tin to its tail on'y the day afore, he gave way. + +"Tha was Bob Pretty all over, that was; the biggest raskel Claybury 'as +ever had; and it wasn't the fust bit o' money 'e made out o' Mr. Bunnett +coming to the place. + +"It all come through Mr. Bunnett's love for animals. I never see a man +so fond of animals as 'e was, and if he had 'ad 'is way Claybury would +'ave been overrun by 'em by this time. The day arter 'e got to the farm +he couldn't eat 'is breakfuss because of a pig that was being killed in +the yard, and it was no good pointing out to 'im that the pig was on'y +making a fuss about it because it was its nature so to do. He lived on +wegetables and such like, and the way 'e carried on one day over 'arf a +biled caterpillar 'e found in his cabbage wouldn't be believed. He +wouldn't eat another mossel, but sat hunting 'igh and low for the other +'arf. + +"He 'adn't been in Claybury more than a week afore he said 'ow surprised +'e was to see 'ow pore dumb animals was treated. He made a little speech +about it one evening up at the schoolroom, and, arter he 'ad finished, he +up and offered to give a prize of a gold watch that used to belong to 'is +dear sister wot loved animals, to the one wot was the kindest to 'em +afore he left the place. + +"If he'd ha' known Claybury men better 'e wouldn't ha' done it. The very +next morning Bill Chambers took 'is baby's milk for the cat, and smacked +'is wife's 'ead for talking arter he'd told 'er to stop. Henery Walker +got into trouble for leaning over Charlie Stubbs's fence and feeding his +chickens for 'im, and Sam Jones's wife had to run off 'ome to 'er mother +'arf-dressed because she had 'appened to overlay a sick rabbit wot Sam +'ad taken to bed with 'im to keep warm. + +"People used to stop animals in the road and try and do 'em a kindness-- +especially when Mr. Bunnett was passing--and Peter Gubbins walked past +'is house one day with ole Mrs. Broad's cat in 'is arms. A bad-tempered +old cat it was, and, wot with Peter kissing the top of its 'ead and +calling of it Tiddleums, it nearly went out of its mind. + +"The fust time Mr. Bunnett see Bob Pretty was about a week arter he'd +offered that gold watch. Bob was stooping down very careful over +something in the hedge, and Mr. Bunnett, going up quiet-like behind 'im, +see 'im messing about with a pore old toad he 'ad found, with a smashed +leg. + +"'Wots the matter with it?' ses Mr. Bunnett. + +"Bob didn't seem to hear 'im. He was a-kneeling on the ground with 'is +'ead on one side looking at the toad; and by and by he pulled out 'is +pocket'an'kercher and put the toad in it, as if it was made of +egg-shells, and walked away. + +"'Wot's the matter with it?' ses Mr. Bunnett, a'most trotting to keep up +with 'im. + +"'Got it's leg 'urt in some way, pore thing,' ses Bob. 'I want to get it +'ome as soon as I can and wash it and put it on a piece o' damp moss. +But I'm afraid it's not long for this world.' + +"Mr. Bunnett said it did 'im credit, and walked home alongside of 'im +talking. He was surprised to find that Bob hadn't 'eard anything of the +gold watch 'e was offering, but Bob said he was a busy, 'ard-working man +and didn't 'ave no time to go to hear speeches or listen to tittle- +tattle. + +"'When I've done my day's work,' he ses, 'I can always find a job in the +garden, and arter that I go in and 'elp my missis put the children to +bed. She ain't strong, pore thing, and it's better than wasting time and +money up at the "Cauliflower."' + +"He 'ad a lot o' talk with Mr. Bunnett for the next day or two, and when +'e went round with the toad on the third day as lively and well as +possible the old gen'leman said it was a miracle. And so it would ha' +been if it had been the same toad. + +"He took a great fancy to Bob Pretty, and somehow or other they was +always dropping acrost each other. He met Bob with 'is dog one day--a +large, ugly brute, but a'most as clever as wot Bob was 'imself. It stood +there with its tongue 'anging out and looking at Bob uneasy-like out of +the corner of its eye as Bob stood a-patting of it and calling it pet +names. + +"' Wunnerful affectionate old dog, ain't you, Joseph?' ses Bob. + +"'He's got a kind eye,' ses Mr. Bunnett. + +"'He's like another child to me, ain't you, my pretty?' ses Bob, smiling +at 'im and feeling in 'is pocket. 'Here you are, old chap.' + +"He threw down a biskit so sudden that Joseph, thinking it was a stone, +went off like a streak o' lightning with 'is tail between 'is legs and +yelping his 'ardest. Most men would ha' looked a bit foolish, but Bob +Pretty didn't turn a hair. + +"'Ain't it wunnerful the sense they've got,' he ses to Mr. Bunnett, wot +was still staring arter the dog. + +"'Sense?' ses the old gen'leman. + +"'Yes,' ses Bob smiling. 'His food ain't been agreeing with 'im lately +and he's starving hisself for a bit to get round agin, and 'e knew that +'e couldn't trust hisself alongside o' this biskit. Wot a pity men ain't +like that with beer. I wish as 'ow Bill Chambers and Henery Walker and a +few more 'ad been 'ere just now.' + +"Mr. Bunnett agreed with 'im, and said wot a pity it was everybody 'adn't +got Bob Pretty's commonsense and good feeling. + +"'It ain't that,' ses Bob, shaking his 'ead at him; 'it ain't to my +credit. I dessay if Sam Jones and Peter Gubbins, and Charlie Stubbs and +Dicky Weed 'ad been brought up the same as I was they'd 'ave been a lot +better than wot I am.' + +"He bid Mr. Bunnett good-bye becos 'e said he'd got to get back to 'is +work, and Mr. Bunnett had 'ardly got 'ome afore Henery Walker turned up +full of anxiousness to ask his advice about five little baby kittens wot +'is old cat had found in the wash-place: the night afore. + +"'Drownd them little innercent things, same as most would do, I can't,' +he ses, shaking his 'ead; 'but wot to do with 'em I don't know.' + +"'Couldn't you find 'omes for 'em?' ses Mr. Bunnett. + +"Henery Walker shook his 'ead agin. ''Tain't no use thinking o' that,' +he ses. 'There's more cats than 'omes about 'ere'. Why, Bill Chambers +drownded six o'ny last week right afore the eyes of my pore little boy. +Upset 'im dreadful it did.' + +"Mr. Bunnett walked up and down the room thinking. 'We must try and find +'omes for 'em when they are old enough,' he says at last; 'I'll go round +myself and see wot I can do for you.' + +"Henery Walker thanked 'im and went off 'ome doing a bit o' thinking; and +well he 'ad reason to. Everybody wanted one o' them kittens. Peter +Gubbins offered for to take two, and Mr. Bunnett told Henery Walker next +day that 'e could ha' found 'omes for 'em ten times over. + +"'You've no idea wot fine, kind-'arted people they are in this village +when their 'arts are touched,' he ses, smiling at Henery. 'You ought to +'ave seen Mr. Jones's smile when I asked 'im to take one. It did me good +to see it. And I spoke to Mr. Chambers about drowning 'is kittens, and +he told me 'e hadn't slept a wink ever since. And he offered to take +your old cat to make up for it, if you was tired of keeping it. + +"It was very 'ard on Henery Walker, I must say that. Other people was +getting the credit of bringing up 'is kittens, and more than that, they +used to ask Mr. Bunnett into their places to see 'ow the little dears was +a-getting on. + +"Kindness to animals caused more unpleasantness in Claybury than anything +'ad ever done afore. There was hardly a man as 'ud speak civil to each +other, and the wimmen was a'most as bad. Cats and dogs and such-like +began to act as if the place belonged to 'em, and seven people stopped +Mr. Bunnett one day to tell 'im that Joe Parsons 'ad been putting down +rat-poison and killed five little baby rats and their mother. + +"It was some time afore anybody knew that Bob Pretty 'ad got 'is eye on +that gold watch, and when they did they could 'ardly believe it. They +give Bob credit for too much sense to waste time over wot they knew 'e +couldn't get, but arter they 'ad heard one or two things they got +alarmed, and pretty near the whole village went up to see Mr. Bunnett and +tell 'im about Bob's true character. Mr. Bunnett couldn't believe 'em at +fast, but arter they 'ad told 'im of Bob's poaching and the artful ways +and tricks he 'ad of getting money as didn't belong to 'im 'e began to +think different. He spoke to parson about 'im, and arter that 'e said he +never wanted for to see Bob Pretty's face again. + +"There was a fine to-do about it up at this 'ere Cauliflower public-'ouse +that night, and the quietest man 'o the whole lot was Bob Pretty. He sat +still all the time drinking 'is beer and smiling at 'em and giving 'em +good advice 'ow to get that gold watch. + +"'It's no good to me,' he ses, shaking his 'ead. 'I'm a pore labourin' +man, and I know my place.' + +"'Ow you could ever 'ave thought you 'ad a chance, Bob, I don't know,' +ses Henery Walker. + +"'Ow's the toad, Bob?' ses Bill Chambers; and then they all laughed. + +"'Laugh away, mates,' ses Bob; 'I know you don't mean it. The on'y thing +I'm sorry for is you can't all 'ave the gold watch, and I'm sure you've +worked 'ard enough for it; keeping Henery Walker's kittens for 'im, and +hanging round Mr. Bunnett's.' + +"'We've all got a better chance than wot you 'ave, Bob,' ses little Dicky +Weed the tailor. + +"The quietest man o' the whole lot was Bob Pretty" + +"'Ah, that's your iggernerance, Dicky,' ses Bob. 'Come to think it over +quiet like, I'm afraid I shall win it arter all. Cos why? Cos I +deserves it.' + +"They all laughed agin, and Bill Chambers laughed so 'arty that 'e +joggled Peter Gubbins's arm and upset 'is beer. + +"'Laugh away,' ses Bob, pretending to get savage. 'Them that laughs best +laughs last, mind. I'll 'ave that watch now, just to spite you all.' + +"'Ow are you going to get it, Bob?' ses Sam Jones, jeering. + +"'Never you mind, mate,' ses Bob, stamping 'is foot; 'I'm going to win it +fair. I'm going to 'ave it for kindness to pore dumb animals.' + +"Ear! 'ear!' ses Dicky Weed, winking at the others. 'Will you 'ave a bet +on it, Bob?' + +"'No,' ses Bob Pretty; 'I don't want to win no man's money. I like to +earn my money in the sweat o' my brow.' + +"'But you won't win it, Bob,' ses Dicky, grinning. 'Look 'ere! I'll lay +you a level bob you don't get it.' + +"Bob shook his 'ead, and started talking to Bill Chambers about something +else. + +"'I'll bet you two bob to one, Bob,' ses Dicky. 'Well, three to one, +then.' + +"Bob sat up and looked at'im for a long time, considering, and at last he +ses, 'All right,' he ses, 'if Smith the landlord will mind the money I +will.' + +"He 'anded over his shilling,' but very slow-like, and Dicky Weed 'anded +over 'is money. Arter that Bob sat looking disagreeable like, especially +when. Dicky said wot 'e was goin' to do with the money, and by an by Sam +Jones dared 'im to 'ave the same bet with 'im in sixpences. + +"Bob Pretty 'ad a pint more beer to think it over, and arter Bill +Chambers 'ad stood 'im another, he said 'e would. He seemed a bit dazed +like, and by the time he went 'ome he 'ad made bets with thirteen of 'em. +Being Saturday night they 'ad all got money on 'em, and, as for Bob, he +always 'ad some. Smith took care of the money and wrote it all up on a +slate. + +"'Why don't you 'ave a bit on, Mr. Smith?' ses Dicky. + +"'Oh, I dunno,' ses Smith, wiping down the bar with a wet cloth. + +"'It's the chance of a lifetime,' ses Dicky. + +"'Looks like it,' ses Smith, coughing. + +"'But 'e can't win,' ses Sam Jones, looking a bit upset. 'Why, Mr. +Bunnett said 'e ought to be locked up.' + +"'He's been led away,' ses Bob Pretty, shaking his 'ead. 'He's a kind- +'arted old gen'leman when 'e's left alone, and he'll soon see wot a +mistake 'e's made about me. I'll show 'im. But I wish it was something +more useful than a gold watch.' + +"'You ain't got it yet,' ses Bill Chambers. + +"'No, mate,' ses Bob. + +"'And you stand to lose a sight o' money,' ses Sam Jones. 'If you like, +Bob Pretty, you can 'ave your bet back with me.' + +"'Never mind, Sam,' ses Bob; 'I won't take no advantage of you. If I +lose you'll 'ave sixpence to buy a rabbit-hutch with. Good-night, mates +all.' + +"He rumpled Bill Chambers's 'air for 'im as he passed--a thing Bill never +can a-bear--and gave Henery Walker, wot was drinking beer, a smack on the +back wot nearly ruined 'im for life. + + +[Illustration: "Some of 'em went and told Mr. Bunnett some more things +about Bob next day"] + + +"Some of 'em went and told Mr. Bunnett some more things about Bob next +day, but they might as well ha' saved their breath. The old gen'leman +said be knew all about 'im and he never wanted to 'ear his name mentioned +agin. Arter which they began for to 'ave a more cheerful way of looking +at things; and Sam Jones said 'e was going to 'ave a hole bored through +'is sixpence and wear it round 'is neck to aggravate Bob Pretty with. + +"For the next three or four weeks Bob Pretty seemed to keep very quiet, +and we all began to think as 'ow he 'ad made a mistake for once. +Everybody else was trying their 'ardest for the watch, and all Bob done +was to make a laugh of 'em and to say he believed it was on'y made of +brass arter all. Then one arternoon, just a few days afore Mr. Bunnett's +time was up at the farm, Bob took 'is dog out for a walk, and arter +watching the farm for some time met the old gen'leman by accident up at +Coe's plantation. + +"'Good arternoon, sir,' he ses, smiling at 'im. 'Wot wunnerful fine +weather we're a-having for the time o' year. I've just brought Joseph +out for a bit of a walk. He ain't been wot I might call hisself for the +last day or two, and I thought a little fresh air might do 'im good.' + +"Mr. Bunnett just looked at him, and then 'e passed 'im by without a +word. + +"'I wanted to ask your advice about 'im,' ses Bob, turning round and +follering of 'im. 'He's a delikit animal, and sometimes I wonder whether +I 'aven't been a-pampering of 'im too much.' + +"'Go away,' ses Mr. Bunnett; 'I've'eard all about you. Go away at once.' + +"'Heard all about me?' ses Bob Pretty, looking puzzled. 'Well, you can't +'ave heard no 'arm, that's one comfort.' + +"'I've been told your true character,' ses the old gen'leman, very firm. +'And I'm ashamed that I should have let myself be deceived by you. I +hope you'll try and do better while there is still time.' + +"'If anybody 'as got anything to say agin my character,' says Bob, 'I +wish as they'd say it to my face. I'm a pore, hard-working man, and my +character's all I've got.' + +"'You're poorer than you thought you was then,' says Mr. Bunnett. 'I +wish you good arternoon.' + +"'Good arternoon, sir,' ses Bob, very humble. 'I'm afraid some on 'em +'ave been telling lies about me, and I didn't think I'd got a enemy in +the world. Come on, Joseph. Come on, old pal. We ain't wanted here.' + +"He shook 'is 'ead with sorrow, and made a little sucking noise between +'is teeth, and afore you could wink, his dog 'ad laid hold of the old +gen'leman's leg and kep' quiet waiting orders. + +"'Help!' screams Mr. Bunnett. 'Call, 'im off! Call 'im off!' + +"Bob said arterwards that 'e was foolish enough to lose 'is presence o' +mind for a moment, and instead o' doing anything he stood there gaping +with 'is mouth open. + +"'Call 'im off!' screams Mr. Bunnett, trying to push the dog away. 'Why +don't you call him off?' + +"'Don't move,' ses Bob Pretty in a frightened voice. 'Don't move, +wotever you do.' + +"'Call him off! Take 'im away!' ses Mr. Bunnett. + +"'Why, Joseph! Joseph! Wotever are you a-thinking of?' ses Bob, shaking +'is 'ead at the dog. 'I'm surprised at you! Don't you know Mr. Bunnett +wot is so fond of animals?' + +"'If you don't call 'im off, ses Mr. Bunnett, trembling all over, 'I'll +have you locked up.' + +"'I am a-calling 'im off,' ses Bob, looking very puzzled. 'Didn't you +'ear me? It's you making that noise that excites 'im, I think. P'r'aps +if you keep quiet he'll leave go. Come off, Joseph, old boy, there's a +good doggie. That ain't a bone.' + +"'It's no good talking to 'im like that,' ses Mr. Bunnett, keeping quiet +but trembling worse than ever. 'Make him let go.' + +"'I don't want to 'urt his feelings,' ses Bob; 'they've got their +feelings the same as wot we 'ave. Besides, p'r'aps it ain't 'is fault-- +p'r'aps he's gone mad.' + +"'HELP!' ses the old gen'leman, in a voice that might ha' been heard a +mile away. 'HELP!' + +"'Why don't you keep quiet?' ses Bob. 'You're on'y frightening the pore +animal and making things worse. Joseph, leave go and I'll see whether +there's a biskit in my pocket. Why don't you leave go?' + +"'Pull him off. Hit 'im,' ses Mr. Bunnett, shouting. + +"'Wot?' ses Bob Pretty, with a start. 'Hit a poor, dumb animal wot don't +know no better! Why, you'd never forgive me, sir, and I should lose the +gold watch besides.' + +"'No, you won't,' ses Mr. Bunnett, speaking very fast. 'You'll 'ave as +much chance of it as ever you had. Hit 'im! Quick!' + +"'It 'ud break my 'art,' ses Bob. 'He'd never forgive me; but if you'll +take the responserbility, and then go straight 'ome and give me the gold +watch now for kindness to animals, I will.' + +"He shook his 'ead with sorrow and made that sucking noise agin.' + +"'All right, you shall 'ave it,' ses Mr. Bunnett, shouting. 'You shall +'ave it.' + +"'For kindness to animals?' ses Bob. 'Honour bright?' + +"'Yes,' ses Mr. Bunnett. + +[Illustration:"Bob Pretty lifted 'is foot and caught Joseph one behind +that surprised 'im."] + +"Bob Pretty lifted 'is foot and caught Joseph one behind that surprised +'im. Then he 'elped Mr. Bunnett look at 'is leg, and arter pointing out +that the skin wasn't hardly broken, and saying that Joseph 'ad got the +best mouth of any dog in Claybury, 'e walked 'ome with the old gen'leman +and got the watch. He said Mr. Bunnett made a little speech when 'e gave +it to 'im wot he couldn't remember, and wot he wouldn't repeat if 'e +could. + +"He came up to this 'ere Cauliflower public-'ouse the same night for the +money 'e had won, and Bill Chambers made another speech, but, as Smith +the landlord put' in outside for it, it didn't do Bob Pretty the good it +ought to ha' done." + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Watch-Dogs, by W.W. Jacobs + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10565 *** |