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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/11474-0.txt b/11474-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..40557ad --- /dev/null +++ b/11474-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,459 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11474 *** + +DEEP WATERS + +By W.W. JACOBS + + + + +SAM'S GHOST + +Yes, I know, said the night-watchman, thoughtfully, as he sat with a cold +pipe in his mouth gazing across the river. I've 'eard it afore. People +tell me they don't believe in ghosts and make a laugh of 'em, and all I +say is: let them take on a night-watchman's job. Let 'em sit 'ere all +alone of a night with the water lapping against the posts and the wind +moaning in the corners; especially if a pal of theirs has slipped +overboard, and there is little nasty bills stuck up just outside in the +High Street offering a reward for the body. Twice men 'ave fallen +overboard from this jetty, and I've 'ad to stand my watch here the same +night, and not a farthing more for it. + +One of the worst and artfullest ghosts I ever 'ad anything to do with was +Sam Bullet. He was a waterman at the stairs near by 'ere; the sort o' +man that 'ud get you to pay for drinks, and drink yours up by mistake +arter he 'ad finished his own. The sort of man that 'ad always left his +baccy-box at 'ome, but always 'ad a big pipe in 'is pocket. + +He fell overboard off of a lighter one evening, and all that his mates +could save was 'is cap. It was on'y two nights afore that he 'ad knocked +down an old man and bit a policeman's little finger to the bone, so that, +as they pointed out to the widder, p'r'aps he was taken for a wise +purpose. P'r'aps he was 'appier where he was than doing six months. + +"He was the sort o' chap that'll make himself 'appy anywhere," ses one of +'em, comforting-like. + +"Not without me," ses Mrs. Bullet, sobbing, and wiping her eyes on +something she used for a pocket-hankercher. "He never could bear to be +away from me. Was there no last words?" + +"On'y one," ses one o' the chaps, Joe Peel by name. + +"As 'e fell overboard," ses the other. + +Mrs. Bullet began to cry agin, and say wot a good 'usband he 'ad been. +"Seventeen years come Michaelmas," she ses, "and never a cross word. +Nothing was too good for me. Nothing. I 'ad only to ask to 'ave." + +"Well, he's gorn now," ses Joe, "and we thought we ought to come round +and tell you." + +"So as you can tell the police," ses the other chap. + +That was 'ow I came to hear of it fust; a policeman told me that night as +I stood outside the gate 'aving a quiet pipe. He wasn't shedding tears; +his only idea was that Sam 'ad got off too easy. + +"Well, well," I ses, trying to pacify 'im, "he won't bite no more +fingers; there's no policemen where he's gorn to." + +He went off grumbling and telling me to be careful, and I put my pipe out +and walked up and down the wharf thinking. On'y a month afore I 'ad lent +Sam fifteen shillings on a gold watch and chain wot he said an uncle 'ad +left 'im. I wasn't wearing it because 'e said 'is uncle wouldn't like +it, but I 'ad it in my pocket, and I took it out under one of the lamps +and wondered wot I ought to do. + +My fust idea was to take it to Mrs. Bullet, and then, all of a sudden, +the thought struck me: "Suppose he 'adn't come by it honest?" + +I walked up and down agin, thinking. If he 'adn't, and it was found out, +it would blacken his good name and break 'is pore wife's 'art. That's +the way I looked at it, and for his sake and 'er sake I determined to +stick to it. + +I felt 'appier in my mind when I 'ad decided on that, and I went round to +the Bear's Head and 'ad a pint. Arter that I 'ad another, and then I +come back to the wharf and put the watch and chain on and went on with my +work. + +Every time I looked down at the chain on my waistcoat it reminded me of +Sam. I looked on to the river and thought of 'im going down on the ebb. +Then I got a sort o' lonesome feeling standing on the end of the jetty +all alone, and I went back to the Bear's Head and 'ad another pint. + +They didn't find the body, and I was a'most forgetting about Sam when one +evening, as I was sitting on a box waiting to get my breath back to 'ave +another go at sweeping, Joe Peel, Sam's mate, came on to the wharf to see +me. + +He came in a mysterious sort o' way that I didn't like: looking be'ind +'im as though he was afraid of being follered, and speaking in a whisper +as if 'e was afraid of being heard. He wasn't a man I liked, and I was +glad that the watch and chain was stowed safe away in my trowsis-pocket. + +"I've 'ad a shock, watchman," he ses. + +"Oh!" I ses. + +"A shock wot's shook me all up," he ses, working up a shiver. "I've seen +something wot I thought people never could see, and wot I never want to +see agin. I've seen Sam!" + +I thought a bit afore I spoke. "Why, I thought he was drownded," I ses. + +"So 'e is," ses Joe. "When I say I've seen 'im I mean that I 'ave seen +his ghost!" + +He began to shiver agin, all over. + +"Wot was it like?" I ses, very calm. + +"Like Sam," he ses, rather short. + +"When was it?" I ses. + +"Last night at a quarter to twelve," he ses. "It was standing at my +front door waiting for me." + +"And 'ave you been shivering like that ever since?" I ses. + +"Worse than that," ses Joe, looking at me very 'ard. "It's wearing off +now. The ghost gave me a message for you." + +I put my 'and in my trowsis-pocket and looked at 'im. Then I walked very +slow, towards the gate. + +"It gave me a message for you," ses Joe, walking beside me. "'We was +always pals, Joe,'" it ses, "'you and me, and I want you to pay up +fifteen bob for me wot I borrowed off of Bill the watchman. I can't rest +until it's paid,' it ses. So here's the fifteen bob, watchman." + +He put his 'and in 'is pocket and takes out fifteen bob and 'olds it out +to me. + +"No, no," I ses. "I can't take your money, Joe Peel. It wouldn't be +right. Pore Sam is welcome to the fifteen bob--I don't want it." + +"You must take it," ses Joe. "The ghost said if you didn't it would come +to me agin and agin till you did, and I can't stand any more of it." + +"I can't 'elp your troubles," I ses. + +"You must," ses Joe. "'Give Bill the fifteen bob,' it ses, 'and he'll +give you a gold watch and chain wot I gave 'im to mind till it was +paid.'" + +I see his little game then. "Gold watch and chain," I ses, laughing. +"You must ha' misunderstood it, Joe." + +"I understood it right enough," ses Joe, getting a bit closer to me as I +stepped outside the gate. "Here's your fifteen bob; are you going to +give me that watch and chain?" + +"Sartainly not," I ses. "I don't know wot you mean by a watch and chain. +If I 'ad it and I gave it to anybody, I should give it to Sam's widder, +not to you." + +"It's nothing to do with 'er," ses Joe, very quick. "Sam was most +pertikler about that." + +"I expect you dreamt it all," I ses. "Where would pore Sam get a gold +watch and chain from? And why should 'e go to you about it? Why didn't +'e come to me? If 'e thinks I 'ave got it let 'im come to me." + +"All right, I'll go to the police-station," ses Joe. + +"I'll come with you," I ses. "But 'ere's a policeman coming along. +Let's go to 'im." + +I moved towards 'im, but Joe hung back, and, arter using one or two words +that would ha' made any ghost ashamed to know 'im, he sheered off. I 'ad +a word or two with the policeman about the weather, and then I went +inside and locked the gate. + +My idea was that Sam 'ad told Joe about the watch and chain afore he fell +overboard. Joe was a nasty customer, and I could see that I should 'ave +to be a bit careful. Some men might ha' told the police about it--but I +never cared much for them. They're like kids in a way, always asking +questions--most of which you can't answer. + +It was a little bit creepy all alone on the wharf that night. I don't +deny it. Twice I thought I 'eard something coming up on tip-toe behind +me. The second time I was so nervous that I began to sing to keep my +spirits up, and I went on singing till three of the hands of the Susan +Emily, wot was lying alongside, came up from the fo'c'sle and offered to +fight me. I was thankful when daylight came. + +Five nights arterwards I 'ad the shock of my life. It was the fust night +for some time that there was no craft up. A dark night, and a nasty +moaning sort of a wind. I 'ad just lighted the lamp at the corner of the +warehouse, wot 'ad blown out, and was sitting down to rest afore putting +the ladder away, when I 'appened to look along the jetty and saw a head +coming up over the edge of it. In the light of the lamp I saw the dead +white face of Sam Bullet's ghost making faces at me. + +[Illustration: IN THE LIGHT OF THE LAMP I SAW THE DEAD WHITE FACE] + +I just caught my breath, sharp like, and then turned and ran for the +gate like a race-horse. I 'ad left the key in the padlock, in case of +anything happening, and I just gave it one turn, flung the wicket open +and slammed it in the ghost's face, and tumbled out into the road. + +I ran slap into the arms of a young policeman wot was passing. Nasty, +short-tempered chap he was, but I don't think I was more glad to see +anybody in my life. I hugged 'im till 'e nearly lost 'is breath, and +then he sat me down on the kerb-stone and asked me wot I meant by it. + +Wot with the excitement and the running I couldn't speak at fust, and +when I did he said I was trying to deceive 'im. + +"There ain't no such thing as ghosts," he ses; "you've been drinking." + +"It came up out o' the river and run arter me like the wind," I ses. + +"Why didn't it catch you, then?" he ses, looking me up and down and all +round about. "Talk sense." + +He went up to the gate and peeped in, and, arter watching a moment, +stepped inside and walked down the wharf, with me follering. It was my +dooty; besides, I didn't like being left all alone by myself. + +Twice we walked up and down and all over the wharf. He flashed his +lantern into all the dark corners, into empty barrels and boxes, and then +he turned and flashed it right into my face and shook his 'ead at me. + +"You've been having a bit of a lark with me," he ses, "and for two pins +I'd take you. Mind, if you say a word about this to anybody, I will." + +He stalked off with his 'ead in the air, and left me all alone in charge +of a wharf with a ghost on it. I stayed outside in the street, of +course, but every now and then I fancied I heard something moving about +the other side of the gate, and once it was so distinct that I run along +to the Bear's Head and knocked 'em up and asked them for a little brandy, +for illness. + +I didn't get it, of course; I didn't expect to; but I 'ad a little +conversation with the landlord from 'is bedroom-winder that did me more +good than the brandy would ha' done. Once or twice I thought he would +'ave fallen out, and many a man has 'ad his licence taken away for less +than a quarter of wot 'e said to me that night. Arter he thought he 'ad +finished and was going back to bed agin, I pointed' out to 'im that he +'adn't kissed me "good night," and if it 'adn't ha' been for 'is missis +and two grown-up daughters and the potman I believe he'd ha' talked to me +till daylight. + +'Ow I got through the rest of the night I don't know. It seemed to be +twenty nights instead of one, but the day came at last, and when the +hands came on at six o'clock they found the gate open and me on dooty +same as usual. + +I slept like a tired child when I got 'ome, and arter a steak and onions +for dinner I sat down and lit my pipe and tried to think wot was to be +done. One thing I was quite certain about: I wasn't going to spend +another night on that wharf alone. + +I went out arter a bit, as far as the Clarendon Arms, for a breath of +fresh air, and I 'ad just finished a pint and was wondering whether I +ought to 'ave another, when Ted Dennis came in, and my mind was made up. +He 'ad been in the Army all 'is life, and, so far, he 'ad never seen +anything that 'ad frightened 'im. I've seen him myself take on men twice +'is size just for the love of the thing, and, arter knocking them silly, +stand 'em a pint out of 'is own pocket. When I asked 'im whether he was +afraid of ghosts he laughed so 'ard that the landlord came from the other +end of the bar to see wot was the matter. + +I stood Ted a pint, and arter he 'ad finished it I told 'im just how +things was. I didn't say anything about the watch and chain, because +there was no need to, and when we came outside agin I 'ad engaged an +assistant-watchman for ninepence a night. + +"All you've got to do," I ses, "is to keep me company. You needn't turn +up till eight o'clock of a night, and you can leave 'arf an hour afore me +in the morning." + +"Right-o!" ses Ted. "And if I see the ghost I'll make it wish it 'ad +never been born." + +It was a load off my mind, and I went 'ome and ate a tea that made my +missis talk about the work-'ouse, and orstritches in 'uman shape wot would +eat a woman out of 'ouse and 'ome if she would let 'em. + +I got to the wharf just as it was striking six, and at a quarter to seven +the wicket was pushed open gentle and the ugly 'ead of Mr. Joe Peel was +shoved inside. + +"Hullo!" I ses. "Wot do you want?" + +"I want to save your life," he ses, in a solemn voice. "You was within a +inch of death last night, watchman." + +"Oh!" I ses, careless-like. "'Ow do you know!" + +"The ghost o' Sam Bullet told me," ses Joe. "Arter it 'ad chased you up +the wharf screaming for 'elp, it came round and told me all about it." + +"It seems fond of you," I ses. "I wonder why?" + +"It was in a terrible temper," ses Joe, "and its face was awful to look +at. 'Tell the watchman,' it ses, 'that if he don't give you the watch +and chain I shall appear to 'im agin and kill 'im.'" + +"All right," I ses, looking behind me to where three of the 'ands of the +Daisy was sitting on the fo'c'sle smoking. "I've got plenty of company +to-night." + +"Company won't save you," ses Joe. "For the last time, are you going to +give me that watch and chain, or not? Here's your fifteen bob." + +"No," I ses; "even if I 'ad got it I shouldn't give it to you; and it's +no use giving' it to the ghost, because, being made of air, he 'asn't got +anywhere to put it." + +"Very good," ses Joe, giving me a black look. "I've done all I can to +save you, but if you won't listen to sense, you won't. You'll see Sam +Bullet agin, and you'll not on'y lose the watch and chain but your life +as well." + +"All right," I ses, "and thank you kindly, but I've got an assistant, as +it 'appens--a man wot wants to see a ghost." + +"An' assistant?" ses Joe, staring. + +"An old soldier," I ses. "A man wot likes trouble and danger. His idea +is to shoot the ghost and see wot 'appens." + +"Shoot!" ses Joe. "Shoot a pore 'armless ghost. Does he want to be +'ung? Ain't it enough for a pore man to be drownded, but wot you must +try and shoot 'im arterwards? Why, you ought to be ashamed o' yourself. +Where's your 'art?" + +"It won't be shot if it don't come on my wharf," I ses. "Though I don't +mind if it does when I've got somebody with me. I ain't afraid of +anything living, and I don't mind ghosts when there's two of us. Besides +which, the noise of the pistol 'll wake up 'arf the river." + +"You take care you don't get woke up," ses Joe, 'ardly able to speak for +temper. + +He went off stamping, and grinding 'is teeth, and at eight o'clock to the +minute, Ted Dennis turned up with 'is pistol and helped me take care of +the wharf. Happy as a skylark 'e was, and to see him 'iding behind a +barrel with his pistol ready, waiting for the ghost, a'most made me +forget the expense of it all. + +It never came near us that night, and Ted was a bit disappointed next +morning as he took 'is ninepence and went off. Next night was the same, +and the next, and then Ted gave up hiding on the wharf for it, and sat +and snoozed in the office instead. + +A week went by, and then another, and still there was no sign of Sam +Bullet's ghost, or Joe Peel, and every morning I 'ad to try and work up a +smile as I shelled out ninepence for Ted. It nearly ruined me, and, +worse than that, I couldn't explain why I was short to the missis. Fust +of all she asked me wot I was spending it on, then she asked me who I was +spending it on. It nearly broke up my 'ome--she did smash one kitchen- +chair and a vase off the parlour mantelpiece--but I wouldn't tell 'er, +and then, led away by some men on strike at Smith's wharf, Ted went on +strike for a bob a night. + +That was arter he 'ad been with me for three weeks, and when Saturday +came, of course I was more short than ever, and people came and stood at +their doors all the way down our street to listen to the missis taking my +character away. + +I stood it as long as I could, and then, when 'er back was turned for +'arf a moment, I slipped out. While she'd been talking I'd been +thinking, and it came to me clear as daylight that there was no need for +me to sacrifice myself any longer looking arter a dead man's watch and +chain. + +I didn't know exactly where Joe Peel lived, but I knew the part, and +arter 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 pints +from 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 found +me 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 'ave +it." + +"I don't want to be funny," I ses. "Wot I want to know is, are you in +the 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 a +gasp. "Woes the game?" he ses. + +"Wot I want to know is, if I give you that watch and chain for fifteen +bob, 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 the +watch 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, and +then 'e puts his 'and into 'is trowsis-pocket and pulls out one shilling +and 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. You +ought 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 rest +o' 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 see +me off, and if ever a man looked puzzled, 'e did. Pleased at the same +time. + +It was a load off of my mind. My con-science told me I'd done right, and +arter sending a little boy with a note to Ted Dennis to tell 'im not to +come any more, I felt 'appier than I 'ad done for a long time. When I +got to the wharf that evening it seemed like a diff'rent place, and I was +whistling and smiling over my work quite in my old way, when the young +policeman 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, and +cuddling me like a frightened baby, it shipped as A.B. on the barque +Ocean King, for Valparaiso. We missed it by a few hours. Next time you +see a ghost, knock it down fust and go and cuddle the police arterwards." + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sam's Ghost, by W.W. Jacobs + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11474 *** diff --git a/11474-h.zip b/11474-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8a2d748 --- /dev/null +++ b/11474-h.zip diff --git a/11474-h/001.jpg b/11474-h/001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f003e6a --- /dev/null +++ b/11474-h/001.jpg diff --git a/11474-h/11474-h.htm b/11474-h/11474-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2a4e684 --- /dev/null +++ b/11474-h/11474-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1085 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" + content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> +<meta content="pg2html (binary version 0.11)" + name="generator"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of + Deep Waters: SAM'S GHOST + by W.W. Jacobs. +</title> +<style type="text/css"> + <!-- + body {background:#faebd7} + * { font-family: Times; + } + P { text-indent: 1em; + margin: 15%; + margin-top: .75em; + font-size: 14pt; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; color:#A82C28} + HR { width: 33%; } + PRE { font-family: Courier, monospaced;} + .toc { margin-left: 15%; font-size: 14pt; margin-bottom: 0em;} + CENTER { padding: 10px;} + // --> +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Sam's Ghost, by W.W. Jacobs + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Sam's Ghost + Deep Waters, Part 4. + +Author: W.W. Jacobs + +Release Date: March 6, 2004 [EBook #11474] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SAM'S GHOST *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="cover (95K)" src="cover.jpg" height="787" width="632" /> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<h1> + DEEP WATERS +</h1> +<center><h2> + By W.W. JACOBS +</h2></center> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center> +<img alt="title (39K)" src="title.jpg" height="617" width="488" /> +</center> +<br><br> + + +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="001 (37K)" src="001.jpg" height="670" width="480" /> +</center> +<br><br> + +<br><br><hr><br><br> + + + + + + +<a name="2H_4_3"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h1> + SAM'S GHOST +</h1> +<br /><br /> +<p> + Yes, I know, said the night-watchman, thoughtfully, as he sat with a cold + pipe in his mouth gazing across the river. I've 'eard it afore. People + tell me they don't believe in ghosts and make a laugh of 'em, and all I + say is: let them take on a night-watchman's job. Let 'em sit 'ere all + alone of a night with the water lapping against the posts and the wind + moaning in the corners; especially if a pal of theirs has slipped + overboard, and there is little nasty bills stuck up just outside in the + High Street offering a reward for the body. Twice men 'ave fallen + overboard from this jetty, and I've 'ad to stand my watch here the same + night, and not a farthing more for it. +</p> +<p> + One of the worst and artfullest ghosts I ever 'ad anything to do with was + Sam Bullet. He was a waterman at the stairs near by 'ere; the sort o' + man that 'ud get you to pay for drinks, and drink yours up by mistake + arter he 'ad finished his own. The sort of man that 'ad always left his + baccy-box at 'ome, but always 'ad a big pipe in 'is pocket. +</p> +<p> + He fell overboard off of a lighter one evening, and all that his mates + could save was 'is cap. It was on'y two nights afore that he 'ad knocked + down an old man and bit a policeman's little finger to the bone, so that, + as they pointed out to the widder, p'r'aps he was taken for a wise + purpose. P'r'aps he was 'appier where he was than doing six months. +</p> +<p> + "He was the sort o' chap that'll make himself 'appy anywhere," ses one of + 'em, comforting-like. +</p> +<p> + "Not without me," ses Mrs. Bullet, sobbing, and wiping her eyes on + something she used for a pocket-hankercher. "He never could bear to be + away from me. Was there no last words?" +</p> +<p> + "On'y one," ses one o' the chaps, Joe Peel by name. +</p> +<p> + "As 'e fell overboard," ses the other. +</p> +<p> + Mrs. Bullet began to cry agin, and say wot a good 'usband he 'ad been. + "Seventeen years come Michaelmas," she ses, "and never a cross word. + Nothing was too good for me. Nothing. I 'ad only to ask to 'ave." +</p> +<p> + "Well, he's gorn now," ses Joe, "and we thought we ought to come round + and tell you." +</p> +<p> + "So as you can tell the police," ses the other chap. +</p> +<p> + That was 'ow I came to hear of it fust; a policeman told me that night as + I stood outside the gate 'aving a quiet pipe. He wasn't shedding tears; + his only idea was that Sam 'ad got off too easy. +</p> +<p> + "Well, well," I ses, trying to pacify 'im, "he won't bite no more + fingers; there's no policemen where he's gorn to." +</p> +<p> + He went off grumbling and telling me to be careful, and I put my pipe out + and walked up and down the wharf thinking. On'y a month afore I 'ad lent + Sam fifteen shillings on a gold watch and chain wot he said an uncle 'ad + left 'im. I wasn't wearing it because 'e said 'is uncle wouldn't like + it, but I 'ad it in my pocket, and I took it out under one of the lamps + and wondered wot I ought to do. +</p> +<p> + My fust idea was to take it to Mrs. Bullet, and then, all of a sudden, + the thought struck me: "Suppose he 'adn't come by it honest?" +</p> +<p> + I walked up and down agin, thinking. If he 'adn't, and it was found out, + it would blacken his good name and break 'is pore wife's 'art. That's + the way I looked at it, and for his sake and 'er sake I determined to + stick to it. +</p> +<p> + I felt 'appier in my mind when I 'ad decided on that, and I went round to + the Bear's Head and 'ad a pint. Arter that I 'ad another, and then I + come back to the wharf and put the watch and chain on and went on with my + work. +</p> +<p> + Every time I looked down at the chain on my waistcoat it reminded me of + Sam. I looked on to the river and thought of 'im going down on the ebb. + Then I got a sort o' lonesome feeling standing on the end of the jetty + all alone, and I went back to the Bear's Head and 'ad another pint. +</p> +<p> + They didn't find the body, and I was a'most forgetting about Sam when one + evening, as I was sitting on a box waiting to get my breath back to 'ave + another go at sweeping, Joe Peel, Sam's mate, came on to the wharf to see + me. +</p> +<p> + He came in a mysterious sort o' way that I didn't like: looking be'ind + 'im as though he was afraid of being follered, and speaking in a whisper + as if 'e was afraid of being heard. He wasn't a man I liked, and I was + glad that the watch and chain was stowed safe away in my trowsis-pocket. +</p> +<p> + "I've 'ad a shock, watchman," he ses. +</p> +<p> + "Oh!" I ses. +</p> +<p> + "A shock wot's shook me all up," he ses, working up a shiver. "I've seen + something wot I thought people never could see, and wot I never want to + see agin. I've seen Sam!" +</p> +<p> + I thought a bit afore I spoke. "Why, I thought he was drownded," I ses. +</p> +<p> + "So 'e is," ses Joe. "When I say I've seen 'im I mean that I 'ave seen + his ghost!" +</p> +<p> + He began to shiver agin, all over. +</p> +<p> + "Wot was it like?" I ses, very calm. +</p> +<p> + "Like Sam," he ses, rather short. +</p> +<p> + "When was it?" I ses. +</p> +<p> + "Last night at a quarter to twelve," he ses. "It was standing at my + front door waiting for me." +</p> +<p> + "And 'ave you been shivering like that ever since?" I ses. +</p> +<p> + "Worse than that," ses Joe, looking at me very 'ard. "It's wearing off + now. The ghost gave me a message for you." +</p> +<p> + I put my 'and in my trowsis-pocket and looked at 'im. Then I walked very + slow, towards the gate. +</p> +<p> + "It gave me a message for you," ses Joe, walking beside me. "'We was + always pals, Joe,'" it ses, "'you and me, and I want you to pay up + fifteen bob for me wot I borrowed off of Bill the watchman. I can't rest + until it's paid,' it ses. So here's the fifteen bob, watchman." +</p> +<p> + He put his 'and in 'is pocket and takes out fifteen bob and 'olds it out + to me. +</p> +<p> + "No, no," I ses. "I can't take your money, Joe Peel. It wouldn't be + right. Pore Sam is welcome to the fifteen bob—I don't want it." +</p> +<p> + "You must take it," ses Joe. "The ghost said if you didn't it would come + to me agin and agin till you did, and I can't stand any more of it." +</p> +<p> + "I can't 'elp your troubles," I ses. +</p> +<p> + "You must," ses Joe. "'Give Bill the fifteen bob,' it ses, 'and he'll + give you a gold watch and chain wot I gave 'im to mind till it was + paid.'" +</p> +<p> + I see his little game then. "Gold watch and chain," I ses, laughing. + "You must ha' misunderstood it, Joe." +</p> +<p> + "I understood it right enough," ses Joe, getting a bit closer to me as I + stepped outside the gate. "Here's your fifteen bob; are you going to + give me that watch and chain?" +</p> +<p> + "Sartainly not," I ses. "I don't know wot you mean by a watch and chain. + If I 'ad it and I gave it to anybody, I should give it to Sam's widder, + not to you." +</p> +<p> + "It's nothing to do with 'er," ses Joe, very quick. "Sam was most + pertikler about that." +</p> +<p> + "I expect you dreamt it all," I ses. "Where would pore Sam get a gold + watch and chain from? And why should 'e go to you about it? Why didn't + 'e come to me? If 'e thinks I 'ave got it let 'im come to me." +</p> +<p> + "All right, I'll go to the police-station," ses Joe. +</p> +<p> + "I'll come with you," I ses. "But 'ere's a policeman coming along. + Let's go to 'im." +</p> +<p> + I moved towards 'im, but Joe hung back, and, arter using one or two words + that would ha' made any ghost ashamed to know 'im, he sheered off. I 'ad + a word or two with the policeman about the weather, and then I went + inside and locked the gate. +</p> +<p> + My idea was that Sam 'ad told Joe about the watch and chain afore he fell + overboard. Joe was a nasty customer, and I could see that I should 'ave + to be a bit careful. Some men might ha' told the police about it—but I + never cared much for them. They're like kids in a way, always asking + questions—most of which you can't answer. +</p> +<p> + It was a little bit creepy all alone on the wharf that night. I don't + deny it. Twice I thought I 'eard something coming up on tip-toe behind + me. The second time I was so nervous that I began to sing to keep my + spirits up, and I went on singing till three of the hands of the Susan + Emily, wot was lying alongside, came up from the fo'c'sle and offered to + fight me. I was thankful when daylight came. +</p> +<p> + Five nights arterwards I 'ad the shock of my life. It was the fust night + for some time that there was no craft up. A dark night, and a nasty + moaning sort of a wind. I 'ad just lighted the lamp at the corner of the + warehouse, wot 'ad blown out, and was sitting down to rest afore putting + the ladder away, when I 'appened to look along the jetty and saw a head + coming up over the edge of it. In the light of the lamp I saw the dead + white face of Sam Bullet's ghost making faces at me. +</p> +<a name="image-1"><!--IMG--></a> +<center> +<img src="001.jpg" height="670" width="480" +alt="In the Light of The Lamp I Saw The Dead White Face +"> +</center> +<!--IMAGE END--> +<p> + I just caught my breath, sharp like, and then turned and ran for the + gate like a race-horse. I 'ad left the key in the padlock, in case of + anything happening, and I just gave it one turn, flung the wicket open + and slammed it in the ghost's face, and tumbled out into the road. +</p> +<p> + I ran slap into the arms of a young policeman wot was passing. Nasty, + short-tempered chap he was, but I don't think I was more glad to see + anybody in my life. I hugged 'im till 'e nearly lost 'is breath, and + then he sat me down on the kerb-stone and asked me wot I meant by it. +</p> +<p> + Wot with the excitement and the running I couldn't speak at fust, and + when I did he said I was trying to deceive 'im. +</p> +<p> + "There ain't no such thing as ghosts," he ses; "you've been drinking." +</p> +<p> + "It came up out o' the river and run arter me like the wind," I ses. +</p> +<p> + "Why didn't it catch you, then?" he ses, looking me up and down and all + round about. "Talk sense." +</p> +<p> + He went up to the gate and peeped in, and, arter watching a moment, + stepped inside and walked down the wharf, with me follering. It was my + dooty; besides, I didn't like being left all alone by myself. +</p> +<p> + Twice we walked up and down and all over the wharf. He flashed his + lantern into all the dark corners, into empty barrels and boxes, and then + he turned and flashed it right into my face and shook his 'ead at me. +</p> +<p> + "You've been having a bit of a lark with me," he ses, "and for two pins + I'd take you. Mind, if you say a word about this to anybody, I will." +</p> +<p> + He stalked off with his 'ead in the air, and left me all alone in charge + of a wharf with a ghost on it. I stayed outside in the street, of + course, but every now and then I fancied I heard something moving about + the other side of the gate, and once it was so distinct that I run along + to the Bear's Head and knocked 'em up and asked them for a little brandy, + for illness. +</p> +<p> + I didn't get it, of course; I didn't expect to; but I 'ad a little + conversation with the landlord from 'is bedroom-winder that did me more + good than the brandy would ha' done. Once or twice I thought he would + 'ave fallen out, and many a man has 'ad his licence taken away for less + than a quarter of wot 'e said to me that night. Arter he thought he 'ad + finished and was going back to bed agin, I pointed' out to 'im that he + 'adn't kissed me "good night," and if it 'adn't ha' been for 'is missis + and two grown-up daughters and the potman I believe he'd ha' talked to me + till daylight. +</p> +<p> + 'Ow I got through the rest of the night I don't know. It seemed to be + twenty nights instead of one, but the day came at last, and when the + hands came on at six o'clock they found the gate open and me on dooty + same as usual. +</p> +<p> + I slept like a tired child when I got 'ome, and arter a steak and onions + for dinner I sat down and lit my pipe and tried to think wot was to be + done. One thing I was quite certain about: I wasn't going to spend + another night on that wharf alone. +</p> +<p> + I went out arter a bit, as far as the Clarendon Arms, for a breath of + fresh air, and I 'ad just finished a pint and was wondering whether I + ought to 'ave another, when Ted Dennis came in, and my mind was made up. + He 'ad been in the Army all 'is life, and, so far, he 'ad never seen + anything that 'ad frightened 'im. I've seen him myself take on men twice + 'is size just for the love of the thing, and, arter knocking them silly, + stand 'em a pint out of 'is own pocket. When I asked 'im whether he was + afraid of ghosts he laughed so 'ard that the landlord came from the other + end of the bar to see wot was the matter. +</p> +<p> + I stood Ted a pint, and arter he 'ad finished it I told 'im just how + things was. I didn't say anything about the watch and chain, because + there was no need to, and when we came outside agin I 'ad engaged an + assistant-watchman for ninepence a night. +</p> +<p> + "All you've got to do," I ses, "is to keep me company. You needn't turn + up till eight o'clock of a night, and you can leave 'arf an hour afore me + in the morning." +</p> +<p> + "Right-o!" ses Ted. "And if I see the ghost I'll make it wish it 'ad + never been born." +</p> +<p> + It was a load off my mind, and I went 'ome and ate a tea that made my + missis talk about the work-'ouse, and orstritches in 'uman shape wot would + eat a woman out of 'ouse and 'ome if she would let 'em. +</p> +<p> + I got to the wharf just as it was striking six, and at a quarter to seven + the wicket was pushed open gentle and the ugly 'ead of Mr. Joe Peel was + shoved inside. +</p> +<p> + "Hullo!" I ses. "Wot do you want?" +</p> +<p> + "I want to save your life," he ses, in a solemn voice. "You was within a + inch of death last night, watchman." +</p> +<p> + "Oh!" I ses, careless-like. "'Ow do you know!" +</p> +<p> + "The ghost o' Sam Bullet told me," ses Joe. "Arter it 'ad chased you up + the wharf screaming for 'elp, it came round and told me all about it." +</p> +<p> + "It seems fond of you," I ses. "I wonder why?" +</p> +<p> + "It was in a terrible temper," ses Joe, "and its face was awful to look + at. 'Tell the watchman,' it ses, 'that if he don't give you the watch + and chain I shall appear to 'im agin and kill 'im.'" +</p> +<p> + "All right," I ses, looking behind me to where three of the 'ands of the + Daisy was sitting on the fo'c'sle smoking. "I've got plenty of company + to-night." +</p> +<p> + "Company won't save you," ses Joe. "For the last time, are you going to + give me that watch and chain, or not? Here's your fifteen bob." +</p> +<p> + "No," I ses; "even if I 'ad got it I shouldn't give it to you; and it's + no use giving' it to the ghost, because, being made of air, he 'asn't got + anywhere to put it." +</p> +<p> + "Very good," ses Joe, giving me a black look. "I've done all I can to + save you, but if you won't listen to sense, you won't. You'll see Sam + Bullet agin, and you'll not on'y lose the watch and chain but your life + as well." +</p> +<p> + "All right," I ses, "and thank you kindly, but I've got an assistant, as + it 'appens—a man wot wants to see a ghost." +</p> +<p> + "An' assistant?" ses Joe, staring. +</p> +<p> + "An old soldier," I ses. "A man wot likes trouble and danger. His idea + is to shoot the ghost and see wot 'appens." +</p> +<p> + "Shoot!" ses Joe. "Shoot a pore 'armless ghost. Does he want to be + 'ung? Ain't it enough for a pore man to be drownded, but wot you must + try and shoot 'im arterwards? Why, you ought to be ashamed o' yourself. + Where's your 'art?" +</p> +<p> + "It won't be shot if it don't come on my wharf," I ses. "Though I don't + mind if it does when I've got somebody with me. I ain't afraid of + anything living, and I don't mind ghosts when there's two of us. Besides + which, the noise of the pistol 'll wake up 'arf the river." +</p> +<p> + "You take care you don't get woke up," ses Joe, 'ardly able to speak for + temper. +</p> +<p> + He went off stamping, and grinding 'is teeth, and at eight o'clock to the + minute, Ted Dennis turned up with 'is pistol and helped me take care of + the wharf. Happy as a skylark 'e was, and to see him 'iding behind a + barrel with his pistol ready, waiting for the ghost, a'most made me + forget the expense of it all. +</p> +<p> + It never came near us that night, and Ted was a bit disappointed next + morning as he took 'is ninepence and went off. Next night was the same, + and the next, and then Ted gave up hiding on the wharf for it, and sat + and snoozed in the office instead. +</p> +<p> + A week went by, and then another, and still there was no sign of Sam + Bullet's ghost, or Joe Peel, and every morning I 'ad to try and work up a + smile as I shelled out ninepence for Ted. It nearly ruined me, and, + worse than that, I couldn't explain why I was short to the missis. Fust + of all she asked me wot I was spending it on, then she asked me who I was + spending it on. It nearly broke up my 'ome—she did smash one kitchen- + chair and a vase off the parlour mantelpiece—but I wouldn't tell 'er, + and then, led away by some men on strike at Smith's wharf, Ted went on + strike for a bob a night. +</p> +<p> + That was arter he 'ad been with me for three weeks, and when Saturday + came, of course I was more short than ever, and people came and stood at + their doors all the way down our street to listen to the missis taking my + character away. +</p> +<p> + I stood it as long as I could, and then, when 'er back was turned for + 'arf a moment, I slipped out. While she'd been talking I'd been + thinking, and it came to me clear as daylight that there was no need for + me to sacrifice myself any longer looking arter a dead man's watch and + chain. +</p> +<p> + I didn't know exactly where Joe Peel lived, but I knew the part, and + arter 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. +</p> +<p> + "Morning," I ses. +</p> +<p> + Joe Peel grunted. +</p> +<p> + "'Ave one with me?" I ses. +</p> +<p> + He grunted agin, but not quite so fierce, and I fetched the two pints + from the counter and took a seat alongside of 'im. +</p> +<p> + "I've been looking for you," I ses. +</p> +<p> + "Oh!" he ses, looking me up and down and all over. "Well, you've found + me now." +</p> +<p> + "I want to talk to you about the ghost of pore Sam Bullet," I ses. +</p> +<p> + 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 'ave + it." +</p> +<p> + "I don't want to be funny," I ses. "Wot I want to know is, are you in + the same mind about that watch and chain as you was the other day?" +</p> +<p> + He didn't seem to be able to speak at fust, but arter a time 'e gives a + gasp. "Woes the game?" he ses. +</p> +<p> + "Wot I want to know is, if I give you that watch and chain for fifteen + bob, will that keep the ghost from 'anging round my wharf agin?" I ses. +</p> +<p> + "Why, o' course," he ses, staring; "but you ain't been seeing it agin, + 'ave you?" +</p> +<p> + "I've not, and I don't want to," I ses. "If it wants you to 'ave the + watch and chain, give me the fifteen bob, and it's yours." +</p> +<p> + He looked at me for a moment as if he couldn't believe 'is eyesight, and + then 'e puts his 'and into 'is trowsis-pocket and pulls out one shilling + and fourpence, 'arf a clay-pipe, and a bit o' lead-pencil. +</p> +<p> + "That's all I've got with me," he ses. "I'll owe you the rest. You + ought to ha' took the fifteen bob when I 'ad it." +</p> +<p> + There was no 'elp for it, and arter making 'im swear to give me the rest + o' 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 see + me off, and if ever a man looked puzzled, 'e did. Pleased at the same + time. +</p> +<p> + It was a load off of my mind. My con-science told me I'd done right, and + arter sending a little boy with a note to Ted Dennis to tell 'im not to + come any more, I felt 'appier than I 'ad done for a long time. When I + got to the wharf that evening it seemed like a diff'rent place, and I was + whistling and smiling over my work quite in my old way, when the young + policeman passed. +</p> +<p> + "Hullo !" he ses. "'Ave you seen the ghost agin?" +</p> +<p> + "I 'ave not," I ses, drawing myself up. "'Ave you?" +</p> +<p> + "No," he ses. +</p> +<p> + "We missed it." +</p> +<p> + "Missed it?" I ses, staring at 'im. +</p> +<p> + "Yes," he ses, nodding. "The day arter you came out screaming, and + cuddling me like a frightened baby, it shipped as A.B. on the barque + Ocean King, for Valparaiso. We missed it by a few hours. Next time you + see a ghost, knock it down fust and go and cuddle the police arterwards." +</p> + + + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sam's Ghost, by W.W. Jacobs + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SAM'S GHOST *** + +***** This file should be named 11474-h.htm or 11474-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/4/7/11474/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Sam's Ghost + Deep Waters, Part 4. + +Author: W.W. Jacobs + +Release Date: March 6, 2004 [EBook #11474] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SAM'S GHOST *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + + +DEEP WATERS + +By W.W. JACOBS + + + + +SAM'S GHOST + +Yes, I know, said the night-watchman, thoughtfully, as he sat with a cold +pipe in his mouth gazing across the river. I've 'eard it afore. People +tell me they don't believe in ghosts and make a laugh of 'em, and all I +say is: let them take on a night-watchman's job. Let 'em sit 'ere all +alone of a night with the water lapping against the posts and the wind +moaning in the corners; especially if a pal of theirs has slipped +overboard, and there is little nasty bills stuck up just outside in the +High Street offering a reward for the body. Twice men 'ave fallen +overboard from this jetty, and I've 'ad to stand my watch here the same +night, and not a farthing more for it. + +One of the worst and artfullest ghosts I ever 'ad anything to do with was +Sam Bullet. He was a waterman at the stairs near by 'ere; the sort o' +man that 'ud get you to pay for drinks, and drink yours up by mistake +arter he 'ad finished his own. The sort of man that 'ad always left his +baccy-box at 'ome, but always 'ad a big pipe in 'is pocket. + +He fell overboard off of a lighter one evening, and all that his mates +could save was 'is cap. It was on'y two nights afore that he 'ad knocked +down an old man and bit a policeman's little finger to the bone, so that, +as they pointed out to the widder, p'r'aps he was taken for a wise +purpose. P'r'aps he was 'appier where he was than doing six months. + +"He was the sort o' chap that'll make himself 'appy anywhere," ses one of +'em, comforting-like. + +"Not without me," ses Mrs. Bullet, sobbing, and wiping her eyes on +something she used for a pocket-hankercher. "He never could bear to be +away from me. Was there no last words?" + +"On'y one," ses one o' the chaps, Joe Peel by name. + +"As 'e fell overboard," ses the other. + +Mrs. Bullet began to cry agin, and say wot a good 'usband he 'ad been. +"Seventeen years come Michaelmas," she ses, "and never a cross word. +Nothing was too good for me. Nothing. I 'ad only to ask to 'ave." + +"Well, he's gorn now," ses Joe, "and we thought we ought to come round +and tell you." + +"So as you can tell the police," ses the other chap. + +That was 'ow I came to hear of it fust; a policeman told me that night as +I stood outside the gate 'aving a quiet pipe. He wasn't shedding tears; +his only idea was that Sam 'ad got off too easy. + +"Well, well," I ses, trying to pacify 'im, "he won't bite no more +fingers; there's no policemen where he's gorn to." + +He went off grumbling and telling me to be careful, and I put my pipe out +and walked up and down the wharf thinking. On'y a month afore I 'ad lent +Sam fifteen shillings on a gold watch and chain wot he said an uncle 'ad +left 'im. I wasn't wearing it because 'e said 'is uncle wouldn't like +it, but I 'ad it in my pocket, and I took it out under one of the lamps +and wondered wot I ought to do. + +My fust idea was to take it to Mrs. Bullet, and then, all of a sudden, +the thought struck me: "Suppose he 'adn't come by it honest?" + +I walked up and down agin, thinking. If he 'adn't, and it was found out, +it would blacken his good name and break 'is pore wife's 'art. That's +the way I looked at it, and for his sake and 'er sake I determined to +stick to it. + +I felt 'appier in my mind when I 'ad decided on that, and I went round to +the Bear's Head and 'ad a pint. Arter that I 'ad another, and then I +come back to the wharf and put the watch and chain on and went on with my +work. + +Every time I looked down at the chain on my waistcoat it reminded me of +Sam. I looked on to the river and thought of 'im going down on the ebb. +Then I got a sort o' lonesome feeling standing on the end of the jetty +all alone, and I went back to the Bear's Head and 'ad another pint. + +They didn't find the body, and I was a'most forgetting about Sam when one +evening, as I was sitting on a box waiting to get my breath back to 'ave +another go at sweeping, Joe Peel, Sam's mate, came on to the wharf to see +me. + +He came in a mysterious sort o' way that I didn't like: looking be'ind +'im as though he was afraid of being follered, and speaking in a whisper +as if 'e was afraid of being heard. He wasn't a man I liked, and I was +glad that the watch and chain was stowed safe away in my trowsis-pocket. + +"I've 'ad a shock, watchman," he ses. + +"Oh!" I ses. + +"A shock wot's shook me all up," he ses, working up a shiver. "I've seen +something wot I thought people never could see, and wot I never want to +see agin. I've seen Sam!" + +I thought a bit afore I spoke. "Why, I thought he was drownded," I ses. + +"So 'e is," ses Joe. "When I say I've seen 'im I mean that I 'ave seen +his ghost!" + +He began to shiver agin, all over. + +"Wot was it like?" I ses, very calm. + +"Like Sam," he ses, rather short. + +"When was it?" I ses. + +"Last night at a quarter to twelve," he ses. "It was standing at my +front door waiting for me." + +"And 'ave you been shivering like that ever since?" I ses. + +"Worse than that," ses Joe, looking at me very 'ard. "It's wearing off +now. The ghost gave me a message for you." + +I put my 'and in my trowsis-pocket and looked at 'im. Then I walked very +slow, towards the gate. + +"It gave me a message for you," ses Joe, walking beside me. "'We was +always pals, Joe,'" it ses, "'you and me, and I want you to pay up +fifteen bob for me wot I borrowed off of Bill the watchman. I can't rest +until it's paid,' it ses. So here's the fifteen bob, watchman." + +He put his 'and in 'is pocket and takes out fifteen bob and 'olds it out +to me. + +"No, no," I ses. "I can't take your money, Joe Peel. It wouldn't be +right. Pore Sam is welcome to the fifteen bob--I don't want it." + +"You must take it," ses Joe. "The ghost said if you didn't it would come +to me agin and agin till you did, and I can't stand any more of it." + +"I can't 'elp your troubles," I ses. + +"You must," ses Joe. "'Give Bill the fifteen bob,' it ses, 'and he'll +give you a gold watch and chain wot I gave 'im to mind till it was +paid.'" + +I see his little game then. "Gold watch and chain," I ses, laughing. +"You must ha' misunderstood it, Joe." + +"I understood it right enough," ses Joe, getting a bit closer to me as I +stepped outside the gate. "Here's your fifteen bob; are you going to +give me that watch and chain?" + +"Sartainly not," I ses. "I don't know wot you mean by a watch and chain. +If I 'ad it and I gave it to anybody, I should give it to Sam's widder, +not to you." + +"It's nothing to do with 'er," ses Joe, very quick. "Sam was most +pertikler about that." + +"I expect you dreamt it all," I ses. "Where would pore Sam get a gold +watch and chain from? And why should 'e go to you about it? Why didn't +'e come to me? If 'e thinks I 'ave got it let 'im come to me." + +"All right, I'll go to the police-station," ses Joe. + +"I'll come with you," I ses. "But 'ere's a policeman coming along. +Let's go to 'im." + +I moved towards 'im, but Joe hung back, and, arter using one or two words +that would ha' made any ghost ashamed to know 'im, he sheered off. I 'ad +a word or two with the policeman about the weather, and then I went +inside and locked the gate. + +My idea was that Sam 'ad told Joe about the watch and chain afore he fell +overboard. Joe was a nasty customer, and I could see that I should 'ave +to be a bit careful. Some men might ha' told the police about it--but I +never cared much for them. They're like kids in a way, always asking +questions--most of which you can't answer. + +It was a little bit creepy all alone on the wharf that night. I don't +deny it. Twice I thought I 'eard something coming up on tip-toe behind +me. The second time I was so nervous that I began to sing to keep my +spirits up, and I went on singing till three of the hands of the Susan +Emily, wot was lying alongside, came up from the fo'c'sle and offered to +fight me. I was thankful when daylight came. + +Five nights arterwards I 'ad the shock of my life. It was the fust night +for some time that there was no craft up. A dark night, and a nasty +moaning sort of a wind. I 'ad just lighted the lamp at the corner of the +warehouse, wot 'ad blown out, and was sitting down to rest afore putting +the ladder away, when I 'appened to look along the jetty and saw a head +coming up over the edge of it. In the light of the lamp I saw the dead +white face of Sam Bullet's ghost making faces at me. + +[Illustration: IN THE LIGHT OF THE LAMP I SAW THE DEAD WHITE FACE] + +I just caught my breath, sharp like, and then turned and ran for the +gate like a race-horse. I 'ad left the key in the padlock, in case of +anything happening, and I just gave it one turn, flung the wicket open +and slammed it in the ghost's face, and tumbled out into the road. + +I ran slap into the arms of a young policeman wot was passing. Nasty, +short-tempered chap he was, but I don't think I was more glad to see +anybody in my life. I hugged 'im till 'e nearly lost 'is breath, and +then he sat me down on the kerb-stone and asked me wot I meant by it. + +Wot with the excitement and the running I couldn't speak at fust, and +when I did he said I was trying to deceive 'im. + +"There ain't no such thing as ghosts," he ses; "you've been drinking." + +"It came up out o' the river and run arter me like the wind," I ses. + +"Why didn't it catch you, then?" he ses, looking me up and down and all +round about. "Talk sense." + +He went up to the gate and peeped in, and, arter watching a moment, +stepped inside and walked down the wharf, with me follering. It was my +dooty; besides, I didn't like being left all alone by myself. + +Twice we walked up and down and all over the wharf. He flashed his +lantern into all the dark corners, into empty barrels and boxes, and then +he turned and flashed it right into my face and shook his 'ead at me. + +"You've been having a bit of a lark with me," he ses, "and for two pins +I'd take you. Mind, if you say a word about this to anybody, I will." + +He stalked off with his 'ead in the air, and left me all alone in charge +of a wharf with a ghost on it. I stayed outside in the street, of +course, but every now and then I fancied I heard something moving about +the other side of the gate, and once it was so distinct that I run along +to the Bear's Head and knocked 'em up and asked them for a little brandy, +for illness. + +I didn't get it, of course; I didn't expect to; but I 'ad a little +conversation with the landlord from 'is bedroom-winder that did me more +good than the brandy would ha' done. Once or twice I thought he would +'ave fallen out, and many a man has 'ad his licence taken away for less +than a quarter of wot 'e said to me that night. Arter he thought he 'ad +finished and was going back to bed agin, I pointed' out to 'im that he +'adn't kissed me "good night," and if it 'adn't ha' been for 'is missis +and two grown-up daughters and the potman I believe he'd ha' talked to me +till daylight. + +'Ow I got through the rest of the night I don't know. It seemed to be +twenty nights instead of one, but the day came at last, and when the +hands came on at six o'clock they found the gate open and me on dooty +same as usual. + +I slept like a tired child when I got 'ome, and arter a steak and onions +for dinner I sat down and lit my pipe and tried to think wot was to be +done. One thing I was quite certain about: I wasn't going to spend +another night on that wharf alone. + +I went out arter a bit, as far as the Clarendon Arms, for a breath of +fresh air, and I 'ad just finished a pint and was wondering whether I +ought to 'ave another, when Ted Dennis came in, and my mind was made up. +He 'ad been in the Army all 'is life, and, so far, he 'ad never seen +anything that 'ad frightened 'im. I've seen him myself take on men twice +'is size just for the love of the thing, and, arter knocking them silly, +stand 'em a pint out of 'is own pocket. When I asked 'im whether he was +afraid of ghosts he laughed so 'ard that the landlord came from the other +end of the bar to see wot was the matter. + +I stood Ted a pint, and arter he 'ad finished it I told 'im just how +things was. I didn't say anything about the watch and chain, because +there was no need to, and when we came outside agin I 'ad engaged an +assistant-watchman for ninepence a night. + +"All you've got to do," I ses, "is to keep me company. You needn't turn +up till eight o'clock of a night, and you can leave 'arf an hour afore me +in the morning." + +"Right-o!" ses Ted. "And if I see the ghost I'll make it wish it 'ad +never been born." + +It was a load off my mind, and I went 'ome and ate a tea that made my +missis talk about the work-'ouse, and orstritches in 'uman shape wot would +eat a woman out of 'ouse and 'ome if she would let 'em. + +I got to the wharf just as it was striking six, and at a quarter to seven +the wicket was pushed open gentle and the ugly 'ead of Mr. Joe Peel was +shoved inside. + +"Hullo!" I ses. "Wot do you want?" + +"I want to save your life," he ses, in a solemn voice. "You was within a +inch of death last night, watchman." + +"Oh!" I ses, careless-like. "'Ow do you know!" + +"The ghost o' Sam Bullet told me," ses Joe. "Arter it 'ad chased you up +the wharf screaming for 'elp, it came round and told me all about it." + +"It seems fond of you," I ses. "I wonder why?" + +"It was in a terrible temper," ses Joe, "and its face was awful to look +at. 'Tell the watchman,' it ses, 'that if he don't give you the watch +and chain I shall appear to 'im agin and kill 'im.'" + +"All right," I ses, looking behind me to where three of the 'ands of the +Daisy was sitting on the fo'c'sle smoking. "I've got plenty of company +to-night." + +"Company won't save you," ses Joe. "For the last time, are you going to +give me that watch and chain, or not? Here's your fifteen bob." + +"No," I ses; "even if I 'ad got it I shouldn't give it to you; and it's +no use giving' it to the ghost, because, being made of air, he 'asn't got +anywhere to put it." + +"Very good," ses Joe, giving me a black look. "I've done all I can to +save you, but if you won't listen to sense, you won't. You'll see Sam +Bullet agin, and you'll not on'y lose the watch and chain but your life +as well." + +"All right," I ses, "and thank you kindly, but I've got an assistant, as +it 'appens--a man wot wants to see a ghost." + +"An' assistant?" ses Joe, staring. + +"An old soldier," I ses. "A man wot likes trouble and danger. His idea +is to shoot the ghost and see wot 'appens." + +"Shoot!" ses Joe. "Shoot a pore 'armless ghost. Does he want to be +'ung? Ain't it enough for a pore man to be drownded, but wot you must +try and shoot 'im arterwards? Why, you ought to be ashamed o' yourself. +Where's your 'art?" + +"It won't be shot if it don't come on my wharf," I ses. "Though I don't +mind if it does when I've got somebody with me. I ain't afraid of +anything living, and I don't mind ghosts when there's two of us. Besides +which, the noise of the pistol 'll wake up 'arf the river." + +"You take care you don't get woke up," ses Joe, 'ardly able to speak for +temper. + +He went off stamping, and grinding 'is teeth, and at eight o'clock to the +minute, Ted Dennis turned up with 'is pistol and helped me take care of +the wharf. Happy as a skylark 'e was, and to see him 'iding behind a +barrel with his pistol ready, waiting for the ghost, a'most made me +forget the expense of it all. + +It never came near us that night, and Ted was a bit disappointed next +morning as he took 'is ninepence and went off. Next night was the same, +and the next, and then Ted gave up hiding on the wharf for it, and sat +and snoozed in the office instead. + +A week went by, and then another, and still there was no sign of Sam +Bullet's ghost, or Joe Peel, and every morning I 'ad to try and work up a +smile as I shelled out ninepence for Ted. It nearly ruined me, and, +worse than that, I couldn't explain why I was short to the missis. Fust +of all she asked me wot I was spending it on, then she asked me who I was +spending it on. It nearly broke up my 'ome--she did smash one kitchen- +chair and a vase off the parlour mantelpiece--but I wouldn't tell 'er, +and then, led away by some men on strike at Smith's wharf, Ted went on +strike for a bob a night. + +That was arter he 'ad been with me for three weeks, and when Saturday +came, of course I was more short than ever, and people came and stood at +their doors all the way down our street to listen to the missis taking my +character away. + +I stood it as long as I could, and then, when 'er back was turned for +'arf a moment, I slipped out. While she'd been talking I'd been +thinking, and it came to me clear as daylight that there was no need for +me to sacrifice myself any longer looking arter a dead man's watch and +chain. + +I didn't know exactly where Joe Peel lived, but I knew the part, and +arter 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 pints +from 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 found +me 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 'ave +it." + +"I don't want to be funny," I ses. "Wot I want to know is, are you in +the 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 a +gasp. "Woes the game?" he ses. + +"Wot I want to know is, if I give you that watch and chain for fifteen +bob, 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 the +watch 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, and +then 'e puts his 'and into 'is trowsis-pocket and pulls out one shilling +and 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. You +ought 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 rest +o' 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 see +me off, and if ever a man looked puzzled, 'e did. Pleased at the same +time. + +It was a load off of my mind. My con-science told me I'd done right, and +arter sending a little boy with a note to Ted Dennis to tell 'im not to +come any more, I felt 'appier than I 'ad done for a long time. When I +got to the wharf that evening it seemed like a diff'rent place, and I was +whistling and smiling over my work quite in my old way, when the young +policeman 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, and +cuddling me like a frightened baby, it shipped as A.B. on the barque +Ocean King, for Valparaiso. We missed it by a few hours. Next time you +see a ghost, knock it down fust and go and cuddle the police arterwards." + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sam's Ghost, by W.W. Jacobs + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SAM'S GHOST *** + +***** This file should be named 11474.txt or 11474.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/4/7/11474/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Jacobs. +</title> +<style type="text/css"> + <!-- + body {background:#faebd7} + * { font-family: Times; + } + P { text-indent: 1em; + margin: 15%; + margin-top: .75em; + font-size: 14pt; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; color:#A82C28} + HR { width: 33%; } + PRE { font-family: Courier, monospaced;} + .toc { margin-left: 15%; font-size: 14pt; margin-bottom: 0em;} + CENTER { padding: 10px;} + // --> +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Sam's Ghost, by W.W. Jacobs + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Sam's Ghost + Deep Waters, Part 4. + +Author: W.W. Jacobs + +Release Date: March 6, 2004 [EBook #11474] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SAM'S GHOST *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="cover (95K)" src="cover.jpg" height="787" width="632" /> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<h1> + DEEP WATERS +</h1> +<center><h2> + By W.W. JACOBS +</h2></center> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center> +<img alt="title (39K)" src="title.jpg" height="617" width="488" /> +</center> +<br><br> + + +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="001 (37K)" src="001.jpg" height="670" width="480" /> +</center> +<br><br> + +<br><br><hr><br><br> + + + + + + +<a name="2H_4_3"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h1> + SAM'S GHOST +</h1> +<br /><br /> +<p> + Yes, I know, said the night-watchman, thoughtfully, as he sat with a cold + pipe in his mouth gazing across the river. I've 'eard it afore. People + tell me they don't believe in ghosts and make a laugh of 'em, and all I + say is: let them take on a night-watchman's job. Let 'em sit 'ere all + alone of a night with the water lapping against the posts and the wind + moaning in the corners; especially if a pal of theirs has slipped + overboard, and there is little nasty bills stuck up just outside in the + High Street offering a reward for the body. Twice men 'ave fallen + overboard from this jetty, and I've 'ad to stand my watch here the same + night, and not a farthing more for it. +</p> +<p> + One of the worst and artfullest ghosts I ever 'ad anything to do with was + Sam Bullet. He was a waterman at the stairs near by 'ere; the sort o' + man that 'ud get you to pay for drinks, and drink yours up by mistake + arter he 'ad finished his own. The sort of man that 'ad always left his + baccy-box at 'ome, but always 'ad a big pipe in 'is pocket. +</p> +<p> + He fell overboard off of a lighter one evening, and all that his mates + could save was 'is cap. It was on'y two nights afore that he 'ad knocked + down an old man and bit a policeman's little finger to the bone, so that, + as they pointed out to the widder, p'r'aps he was taken for a wise + purpose. P'r'aps he was 'appier where he was than doing six months. +</p> +<p> + "He was the sort o' chap that'll make himself 'appy anywhere," ses one of + 'em, comforting-like. +</p> +<p> + "Not without me," ses Mrs. Bullet, sobbing, and wiping her eyes on + something she used for a pocket-hankercher. "He never could bear to be + away from me. Was there no last words?" +</p> +<p> + "On'y one," ses one o' the chaps, Joe Peel by name. +</p> +<p> + "As 'e fell overboard," ses the other. +</p> +<p> + Mrs. Bullet began to cry agin, and say wot a good 'usband he 'ad been. + "Seventeen years come Michaelmas," she ses, "and never a cross word. + Nothing was too good for me. Nothing. I 'ad only to ask to 'ave." +</p> +<p> + "Well, he's gorn now," ses Joe, "and we thought we ought to come round + and tell you." +</p> +<p> + "So as you can tell the police," ses the other chap. +</p> +<p> + That was 'ow I came to hear of it fust; a policeman told me that night as + I stood outside the gate 'aving a quiet pipe. He wasn't shedding tears; + his only idea was that Sam 'ad got off too easy. +</p> +<p> + "Well, well," I ses, trying to pacify 'im, "he won't bite no more + fingers; there's no policemen where he's gorn to." +</p> +<p> + He went off grumbling and telling me to be careful, and I put my pipe out + and walked up and down the wharf thinking. On'y a month afore I 'ad lent + Sam fifteen shillings on a gold watch and chain wot he said an uncle 'ad + left 'im. I wasn't wearing it because 'e said 'is uncle wouldn't like + it, but I 'ad it in my pocket, and I took it out under one of the lamps + and wondered wot I ought to do. +</p> +<p> + My fust idea was to take it to Mrs. Bullet, and then, all of a sudden, + the thought struck me: "Suppose he 'adn't come by it honest?" +</p> +<p> + I walked up and down agin, thinking. If he 'adn't, and it was found out, + it would blacken his good name and break 'is pore wife's 'art. That's + the way I looked at it, and for his sake and 'er sake I determined to + stick to it. +</p> +<p> + I felt 'appier in my mind when I 'ad decided on that, and I went round to + the Bear's Head and 'ad a pint. Arter that I 'ad another, and then I + come back to the wharf and put the watch and chain on and went on with my + work. +</p> +<p> + Every time I looked down at the chain on my waistcoat it reminded me of + Sam. I looked on to the river and thought of 'im going down on the ebb. + Then I got a sort o' lonesome feeling standing on the end of the jetty + all alone, and I went back to the Bear's Head and 'ad another pint. +</p> +<p> + They didn't find the body, and I was a'most forgetting about Sam when one + evening, as I was sitting on a box waiting to get my breath back to 'ave + another go at sweeping, Joe Peel, Sam's mate, came on to the wharf to see + me. +</p> +<p> + He came in a mysterious sort o' way that I didn't like: looking be'ind + 'im as though he was afraid of being follered, and speaking in a whisper + as if 'e was afraid of being heard. He wasn't a man I liked, and I was + glad that the watch and chain was stowed safe away in my trowsis-pocket. +</p> +<p> + "I've 'ad a shock, watchman," he ses. +</p> +<p> + "Oh!" I ses. +</p> +<p> + "A shock wot's shook me all up," he ses, working up a shiver. "I've seen + something wot I thought people never could see, and wot I never want to + see agin. I've seen Sam!" +</p> +<p> + I thought a bit afore I spoke. "Why, I thought he was drownded," I ses. +</p> +<p> + "So 'e is," ses Joe. "When I say I've seen 'im I mean that I 'ave seen + his ghost!" +</p> +<p> + He began to shiver agin, all over. +</p> +<p> + "Wot was it like?" I ses, very calm. +</p> +<p> + "Like Sam," he ses, rather short. +</p> +<p> + "When was it?" I ses. +</p> +<p> + "Last night at a quarter to twelve," he ses. "It was standing at my + front door waiting for me." +</p> +<p> + "And 'ave you been shivering like that ever since?" I ses. +</p> +<p> + "Worse than that," ses Joe, looking at me very 'ard. "It's wearing off + now. The ghost gave me a message for you." +</p> +<p> + I put my 'and in my trowsis-pocket and looked at 'im. Then I walked very + slow, towards the gate. +</p> +<p> + "It gave me a message for you," ses Joe, walking beside me. "'We was + always pals, Joe,'" it ses, "'you and me, and I want you to pay up + fifteen bob for me wot I borrowed off of Bill the watchman. I can't rest + until it's paid,' it ses. So here's the fifteen bob, watchman." +</p> +<p> + He put his 'and in 'is pocket and takes out fifteen bob and 'olds it out + to me. +</p> +<p> + "No, no," I ses. "I can't take your money, Joe Peel. It wouldn't be + right. Pore Sam is welcome to the fifteen bob—I don't want it." +</p> +<p> + "You must take it," ses Joe. "The ghost said if you didn't it would come + to me agin and agin till you did, and I can't stand any more of it." +</p> +<p> + "I can't 'elp your troubles," I ses. +</p> +<p> + "You must," ses Joe. "'Give Bill the fifteen bob,' it ses, 'and he'll + give you a gold watch and chain wot I gave 'im to mind till it was + paid.'" +</p> +<p> + I see his little game then. "Gold watch and chain," I ses, laughing. + "You must ha' misunderstood it, Joe." +</p> +<p> + "I understood it right enough," ses Joe, getting a bit closer to me as I + stepped outside the gate. "Here's your fifteen bob; are you going to + give me that watch and chain?" +</p> +<p> + "Sartainly not," I ses. "I don't know wot you mean by a watch and chain. + If I 'ad it and I gave it to anybody, I should give it to Sam's widder, + not to you." +</p> +<p> + "It's nothing to do with 'er," ses Joe, very quick. "Sam was most + pertikler about that." +</p> +<p> + "I expect you dreamt it all," I ses. "Where would pore Sam get a gold + watch and chain from? And why should 'e go to you about it? Why didn't + 'e come to me? If 'e thinks I 'ave got it let 'im come to me." +</p> +<p> + "All right, I'll go to the police-station," ses Joe. +</p> +<p> + "I'll come with you," I ses. "But 'ere's a policeman coming along. + Let's go to 'im." +</p> +<p> + I moved towards 'im, but Joe hung back, and, arter using one or two words + that would ha' made any ghost ashamed to know 'im, he sheered off. I 'ad + a word or two with the policeman about the weather, and then I went + inside and locked the gate. +</p> +<p> + My idea was that Sam 'ad told Joe about the watch and chain afore he fell + overboard. Joe was a nasty customer, and I could see that I should 'ave + to be a bit careful. Some men might ha' told the police about it—but I + never cared much for them. They're like kids in a way, always asking + questions—most of which you can't answer. +</p> +<p> + It was a little bit creepy all alone on the wharf that night. I don't + deny it. Twice I thought I 'eard something coming up on tip-toe behind + me. The second time I was so nervous that I began to sing to keep my + spirits up, and I went on singing till three of the hands of the Susan + Emily, wot was lying alongside, came up from the fo'c'sle and offered to + fight me. I was thankful when daylight came. +</p> +<p> + Five nights arterwards I 'ad the shock of my life. It was the fust night + for some time that there was no craft up. A dark night, and a nasty + moaning sort of a wind. I 'ad just lighted the lamp at the corner of the + warehouse, wot 'ad blown out, and was sitting down to rest afore putting + the ladder away, when I 'appened to look along the jetty and saw a head + coming up over the edge of it. In the light of the lamp I saw the dead + white face of Sam Bullet's ghost making faces at me. +</p> +<a name="image-1"><!--IMG--></a> +<center> +<img src="001.jpg" height="670" width="480" +alt="In the Light of The Lamp I Saw The Dead White Face +"> +</center> +<!--IMAGE END--> +<p> + I just caught my breath, sharp like, and then turned and ran for the + gate like a race-horse. I 'ad left the key in the padlock, in case of + anything happening, and I just gave it one turn, flung the wicket open + and slammed it in the ghost's face, and tumbled out into the road. +</p> +<p> + I ran slap into the arms of a young policeman wot was passing. Nasty, + short-tempered chap he was, but I don't think I was more glad to see + anybody in my life. I hugged 'im till 'e nearly lost 'is breath, and + then he sat me down on the kerb-stone and asked me wot I meant by it. +</p> +<p> + Wot with the excitement and the running I couldn't speak at fust, and + when I did he said I was trying to deceive 'im. +</p> +<p> + "There ain't no such thing as ghosts," he ses; "you've been drinking." +</p> +<p> + "It came up out o' the river and run arter me like the wind," I ses. +</p> +<p> + "Why didn't it catch you, then?" he ses, looking me up and down and all + round about. "Talk sense." +</p> +<p> + He went up to the gate and peeped in, and, arter watching a moment, + stepped inside and walked down the wharf, with me follering. It was my + dooty; besides, I didn't like being left all alone by myself. +</p> +<p> + Twice we walked up and down and all over the wharf. He flashed his + lantern into all the dark corners, into empty barrels and boxes, and then + he turned and flashed it right into my face and shook his 'ead at me. +</p> +<p> + "You've been having a bit of a lark with me," he ses, "and for two pins + I'd take you. Mind, if you say a word about this to anybody, I will." +</p> +<p> + He stalked off with his 'ead in the air, and left me all alone in charge + of a wharf with a ghost on it. I stayed outside in the street, of + course, but every now and then I fancied I heard something moving about + the other side of the gate, and once it was so distinct that I run along + to the Bear's Head and knocked 'em up and asked them for a little brandy, + for illness. +</p> +<p> + I didn't get it, of course; I didn't expect to; but I 'ad a little + conversation with the landlord from 'is bedroom-winder that did me more + good than the brandy would ha' done. Once or twice I thought he would + 'ave fallen out, and many a man has 'ad his licence taken away for less + than a quarter of wot 'e said to me that night. Arter he thought he 'ad + finished and was going back to bed agin, I pointed' out to 'im that he + 'adn't kissed me "good night," and if it 'adn't ha' been for 'is missis + and two grown-up daughters and the potman I believe he'd ha' talked to me + till daylight. +</p> +<p> + 'Ow I got through the rest of the night I don't know. It seemed to be + twenty nights instead of one, but the day came at last, and when the + hands came on at six o'clock they found the gate open and me on dooty + same as usual. +</p> +<p> + I slept like a tired child when I got 'ome, and arter a steak and onions + for dinner I sat down and lit my pipe and tried to think wot was to be + done. One thing I was quite certain about: I wasn't going to spend + another night on that wharf alone. +</p> +<p> + I went out arter a bit, as far as the Clarendon Arms, for a breath of + fresh air, and I 'ad just finished a pint and was wondering whether I + ought to 'ave another, when Ted Dennis came in, and my mind was made up. + He 'ad been in the Army all 'is life, and, so far, he 'ad never seen + anything that 'ad frightened 'im. I've seen him myself take on men twice + 'is size just for the love of the thing, and, arter knocking them silly, + stand 'em a pint out of 'is own pocket. When I asked 'im whether he was + afraid of ghosts he laughed so 'ard that the landlord came from the other + end of the bar to see wot was the matter. +</p> +<p> + I stood Ted a pint, and arter he 'ad finished it I told 'im just how + things was. I didn't say anything about the watch and chain, because + there was no need to, and when we came outside agin I 'ad engaged an + assistant-watchman for ninepence a night. +</p> +<p> + "All you've got to do," I ses, "is to keep me company. You needn't turn + up till eight o'clock of a night, and you can leave 'arf an hour afore me + in the morning." +</p> +<p> + "Right-o!" ses Ted. "And if I see the ghost I'll make it wish it 'ad + never been born." +</p> +<p> + It was a load off my mind, and I went 'ome and ate a tea that made my + missis talk about the work-'ouse, and orstritches in 'uman shape wot would + eat a woman out of 'ouse and 'ome if she would let 'em. +</p> +<p> + I got to the wharf just as it was striking six, and at a quarter to seven + the wicket was pushed open gentle and the ugly 'ead of Mr. Joe Peel was + shoved inside. +</p> +<p> + "Hullo!" I ses. "Wot do you want?" +</p> +<p> + "I want to save your life," he ses, in a solemn voice. "You was within a + inch of death last night, watchman." +</p> +<p> + "Oh!" I ses, careless-like. "'Ow do you know!" +</p> +<p> + "The ghost o' Sam Bullet told me," ses Joe. "Arter it 'ad chased you up + the wharf screaming for 'elp, it came round and told me all about it." +</p> +<p> + "It seems fond of you," I ses. "I wonder why?" +</p> +<p> + "It was in a terrible temper," ses Joe, "and its face was awful to look + at. 'Tell the watchman,' it ses, 'that if he don't give you the watch + and chain I shall appear to 'im agin and kill 'im.'" +</p> +<p> + "All right," I ses, looking behind me to where three of the 'ands of the + Daisy was sitting on the fo'c'sle smoking. "I've got plenty of company + to-night." +</p> +<p> + "Company won't save you," ses Joe. "For the last time, are you going to + give me that watch and chain, or not? Here's your fifteen bob." +</p> +<p> + "No," I ses; "even if I 'ad got it I shouldn't give it to you; and it's + no use giving' it to the ghost, because, being made of air, he 'asn't got + anywhere to put it." +</p> +<p> + "Very good," ses Joe, giving me a black look. "I've done all I can to + save you, but if you won't listen to sense, you won't. You'll see Sam + Bullet agin, and you'll not on'y lose the watch and chain but your life + as well." +</p> +<p> + "All right," I ses, "and thank you kindly, but I've got an assistant, as + it 'appens—a man wot wants to see a ghost." +</p> +<p> + "An' assistant?" ses Joe, staring. +</p> +<p> + "An old soldier," I ses. "A man wot likes trouble and danger. His idea + is to shoot the ghost and see wot 'appens." +</p> +<p> + "Shoot!" ses Joe. "Shoot a pore 'armless ghost. Does he want to be + 'ung? Ain't it enough for a pore man to be drownded, but wot you must + try and shoot 'im arterwards? Why, you ought to be ashamed o' yourself. + Where's your 'art?" +</p> +<p> + "It won't be shot if it don't come on my wharf," I ses. "Though I don't + mind if it does when I've got somebody with me. I ain't afraid of + anything living, and I don't mind ghosts when there's two of us. Besides + which, the noise of the pistol 'll wake up 'arf the river." +</p> +<p> + "You take care you don't get woke up," ses Joe, 'ardly able to speak for + temper. +</p> +<p> + He went off stamping, and grinding 'is teeth, and at eight o'clock to the + minute, Ted Dennis turned up with 'is pistol and helped me take care of + the wharf. Happy as a skylark 'e was, and to see him 'iding behind a + barrel with his pistol ready, waiting for the ghost, a'most made me + forget the expense of it all. +</p> +<p> + It never came near us that night, and Ted was a bit disappointed next + morning as he took 'is ninepence and went off. Next night was the same, + and the next, and then Ted gave up hiding on the wharf for it, and sat + and snoozed in the office instead. +</p> +<p> + A week went by, and then another, and still there was no sign of Sam + Bullet's ghost, or Joe Peel, and every morning I 'ad to try and work up a + smile as I shelled out ninepence for Ted. It nearly ruined me, and, + worse than that, I couldn't explain why I was short to the missis. Fust + of all she asked me wot I was spending it on, then she asked me who I was + spending it on. It nearly broke up my 'ome—she did smash one kitchen- + chair and a vase off the parlour mantelpiece—but I wouldn't tell 'er, + and then, led away by some men on strike at Smith's wharf, Ted went on + strike for a bob a night. +</p> +<p> + That was arter he 'ad been with me for three weeks, and when Saturday + came, of course I was more short than ever, and people came and stood at + their doors all the way down our street to listen to the missis taking my + character away. +</p> +<p> + I stood it as long as I could, and then, when 'er back was turned for + 'arf a moment, I slipped out. While she'd been talking I'd been + thinking, and it came to me clear as daylight that there was no need for + me to sacrifice myself any longer looking arter a dead man's watch and + chain. +</p> +<p> + I didn't know exactly where Joe Peel lived, but I knew the part, and + arter 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. +</p> +<p> + "Morning," I ses. +</p> +<p> + Joe Peel grunted. +</p> +<p> + "'Ave one with me?" I ses. +</p> +<p> + He grunted agin, but not quite so fierce, and I fetched the two pints + from the counter and took a seat alongside of 'im. +</p> +<p> + "I've been looking for you," I ses. +</p> +<p> + "Oh!" he ses, looking me up and down and all over. "Well, you've found + me now." +</p> +<p> + "I want to talk to you about the ghost of pore Sam Bullet," I ses. +</p> +<p> + 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 'ave + it." +</p> +<p> + "I don't want to be funny," I ses. "Wot I want to know is, are you in + the same mind about that watch and chain as you was the other day?" +</p> +<p> + He didn't seem to be able to speak at fust, but arter a time 'e gives a + gasp. "Woes the game?" he ses. +</p> +<p> + "Wot I want to know is, if I give you that watch and chain for fifteen + bob, will that keep the ghost from 'anging round my wharf agin?" I ses. +</p> +<p> + "Why, o' course," he ses, staring; "but you ain't been seeing it agin, + 'ave you?" +</p> +<p> + "I've not, and I don't want to," I ses. "If it wants you to 'ave the + watch and chain, give me the fifteen bob, and it's yours." +</p> +<p> + He looked at me for a moment as if he couldn't believe 'is eyesight, and + then 'e puts his 'and into 'is trowsis-pocket and pulls out one shilling + and fourpence, 'arf a clay-pipe, and a bit o' lead-pencil. +</p> +<p> + "That's all I've got with me," he ses. "I'll owe you the rest. You + ought to ha' took the fifteen bob when I 'ad it." +</p> +<p> + There was no 'elp for it, and arter making 'im swear to give me the rest + o' 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 see + me off, and if ever a man looked puzzled, 'e did. Pleased at the same + time. +</p> +<p> + It was a load off of my mind. My con-science told me I'd done right, and + arter sending a little boy with a note to Ted Dennis to tell 'im not to + come any more, I felt 'appier than I 'ad done for a long time. When I + got to the wharf that evening it seemed like a diff'rent place, and I was + whistling and smiling over my work quite in my old way, when the young + policeman passed. +</p> +<p> + "Hullo !" he ses. "'Ave you seen the ghost agin?" +</p> +<p> + "I 'ave not," I ses, drawing myself up. "'Ave you?" +</p> +<p> + "No," he ses. +</p> +<p> + "We missed it." +</p> +<p> + "Missed it?" I ses, staring at 'im. +</p> +<p> + "Yes," he ses, nodding. "The day arter you came out screaming, and + cuddling me like a frightened baby, it shipped as A.B. on the barque + Ocean King, for Valparaiso. We missed it by a few hours. Next time you + see a ghost, knock it down fust and go and cuddle the police arterwards." +</p> + + + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sam's Ghost, by W.W. Jacobs + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SAM'S GHOST *** + +***** This file should be named 11474-h.htm or 11474-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/4/7/11474/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Sam's Ghost + Deep Waters, Part 4. + +Author: W.W. Jacobs + +Release Date: March 6, 2004 [EBook #11474] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SAM'S GHOST *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + + +DEEP WATERS + +By W.W. JACOBS + + + + +SAM'S GHOST + +Yes, I know, said the night-watchman, thoughtfully, as he sat with a cold +pipe in his mouth gazing across the river. I've 'eard it afore. People +tell me they don't believe in ghosts and make a laugh of 'em, and all I +say is: let them take on a night-watchman's job. Let 'em sit 'ere all +alone of a night with the water lapping against the posts and the wind +moaning in the corners; especially if a pal of theirs has slipped +overboard, and there is little nasty bills stuck up just outside in the +High Street offering a reward for the body. Twice men 'ave fallen +overboard from this jetty, and I've 'ad to stand my watch here the same +night, and not a farthing more for it. + +One of the worst and artfullest ghosts I ever 'ad anything to do with was +Sam Bullet. He was a waterman at the stairs near by 'ere; the sort o' +man that 'ud get you to pay for drinks, and drink yours up by mistake +arter he 'ad finished his own. The sort of man that 'ad always left his +baccy-box at 'ome, but always 'ad a big pipe in 'is pocket. + +He fell overboard off of a lighter one evening, and all that his mates +could save was 'is cap. It was on'y two nights afore that he 'ad knocked +down an old man and bit a policeman's little finger to the bone, so that, +as they pointed out to the widder, p'r'aps he was taken for a wise +purpose. P'r'aps he was 'appier where he was than doing six months. + +"He was the sort o' chap that'll make himself 'appy anywhere," ses one of +'em, comforting-like. + +"Not without me," ses Mrs. Bullet, sobbing, and wiping her eyes on +something she used for a pocket-hankercher. "He never could bear to be +away from me. Was there no last words?" + +"On'y one," ses one o' the chaps, Joe Peel by name. + +"As 'e fell overboard," ses the other. + +Mrs. Bullet began to cry agin, and say wot a good 'usband he 'ad been. +"Seventeen years come Michaelmas," she ses, "and never a cross word. +Nothing was too good for me. Nothing. I 'ad only to ask to 'ave." + +"Well, he's gorn now," ses Joe, "and we thought we ought to come round +and tell you." + +"So as you can tell the police," ses the other chap. + +That was 'ow I came to hear of it fust; a policeman told me that night as +I stood outside the gate 'aving a quiet pipe. He wasn't shedding tears; +his only idea was that Sam 'ad got off too easy. + +"Well, well," I ses, trying to pacify 'im, "he won't bite no more +fingers; there's no policemen where he's gorn to." + +He went off grumbling and telling me to be careful, and I put my pipe out +and walked up and down the wharf thinking. On'y a month afore I 'ad lent +Sam fifteen shillings on a gold watch and chain wot he said an uncle 'ad +left 'im. I wasn't wearing it because 'e said 'is uncle wouldn't like +it, but I 'ad it in my pocket, and I took it out under one of the lamps +and wondered wot I ought to do. + +My fust idea was to take it to Mrs. Bullet, and then, all of a sudden, +the thought struck me: "Suppose he 'adn't come by it honest?" + +I walked up and down agin, thinking. If he 'adn't, and it was found out, +it would blacken his good name and break 'is pore wife's 'art. That's +the way I looked at it, and for his sake and 'er sake I determined to +stick to it. + +I felt 'appier in my mind when I 'ad decided on that, and I went round to +the Bear's Head and 'ad a pint. Arter that I 'ad another, and then I +come back to the wharf and put the watch and chain on and went on with my +work. + +Every time I looked down at the chain on my waistcoat it reminded me of +Sam. I looked on to the river and thought of 'im going down on the ebb. +Then I got a sort o' lonesome feeling standing on the end of the jetty +all alone, and I went back to the Bear's Head and 'ad another pint. + +They didn't find the body, and I was a'most forgetting about Sam when one +evening, as I was sitting on a box waiting to get my breath back to 'ave +another go at sweeping, Joe Peel, Sam's mate, came on to the wharf to see +me. + +He came in a mysterious sort o' way that I didn't like: looking be'ind +'im as though he was afraid of being follered, and speaking in a whisper +as if 'e was afraid of being heard. He wasn't a man I liked, and I was +glad that the watch and chain was stowed safe away in my trowsis-pocket. + +"I've 'ad a shock, watchman," he ses. + +"Oh!" I ses. + +"A shock wot's shook me all up," he ses, working up a shiver. "I've seen +something wot I thought people never could see, and wot I never want to +see agin. I've seen Sam!" + +I thought a bit afore I spoke. "Why, I thought he was drownded," I ses. + +"So 'e is," ses Joe. "When I say I've seen 'im I mean that I 'ave seen +his ghost!" + +He began to shiver agin, all over. + +"Wot was it like?" I ses, very calm. + +"Like Sam," he ses, rather short. + +"When was it?" I ses. + +"Last night at a quarter to twelve," he ses. "It was standing at my +front door waiting for me." + +"And 'ave you been shivering like that ever since?" I ses. + +"Worse than that," ses Joe, looking at me very 'ard. "It's wearing off +now. The ghost gave me a message for you." + +I put my 'and in my trowsis-pocket and looked at 'im. Then I walked very +slow, towards the gate. + +"It gave me a message for you," ses Joe, walking beside me. "'We was +always pals, Joe,'" it ses, "'you and me, and I want you to pay up +fifteen bob for me wot I borrowed off of Bill the watchman. I can't rest +until it's paid,' it ses. So here's the fifteen bob, watchman." + +He put his 'and in 'is pocket and takes out fifteen bob and 'olds it out +to me. + +"No, no," I ses. "I can't take your money, Joe Peel. It wouldn't be +right. Pore Sam is welcome to the fifteen bob--I don't want it." + +"You must take it," ses Joe. "The ghost said if you didn't it would come +to me agin and agin till you did, and I can't stand any more of it." + +"I can't 'elp your troubles," I ses. + +"You must," ses Joe. "'Give Bill the fifteen bob,' it ses, 'and he'll +give you a gold watch and chain wot I gave 'im to mind till it was +paid.'" + +I see his little game then. "Gold watch and chain," I ses, laughing. +"You must ha' misunderstood it, Joe." + +"I understood it right enough," ses Joe, getting a bit closer to me as I +stepped outside the gate. "Here's your fifteen bob; are you going to +give me that watch and chain?" + +"Sartainly not," I ses. "I don't know wot you mean by a watch and chain. +If I 'ad it and I gave it to anybody, I should give it to Sam's widder, +not to you." + +"It's nothing to do with 'er," ses Joe, very quick. "Sam was most +pertikler about that." + +"I expect you dreamt it all," I ses. "Where would pore Sam get a gold +watch and chain from? And why should 'e go to you about it? Why didn't +'e come to me? If 'e thinks I 'ave got it let 'im come to me." + +"All right, I'll go to the police-station," ses Joe. + +"I'll come with you," I ses. "But 'ere's a policeman coming along. +Let's go to 'im." + +I moved towards 'im, but Joe hung back, and, arter using one or two words +that would ha' made any ghost ashamed to know 'im, he sheered off. I 'ad +a word or two with the policeman about the weather, and then I went +inside and locked the gate. + +My idea was that Sam 'ad told Joe about the watch and chain afore he fell +overboard. Joe was a nasty customer, and I could see that I should 'ave +to be a bit careful. Some men might ha' told the police about it--but I +never cared much for them. They're like kids in a way, always asking +questions--most of which you can't answer. + +It was a little bit creepy all alone on the wharf that night. I don't +deny it. Twice I thought I 'eard something coming up on tip-toe behind +me. The second time I was so nervous that I began to sing to keep my +spirits up, and I went on singing till three of the hands of the Susan +Emily, wot was lying alongside, came up from the fo'c'sle and offered to +fight me. I was thankful when daylight came. + +Five nights arterwards I 'ad the shock of my life. It was the fust night +for some time that there was no craft up. A dark night, and a nasty +moaning sort of a wind. I 'ad just lighted the lamp at the corner of the +warehouse, wot 'ad blown out, and was sitting down to rest afore putting +the ladder away, when I 'appened to look along the jetty and saw a head +coming up over the edge of it. In the light of the lamp I saw the dead +white face of Sam Bullet's ghost making faces at me. + +[Illustration: IN THE LIGHT OF THE LAMP I SAW THE DEAD WHITE FACE] + +I just caught my breath, sharp like, and then turned and ran for the +gate like a race-horse. I 'ad left the key in the padlock, in case of +anything happening, and I just gave it one turn, flung the wicket open +and slammed it in the ghost's face, and tumbled out into the road. + +I ran slap into the arms of a young policeman wot was passing. Nasty, +short-tempered chap he was, but I don't think I was more glad to see +anybody in my life. I hugged 'im till 'e nearly lost 'is breath, and +then he sat me down on the kerb-stone and asked me wot I meant by it. + +Wot with the excitement and the running I couldn't speak at fust, and +when I did he said I was trying to deceive 'im. + +"There ain't no such thing as ghosts," he ses; "you've been drinking." + +"It came up out o' the river and run arter me like the wind," I ses. + +"Why didn't it catch you, then?" he ses, looking me up and down and all +round about. "Talk sense." + +He went up to the gate and peeped in, and, arter watching a moment, +stepped inside and walked down the wharf, with me follering. It was my +dooty; besides, I didn't like being left all alone by myself. + +Twice we walked up and down and all over the wharf. He flashed his +lantern into all the dark corners, into empty barrels and boxes, and then +he turned and flashed it right into my face and shook his 'ead at me. + +"You've been having a bit of a lark with me," he ses, "and for two pins +I'd take you. Mind, if you say a word about this to anybody, I will." + +He stalked off with his 'ead in the air, and left me all alone in charge +of a wharf with a ghost on it. I stayed outside in the street, of +course, but every now and then I fancied I heard something moving about +the other side of the gate, and once it was so distinct that I run along +to the Bear's Head and knocked 'em up and asked them for a little brandy, +for illness. + +I didn't get it, of course; I didn't expect to; but I 'ad a little +conversation with the landlord from 'is bedroom-winder that did me more +good than the brandy would ha' done. Once or twice I thought he would +'ave fallen out, and many a man has 'ad his licence taken away for less +than a quarter of wot 'e said to me that night. Arter he thought he 'ad +finished and was going back to bed agin, I pointed' out to 'im that he +'adn't kissed me "good night," and if it 'adn't ha' been for 'is missis +and two grown-up daughters and the potman I believe he'd ha' talked to me +till daylight. + +'Ow I got through the rest of the night I don't know. It seemed to be +twenty nights instead of one, but the day came at last, and when the +hands came on at six o'clock they found the gate open and me on dooty +same as usual. + +I slept like a tired child when I got 'ome, and arter a steak and onions +for dinner I sat down and lit my pipe and tried to think wot was to be +done. One thing I was quite certain about: I wasn't going to spend +another night on that wharf alone. + +I went out arter a bit, as far as the Clarendon Arms, for a breath of +fresh air, and I 'ad just finished a pint and was wondering whether I +ought to 'ave another, when Ted Dennis came in, and my mind was made up. +He 'ad been in the Army all 'is life, and, so far, he 'ad never seen +anything that 'ad frightened 'im. I've seen him myself take on men twice +'is size just for the love of the thing, and, arter knocking them silly, +stand 'em a pint out of 'is own pocket. When I asked 'im whether he was +afraid of ghosts he laughed so 'ard that the landlord came from the other +end of the bar to see wot was the matter. + +I stood Ted a pint, and arter he 'ad finished it I told 'im just how +things was. I didn't say anything about the watch and chain, because +there was no need to, and when we came outside agin I 'ad engaged an +assistant-watchman for ninepence a night. + +"All you've got to do," I ses, "is to keep me company. You needn't turn +up till eight o'clock of a night, and you can leave 'arf an hour afore me +in the morning." + +"Right-o!" ses Ted. "And if I see the ghost I'll make it wish it 'ad +never been born." + +It was a load off my mind, and I went 'ome and ate a tea that made my +missis talk about the work-'ouse, and orstritches in 'uman shape wot would +eat a woman out of 'ouse and 'ome if she would let 'em. + +I got to the wharf just as it was striking six, and at a quarter to seven +the wicket was pushed open gentle and the ugly 'ead of Mr. Joe Peel was +shoved inside. + +"Hullo!" I ses. "Wot do you want?" + +"I want to save your life," he ses, in a solemn voice. "You was within a +inch of death last night, watchman." + +"Oh!" I ses, careless-like. "'Ow do you know!" + +"The ghost o' Sam Bullet told me," ses Joe. "Arter it 'ad chased you up +the wharf screaming for 'elp, it came round and told me all about it." + +"It seems fond of you," I ses. "I wonder why?" + +"It was in a terrible temper," ses Joe, "and its face was awful to look +at. 'Tell the watchman,' it ses, 'that if he don't give you the watch +and chain I shall appear to 'im agin and kill 'im.'" + +"All right," I ses, looking behind me to where three of the 'ands of the +Daisy was sitting on the fo'c'sle smoking. "I've got plenty of company +to-night." + +"Company won't save you," ses Joe. "For the last time, are you going to +give me that watch and chain, or not? Here's your fifteen bob." + +"No," I ses; "even if I 'ad got it I shouldn't give it to you; and it's +no use giving' it to the ghost, because, being made of air, he 'asn't got +anywhere to put it." + +"Very good," ses Joe, giving me a black look. "I've done all I can to +save you, but if you won't listen to sense, you won't. You'll see Sam +Bullet agin, and you'll not on'y lose the watch and chain but your life +as well." + +"All right," I ses, "and thank you kindly, but I've got an assistant, as +it 'appens--a man wot wants to see a ghost." + +"An' assistant?" ses Joe, staring. + +"An old soldier," I ses. "A man wot likes trouble and danger. His idea +is to shoot the ghost and see wot 'appens." + +"Shoot!" ses Joe. "Shoot a pore 'armless ghost. Does he want to be +'ung? Ain't it enough for a pore man to be drownded, but wot you must +try and shoot 'im arterwards? Why, you ought to be ashamed o' yourself. +Where's your 'art?" + +"It won't be shot if it don't come on my wharf," I ses. "Though I don't +mind if it does when I've got somebody with me. I ain't afraid of +anything living, and I don't mind ghosts when there's two of us. Besides +which, the noise of the pistol 'll wake up 'arf the river." + +"You take care you don't get woke up," ses Joe, 'ardly able to speak for +temper. + +He went off stamping, and grinding 'is teeth, and at eight o'clock to the +minute, Ted Dennis turned up with 'is pistol and helped me take care of +the wharf. Happy as a skylark 'e was, and to see him 'iding behind a +barrel with his pistol ready, waiting for the ghost, a'most made me +forget the expense of it all. + +It never came near us that night, and Ted was a bit disappointed next +morning as he took 'is ninepence and went off. Next night was the same, +and the next, and then Ted gave up hiding on the wharf for it, and sat +and snoozed in the office instead. + +A week went by, and then another, and still there was no sign of Sam +Bullet's ghost, or Joe Peel, and every morning I 'ad to try and work up a +smile as I shelled out ninepence for Ted. It nearly ruined me, and, +worse than that, I couldn't explain why I was short to the missis. Fust +of all she asked me wot I was spending it on, then she asked me who I was +spending it on. It nearly broke up my 'ome--she did smash one kitchen- +chair and a vase off the parlour mantelpiece--but I wouldn't tell 'er, +and then, led away by some men on strike at Smith's wharf, Ted went on +strike for a bob a night. + +That was arter he 'ad been with me for three weeks, and when Saturday +came, of course I was more short than ever, and people came and stood at +their doors all the way down our street to listen to the missis taking my +character away. + +I stood it as long as I could, and then, when 'er back was turned for +'arf a moment, I slipped out. While she'd been talking I'd been +thinking, and it came to me clear as daylight that there was no need for +me to sacrifice myself any longer looking arter a dead man's watch and +chain. + +I didn't know exactly where Joe Peel lived, but I knew the part, and +arter 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 pints +from 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 found +me 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 'ave +it." + +"I don't want to be funny," I ses. "Wot I want to know is, are you in +the 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 a +gasp. "Woes the game?" he ses. + +"Wot I want to know is, if I give you that watch and chain for fifteen +bob, 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 the +watch 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, and +then 'e puts his 'and into 'is trowsis-pocket and pulls out one shilling +and 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. You +ought 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 rest +o' 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 see +me off, and if ever a man looked puzzled, 'e did. Pleased at the same +time. + +It was a load off of my mind. My con-science told me I'd done right, and +arter sending a little boy with a note to Ted Dennis to tell 'im not to +come any more, I felt 'appier than I 'ad done for a long time. When I +got to the wharf that evening it seemed like a diff'rent place, and I was +whistling and smiling over my work quite in my old way, when the young +policeman 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, and +cuddling me like a frightened baby, it shipped as A.B. on the barque +Ocean King, for Valparaiso. We missed it by a few hours. Next time you +see a ghost, knock it down fust and go and cuddle the police arterwards." + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sam's Ghost, by W.W. Jacobs + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SAM'S GHOST *** + +***** This file should be named 11474.txt or 11474.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/4/7/11474/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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