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diff --git a/12212-0.txt b/12212-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..393e37b --- /dev/null +++ b/12212-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,565 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12212 *** + +ODD CRAFT + +By W.W. Jacobs + + + +THE THIRD STRING + +Love? said the night-watchman, as he watched in an abstracted fashion +the efforts of a skipper to reach a brother skipper on a passing barge +with a boathook. Don't talk to me about love, because I've suffered +enough through it. There ought to be teetotalers for love the same as +wot there is for drink, and they ought to wear a piece o' ribbon to show +it, the same as the teetotalers do; but not an attractive piece o' +ribbon, mind you. I've seen as much mischief caused by love as by drink, +and the funny thing is, one often leads to the other. Love, arter it is +over, often leads to drink, and drink often leads to love and to a man +committing himself for life afore it is over. + +[Illustration: "Don't talk to me about love, because I've suffered enough +through it."] + +Sailormen give way to it most; they see so little o' wimmen that +they naturally 'ave a high opinion of 'em. Wait till they become +night-watchmen and, having to be at 'ome all day, see the other side of +'em. If people on'y started life as night-watchmen there wouldn't be one +'arf the falling in love that there is now. + +I remember one chap, as nice a fellow as you could wish to meet, too. +He always carried his sweet-heart's photograph about with 'im, and it was +the on'y thing that cheered 'im up during the fourteen years he was cast +away on a deserted island. He was picked up at last and taken 'ome, and +there she was still single and waiting for 'im; and arter spending +fourteen years on a deserted island he got another ten in quod for +shooting 'er because she 'ad altered so much in 'er looks. + +Then there was Ginger Dick, a red-'aired man I've spoken about before. +He went and fell in love one time when he was lodging in Wapping 'ere +with old Sam Small and Peter Russet, and a nice mess 'e made of it. + +They was just back from a v'y'ge, and they 'adn't been ashore a week +afore both of 'em noticed a change for the worse in Ginger. He turned +quiet and peaceful and lost 'is taste for beer. He used to play with 'is +food instead of eating it, and in place of going out of an evening with +Sam and Peter took to going off by 'imself. + +"It's love," ses Peter Russet, shaking his 'ead, "and he'll be worse +afore he's better." + +"Who's the gal?" ses old Sam. + +Peter didn't know, but when they came 'ome that night 'e asked. Ginger, +who was sitting up in bed with a far-off look in 'is eyes, cuddling 'is +knees, went on staring but didn't answer. + +"Who is it making a fool of you this time, Ginger?" ses old Sam. + +"You mind your bisness and I'll mind mine," ses Ginger, suddenly waking +up and looking very fierce. + +"No offence, mate," ses Sam, winking at Peter. "I on'y asked in case I +might be able to do you a good turn." + +"Well, you can do that by not letting her know you're a pal o' mine," ses +Ginger, very nasty. + +Old Sam didn't understand at fust, and when Peter explained to 'im he +wanted to hit 'im for trying to twist Ginger's words about. + +"She don't like fat old men," ses Ginger. + +"Ho!" ses old Sam, who couldn't think of anything else to say. "Ho! +don't she? Ho! Ho! indeed!" + +He undressed 'imself and got into the bed he shared with Peter, and kept +'im awake for hours by telling 'im in a loud voice about all the gals +he'd made love to in his life, and partikler about one gal that always +fainted dead away whenever she saw either a red-'aired man or a monkey. + +Peter Russet found out all about it next day, and told Sam that it was a +barmaid with black 'air and eyes at the Jolly Pilots, and that she +wouldn't 'ave anything to say to Ginger. + +He spoke to Ginger about it agin when they were going to bed that night, +and to 'is surprise found that he was quite civil. When 'e said that he +would do anything he could for 'im, Ginger was quite affected. + +"I can't eat or drink," he ses, in a miserable voice; "I lay awake all +last night thinking of her. She's so diff'rent to other gals; she's +got--If I start on you, Sam Small, you'll know it. You go and make that +choking noise to them as likes it." + +"It's a bit o' egg-shell I got in my throat at break-fast this morning, +Ginger," ses Sam. "I wonder whether she lays awake all night thinking of +you?" + +"I dare say she does," ses Peter Russet, giving 'im a little push. + +"Keep your 'art up, Ginger," ses Sam; "I've known gals to 'ave the most +ext'ordinary likings afore now." + +"Don't take no notice of 'im," ses Peter, holding Ginger back. "'Ow are +you getting on with her?" + +Ginger groaned and sat down on 'is bed and looked at the floor, and Sam +went and sat on his till it shook so that Ginger offered to step over and +break 'is neck for 'im. + +"I can't 'elp the bed shaking," ses Sam; "it ain't my fault. I didn't +make it. If being in love is going to make you so disagreeable to your +best friends, Ginger, you'd better go and live by yourself." + +"I 'eard something about her to-day, Ginger," ses Peter Russet. "I met a +chap I used to know at Bull's Wharf, and he told me that she used to keep +company with a chap named Bill Lumm, a bit of a prize-fighter, and since +she gave 'im up she won't look at anybody else." + +"Was she very fond of 'im, then?" asks Ginger. + +"I don't know," ses Peter; "but this chap told me that she won't walk out +with anybody agin, unless it's another prize-fighter. Her pride won't +let her, I s'pose." + +"Well, that's all right, Ginger," ses Sam; "all you've got to do is to go +and be a prize-fighter." + +"If I 'ave any more o' your nonsense--" ses Ginger, starting up. + +"That's right," ses Sam; "jump down anybody's throat when they're trying +to do you a kindness. That's you all over, Ginger, that is. Wot's to +prevent you telling 'er that you're a prize-fighter from Australia or +somewhere? She won't know no better." + +He got up off the bed and put his 'ands up as Ginger walked across the +room to 'im, but Ginger on'y wanted to shake 'ands, and arter he 'ad done +that 'e patted 'im on the back and smiled at 'im. + +"I'll try it," he ses. "I'd tell any lies for 'er sake. Ah! you don't +know wot love is, Sam." + +"I used to," ses Sam, and then he sat down agin and began to tell 'em all +the love-affairs he could remember, until at last Peter Russet got tired +and said it was 'ard to believe, looking at 'im now, wot a perfick terror +he'd been with gals, and said that the face he'd got now was a judgment +on 'im. Sam shut up arter that, and got into trouble with Peter in the +middle o' the night by waking 'im up to tell 'im something that he 'ad +just thought of about his face. + +The more Ginger thought o' Sam's idea the more he liked it, and the very +next evening 'e took Peter Russet into the private bar o' the Jolly +Pilots. He ordered port wine, which he thought seemed more 'igh-class +than beer, and then Peter Russet started talking to Miss Tucker and told +her that Ginger was a prize-fighter from Sydney, where he'd beat +everybody that stood up to 'im. + +The gal seemed to change toward Ginger all in a flash, and 'er beautiful +black eyes looked at 'im so admiring that he felt quite faint. She +started talking to 'im about his fights at once, and when at last 'e +plucked up courage to ask 'er to go for a walk with 'im on Sunday +arternoon she seemed quite delighted. + +"It'll be a nice change for me," she ses, smiling. "I used to walk out +with a prize-fighter once before, and since I gave 'im up I began to +think I was never going to 'ave a young man agin. You can't think 'ow +dull it's been." + +"Must ha' been," ses Ginger. + +"I s'pose you've got a taste for prize-fighters, miss," ses Peter Russet. + +"No," ses Miss Tucker; "I don't think that it's that exactly, but, you +see, I couldn't 'ave anybody else. Not for their own sakes." + +[Illustration: "Miss Tucker."] + +"Why not?" ses Ginger, looking puzzled. + +"Why not?" ses Miss Tucker. "Why, because o' Bill. He's such a 'orrid +jealous disposition. After I gave 'im up I walked out with a young +fellow named Smith; fine, big, strapping chap 'e was, too, and I never +saw such a change in any man as there was in 'im after Bill 'ad done with +'im. I couldn't believe it was 'im. I told Bill he ought to be ashamed +of 'imself." + +"Wot did 'e say?" asks Ginger. + +"Don't ask me wot 'e said," ses Miss Tucker, tossing her 'ead. "Not +liking to be beat, I 'ad one more try with a young fellow named Charlie +Webb." + +"Wot 'appened to 'im?" ses Peter Russet, arter waiting a bit for 'er to +finish. + +"I can't bear to talk of it," ses Miss Tucker, holding up Ginger's glass +and giving the counter a wipe down. "He met Bill, and I saw 'im six +weeks afterward just as 'e was being sent away from the 'ospital to a +seaside home. Bill disappeared after that." + +"Has he gone far away?" ses Ginger, trying to speak in a off-'and way. + +"Oh, he's back now," ses Miss Tucker. "You'll see 'im fast enough, and, +wotever you do, don't let 'im know you're a prize-fighter." + +"Why not?" ses pore Ginger. + +"Because o' the surprise it'll be to 'im," ses Miss Tucker. "Let 'im +rush on to 'is doom. He'll get a lesson 'e don't expect, the bully. +Don't be afraid of 'urting 'im. Think o' pore Smith and Charlie Webb." + +"I am thinkin' of 'em," ses Ginger, slow-like. "Is--is Bill--very quick +--with his 'ands?" + +"Rather," ses Miss Tucker; "but o' course he ain't up to your mark; he's +on'y known in these parts." + +She went off to serve a customer, and Ginger Dick tried to catch Peter's +eye, but couldn't, and when Miss Tucker came back he said 'e must be +going. + +"Sunday afternoon at a quarter past three sharp, outside 'ere," she ses. +"Never mind about putting on your best clothes, because Bill is sure to +be hanging about. I'll take care o' that." + +She reached over the bar and shook 'ands with 'im, and Ginger felt a +thrill go up 'is arm which lasted 'im all the way 'ome. + +He didn't know whether to turn up on Sunday or not, and if it 'adn't ha' +been for Sam and Peter Russet he'd ha' most likely stayed at home. Not +that 'e was a coward, being always ready for a scrap and gin'rally +speaking doing well at it, but he made a few inquiries about Bill Lumm +and 'e saw that 'e had about as much chance with 'im as a kitten would +'ave with a bulldog. + +Sam and Peter was delighted, and they talked about it as if it was a +pantermime, and old Sam said that when he was a young man he'd ha' fought +six Bill Lumms afore he'd ha' given a gal up. He brushed Ginger's +clothes for 'im with 'is own hands on Sunday afternoon, and, when Ginger +started, 'im and Peter follered some distance behind to see fair play. + +The on'y person outside the Jolly Pilots when Ginger got there was a man; +a strong-built chap with a thick neck, very large 'ands, and a nose which +'ad seen its best days some time afore. He looked 'ard at Ginger as 'e +came up, and then stuck his 'ands in 'is trouser pockets and spat on the +pavement. Ginger walked a little way past and then back agin, and just +as he was thinking that 'e might venture to go off, as Miss Tucker 'adn't +come, the door opened and out she came. + +"I couldn't find my 'at-pins," she ses, taking Ginger's arm and smiling +up into 'is face. + +Before Ginger could say anything the man he 'ad noticed took his 'ands +out of 'is pockets and stepped up to 'im. + +"Let go o' that young lady's arm," he ses. "Sha'n't," ses Ginger, +holding it so tight that Miss Tucker nearly screamed. + +"Let go 'er arm and put your 'ands up," ses the chap agin. + +[Illustration: "'Let go o' that young lady's arm,' he ses."] + +"Not 'ere," ses Ginger, who 'ad laid awake the night afore thinking wot +to do if he met Bill Lumm. "If you wish to 'ave a spar with me, my lad, +you must 'ave it where we can't be interrupted. When I start on a man I +like to make a good job of it." + +"Good job of it!" ses the other, starting. "Do you know who I am?" + +"No, I don't," ses Ginger, "and, wot's more, I don't care." + +"My name," ses the chap, speaking in a slow, careful voice, "is Bill +Lumm." + +"Wot a 'orrid name!" ses Ginger. + +"Otherwise known as the Wapping Basher," ses Bill, shoving 'is face into +Ginger's and glaring at 'im. + +"Ho!" ses Ginger, sniffing, "a amatoor." + +"_Amatoor?_" ses Bill, shouting. + +"That's wot we should call you over in Australia," ses Ginger; "my name +is Dick Duster, likewise known as the Sydney Puncher. I've killed three +men in the ring and 'ave never 'ad a defeat." + +"Well, put 'em up," ses Bill, doubling up 'is fists and shaping at 'im. + +"Not in the street, I tell you," ses Ginger, still clinging tight to Miss +Tucker's arm. "I was fined five pounds the other day for punching a man +in the street, and the magistrate said it would be 'ard labour for me +next time. You find a nice, quiet spot for some arternoon, and I'll +knock your 'ead off with pleasure." + +"I'd sooner 'ave it knocked off now," ses Bill; "I don't like waiting for +things." + +"Thursday arternoon," ses Ginger, very firm; "there's one or two +gentlemen want to see a bit o' my work afore backing me, and we can +combine bisness with pleasure." + +He walked off with Miss Tucker, leaving Bill Lumm standing on the +pavement scratching his 'ead and staring arter 'im as though 'e didn't +quite know wot to make of it. Bill stood there for pretty near five +minutes, and then arter asking Sam and Peter, who 'ad been standing by +listening, whether they wanted anything for themselves, walked off to ask +'is pals wot they knew about the Sydney Puncher. + +Ginger Dick was so quiet and satisfied about the fight that old Sam and +Peter couldn't make 'im out at all. He wouldn't even practise punching +at a bolster that Peter rigged up for 'im, and when 'e got a message from +Bill Lumm naming a quiet place on the Lea Marshes he agreed to it as +comfortable as possible. + +"Well, I must say, Ginger, that I like your pluck," ses Peter Russet. + +"I always 'ave said that for Ginger; 'e's got pluck," ses Sam. + +Ginger coughed and tried to smile at 'em in a superior sort o' way. "I +thought you'd got more sense," he ses, at last. "You don't think I'm +going, do you?" + +"Wot?" ses old Sam, in a shocked voice. + +"You're never going to back out of it, Ginger?" ses Peter. + +"I am," ses Ginger. "If you think I'm going to be smashed up by a +prize-fighter just to show my pluck you're mistook." + +"You must go, Ginger," ses old Sam, very severe. "It's too late to back +out of it now. Think of the gal. Think of 'er feelings." + +"For the sake of your good name," ses Peter. + +"I should never speak to you agin, Ginger," ses old Sam, pursing up 'is +lips. + +"Nor me neither," ses Peter Russet. + +"To think of our Ginger being called a coward," ses old Sam, with a +shudder, "and afore a gal, too." + +"The loveliest gal in Wapping," ses Peter. + +"Look 'ere," ses Ginger, "you can shut up, both of you. I'm not going, +and that's the long and short of it. I don't mind an ordinary man, but I +draw the line at prize-fighters." + +Old Sam sat down on the edge of 'is bed and looked the picture of +despair. "You must go, Ginger," he ses, "for my sake." + +"Your sake?" ses Ginger, staring. + +"I've got money on it," ses Sam, "so's Peter. If you don't turn up all +bets'll be off." + +"Good job for you, too," ses Ginger. "If I did turn up you'd lose it, to +a dead certainty." + +Old Sam coughed and looked at Peter, and Peter 'e coughed and looked at +Sam. + +"You don't understand, Ginger," said Sam, in a soft voice; "it ain't +often a chap gets the chance o' making a bit o' money these 'ard times." + +"So we've put all our money on Bill Lumm," ses Peter. "It's the safest +and easiest way o' making money I ever 'eard of. You see, we know you're +not a prize-fighter and the others don't." + +Pore Ginger looked at 'em, and then 'e called 'em all the names he could +lay 'is tongue to, but, with the idea o' the money they was going make, +they didn't mind a bit. They let him 'ave 'is say, and that night they +brought 'ome two other sailormen wot 'ad bet agin Ginger to share their +room, and, though they 'ad bet agin 'im, they was so fond of 'im that it +was evident that they wasn't going to leave 'im till the fight was over. + +Ginger gave up then, and at twelve o'clock next day they started off to +find the place. Mr. Webson, the landlord of the Jolly Pilots, a short, +fat man o' fifty, wot 'ad spoke to Ginger once or twice, went with 'em, +and all the way to the station he kept saying wot a jolly spot it was for +that sort o' thing. Perfickly private; nice soft green grass to be +knocked down on, and larks up in the air singing away as if they'd never +leave off. + +They took the train to Homerton, and, being a slack time o' the day, the +porters was surprised to see wot a lot o' people was travelling by it. +So was Ginger. There was the landlords of 'arf the public-'ouses in +Wapping, all smoking big cigars; two dock policemen in plain clothes, wot +'ad got the arternoon off--one with a raging toothache and the other with +a baby wot wasn't expected to last the day out. They was as full o' fun +as kittens, and the landlord o' the Jolly Pilots pointed out to Ginger +wot reasonable 'uman beings policemen was at 'art. Besides them there +was quite a lot o' sailormen, even skippers and mates, nearly all of 'em +smoking big cigars, too, and looking at Ginger out of the corner of one +eye and at the Wapping Basher out of the corner of the other. + +"Hit 'ard and hit straight," ses the landlord to Ginger in a low voice, +as they got out of the train and walked up the road. "'Ow are you +feeling?" + +"I've got a cold coming on," ses pore Ginger, looking at the Basher, who +was on in front, "and a splitting 'eadache, and a sharp pain all down my +left leg. I don't think----" + +"Well, it's a good job it's no worse," ses the land-lord; "all you've got +to do is to hit 'ard. If you win it's a 'undered pounds in my pocket, +and I'll stand you a fiver of it. D'ye understand?" + +They turned down some little streets, several of 'em going diff'rent +ways, and arter crossing the River Lea got on to the marshes, and, as the +landlord said, the place might ha' been made for it. + +A little chap from Mile End was the referee, and Bill Lumm, 'aving +peeled, stood looking on while Ginger took 'is things off and slowly and +carefully folded 'em up. Then they stepped toward each other, Bill +taking longer steps than Ginger, and shook 'ands; immediately arter which +Bill knocked Ginger head over 'eels. + +[Illustration: "Bill Lumm, 'aving peeled, stood looking on while Ginger +took 'is things off."] + +"Time!" was called, and the landlord o' the Jolly Pilots, who was nursing +Ginger on 'is knee, said that it was nothing at all, and that bleeding at +the nose was a sign of 'ealth. But as it happened Ginger was that mad 'e +didn't want any encouragement, he on'y wanted to kill Bill Lumm. + +He got two or three taps in the next round which made his 'ead ring, and +then he got 'ome on the mark and follered it up by a left-'anded punch on +Bill's jaw that surprised 'em both--Bill because he didn't think Ginger +could hit so 'ard, and Ginger because 'e didn't think that prize-fighters +'ad any feelings. + +They clinched and fell that round, and the land-lord patted Ginger on the +back and said that if he ever 'ad a son he 'oped he'd grow up like 'im. + +Ginger was surprised at the way 'e was getting on, and so was old Sam and +Peter Russet, and when Ginger knocked Bill down in the sixth round Sam +went as pale as death. Ginger was getting marked all over, but he stuck, +to 'is man, and the two dock policemen, wot 'ad put their money on Bill +Lumm, began to talk of their dooty, and say as 'ow the fight ought to be +stopped. + +At the tenth round Bill couldn't see out of 'is eyes, and kept wasting +'is strength on the empty air, and once on the referee. Ginger watched +'is opportunity, and at last, with a terrific smash on the point o' +Bill's jaw, knocked 'im down and then looked round for the landlord's +knee. + +Bill made a game try to get up when "Time!" was called, but couldn't; +and the referee, who was 'olding a 'andkerchief to 'is nose, gave the +fight to Ginger. + +It was the proudest moment o' Ginger Dick's life. He sat there like a +king, smiling 'orribly, and Sam's voice as he paid 'is losings sounded to +'im like music, in spite o' the words the old man see fit to use. It was +so 'ard to get Peter Russet's money that it a'most looked as though there +was going to be another prize-fight, but 'e paid up at last and went off, +arter fust telling Ginger part of wot he thought of 'im. + +There was a lot o' quarrelling, but the bets was all settled at last, and +the landlord o' the Jolly Pilots, who was in 'igh feather with the money +he'd won, gave Ginger the five pounds he'd promised and took him 'ome in +a cab. + +"You done well, my lad," he ses. "No, don't smile. It looks as though +your 'ead's coming off." + +"I 'ope you'll tell Miss Tucker 'ow I fought," ses Ginger. + +"I will, my lad," ses the landlord; "but you'd better not see 'er for +some time, for both your sakes." + +"I was thinking of 'aving a day or two in bed," ses Ginger. + +"Best thing you can do," ses the landlord; "and mind, don't you ever +fight Bill Lumm agin. Keep out of 'is way." + +"Why? I beat 'im once, an' I can beat 'im agin," ses Ginger, offended. + +"Beat 'im?" ses the landlord. He took 'is cigar out of 'is mouth as +though 'e was going to speak, and then put it back agin and looked out +of the window. + +"Yes, beat 'im," ses Ginger'. "You was there and saw it." + +"He lost the fight a-purpose," ses the landlord, whispering. "Miss +Tucker found out that you wasn't a prize-fighter--leastways, I did for +'er--and she told Bill that, if 'e loved 'er so much that he'd 'ave 'is +sinful pride took down by letting you beat 'im, she'd think diff'rent of +'im. Why, 'e could 'ave settled you in a minute if he'd liked. He was +on'y playing with you." + +Ginger stared at 'im as if 'e couldn't believe 'is eyes. "Playing?" he +ses, feeling 'is face very gently with the tips of his fingers. + +"Yes," ses the landlord; "and if he ever hits you agin you'll know I'm +speaking the truth." + +Ginger sat back all of a heap and tried to think. "Is Miss Tucker going +to keep company with 'im agin, then?" he ses, in a faint voice. + +"No," ses the landlord; "you can make your mind easy on that point." + +"Well, then, if I walk out with 'er I shall 'ave to fight Bill all over +agin," ses Ginger. + +The landlord turned to 'im and patted 'im on the shoulder. "Don't you +take up your troubles afore they come, my lad," he ses, kindly; "and mind +and keep wot I've told you dark, for all our sakes." + +He put 'im down at the door of 'is lodgings and, arter shaking 'ands with +'im, gave the landlady a shilling and told 'er to get some beefsteak and +put on 'is face, and went home. Ginger went straight off to bed, and the +way he carried on when the landlady fried the steak afore bringing it up +showed 'ow upset he was. + +[Illustration: "The way he carried on when the landlady fried the steak +showed 'ow upset he was."] + +It was over a week afore he felt 'e could risk letting Miss Tucker see +'im, and then at seven o'clock one evening he felt 'e couldn't wait any +longer, and arter spending an hour cleaning 'imself he started out for +the Jolly Pilots. + +He felt so 'appy at the idea o' seeing her agin that 'e forgot all about +Bill Lumm, and it gave 'im quite a shock when 'e saw 'im standing outside +the Pilots. Bill took his 'ands out of 'is pockets when he saw 'im and +came toward 'im. + +"It's no good to-night, mate," he ses; and to Ginger's great surprise +shook 'ands with 'im. + +"No good?" ses Ginger, staring. + +"No," ses Bill; "he's in the little back-parlour, like a whelk in 'is +shell; but we'll 'ave 'im sooner or later." + +"Him? Who?" ses Ginger, more puzzled than ever. + +"Who?" ses Bill; "why, Webson, the landlord. You don't mean to tell me +you ain't heard about it?" + +"Heard wot?" ses Ginger. "I haven't 'card any-thing. I've been indoors +with a bad cold all the week." + +"Webson and Julia Tucker was married at eleven o'clock yesterday +morning," ses Bill Lumm, in a hoarse voice. "When I think of the way +I've been done, and wot I've suffered, I feel 'arf crazy. He won a +'undered pounds through me, and then got the gal I let myself be +disgraced for. I 'ad an idea some time ago that he'd got 'is eye on +her." + +Ginger Dick didn't answer 'im a word. He staggered back and braced +'imself up agin the wall for a bit, and arter staring at Bill Lumm in a +wild way for pretty near three minutes he crawled back to 'is lodgings +and went straight to bed agin. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Third String, by W.W. Jacobs + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12212 *** |