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Ship's Company, the Entire Collection by W. W. Jacobs
page 65 of 197 (32%)
"Our old age?" repeated Mr. Teak, in lofty tones. "And suppose I had
died first? Or suppose you had died sudden? This is what comes of
deceitfulness and keeping things from your husband. Now somebody has
stole it."

Mrs. Teak bent her head and sobbed again. "I--I had just been out for
--for an hour," she gasped. "When I came back I fou--fou--found the
washhouse window smashed, and--"

Sobs choked her utterance. Mr. Teak, lost in admiration of Mr. Chase's
cleverness, stood regarding her in silence.

"What--what about the police?" said his wife at last.

"Police!" repeated Mr. Teak, with extraordinary vehemence. "Police!
Certainly not. D'ye think I'm going to let it be known all round that
I'm the husband of a miser? I'd sooner lose ten times the money."

He stalked solemnly out of the room and downstairs, and, safe in the
parlour, gave vent to his feelings in a wild but silent hornpipe. He
cannoned against the table at last, and, subsiding into an easy-chair,
crammed his handkerchief to his mouth and gave way to suppressed mirth.

In his excitement he forgot all about tea, and the bereaved Mrs. Teak
made no attempt to come downstairs to prepare it. With his eye on the
clock he waited with what patience he might for the arrival of Mr. Chase.
The usual hour for his return came and went. Another hour passed; and
another. A horrible idea that Mr. Chase had been robbed gave way to one
more horrible still. He paced the room in dismay, until at nine o'clock
his wife came down, and in a languid fashion began to set the
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