"We each pay twopence a week till Christmas," he ses, "and we buy a
hamper with a goose or a turkey in it, and bottles o' rum and whiskey and
gin, as far as the money'll go, and then we all draw lots for it, and the
one that wins has it."

It took a lot of explaining to some of 'em, but Smith, the landlord,
helped Henery, and in less than four days twenty-three men had paid their
tuppences to Henery, who 'ad been made the seckitary, and told him to
hand them over to Smith in case he lost his memory.

Bob Pretty joined one arternoon on the quiet, and more than one of 'em
talked of 'aving their money back, but, arter Smith 'ad explained as 'ow
he would see fair play, they thought better of it.

"He'll 'ave the same chance as all of you," he ses. "No more and no
less."

"I'd feel more easy in my mind, though, if'e wasn't in it," ses Bill
Chambers, staring at Bob. "I never knew 'im to lose anything yet."

"You don't know everything, Bill," ses Bob, shaking his 'ead. "You don't
know me; else you wouldn't talk like that. I've never been caught doing
wrong yet, and I 'ope I never shall."

"It's all right, Bill," ses George Kettle. "Mr. Smith'll see fair, and
I'd sooner win Bob Pretty's money than anybody's."

"I 'ope you will, mate," ses Bob; "that's what I joined for."

"Bob's money is as good as anybody else's," ses George Kettle, looking