SAILORS' KNOTS

By W.W. Jacobs


1909



KEEPING UP APPEARANCES


"Everybody is superstitious," said the night-watchman, as he gave
utterance to a series of chirruping endearments to a black cat with one
eye that had just been using a leg of his trousers as a serviette; "if
that cat 'ad stole some men's suppers they'd have acted foolish, and
suffered for it all the rest of their lives."

He scratched the cat behind the ear, and despite himself his face
darkened. "Slung it over the side, they would," he said, longingly, "and
chucked bits o' coke at it till it sank. As I said afore, everybody is
superstitious, and those that ain't ought to be night-watchmen for a
time--that 'ud cure 'em. I knew one man that killed a black cat, and
arter that for the rest of his life he could never get three sheets in
the wind without seeing its ghost. Spoilt his life for 'im, it did."

He scratched the cat's other ear. "I only left it a moment, while I went
round to the Bull's Head," he said, slowly filling his pipe, "and I
thought I'd put it out o' reach. Some men----"