other there of an evening, and then quarrelled all the way 'ome.

Then all of a sudden, without any warning, Ginger Dick and Peter Russet
left off going there. The fust evening Sam sat expecting them every
minute, and was so surprised that he couldn't take any advantage of it;
but on the second, beginning by squeezing Mrs. Finch's 'and at ha'-past
seven, he 'ad got best part of his arm round 'er waist by a quarter to
ten. He didn't do more that night because she told him to be'ave
'imself, and threatened to scream if he didn't leave off.

He was arf-way home afore 'e thought of the reason for Ginger Dick and
Peter Russet giving up, and then he went along smiling to 'imself to such
an extent that people thought 'e was mad. He went off to sleep with the
smile still on 'is lips, and when Peter and Ginger came in soon arter
closing time and 'e woke up and asked them where they'd been, 'e was
still smiling.

"I didn't 'ave the pleasure o' seeing you at Mrs. Finch's to-night," he
ses.

"No," ses Ginger, very short. "We got tired of it."

"So un'ealthy sitting in that stuffy little room every evening," ses
Peter.

Old Sam put his 'ead under the bedclothes and laughed till the bed shook;
and every now and then he'd put his 'ead out and look at Peter and Ginger
and laugh agin till he choked.

"I see 'ow it is," he ses, sitting up and wiping his eyes on the sheet.