disturb 'im."

He put his 'and in under the bed-clo'es and felt all up and down Sam's
back, very careful. Sam stood it for 'arf a minute, and then 'e sat up
in bed and behaved more like a windmill than a man.

"Hold his 'ands," ses Ginger.

"Hold 'em yourself," ses Peter, dabbing 'is nose with his shirt-sleeve.

"Well, we're going to see it," ses Ginger, "if we have to make enough
noise to rouse the 'ouse. Fust of all we're going to ask you perlite;
then we shall get louder and louder. _Show us the locket wot you stole,
Sam!_"

"Show--us--the--diamond locket!" ses Peter.

"It's my turn, Peter," ses Ginger. "One, two, three. SHOW--US--TH'----"

"Shut up," ses Sam, trembling all over. "I'll show it to you if you stop
your noise."

He put his 'and under his piller, but afore he showed it to 'em he sat up
in bed and made 'em a little speech. He said 'e never wanted to see
their faces agin as long as he lived, and why Ginger's mother 'adn't put
'im in a pail o' cold water when 'e was born 'e couldn't understand. He
said 'e didn't believe that even a mother could love a baby that looked
like a cod-fish with red 'air, and as for Peter Russet, 'e believed his
mother died of fright.