Sam shook his 'ead, and at last, arter the docker 'ad said he wouldn't
let it go for less than twenty, even to save 'is life, he let it go for
the nine pounds odd, a silver watch-chain, two cigars wot Sam 'ad been
sitting on by mistake, and a sheath-knife.

"Shove it in your pocket and don't let a soul see it," ses the man,
handing over the locket. "I might as well give it away a'most. But it
can't be 'elped."

He went off up the 'ill shaking his 'ead, and Sam's pal, arter watching
him for a few seconds, said good-bye in a hurry and went off arter 'im to
tell him to keep 'is mouth shut about it.

Sam walked back to his lodgings on air, as the saying is, and even did a
little bit of a skirt-dance to a pianner-organ wot was playing. Peter
and Ginger was out, and so was his land-lady, a respectable woman as was
minding the rest of 'is money for him, and when he asked 'er little gal,
a kid of eleven, to trust 'im for some tin she gave 'im a lecture on
wasting his money instead wot took 'is breath away--all but a word or two.

He got some of 'is money from his landlady at eight o'clock, arter
listening to 'er for 'arf an hour, and then he 'ad to pick it up off of
the floor, and say "Thank you" for it.

He went to bed afore Ginger and Peter came in, but 'e was so excited he
couldn't sleep, and long arter they was in bed he laid there and thought
of all the different ways of spending a 'undred pounds. He kept taking
the locket from under 'is piller and feeling it; then he felt 'e must
'ave another look at it, and arter coughing 'ard two or three times and
calling out to the other two not to snore--to see if they was awake--he