And wot's to be done with the hamper when we've got it?" ses Sam Jones.

"Have it drawed for agin," ses Henery. "It'll 'ave to be done on the
quiet, o' course."

Sam Jones stood thinking for a bit. "Burn the hamper and draw lots for
everything separate," 'e ses, very slow. "If Bob Pretty ses it's 'is
turkey and goose and spirits, tell 'im to prove it. We sha'n't know
nothing about it."

Henery Walker said it was a good plan; and arter talking it over they
walked 'ome all very pleased with theirselves. They talked it over next
day with the other chaps; and Henery Walker said arterwards that p'r'aps
it was talked over a bit too much.

It took 'em some time to make up their minds about it, but at last it was
settled that Peter Gubbins was to stand Bob Pretty the beer; Ted Brown,
who was well known for his 'ot temper, and Joe Smith was to 'ave the
quarrel; and Henery Walker was to slip in and steal the hamper, and 'ide
the things up at his place.

Bob Pretty fell into the trap at once. He was standing at 'is gate in
the dark, next day, smoking a pipe, when Peter Gubbins passed, and Peter,
arter stopping and asking 'im for a light, spoke about 'is luck in
getting the hamper, and told 'im he didn't bear no malice for it.

"You 'ad the pluck to draw fust," he ses, "and you won."

Bob Pretty said he was a Briton, and arter a little more talk Peter asked
'im to go and 'ave a pint with 'im to show that there was no ill-feeling.
They came into this 'ere Cauliflower public-'ouse like brothers, and in
less than ten minutes everybody was making as much fuss o' Bob Pretty as
if 'e'd been the best man in Claybury.

"Arter all, a man can't 'elp winning a prize," ses Bill Chambers, looking
round.

"I couldn't," ses Bob.

He sat down and 'elped hisself out o' Sam Jones's baccy-box; and one or
two got up on the quiet and went outside to listen to wot was going on
down the road. Everybody was wondering wot was happening, and when Bob
Pretty got up and said 'e must be going, Bill Chambers caught 'old of him
by the coat and asked 'im to have arf a pint with 'im.

Bob had the arf-pint, and arter that another one with Sam Jones, and then
'e said 'e really must be going, as his wife was expecting 'im. He
pushed Bill Chambers's 'at over his eyes--a thing Bill can't abear--and
arter filling 'is pipe agin from Sam Jones's box he got up and went.

"Mind you," ses Bill Chambers, looking round, "if 'e comes back and ses
somebody