prung. And arter calling for a pint apiece they began to take a little
notice of me.

"Where d'you come from?" ses one of 'em. "'Ome," I ses, very quiet.

"It's a good place--'ome," ses the chap, shaking his 'ead. "Can you sing
''Ome, Sweet 'Ome'? You seem to 'ave got wot I might call a 'singing
face.'"

"Never mind about my face," I ses, very sharp. "You mind wot you're
doing with that beer. You'll 'ave it over in a minute."

The words was 'ardly out of my mouth afore 'e gave a lurch and spilt his
pint all over me. From 'ead to foot I was dripping with beer, and I was
in such a temper I wonder I didn't murder 'im; but afore I could move
they both pulled out their pocket-'ankerchers and started to rub me down.

"That'll do," I ses at last, arter they 'ad walked round me 'arf-a-dozen
times and patted me all over to see if I was dry. "You get off while
you're safe."

"It was my mistake, mate," ses the chap who 'ad spilt the beer.

"You get outside," I ses. "Go on, both of you, afore I put you out."

They gave one look at me, standing there with my fists clenched, and then
they went out like lambs, and I 'eard 'em trot round the corner as though
they was afraid I was following. I felt a little bit damp and chilly,
but beer is like sea-water--you don't catch cold through it--and I sat
down agin to wait for George Tebb.

He came in smiling and out 'o breath in about ten minutes' time, with the
key in 'is 'and, and as soon as I told 'im wot had 'appened to me with
the beer he turned to the landlord and ordered me six o' rum 'ot at once.

"Drink that up," he ses, 'anding it to me; "but fust of all give me the
box, so as I can pay for it."

I put my 'and in my pocket. Then I put it in the other one, and arter
that I stood staring at George Tebb and shaking all over.

"Wot's the matter? Wot are you looking like that for?" he ses.

"It must ha' been them two," I ses, choking. "While they was purtending
to dry me and patting me all over they must 'ave taken it out of my
pocket."

"Wot are you talking about?" ses George, staring at me.

"The box 'as gorn," I ses, putting down the 'ot rum and feeling in my
trouser-pocket. "The box 'as gorn, and them two must 'ave taken it."

"Gorn!" ses George. "Gorn! My box with twenty-five pounds in, wot I
trusted you with, gorn? Wot are you talking about? It can't be--it's
too crool!"

He made such a noise that the landlord wot was waiting for 'is money,
ask