at 'e was no company at
all for the other two.

For three or four days 'e went out by 'imself, and then, all of a sudden,
Ginger Dick and Peter began to notice a great change in him. He seemed
to 'ave got quite cheerful and 'appy. He answered 'em back pleasant when
they spoke to 'im, and one night he lay in 'is bed whistling comic songs
until Ginger and Peter Russet 'ad to get out o' bed to him. When he
bought a new necktie and a smart cap and washed 'imself twice in one day
they fust began to ask each other wot was up, and then they asked him.

"Up?" ses Sam; "nothing."

"He's in love," ses Peter Russet.

"You're a liar," ses Sam, without turning round.

"He'll 'ave it bad at 'is age," ses Ginger.

Sam didn't say nothing, but he kept fidgeting about as though 'e'd got
something on his mind. Fust he looked out o' the winder, then he 'ummed
a tune, and at last, looking at 'em very fierce, he took a tooth-brush
wrapped in paper out of 'is pocket and began to clean 'is teeth.

"He is in love," ses Ginger, as soon as he could speak.

"Or else 'e's gorn mad," ses Peter, watching 'im. "Which is it, Sam?"

Sam made believe that he couldn't answer 'im because o' the tooth-brush,
and arter he'd finished he 'ad such a raging toothache that 'e sat in a
corner holding 'is face and looking the pictur' o' misery. They couldn't
get a word out of him till they asked 'im to go out with them, and then
he said 'e was going to bed. Twenty minutes arterwards, when Ginger Dick
stepped back for 'is pipe, he found he 'ad gorn.

He tried the same game next night, but the other two wouldn't 'ave it,
and they stayed in so long that at last 'e lost 'is temper, and, arter
wondering wot Ginger's father and mother could ha' been a-thinking about,
and saying that he believed Peter Russet 'ad been changed at birth for a
sea-sick monkey, he put on 'is cap and went out. Both of 'em follered
'im sharp, but when he led 'em to a mission-hall, and actually went
inside, they left 'im and went off on their own.

They talked it over that night between themselves, and next evening they
went out fust and hid themselves round the corner. Ten minutes
arterwards old Sam came out, walking as though 'e was going to catch a
train; and smiling to think 'ow he 'ad shaken them off. At the corner of
Commercial Road he stopped and bought 'imself a button-hole for 'is coat,
and Ginger was so surprised that 'e pinched Peter Russet to make sure
that he wa