FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127  
128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   >>   >|  
hin. "I 'ope you ain't lost nobody, Sam?" said a discomfited inquirer at last. Mr. Wilks shook his head. "You look as though you'd lost a shilling and found a ha'penny," pursued the other. "Found a what?" inquired Mr. Wilks, wrinkling his forehead. "A ha'penny," said his friend. "Who did?" said Mr. Wilks. The other attempted to explain and was ably assisted by two friends, but without avail; the impression left on Mr. Wilks's mind being that somebody had got a shilling of his. He waxed exceeding bitter, and said that he had been missing shillings for a long time. "You're labourin' under a mistake, Sam," said the first speaker. Mr. Wilks laughed scornfully and essayed a sneer, while his friends, regarding his contortions with some anxiety, expressed a fear that he was not quite himself. To this suggestion the steward deigned no reply, and turning to the landlord bade him replenish his mug. "You've 'ad enough, Mr. Wilks," said that gentleman, who had been watching him for some time. Mr. Wilks, gazing at him mistily, did not at first understand the full purport of this remark; but when he did, his wrath was so majestic and his remarks about the quality of the brew so libellous that the landlord lost all patience. "You get off home," he said, sharply. "Listen t' me," said Mr. Wilks, impressively. "I don't want no words with you," said the land-lord. "You get off home while you can." "That's right, Sam," said one of the company, putting his hand on the steward's arm. "You take his advice." Mr. Wilks shook the hand off and eyed his adviser ferociously. Then he took a glass from the counter and smashed it on the floor. The next moment the bar was in a ferment, and the landlord, gripping Mr. Wilks round the middle, skilfully piloted him to the door and thrust him into the road. [Illustration: "He took a glass from the counter and smashed it on the floor."] The strong air blowing from the sea disordered the steward's faculties still further. His treatment inside was forgotten, and, leaning against the front of the tavern, he stood open-mouthed, gazing at marvels. Ships in the harbour suddenly quitted their native element and were drawn up into the firmament; nobody passed but twins. "Evening, Mr. Wilks," said a voice. The steward peered down at the voice. At first he thought it was another case of twins, but looking close he saw that it was Mr. Edward Silk alone. He salute
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127  
128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
steward
 

landlord

 

smashed

 

gazing

 

friends

 
counter
 
shilling
 

middle

 
gripping
 

ferment


skilfully

 

piloted

 
company
 

putting

 
moment
 

ferociously

 
adviser
 
advice
 

forgotten

 

firmament


passed

 

Evening

 

peered

 

quitted

 

native

 

element

 

Edward

 

salute

 

thought

 

suddenly


harbour

 
faculties
 

disordered

 

blowing

 

Illustration

 
strong
 

treatment

 
inside
 

mouthed

 
marvels

tavern
 

impressively

 
leaning
 
thrust
 

impression

 

explain

 
assisted
 

shillings

 
labourin
 

missing