lived, and why Ginger's mother 'adn't put
'im in a pail o' cold water when 'e was born 'e couldn't understand. He
said 'e didn't believe that even a mother could love a baby that looked
like a cod-fish with red 'air, and as for Peter Russet, 'e believed his
mother died of fright.

"That'll do," ses Ginger, as Sam stopped to get 'is breath. "Are you
going to show us the locket, or 'ave we got to shout agin?"

Sam swallered something that nearly choked 'im, and then he opened his
'and and showed it to them. Peter told 'im to wave it so as they could
see the diamonds flash, and then Ginger waved the candle to see 'ow they
looked that way, and pretty near set pore Sam's whiskers on fire.

They didn't leave 'im alone till they knew as much about it as he could
tell 'em, and they both of 'em told 'im that if he took a reward of
thirty pounds for it, instead of selling it for a 'undred, he was a
bigger fool than he looked.

"I shall turn it over in my mind," ses Sam, sucking 'is teeth. "When I
want your advice I'll ask you for it."

"We wasn't thinking of you," ses Ginger; "we was thinking of ourselves."

"You!" ses Sam, with a bit of a start. "Wot's it got to do with you?"

"Our share'll be bigger, that's all," ses Ginger.

"Much bigger," ses Peter. "I couldn't dream of letting it go at thirty.
It's chucking money away. Why, we might get _two_ 'undred for it. Who
knows?"

Sam sat on the edge of 'is bed like a man in a dream, then 'e began to
make a noise like a cat with a fish-bone in its throat, and then 'e stood
up and let fly.

"Don't stop 'im, Peter," ses Ginger. "Let 'im go on; it'll do him good."

"He's forgot all about that penknife you picked up and went shares in,"
ses Peter. "I wouldn't be mean for _twenty_ lockets."

"Nor me neither," ses Ginger. "But we won't let 'im be mean--for 'is own
sake. We'll 'ave our rights."

"Rights!" ses Sam. "Rights! You didn't find it."

"We always go shares if we find anything," ses Ginger. "Where's your
memory, Sam?" "But I didn't find it," ses Sam.

"No, you bought it," ses Peter, "and if you don't go shares we'll split
on you--see? Then you can't sell it anyway, and perhaps you won't even
get the reward. We can be at Orange Villa as soon as wot you can."

"Sooner," ses Ginger, nodding. "But there's no need to do that. If 'e
don't go shares I'll slip round to the police-station fust thing in the
morning."

"You know the way there all right,"