y to drop, 'e took the train back.

He 'ad some sausages and mashed potatoes with a pint o' stout at a place
in Bishopsgate, and then 'e started to walk 'ome. The only comfort he
'ad was the thought of the ten pounds Ginger and Peter 'ad paid 'im; and
when he remembered that he began to cheer up and even smile. By the time
he got 'ome 'e was beaming all over 'is face.

"Where've you been?" ses Ginger.

"Enjoying myself by myself," ses Sam.

"Please yourself," ses Peter, very severe, "but where'd you ha' been if
we 'ad sold the locket and skipped, eh?"

"You wouldn't 'ave enjoyed yourself by yourself then," ses Ginger. "Yes,
you may laugh!"

Sam didn't answer 'im, but he sat down on 'is bed and 'is shoulders shook
till Ginger lost his temper and gave him a couple o' thumps on the back
that pretty near broke it.

"All right," ses Sam, very firm. "Now you 'ave done for yourselves. I
'ad a'most made up my mind to go shares; now you sha'n't 'ave a
ha'penny."

Ginger laughed then. "Ho!" he ses, "and 'ow are you going to prevent
it?"

"We've got the locket, Sam," ses Peter, smiling and shaking his 'ead at
'im.

"And we'll mind it till it's sold," ses Ginger.

Sam laughed agin, short and nasty. Then he undressed 'imself very slow
and got into bed. At twelve o'clock, just as Ginger was dropping off, he
began to laugh agin, and 'e only stopped when 'e heard Ginger getting out
of bed to 'im.

He stayed in bed next morning, 'cos he said 'is sides was aching, but 'e
laughed agin as they was going out, and when they came back he 'ad gorn.

We never know 'ow much we' like anything till we lose it. A week
arterwards, as Ginger was being 'elped out of a pawnshop by Peter, he
said 'e would give all he 'adn't got for the locket to be near enough to
Sam to hear 'im laugh agin.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Shareholders, by W.W. Jacobs

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