years and take to crochet-work instead.

"Some men won't be tattooed at all, being proud o' their skins or
sich-like, and for a good many years Ginger Dick, a man I've spoke to
you of before, was one o' that sort. Like many red-'aired men 'e 'ad
a very white skin, which 'e was very proud of, but at last, owing to a
unfortnit idea o' making 'is fortin, 'e let hisself be done.

"It come about in this way: Him and old Sam Small and Peter Russet 'ad
been paid off from their ship and was 'aving a very 'appy, pleasant time
ashore. They was careful men in a way, and they 'ad taken a room down
East India Road way, and paid up the rent for a month. It came cheaper
than a lodging-'ouse, besides being a bit more private and respectable,
a thing old Sam was always very pertickler about.

"They 'ad been ashore about three weeks when one day old Sam and Peter
went off alone becos Ginger said 'e wasn't going with 'em. He said a lot
more things, too; 'ow 'e was going to see wot it felt like to be in
bed without 'aving a fat old man groaning 'is 'eart out and another one
knocking on the mantelpiece all night with twopence and wanting to know
why he wasn't being served.

"Ginger Dick fell into a quiet sleep arter they'd gone; then 'e woke up
and 'ad a sip from the water-jug--he'd 'a had more, only somebody 'ad
dropped the soap in it--and then dozed off agin. It was late in the
afternoon when 'e woke, and then 'e see Sam and Peter Russet standing by
the side o' the bed looking at 'im.

"'Where've you been?' ses Ginger, stretching hisself and yawning.

"'Bisness,' ses Sam, sitting down an' looking very important. 'While
you've been laying on your back all day me an' Peter Russet 'as been
doing a little 'ead-work.'

"'Oh!' ses Ginger. 'Wot with?'

"Sam coughed and Peter began to whistle, an' Ginger he laid still and
smiled up at the ceiling, and began to feel good-tempered agin.

"'Well, wot's the business?' he ses, at last.

"Sam looked at Peter, but Peter shook 'is 'ead at him.

"It's just a little bit 'o bisness we 'appened to drop on,' ses Sam, at
last, 'me an' Peter, and I think that, with luck and management, we're
in a fair way to make our fortunes. Peter, 'ere, ain't given to looking
on the cheerful side o' things, but 'e thinks so, too.'

"'I do,' ses Peter, 'but it won't be managed right if you go blabbing it
to everybody.'

"'We must 'ave another man in it, Peter,' ses Sam; 'and, wot's more,
'e must 'ave ginger-co