Light Freights (Short Story Index Reprint Series)

By W.W. Jacobs

Book Overview

Excerpt: ...ses Peter. "'Doing wrong?' ses Ginger Dick, staring. 'Wot are you talking about?' "'Something the landlady said showed us as we was doin' wrong, ' ses old Sam, very solemn; 'it come over us in a flash.' "'Like lightning, ' ses Peter. "'All of a sudden we see wot a cruel, 'ard thing it was to go and try and deceive a poor widder woman, ' ses Sam, in a 'usky voice; 'we both see it at once.' "Ginger Dick looks at 'em 'ard, 'e did, and then, 'e ses, jeering like: "'I 'spose you don't want any Post Office money-orders sent you, then?' he ses. "'No, ' says Sam and Peter, both together. "'You may have 'em all, ' ses Sam; 'but if you'll be ruled by us, Ginger, you'll give it up, same as wot we 'ave-you'll sleep the sweeter for it.' "'Give it up ' shouts Ginger, dancing up an' down the room, 'arter being tattooed all over? Why, you must be crazy, Sam-wot's the matter with you?' "'It ain't fair play agin a woman, ' says old Sam, 'three strong men agin one poor old woman; that's wot we feel, Ginger.' "'Well, I don't feel like it, ' ses Ginger; 'you please yourself, and I'll please myself.' "'E went off in a huff, an' next morning 'e was so disagreeable that Sam an' Peter went and signed on board a steamer called the Penguin, which was to sail the day arter. They parted bad friends all round, and Ginger Dick gave Peter a nasty black eye, and Sam said that when Ginger came to see things in a proper way agin he'd be sorry for wot 'e'd said. And 'e said that 'im and Peter never wanted to look on 'is face agin. "Ginger Dick was a bit lonesome arter they'd gone, but 'e thought it better to let a few days go by afore 'e went and adopted the red-'aired landlady. He waited a week, and at last, unable to wait any longer, 'e went out and 'ad a shave and smartened hisself up, and went off to the Blue Lion. "It was about three o'clock when 'e got there, and the little public-'ouse was empty except for two old men in the jug-and-bottle entrance. Ginger stopped outside a minute...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0836934075
• ISBN13: 9780836934076
• Release Date: January 1970
• Publisher: Ayer Co Pub
• Length: 315 Pages
• Weight: 0.99 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 1.3" x 5.0"