Odd Craft | Page 4

bed.
They 'ad breakfast together agin next morning and Ginger tried another
tack. He spoke quite nice to Isaac, and 'ad three large cups o' tea to
show 'im 'ow 'e was beginning to like it, and when the old man gave
'em their eighteen-pences 'e smiled and said 'e'd like a few shillings
extra that day.
"It'll be all right, Isaac," he ses. "I wouldn't 'ave a drink if you asked me
to. Don't seem to care for it now. I was saying so to you on'y last night,
wasn't I, Peter?"
"You was," ses Peter; "so was I."

"Then I've done you good, Ginger," ses Isaac, clapping 'im on the back.
"You 'ave," ses Ginger, speaking between his teeth, "and I thank you
for it. I don't want drink; but I thought o' going to a music-'all this
evening."
"Going to wot?" ses old Isaac, drawing 'imself up and looking very
shocked.
"A music-'all," ses Ginger, trying to keep 'is temper.
"A music-'all," ses Isaac; "why, it's worse than a pub, Ginger. I should
be a very poor friend o' yours if I let you go there--I couldn't think of
it."
"Wot's it got to do with you, you gray-whiskered serpent?" screams
Ginger, arf mad with rage. "Why don't you leave us alone? Why don't
you mind your own business? It's our money."
Isaac tried to talk to 'im, but 'e wouldn't listen, and he made such a fuss
that at last the coffee-shop keeper told 'im to go outside. Peter follered
'im out, and being very upset they went and spent their day's allowance
in the first hour, and then they walked about the streets quarrelling as to
the death they'd like old Isaac to 'ave when 'is time came.
They went back to their lodgings at dinner-time; but there was no sign
of the old man, and, being 'ungry and thirsty, they took all their spare
clothes to a pawnbroker and got enough money to go on with. Just to
show their independence they went to two music-'ails, and with a sort
of idea that they was doing Isaac a bad turn they spent every farthing
afore they got 'ome, and sat up in bed telling 'im about the spree they'd
'ad.
At five o'clock in the morning Peter woke up and saw, to 'is surprise,
that Ginger Dick was dressed and carefully folding up old Isaac's
clothes. At first 'e thought that Ginger 'ad gone mad, taking care of the
old man's things like that, but afore 'e could speak Ginger noticed that
'e was awake, and stepped over to 'im and whispered to 'im to dress

without making a noise. Peter did as 'e was told, and, more puzzled
than ever, saw Ginger make up all the old man's clothes in a bundle and
creep out of the room on tiptoe.
"Going to 'ide 'is clothes?" 'e ses.
"Yes," ses Ginger, leading the way downstairs; "in a pawnshop. We'll
make the old man pay for to-day's amusements."
Then Peter see the joke and 'e begun to laugh so 'ard that Ginger 'ad to
threaten to knock 'is head off to quiet 'im. Ginger laughed 'imself when
they got outside, and at last, arter walking about till the shops opened,
they got into a pawnbroker's and put old Isaac's clothes up for fifteen
shillings.
[Illustration: "They put old Isaac's clothes up for fifteen shillings."]
First thing they did was to 'ave a good breakfast, and after that they
came out smiling all over and began to spend a 'appy day. Ginger was
in tip-top spirits and so was Peter, and the idea that old Isaac was in bed
while they was drinking 'is clothes pleased them more than anything.
Twice that evening policemen spoke to Ginger for dancing on the
pavement, and by the time the money was spent it took Peter all 'is time
to get 'im 'ome.
Old Isaac was in bed when they got there, and the temper 'e was in was
shocking; but Ginger sat on 'is bed and smiled at 'im as if 'e was saying
compliments to 'im.
"Where's my clothes?" ses the old man, shaking 'is fist at the two of
'em.
Ginger smiled at 'im; then 'e shut 'is eyes and dropped off to sleep.
"Where's my clothes?" ses Isaac, turning to Peter. "Closhe?" ses Peter,
staring at 'im.
"Where are they?" ses Isaac.

It was a long time afore Peter could understand wot 'e meant, but as
soon as 'e did 'e started to look for 'em. Drink takes people in different
ways, and the way it always took Peter was to make 'im one o' the most
obliging men that ever lived. He spent arf the night crawling about on
all fours looking for the clothes, and four