time of it to deceive you; and then they wouldn’t gain nothing by it.”
“Nobody ever ‘as yet,” ses Sam, smiling at ‘im.
“And nobody ever will,” ses the dark man, shaking his ‘cad; “if they was all as fly as you, I might as well put the shutters up. How did you twig I was a detective officer, cap’n?”
Sam, wot was taking a drink, got some beer up ‘is nose with surprise.
“That’s my secret,” he ses, arter the tec ‘ad patted ‘im on the back and brought ‘im round.
“You’re a marvel, that’s wot you are,” ses the tec, shaking his ‘ead. “Have one with me.”
Sam said he didn’t mind if ‘e did, and arter drinking each other’s healths very perlite ‘e ordered a couple o’ twopenny smokes, and by way of showing off paid for ‘em with ‘arf a quid.
“That’s right, ain’t it?” ses the barmaid, as he stood staring very ‘ard at the change. “I ain’t sure about that ‘arf-crown, now I come to look at it; but it’s the one you gave me.”
Pore Sam, with a tec standing alongside of ‘im, said it was quite right, and put it into ‘is pocket in a hurry and began to talk to the tec as fast as he could about a murder he ‘ad been reading about in the paper that morning. They went and sat down by a comfortable little fire that was burning in the bar, and the tec told ‘im about a lot o’ murder cases he ‘ad been on himself.
“I’m down ‘ere now on special work,” he ses, “looking arter sailormen.”
“Wot ha’ they been doing?” ses Sam.
“When I say looking arter, I mean protecting ‘em,” ses the tec. “Over and over agin some pore feller, arter working ‘ard for months at sea, comes ‘ome with a few pounds in ‘is pocket and gets robbed of the lot. There’s a couple o’ chaps down ‘ere I’m told off to look arter special, but it’s no good unless I can catch ‘em red-’anded.”
“Red-’anded?” ses Sam.
“With their hands in the chap’s pockets, I mean,” ses the tec.
Sam gave a shiver. “Somebody had their ‘ands in my pockets once,” he ses. “Four pun ten and some coppers they got.”
“Wot was they like?” ses the tee, starting.
Sam shook his ‘ead. “They seemed to me to be all hands, that’s all I know about ‘em,” he ses. “Arter they ‘ad finished they leaned me up agin the dock wall an’ went off.”
“It sounds like ‘em,” ses the tec, thoughtfully. “It was Long Pete and Fair Alf, for a quid; that’s the two I’m arter.”
He put his finger in ‘is weskit-pocket. “That’s who I am,” he ses, ‘anding Sam a card; “Detective-Sergeant Cubbins. If you ever get into any trouble at any time, you come to me.”
Sam said ‘e would, and arter they had ‘ad another drink together the tec shifted ‘is seat alongside of ‘im and talked in his ear.
“If I can nab them two chaps I shall get promotion,” he ses; “and it’s a fi’-pun note to anybody that helps me. I wish I could persuade you to.”
“‘Ow’s it to be done?” ses Sam, looking at ‘im.
“I want a respectable-looking seafaring man,” ses the tec, speaking very slow; “that’s you. He goes up Tower Hill to-morrow night at nine o’clock, walking very slow and very unsteady on ‘is pins, and giving my two beauties the idea that ‘e is three sheets in the wind. They come up and rob ‘im, and I catch them red-’anded. I get promotion, and you get a fiver.”
“But ‘ow do you know they’ll be there?” ses Sam, staring at ‘im.
Mr. Cubbins winked at ‘im and tapped ‘is nose.
“We ‘ave to know a good deal in our line o’ business,” he ses.
“Still,” ses Sam, “I don’t see–”
“Narks,” says the tec; “coppers’ narks. You’ve ‘eard of them, cap’n? Now, look ‘ere. Have you got any money?”
“I got a matter o’ twelve quid or so,” ses Sam, in a of hand way.
“The very thing,” says the tec. “Well, to-morrow night you put that in your pocket, and be walking up Tower Hill just as the clock strikes nine. I promise you you’ll be robbed afore two minutes past, and by two and a ‘arf past I shall ‘ave my hands on both of ‘em. Have all the money in one pocket, so as they can get it neat and quick, in case they get interrupted. Better still, ‘ave it in a purse; that makes it easier to bring it ‘ome to ‘em.”
“Wouldn’t it be enough if they stole the purse?” ses Sam. “I should feel safer that way, too.”
Mr. Cubbins shook his ‘ead, very slow and solemn. “That wouldn’t do at all,” he ses. “The more money they steal, the longer they’ll get; you know that, cap’n, without me telling you. If you could put fifty quid in it would be so much the better. And, what-ever you do, don’t make a noise. I don’t want a lot o’ clumsy policemen interfering in my business.”
“Still, s’pose you didn’t catch ‘em,” ses Sam, “where should I be?”
“You needn’t be afraid o’ that,” ses the tec, with a laugh. “Here, I’ll tell you wot I’ll do, and that’ll show you the trust I put in you.”
He drew a big di’mond ring off of ‘is finger and handed it to Sam.
“Put that on your finger,” he ses, “and keep it there till I give you your money back and the fi’-pun note reward. It’s worth seventy quid if it’s worth a farthing, and was given to me by a lady of title for getting back ‘er jewellery for ‘er. Put it on, and wotever you do, don’t lose it!”
He sat and watched while Sam forced it on is finger.
“You don’t need to flash it about too much,” he ses, looking at ‘im rather anxious. “There’s men I know as ‘ud cut your finger off to get that.”
Sam shoved his ‘and in his pocket, but he kept taking it out every now and then and ‘olding his finger up to the light to look at the di’mond. Mr. Cubbins got up to go at last, saying that he ‘ad got a call to make at the police-station, and they went out together.
“Nine o’clock sharp,” he ses, as they shook hands, “on Tower Hill.”
“I’ll be there,” ses Sam.
“And, wotever you do, no noise, no calling out,” ses the tec, “and don’t mention a word of this to a living soul.”
Sam shook ‘ands with ‘im agin, and then, hiding his ‘and in his pocket, went off ‘ome, and, finding Ginger and Peter Russet wasn’t back, went off to bed.
He ‘eard ‘em coming upstairs in the dark in about an hour’s time, and, putting the ‘and with the ring on it on the counterpane, shut ‘is eyes and pretended to be fast asleep. Ginger lit the candle, and they was both beginning to undress when Peter made a noise and pointed to Sam’s ‘and.
“Wot’s up?” ses Ginger, taking the candle and going over to Sam’s bed. “Who’ve you been robbing, you fat pirate?”
Sam kept ‘is eyes shut and ‘eard ‘em whispering; then he felt ‘em take ‘is hand up and look at it. “Where did you get it, Sam?” ses Peter.
“He’s asleep,” ses Ginger, “sound asleep. I b’lieve if I was to put ‘is finger in the candle he wouldn’t wake up.”
“You try it,” ses Sam, sitting up in bed very sharp and snatching his ‘and away. “Wot d’ye mean coming ‘ome at all hours and waking me up?” “Where did you get that ring?” ses Ginger. “Friend o’ mine,” ses Sam, very short.
“Who was it?” ses Peter.
“It’s