Captains All and OthersJacobs, W. W. (William Wymark)
General
Captains All and Others
Jacobs, W. W. (William Wymark)
England -- Social life and customs -- Fiction; Humorous stories, English; River life -- Fiction
“That's me standing on the bridge,” he ses, pointing out a little dot
with the stem of 'is pipe.
“It's your figger,” ses Mrs. Finch, straining her eyes. “I should know
it anywhere.”
“You've got wonderful eyes, ma'am,” ses old Sam, choking with 'is pipe.
“Anybody can see that,” ses Ginger. “They're the largest and the bluest
I've ever seen.”
Mrs. Finch told 'im not to talk nonsense, but both Sam and Peter Russet
could see 'ow pleased she was.
“Truth is truth,” ses Ginger. “I'm a plain man, and I speak my mind.”
“Blue is my fav'rit' colour,” ses old Sam, in a tender voice. “True
blue.”
Peter Russet began to feel out of it. “I thought brown was,” he ses.
“Ho!” ses Sam, turning on 'im; “and why?”
“I 'ad my reasons,” ses Peter, nodding, and shutting 'is mouth very
firm.
“I thought brown was 'is fav'rit colour too,” ses Ginger. “I don't know
why. It's no use asking me; because if you did I couldn't tell you.”
“Brown's a very nice colour,” ses Mrs. Finch, wondering wot was the
matter with old Sam.
“Blue,” ses Ginger; “big blue eyes—they're the ones for me. Other people
may 'ave their blacks and their browns,” he ses, looking at Sam and
Peter Russet, “but give me blue.”
They went on like that all the evening, and every time the shop-bell
went and the widow 'ad to go out to serve a customer they said in
w'ispers wot they thought of each other; and once when she came back
rather sudden Ginger 'ad to explain to 'er that 'e was showing Peter
Russet a scratch on his knuckle.
Ginger Dick was the fust there next night, and took 'er a little chiney
teapot he 'ad picked up dirt cheap because it was cracked right acrost
the middle; but, as he explained that he 'ad dropped it in hurrying to
see 'er, she was just as pleased. She stuck it up on the mantelpiece,
and the things she said about Ginger's kindness and generosity made
Peter Russet spend good money that he wanted for 'imself on a painted
flower-pot next evening.
With three men all courting 'er at the same time Mrs. Finch had 'er
hands full, but she took to it wonderful considering. She was so nice
and kind to 'em all that even arter a week's 'ard work none of 'em was
really certain which she liked best.
They took to going in at odd times o' the day for tobacco and such-like.
They used to go alone then, but they all met and did the polite to each
other there of an evening, and then quarrelled all the way 'ome.
Then all of a sudden, without any warning, Ginger Dick and Peter Russet
left off going there. The fust evening Sam sat expecting them every
minute, and was so surprised that he couldn't take any advantage of it;
but on the second, beginning by squeezing Mrs. Finch's 'and at ha'-past
seven, he 'ad got best part of his arm round 'er waist by a quarter to
ten. He didn't do more that night because she told him to be'ave
'imself, and threatened to scream if he didn't leave off.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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