“It was broken in two places, and the doctor said it would be a long job, owing to ’is drinking habits, and ’e gave Mrs. Brown strict orders that Job wasn’t to ’ave a drop of anything, even if ’e asked for it. “There was a lot o’ talk about it up at the Cauliflower ’ere, and Henery White, arter a bad ’eadache, thought of a plan by which ’e and Bill Chambers could ’ave that five pounds atween ’em. The idea was that Bill Chambers was to go with Henery to see Job, and take ’im a bottle of beer, and jist as Job was going to drink it Henery should knock it out of ’is ’ands, at the same time telling Bill Chambers ’e ought to be ashamed o’ hisself. “It was a good idea, and, as Henery White said, if Mrs. Brown was in the room so much the better, as she’d be a witness. He made Bill swear to keep it secret for fear of other chaps doing it arterwards, and then they bought a bottle o’ beer and set off up the road to Job’s. The annoying part of it was, arter all their trouble and Henery White’s ’eadache, Mrs. Brown wouldn’t let ’em in. They begged and prayed of ’er to let ’em go up and just ’ave a peep at ’im, but she wouldn’t. She said she’d go upstairs and peep for ’em, and she came down agin and said that ’e was a little bit flushed, but sleeping like a lamb. “They went round the corner and drank the ale up, and Bill Chambers said it was a good job Henery thought ’e was clever, because nobody else did. As for ’is ’eadaches, he put ’em down to over-eating. “Several other chaps called to see Job, but none of them was allowed to go up, and for seven weeks that unfortunate man never touched a drop of anything. The doctor tried to persuade ’im now that ’e ’ad got the start to keep it, and ’e likewise pointed out that as ’e had been without liquor for over a month, he could go and get that five pounds back out o’ Smith. “Job promised that ’e would give it up; but the fust day ’e felt able to crawl on ’is crutches he made up ’is mind to go up to the Cauliflower and see whether gin and beer tasted as good as it used to. The only thing was ’is wife might stop ’im. “‘You’re done up with nursing me, old gal,’ he ses to ’is wife. “‘I am a bit tired,’ ses she. “‘I could see it by your eyes,’ ses Job. ‘What you want is a change, Polly. Why not go and see your sister at Wickham?” “‘I don’t like leaving you alone,’ ses Mrs. Brown, ‘else I’d like to go. I want to do a little shopping.’ “‘You go, my dear,’ ses Job. ‘I shall be quite ’appy sitting at the gate in the sun with a glass o’ milk an’ a pipe.’ “He persuaded ’er at last, and, in a fit o’ generosity, gave ’er three shillings to go shopping with, and as soon as she was out o’ sight he went off with a crutch and a stick, smiling all over ’is face. He met Dick Weed in the road and they shook ’ands quite friendly, and Job asked ’im to ’ave a drink. Then Henery White and some more chaps came along, and by the time they got to the Cauliflower they was as merry a party as you’d wish to see.