Light Freights. William Wymark Jacobs
wot wos trying to catch ‘is eye. ‘Cook ‘is food at fust, ‘cos ‘e’s been used to it.’
“‘I know wot to give ‘im,’ ses Reddish, offhandedly. ‘I ain’t been in the line twenty-seven years for nothink. Bring ‘im out to the back, an’ I’ll put ‘im in ‘is new ‘ome.’
“They all got up and, taking no notice of the wild man’s whispers, follered Ted Reddish and ‘is wife out to the back, where all the wild beasts in the world seemed to ‘ave collected to roar out to each other what a beastly place it was.
“‘I’m going to put ‘im in “‘Appy Cottage” for a time,’ says Reddish; ‘lend a hand ‘ere, William,’ he says, beckoning to one of ‘is men.
“‘Is that “‘Appy Cottage”?’ ses old Sam, sniffing, as they got up to a nasty, empty cage with a chain and staple in the wall.
“Ted Reddish said it was.
“‘Wot makes you call it that?’ ses Sam.
“Reddish didn’t seem to ‘ear ‘im, and it took all Ginger’s coaxing to get Beauty to go in.
“‘It’s on’y for a day or two,’ he whispers.
“‘But ‘ow am I to escape when you’ve got the brass?’ ses the wild man.
“‘We’ll look arter that,’ ses Ginger, who ‘adn’t got the least idea.
“The wild man ‘ad a little show for the last time, jist to impress Ted Reddish, an’ it was pretty to see the way William ‘andled ‘im. The look on the wild man’s face showed as ‘ow it was a revelashun to ‘im. Then ‘is three mates took a last look at ‘im and went off.
“For the fust day Sam felt uneasy about ‘im, and used to tell us tales about ‘is dead brother which made us think Beauty was lucky to take arter ‘is mother; but it wore off, and the next night, in the Admiral Cochrane, ‘e put ‘is ‘ead on Ginger’s shoulder, and wep’ for ‘appiness as ‘e spoke of ‘is nevy’s home at ‘’Appy Cottage.’
“On the third day Sam was for going round in the morning for the money, but Ginger said it wasn’t advisable to show any ‘aste; so they left it to the evening, and Peter Russet wrote Sam a letter signed ‘Barnum,’ offering ‘im two ‘undered for the wild man, in case Ted Reddish should want to beat ‘em down. They all ‘ad a drink before they went in, and was smiling with good temper to sich an extent that they ‘ad to wait a minute to get their faces straight afore going in.
“‘Come in,’ ses Reddish, and they follered ‘im into the parler, where Mrs. Reddish was sitting in a armchair shaking ‘er’ ead and looking at the carpet very sorrowful.
“‘I was afraid you’d come,’ she ses, in a low voice.
“‘So was I,’ ses Reddish.
“‘What for?’ ses old Sam. It didn’t look much like money, and ‘e felt cross.
“‘We’ve ‘ad a loss,’ ses Mrs. Reddish. She touched ‘erself, and then they see she was all in black, and that Ted Reddish was wearing a black tie and a bit o’ crape round ‘is arm.
“‘Sorry to ‘ear it, mum,’ ses old Sam.
“‘It was very sudden, too,’ ses Mrs. Reddish, wiping ‘er eyes.
“‘That’s better than laying long,’ ses Peter Russet, comforting like.
“Ginger Dick gives a cough. ‘Twenty-five pounds was wot ‘e’d come for; not to ‘ear this sort o’ talk.’
“‘We’ve been in the wild-beast line seven-an’-twenty years,’ ses Mrs. Reddish, ‘and it’s the fust time anythink of this sort ‘as ‘appened.’
“‘’Ealthy family, I s’pose,’ ses Sam, staring.
“Tell ‘im, Ted,’ ses Mrs. Reddish, in a ‘usky whisper.
“‘No, you,’ ses Ted.
“‘It’s your place,’ ses Mrs. Reddish.
“‘A woman can break it better,’ ses ‘er ‘usband.
“‘Tell us wot?’ ses Ginger, very snappish.
“Ted Reddish cleared ‘is throat.
“‘It wasn’t our fault,’ he ses, slowly, while Mrs. Reddish began to cry agin; ‘gin’rally speak-in’, animals is afraid o’ wild men, and night before last, as the wild man wot you left on approval didn’t seem to like “‘Appy Cottage,’’ we took ‘im out an’ put ‘im in with the tiger.’
‘“Put him in with the WOT?’ ses the unfort’nit man’s uncle, jumping off ‘is chair.
“‘The tiger,’ ses Reddish. ‘We ‘eard something in the night, but we thought they was only ‘aving a little bit of a tiff, like. In the morning I went down with a bit o’ cold meat for the wild man, and I thought at first he’d escaped; but looking a little bit closer—’
“‘Don’t, Ted,’ ses ‘is wife. ‘I can’t bear it.’
“‘Do you mean to tell me that the tiger ‘as eat ‘im?’ screams old Sam.
“‘Most of ‘im,’ ses Ted Reddish; ‘but ‘e couldn’t ha’ been much of a wild man to let a tiger get the better of ‘im. I must say I was surprised.’
“‘We both was,’ ses Mrs. Reddish, wiping ‘er eyes.
“You might ha’ ‘eard a pin drop; old Sam’s eyes was large and staring, Peter Russet was sucking ‘is teeth, an’ Ginger was wondering wot the law would say to it—if it ‘eard of it.
“‘It’s an unfortunit thing for all parties,’ ses Ted Reddish at last, getting up and standing on the ‘earthrug.
“‘’Orrible,’ ses Sam, ‘uskily. ‘You ought to ha’ known better than to put ‘im in with a tiger. Wot could you expect? W’y, it was a mad thing to do.’
“‘Crool thing,’ ses Peter Russet.
“‘You don’t know the bisness properly,’ ses Ginger, ‘that’s about wot it is. ‘You should ha’ known better than that.’
“‘Well, it’s no good making a fuss about it,’ ses Reddish. It was only a wild man arter all, and he’d ha’ died anyway, cos ‘e wouldn’t eat the raw meat we gave ‘im, and ‘is pan o’ water was scarcely touched. He’d ha’ starved himself anyhow. I’m sorry, as I said before, but I must be off; I’ve got an appointment down at the docks.’
“He moved towards the door; Ginger Dick gave Russet a nudge and whispered something and Russet passed it on to Sam.
“What about the ‘undered quid?’ ses pore Beauty’s uncle, catching ‘old o’ Reddish as ‘e passed ‘im.
“‘Eh?’ ses Reddish, surprised—‘Oh, that’s off.’
“‘Ho!’ says Sam. ‘Ho! is it? We want a ‘undered quid off of you; an’ wot’s more, we mean to ‘ave it.’
“‘But the tiger’s ate ‘im,’ says Mrs. Reddish, explaining.
“‘I know that,’ ses Sam, sharply. ‘But ‘e was our wild man, and we want to be paid for ‘im. You should ha’ been more careful. We’ll give you five minutes; and if the money ain’t paid by that time we’ll go straight off to the police-station.’
“‘Well, go,’ ses Ted Reddish.
“Sam got up, very stern, and looked at Ginger.
“‘You’ll be ruined if we do,’ ses Ginger.
“‘All right,’ ses Ted Reddish, comfortably.
“I’m not sure they can’t ‘ang you,’ ses Russet.
“‘I ain’t