The Project Gutenberg EBook of Keeping Up Appearances, by W.W. Jacobs

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Title: Keeping Up Appearances
Sailor's Knots, Part 12.

Author: W.W. Jacobs

Release Date: January 22, 2004 [EBook #10792]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Produced by David Widger

SAILORS' KNOTS

By W.W. Jacobs

1909

KEEPING UP APPEARANCES

"Everybody is superstitious," said the night-watchman, as he gave
utterance to a series of chirruping endearments to a black cat with one
eye that had just been using a leg of his trousers as a serviette; "if
that cat 'ad stole some men's suppers they'd have acted foolish, and
suffered for it all the rest of their lives."

He scratched the cat behind the ear, and despite himself his face
darkened. "Slung it over the side, they would," he said, longingly, "and
chucked bits o' coke at it till it sank. As I said afore, everybody is
superstitious, and those that ain't ought to be night-watchmen for a
time--that 'ud cure 'em. I knew one man that killed a black cat, and
arter that for the rest of his life he could never get three sheets in
the wind without seeing its ghost. Spoilt his life for 'im, it did."

He scratched the cat's other ear. "I only left it a moment, while I went
round to the Bull's Head," he said, slowly filling his pipe, "and I
thought I'd put it out o' reach. Some men----"

His fingers twined round the animal's neck; then, with a sigh, he rose
and took a turn or two on the jetty.

Superstitiousness is right and proper, to a certain extent, he said,
resuming his seat; but, o' course, like everything else, some people
carry it too far--they'd believe anything. Weak-minded they are, and if
you're in no hurry I can tell you a tale of a pal o' mine, Bill
Burtenshaw by name, that'll prove my words.

[Illustration: "Superstitiousness is right and proper, to a certain
extent."]

His mother was superstitious afore 'im, and always knew when 'er friends
died by hearing three loud taps on the wall. The on'y mistake she ever
made was one night when, arter losing no less than seven friends, she
found out it was the ma