The Project Gutenberg EBook of Prize Money, by W.W. Jacobs

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Title: Prize Money
Sailor's Knots, Part 10.

Author: W.W. Jacobs

Release Date: January 22, 2004 [EBook #10790]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PRIZE MONEY ***

Produced by David Widger

SAILORS' KNOTS

By W.W. Jacobs

1909

PRIZE MONEY

The old man stood by the window, gazing at the frozen fields beyond. The
sign of the Cauliflower was stiff with snow, and the breath of a pair of
waiting horses in a wagon beneath ascended in clouds of steam.

[Illustration: "The sign of the Cauliflower was stiff with snow."]

"Amusements" he said slowly, as he came back with a shiver and, resuming
his seat by the tap-room fire, looked at the wayfarer who had been idly
questioning him. "Claybury men don't have much time for amusements.
The last one I can call to mind was Bill Chambers being nailed up in a
pig-sty he was cleaning out, but there was such a fuss made over that
--by Bill--that it sort o' disheartened people."

He got up again restlessly, and, walking round the table, gazed long and
hard into three or four mugs.

"Sometimes a little gets left in them," he explained, meeting the
stranger's inquiring glance. The latter started, and, knocking on the
table with the handle of his knife, explained that he had been informed
by a man outside that his companion was the bitterest teetotaller in
Claybury.

"That's one o' Bob Pretty's larks," said the old man, flushing. "I see
you talking to 'im, and I thought as 'ow he warn't up to no good.
Biggest rascal in Claybury, he is. I've said so afore, and I'll say so
agin."

He bowed to the donor and buried his old face in the mug.

"A poacher!" he said, taking breath. "A thief!" he continued, after
another draught. "I wonder whether Smith spilt any of this a-carrying of
it in?"

He put down the empty mug and made a careful examination of the floor,
until a musical rapping on the table brought the landlord into the room
again.

"My best respects," he said, gratefully, as he placed the mug on the
settle by his side and slowly filled a long clay pipe. Next time y