“Sam looked at ’em for a moment, and then, without a word, he took off ’is boots and put on ’is coat and went up in a corner to be out of the draught, but, wot with the cold and ’is temper, and the hardness of the floor, it was a long time afore ’e could get to sleep.  He dropped off at last, and it seemed to ’im that he ’ad only just closed ’is eyes when it was daylight.  He opened one eye and was just going to open the other when he saw something as made ’im screw ’em both up sharp and peep through ‘is eyelashes.  The lodger was standing at the foot o’ Ginger’s bed, going through ’is pockets, and then, arter waiting a moment and ’aving a look round, he went through Peter Russet’s.  Sam lay still mouse while the lodger tip-toed out o’ the room with ’is boots in his ’and, and then, springing up, follered him downstairs.

“He caught ’im up just as he ’ad undone the front door, and, catching hold of ‘im by the back o’ the neck, shook ’im till ’e was tired.  Then he let go of ’im and, holding his fist under ’is nose, told ’im to hand over the money, and look sharp about it.

“‘Ye—­ye—­yes, sir,’ ses the lodger, who was ’arf choked.

“Sam held out his ’and, and the lodger, arter saying it was only a little bit o’ fun on ’is part, and telling ’im wot a fancy he ’ad taken to ’im from the fust, put Ginger’s watch and chain into his ’ands and eighteen pounds four shillings and sevenpence.  Sam put it into his pocket, and, arter going through the lodger’s pockets to make sure he ’adn’t forgot anything, opened the door and flung ’im into the street.  He stopped on the landing to put the money in a belt he was wearing under ’is clothes, and then ’e went back on tip-toe to ’is corner and went to sleep with one eye open and the ’appiest smile that had been on his face for years.

“He shut both eyes when he ’eard Ginger wake up, and he slept like a child through the ’orrible noise that Peter and Ginger see fit to make when they started to put their clothes on.  He got tired of it afore they did, and, arter opening ’is eyes slowly and yawning, he asked Ginger wot he meant by it.

“‘You’ll wake your lodger up if you ain’t careful, making that noise,’ he ses.  ‘Wot’s the matter?’

“‘Sam,’ ses Ginger, in a very different voice to wot he ’ad used the night before, ‘Sam, old pal, he’s taken all our money and bolted.’

“‘Wot?’ ses Sam, sitting up on the floor and blinking, ‘Nonsense!’

“‘Robbed me and Peter,’ ses Ginger, in a trembling voice; ’taken every penny we’ve got, and my watch and chain.’

“‘You’re dreaming,’ ses Sam.

“‘I wish I was,’ ses Ginger.

“‘But surely, Ginger,’ ses Sam, standing up, ’surely you didn’t take a lodger without a character?’

“‘He seemed such a nice chap,’ ses Peter.  ’We was only saying wot a much nicer chap he was than—­than——­’

“‘Go on, Peter,’ ses Sam, very perlite.

“‘Than he might ha’ been,’ ses Ginger, very quick.