“Nine o’clock,” ses Peter.  “It’s no good going ’ome yet, Ginger.”

“We can ’ave a glass or two on the way,” ses Ginger; “but I sha’n’t feel comfortable in my mind till we’ve got the dog safe ’ome.  P’r’aps the people wot ’ave lost it are looking for it now.”

They ’ad another drink farther on, and a man in the bar took such a fancy to the dog that ’e offered Ginger five shillings for it and drinks round.

“That shows ’ow valuable it is,” ses Peter Russet when they got outside.  “Hold that string tight, Ginger.  Wot’s the matter?”

“He won’t come,” ses Ginger, tugging at the string.  “Come on, old chap!  Good dog!  Come on!”

He stood there pulling at the dog, wot was sitting down and being dragged along on its stummick.  He didn’t know its name, but ’e called it a few things that seemed to ease ’is mind, and then he ’anded over the string to Sam, wot ’ad been asking for it, and told ’im to see wot he could do.

“We shall ’ave a crowd round us in a minute,” ses Peter.  “Mind you don’t bust a blood-vessel, Sam.”

“And be locked up for stealing it, p’r’aps,” ses Ginger.  “Better let it go, Sam.”

“Wot, arter refusing five bob for it?” ses Sam.  “Talk sense, Ginger, and give it a shove be’ind.”

Ginger gave it a shove, but it was no good.  There was three or four people coming along the road, and Sam made up ’is mind in an instant, and ’eld up his ’and to a cab that was passing.

It took the three of ’em to get the dog into the cab, and as soon as it was in the cabman told ’em to take it out agin.  They argufied with ’im till their tongues ached, and at last, arter paying ’im four shillings and sixpence afore they started, he climbed up on the box and drove off.

The door was open when they got to their lodgings, but they ’ad to be careful because o’ the landlady.  It took the three of ’em to pull and push that dog upstairs, and Ginger took a dislike to dogs that ’e never really got over.  They got ’im in the bedroom at last, and, arter they ’ad given ‘im a drink o’ water out o’ the wash-hand basin, Ginger and Peter started to find fault with Sam Small.

“I know wot I’m about,” ses Sam; “but, o’ course, if you don’t want your share, say so.  Wot?”

“Talk sense!” ses Ginger.  “We paid our share o’ the cab, didn’t we?  And more fools us.”

“There won’t be no share,” ses Peter Russet; “but if there is, we’re going to’ave it.”

They undressed themselves and got into bed, and Ginger ’adn’t been in his five minutes afore the dog started to get in with ’im.  When Ginger pushed ’im off ’e seemed to think he was having a game with ’im, and, arter pretending to bite ’im in play, he took the end of the counterpane in ’is mouth and tried to drag it off.

“Why don’t you get to sleep, Ginger?” ses Sam, who was just dropping off. “’Ave a game with ’im in the morning.”