“This is wot comes o’ trying to do you a favour, Ginger,” ses the old man, reproachfully.

“Don’t talk to me,” ses Ginger, “cos I won’t have it.  Come on; where is it?”

Old Isaac looked at ’im, and then he gave a sigh and got up and put on ’is boots and ’is trousers.

“I thought I should ’ave a little trouble with you,” he ses, slowly, “but I was prepared for that.”

“You’ll ’ave more if you don’t hurry up,” ses Ginger, glaring at ’im.

“We don’t want to ’urt you, Isaac,” ses Peter Russet, “we on’y want our money.”

“I know that,” ses Isaac; “you keep still, Peter, and see fair-play, and I’ll knock you silly arterwards.”

He pushed some o’ the things into a corner and then ’e spat on ’is ’ands, and began to prance up and down, and duck ’is ’ead about and hit the air in a way that surprised ’em.

“I ain’t hit a man for five years,” ’e ses, still dancing up and down—­ “fighting’s sinful except in a good cause—­but afore I got a new ’art, Ginger, I’d lick three men like you afore breakfast, just to git up a appetite.”

[Illustration:  “I ain’t hit a man for five years,” ’e ses, still dancing up and down.”]

“Look, ’ere,” ses Ginger; “you’re an old man and I don’t want to ’urt you; tell us where our money is, our ’ard-earned money, and I won’t lay a finger on you.”

“I’m taking care of it for you,” ses the old man.

Ginger Dick gave a howl and rushed at him, and the next moment Isaac’s fist shot out and give ’im a drive that sent ’im spinning across the room until ’e fell in a heap in the fireplace.  It was like a kick from a ’orse, and Peter looked very serious as ’e picked ’im up and dusted ’im down.

“You should keep your eye on ’is fist,” he ses, sharply.

It was a silly thing to say, seeing that that was just wot ’ad ’appened, and Ginger told ’im wot ’e’d do for ’im when ’e’d finished with Isaac.  He went at the old man agin, but ’e never ’ad a chance, and in about three minutes ’e was very glad to let Peter ’elp ’im into bed.

“It’s your turn to fight him now, Peter,” he ses.  “Just move this piller so as I can see.”

“Come on, lad,” ses the old man.

Peter shook ’is ’ead.  “I have no wish to ’urt you, Isaac,” he ses, kindly; “excitement like fighting is dangerous for an old man.  Give us our money and we’ll say no more about it.”

“No, my lads,” ses Isaac.  “I’ve undertook to take charge o’ this money and I’m going to do it; and I ’ope that when we all sign on aboard the Planet there’ll be a matter o’ twelve pounds each left.  Now, I don’t want to be ’arsh with you, but I’m going back to bed, and if I ’ave to get up and dress agin you’ll wish yourselves dead.”

He went back to bed agin, and Peter, taking no notice of Ginger Dick, who kept calling ’im a coward, got into bed alongside of Ginger and fell fast asleep.

They all ’ad breakfast in a coffee-shop next morning, and arter it was over Ginger, who ’adn’t spoke a word till then, said that ’e and Peter Russet wanted a little money to go on with.  He said they preferred to get their meals alone, as Isaac’s face took their appetite away.