Produced by David Widger
ODD CRAFT
BY
W. W. JACOBS
1909
Contents:
THE MONEY-BOX
THE CASTAWAY
BLUNDELL'S IMPROVEMENT
BILL'S LAPSE
LAWYER QUINCE
BREAKING A SPELL
ESTABLISHING RELATIONS
THE CHANGING NUMBERS
THE PERSECUTION OF BOB PRETTY
DIXON'S RETURN
A SPIRIT OF AVARICE
THE THIRD STRING
ODD CHARGES
ADMIRAL PETERS
THE MONEY-BOX
Sailormen are not good 'ands at saving money as a rule, said the night-watchman, as he wistfully toyed with a bad shilling on his watch-chain, though to 'ear 'em talk of saving when they're at sea and there isn't a pub within a thousand miles of 'em, you might think different.
[Illustration: "Sailormen are not good 'ands at saving money as a rule."]
It ain't for the want of trying either with some of 'em, and I've known men do all sorts o' things as soon as they was paid off, with a view to saving. I knew one man as used to keep all but a shilling or two in a belt next to 'is skin so that he couldn't get at it easy, but it was all no good. He was always running short in the most inconvenient places. I've seen 'im wriggle for five minutes right off, with a tramcar conductor standing over 'im and the other people in the tram reading their papers with one eye and watching him with the other.
Ginger Dick and Peter Russet--two men I've spoke of to you afore--tried to save their money once. They'd got so sick and tired of spending it all in p'r'aps a week or ten days arter coming ashore, and 'aving to go to sea agin sooner than they 'ad intended, that they determined some way or other to 'ave things different.
They was homeward bound on a steamer from Melbourne when they made their minds up; and Isaac Lunn, the oldest fireman aboard--a very steady old teetotaler--gave them a lot of good advice about it. They all wanted to rejoin the ship when she sailed agin, and 'e offered to take a room ashore with them and mind their money, giving 'em what 'e called a moderate amount each day.
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: Odd Craft, Complete by W. W. Jacobs
- 2: All Ginger found was a ha' penny
- 3: Ginger Dick gave a howl and rushed at him
- 4: Taking no notice of Ginger Dick
- 5: Peter Russet looked at 'im and then he looked at Ginger
- 6: Ginger laughed 'imself when they got outside
- 7: Sewn up in the lining of the coat
- 8: Nearly falling out of the winder
- 9: Gimpson seated herself upon his knee
- 10: She sniffed again three times
- 11: Boxer laughed a good ringing laugh
- 12: Tchee tch I s'pose you'd ha' laughed more if I 'ad been bit
- 13: Gimpson was of the same opinion
- 14: Boxer she introduced as a friend of the family from London
- 15: Boxer sprang raging to his feet
- 16: Gimpson pushed her son in law aside
- 17: Boxer crossed over to her husband
- 18: He began to talk in low tones to Venia
- 19: But she won't marry so long as Venia is at home
- 20: Blundell blushed with pleased surprise
- 21: Blundell regarded him patiently
- 22: Turnbull some trouble ere it was effected
- 23: Blundell coughed and looked seaward
- 24: Turnbull came to the surface and disappeared again
- 25: And assisted by Venia and the sergeant
- 26: Blundell and followed their friends' example
- 27: Ses Ginger and Peter Russet together
- 28: Jumped into a cab and pulled Peter Russet in arter 'im
- 29: Sam and Ginger Dick came in a little while arterward
- 30: Ginger was gone about two hours
- 31: Ginger was like a child in 'is hands
- 32: Ginger pretty near went crazy with temper
- 33: Peter and Ginger was waiting for 'im
- 34: Quince put down his hammer and
- 35: Hogg smacked his thigh in ecstasy
- 36: Quince nodded and filled his glass
- 37: Quince mastered his wrath by an effort
- 38: The following day found Ned Quince still a prisoner
- 39: Quince to himself with conviction
- 40: Lawyer Quince was hard at work
- 41: He was seen returning with Ned Quince
- 42: Joe Barlcomb was everything at fust
- 43: He'd set 'er down for wot he called a white witch
- 44: Joe Barlcomb went cold all over
- 45: And threatened Joe Barlcomb with the police
- 46: A minute arterward he 'eard the bedroom winder pushed open
- 47: Take this up to the Cauliflower
- 48: Jasper Potts told 'im to clear off
- 49: Emerged from the dock gates in high good humour
- 50: Truefitt brought her daughter hastily into the passage
- 51: Truefitt made a gesture of impatience
- 52: Truefitt turned to her daughter and whispered
- 53: Miss Truefitt looked at him scornfully
- 54: Catesby watched him into his cabin and then
- 55: Miss Truefitt appeared to tremble
- 56: Truefitt tired of the sport at last
- 57: Gunnill making an allusion to breakfast
- 58: Miss Gunnill started despite herself
- 59: Cooper at the feet of Miss Gunnill
- 60: Gunnill patted him on the back
- 61: He smiled over at Miss Gunnill
- 62: Gunnill without getting into trouble yourself
- 63: Miss Gunnill cast down her eyes and Mr
- 64: Jenkins sighed and turned to Drill
- 65: It was one keeper the less to look arter the game
- 66: Then the squire got a head keeper named Cutts
- 67: Cutts for coming to do away with it all
- 68: Cutts watched in the plantations
- 69: On'y Becos I thought you was poachers
- 70: Keeper Lewis pretended not to listen to 'im
- 71: Cutts wasn't fit for Smith to 'ear
- 72: Squire Rockett took no notice of 'im
- 73: Dixon soon began to lead 'im a terrible life
- 74: George Dixon didn't say a word
- 75: Worse than those on the Seabird
- 76: Dixon came running downstairs and into the bar
- 77: The old man was still grumbling when Dixon came down agin
- 78: Do you mean to say you've got a master's berth
- 79: Dixon screamed and ran into the kitchen
- 80: Taking the apron away from her face
- 81: The driver sat dozing on the shafts
- 82: Tottered toward him and sobbed on his breast
- 83: And stooping to the cask drew himself an other glass of beer
- 84: There was a inquest at the Peal o' Bells
- 85: And all Gravelton with one exception
- 86: Blows with a large following pushed his way in
- 87: The same as the teetotalers do
- 88: Wait till they become night watchmen and
- 89: But Ginger on'y wanted to shake 'ands
- 90: Think o' pore Smith and Charlie Webb
- 91: And Ginger Dick tried to catch Peter's eye
- 92: I always 'ave said that for Ginger
- 93: So we've put all our money on Bill Lumm
- 94: Don't you ever fight Bill Lumm agin
- 95: Ginger went straight off to bed
- 96: Putting his 'and to Bill's mug
- 97: Henery Walker rushed up and lent 'im 'is
- 98: Dicky Weed tried to speak but couldn't
- 99: Ses Bill Chambers to the conjurer
- 100: Dicky Weed coughed and looked round
- 101: Ses the conjurer to John Biggs
- 102: Illustration Afore anybody could move
- 103: But the conjurer wouldn't sit on a chair by 'imself
- 104: You were lucky to get your pension
- 105: There's one I passed called the Cock and Flowerpot
- 106: Stiles replied with a stentorian roar
- 107: Burton thanked her and withdrew
- 108: My people have heard of Burton
- 109: Stiles enjoyed himself amazingly
- 110: Stiles smiled as one having superior information
- 111: Stiles insisted firmly upon a first class ticket