They couldn't
get a word out of him till they asked 'im to go out with them, and then
he said 'e was going to bed. Twenty minutes arterwards, when Ginger Dick
stepped back for 'is pipe, he found he 'ad gorn.
He tried the same game next night, but the other two wouldn't 'ave it,
and they stayed in so long that at last 'e lost 'is temper, and, arter
wondering wot Ginger's father and mother could ha' been a-thinking about,
and saying that he believed Peter Russet 'ad been changed at birth for a
sea-sick monkey, he put on 'is cap and went out. Both of 'em follered
'im sharp, but when he led 'em to a mission-hall, and actually went
inside, they left 'im and went off on their own.
They talked it over that night between themselves, and next evening they
went out fust and hid themselves round the corner. Ten minutes
arterwards old Sam came out, walking as though 'e was going to catch a
train; and smiling to think 'ow he 'ad shaken them off. At the corner of
Commercial Road he stopped and bought 'imself a button-hole for 'is coat,
and Ginger was so surprised that 'e pinched Peter Russet to make sure
that he wasn't dreaming.
Old Sam walked straight on whistling, and every now and then looking down
at 'is button-hole, until by-and-by he turned down a street on the right
and went into a little shop. Ginger Dick and Peter waited for 'im at the
corner, but he was inside for so long that at last they got tired o'
waiting and crept up and peeped through the winder.
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