He asked at over twenty shops, and the post-office, and even went to the police-station. He must ha’ walked six or seven miles looking for it, and at last, ’arf ready to drop, ’e took the train back.
He ’ad some sausages and mashed potatoes with a pint o’ stout at a place in Bishopsgate, and then ’e started to walk ’ome. The only comfort he ’ad was the thought of the ten pounds Ginger and Peter ’ad paid ’im; and when he remembered that he began to cheer up and even smile. By the time he got ’ome ’e was beaming all over ’is face.
“Where’ve you been?” ses Ginger.
“Enjoying myself by myself,” ses Sam.
“Please yourself,” ses Peter, very severe, “but where’d you ha’ been if we ’ad sold the locket and skipped, eh?”
“You wouldn’t ’ave enjoyed yourself by yourself then,” ses Ginger. “Yes, you may laugh!”
Sam didn’t answer ’im, but he sat down on ’is bed and ’is shoulders shook till Ginger lost his temper and gave him a couple o’ thumps on the back that pretty near broke it.
“All right,” ses Sam, very firm. “Now you ’ave done for yourselves. I ’ad a’most made up my mind to go shares; now you sha’n’t ’ave a ha’penny.”
Ginger laughed then. “Ho!” he ses, “and ’ow are you going to prevent it?”
“We’ve got the locket, Sam,” ses Peter, smiling and shaking his ’ead at ’im.