“You might ha’ ’eard a pin drop; old Sam’s eyes was large and staring, Peter Russet was sucking ’is teeth, an’ Ginger was wondering wot the law would say to it—if it ’eard of it.
“‘It’s an unfortunit thing for all parties,’ ses Ted Reddish at last, getting up and standing on the ’earthrug.
“‘’Orrible,’ ses Sam, ’uskily. ‘You ought to ha’ known better than to put ’im in with a tiger. Wot could you expect? W’y, it was a mad thing to do.’
“‘Crool thing,’ ses Peter Russet.
“‘You don’t know the bisness properly,’ ses Ginger, ‘that’s about wot it is. ‘You should ha’ known better than that.’
“‘Well, it’s no good making a fuss about it,’ ses Reddish. It was only a wild man arter all, and he’d ha’ died anyway, cos ’e wouldn’t eat the raw meat we gave ’im, and ’is pan o’ water was scarcely touched. He’d ha’ starved himself anyhow. I’m sorry, as I said before, but I must be off; I’ve got an appointment down at the docks.’
“He moved towards the door; Ginger Dick gave Russet a nudge and whispered something and Russet passed it on to Sam.
“What about the ’undered quid?’ ses pore Beauty’s uncle, catching ’old o’ Reddish as ’e passed ’im.
“‘Eh?’ ses Reddish, surprised—‘Oh, that’s off.’
“‘Ho!’ says Sam. ‘Ho! is it? We want a ’undered quid off of you; an’ wot’s more, we mean to ’ave it.’