Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-07-12

came cropping into the winder arter
toy. Ginger 'ad good look at 'er out
O. the corner of one eye, while he pre-
tended to be looking at a tobacco jar
with the other. AS the little boy
81 want a pipe, please" he ses. smil-
ing at 'er. "A clay pipe. One O. your
best
The woman handed i'm down a box
to choose from, and just then Peter,
wot 'ad been staring in at the arr open
door at boot wot wanted lacing up,
gave start and SEES. why, hellor'
"Wot's the matter?' ses the woman,
looking at I'm.
I'D know that foot anywhere SEES
Peter, still staring at It, and the words
was hardly out Of Is mouth afore the
foot 'ad moved itself away and tucked
itself under its chair. why, that's my
dear old friend Sam Small, amt lit"
do you know the captln?" ses the
womany smiling at i'm.
"Cap7" ses Peter. Cap? Oh, yes:
why, he's the biggest friend I've got"
low stranger ses the woman.
We've been wanting to see i'm for
some time" ses Ginger. "He was kind
enough to lend me arr crown the
other day, and I've been wanting to
pay i'm"
"Captin Small" ses the woman.
pushing open the door, here's some
old friends o. yours"
Old Sam turned rs face round and
looked at 'em, and IL looks could ha'
killed, as the saying is, they'd ha' been
dead men there and then.
"Oh, yes" he SEES, In choking voice.
COW are your"
Pretty well, thank you, captin," ses
Ginger, grsnning at i'm. And 'ow's
yourself arter ell this long timer
He held out is hand. and Sam shook
it and then shook 'ands with Peter
Russell, who was grinning SO ard that
he couldn't speak.
These are two old friends O mine,
Mrs Finch" SEES old Sam. giving 'em a
warning look. "Captin Dick and Cap
tin Russet, two O. the oldest and best
friends man ever 'ad."
"Captin Dick ,as got arr crown for
you SEES Peter Russet, still grinning.
There now" SEES Ginger looking
vexed, III amt been and forgot 1t.
I've on'y got arr sovereign"
II can give you change, sir" ses Mrs.
Finch. "P'r'aps you'd like to sit down
for FIVE minutesg'
Ginger thanked 'er, and i'm and
Peter Russell took chair apiece in
front O the fire and began asking old
Sam about is 'ealth and wot he'd
been doing since they saw i'm last. s
Fancy your reckernizing his foot, :"
ses Mrs Finch, coming in with the
change.
"I'd know it anywhere" SEES Peter,
who was watching Ginger pretending
to give Sam Small the art dollar and
Sam pretending in most lifelike man
ner to take it.
Ginger Dick looked round the room.
1t was comfortable little place, with
pictures on the walls and antimacas-
sars on all the chairs and row Of
pink vases on the mantelpiece. Then
he looked at Mrs. Finch and thought
wot a nice looking woman she was.
This is nicer than being aboard ship
with crew O. nasty, troublesome sail
or men to look arter, Captin Small" he
ses. 81
Its wonderful the way he manages
'em," ses Peter Russet to Mrs. Finch.
Like lion he is
"a roaring lion," SEES Ginger, looking
at Sam. "He don't know wot fear Is. :"
Sam began to smile. and Mrs. Finch
looked at i'm so pleased that Peter
Russet, who lad been looking at 'er
and the room and thinking much the
same way as Ginger, began to think
that they was on the wrong tack.
"Afore he got stout and DID, he ses.
shaking his cad, "there wasn't a
smarter skipper afloat."
eve all ave our day." SEES Ginger,
shaking his 'ead too.
II dessay he's good for another year
or two afoat yet" ses Peter Russell,
considering.
"With care" ses Ginger.
Old Sam was going to say something,
but he stopped himself just in time.
'They will ave their joke" he ses,
turning to Mrs. Finch and trying to
smile. 81 feel as young as ever did"
Mrs. Finch said that anybody with
arr an eye could see that, and then
she looked at a kettle that was sing
ing on. the 'ob.
II s'pose you gentlemen wouldn't
care for q cup o. cocoa? she ses, turn
ing to them.
Ginger Dick and Peter both said
that they liked it better than anything
else, and, arter she 'ad got out the
cups and saucers and a tin o. cocoa,
Ginger held the kettle and poured the
water in the cups while she stirred
them, and old Sam sat looking Oh
'elpless.
1T does seem funny to see you drink
Ing cocoa, captin." ses Ginger, as Old
Sam took his cup.
"Hon' ses Sam. firing up; land why,
If l might make so bold as to ask?'
Zoos I've generally seen you drink
ing something out Of bottle" ses
Ginger.
Now, look 'ere," ses Sam, starting
up and splitting some Of the hot cocoa
over is lap.
"a ginger beer bottle" ses Peter
Russell, making faces at Ginger to