cheerful when you're carrying on like that, Bill? Why don't you go away
and leave us alone?"

"Because I've got a 'art," ses Bill. "I can't chuck up pals in that
free-and-easy way. Once I take a liking to anybody I'd do anything for
'em, and I've never met three chaps I like better than wot I do you.
Three nicer, straight-forrad, free-'anded mates I've never met afore."

"Why not take the pledge agin, Bill?" ses Peter Russet.

"No, mate," ses Bill, with a kind smile; "it's just a weakness, and I
must try and grow out of it. I'll tie a bit o' string round my little
finger to-night as a re-minder."

He got out of bed and began to wash 'is face, and Ginger Dick, who was
doing a bit o' thinking, gave a whisper to Sam and Peter Russet.

"All right, Bill, old man," he ses, getting out of bed and beginning to
put his clothes on; "but first of all we'll try and find out 'ow the
landlord is."

"Landlord?" ses Bill, puffing and blowing in the basin. "Wot landlord?"

"Why, the one you bashed," ses Ginger, with a wink at the other two. "He
'adn't got 'is senses back when me and Sam came away."

Bill gave a groan and sat on the bed while 'e dried himself, and Ginger
told 'im 'ow he 'ad bent a quart pot on the landlord's 'ead, and 'ow the
landlord 'ad been carried upstairs and the doctor sent for. He began to
tremble all over, and when Ginger said he'd go out and see 'ow the land