Watch-Dogs Page #2

"Watch-Dogs" by W.W. Jacobs is a gripping tale that weaves humor and suspense in its narrative. The story revolves around themes of vigilance, trust, and the unexpected consequences of seemingly benign actions. Jacobs skillfully portrays the lives of ordinary characters caught in extraordinary situations, exploring the dynamics of human behavior and morality. With his signature wit and keen observational style, the author crafts an engaging plot that keeps readers enthralled until the very end.

• Humour
• Short story

								


"'Sense?' ses the old gen'leman.

"'Yes,' ses Bob smiling.  'His food ain't been agreeing with 'im lately
and he's starving hisself for a bit to get round agin, and 'e knew that
'e couldn't trust hisself alongside o' this biskit.  Wot a pity men ain't
like that with beer.  I wish as 'ow Bill Chambers and Henery Walker and a
few more 'ad been 'ere just now.'

"Mr. Bunnett agreed with 'im, and said wot a pity it was everybody 'adn't
got Bob Pretty's commonsense and good feeling.

"'It ain't that,' ses Bob, shaking his 'ead at him; 'it ain't to my
credit.  I dessay if Sam Jones and Peter Gubbins, and Charlie Stubbs and
Dicky Weed 'ad been brought up the same as I was they'd 'ave been a lot
better than wot I am.'

"He bid Mr. Bunnett good-bye becos 'e said he'd got to get back to 'is
work, and Mr. Bunnett had 'ardly got 'ome afore Henery Walker turned up
full of anxiousness to ask his advice about five little baby kittens wot
'is old cat had found in the wash-place: the night afore.

"'Drownd them little innercent things, same as most would do, I can't,'
he ses, shaking his 'ead; 'but wot to do with 'em I don't know.'

"'Couldn't you find 'omes for 'em?' ses Mr. Bunnett.

"Henery Walker shook his 'ead agin.  ''Tain't no use thinking o' that,'
he ses.  'There's more cats than 'omes about 'ere'.  Why, Bill Chambers
drownded six o'ny last week right afore the eyes of my pore little boy.
Upset 'im dreadful it did.'

"Mr. Bunnett walked up and down the room thinking.  'We must try and find
'omes for 'em when they are old enough,' he says at last; 'I'll go round
myself and see wot I can do for you.'

"Henery Walker thanked 'im and went off 'ome doing a bit o' thinking; and
well he 'ad reason to.  Everybody wanted one o' them kittens.  Peter
Gubbins offered for to take two, and Mr. Bunnett told Henery Walker next
day that 'e could ha' found 'omes for 'em ten times over.

"'You've no idea wot fine, kind-'arted people they are in this village
when their 'arts are touched,' he ses, smiling at Henery.  'You ought to
'ave seen Mr. Jones's smile when I asked 'im to take one.  It did me good
to see it.  And I spoke to Mr. Chambers about drowning 'is kittens, and
he told me 'e hadn't slept a wink ever since.  And he offered to take
your old cat to make up for it, if you was tired of keeping it.

"It was very 'ard on Henery Walker, I must say that.  Other people was
getting the credit of bringing up 'is kittens, and more than that, they
used to ask Mr. Bunnett into their places to see 'ow the little dears was
a-getting on.

"Kindness to animals caused more unpleasantness in Claybury than anything
'ad ever done afore.  There was hardly a man as 'ud speak civil to each
other, and the wimmen was a'most as bad.  Cats and dogs and such-like
began to act as if the place belonged to 'em, and seven people stopped
Mr. Bunnett one day to tell 'im that Joe Parsons 'ad been putting down
rat-poison and killed five little baby rats and their mother.

"It was some time afore anybody knew that Bob Pretty 'ad got 'is eye on
that gold watch, and when they did they could 'ardly believe it.  They
give Bob credit for too much sense to waste time over wot they knew 'e
couldn't get, but arter they 'ad heard one or two things they got
alarmed, and pretty near the whole village went up to see Mr. Bunnett and
tell 'im about Bob's true character.  Mr. Bunnett couldn't believe 'em at
fast, but arter they 'ad told 'im of Bob's poaching and the artful ways
and tricks he 'ad of getting money as didn't belong to 'im 'e began to
think different.  He spoke to parson about 'im, and arter that 'e said he
never wanted for to see Bob Pretty's face again.

"There was a fine to-do about it up at this 'ere Cauliflower public-'ouse
that night, and the quietest man 'o the whole lot was Bob Pretty.  He sat
still all the time drinking 'is beer and smiling at 'em and giving 'em
good advice 'ow to get that gold watch.

"'It's no good to me,' he ses, shaking his 'ead.  'I'm a pore labourin'
man, and I know my place.'

"'Ow you could ever 'ave thought you 'ad a chance, Bob, I don't know,'
ses Henery Walker.

"'Ow's the toad, Bob?' ses Bill Chambers; and then they all laughed.

"'Laugh away, mates,' ses Bob; 'I know you don't mean it.  The on'y thing
I'm sorry for is you can't all 'ave the gold watch, and I'm sure you've
worked 'ard enough for it; keeping Henery Walker's kittens for 'im, and
hanging round Mr. Bunnett's.'

"'We've all got a better chance than wot you 'ave, Bob,' ses little Dicky
Weed the tailor.

"The quietest man o' the whole lot was Bob Pretty"

"'Ah, that's your iggernerance, Dicky,' ses Bob.  'Come to think it over
quiet like, I'm afraid I shall win it arter all.  Cos why?  Cos I
deserves it.'

"They all laughed agin, and Bill Chambers laughed so 'arty that 'e
joggled Peter Gubbins's arm and upset 'is beer.

"'Laugh away,' ses Bob, pretending to get savage.  'Them that laughs best
laughs last, mind.  I'll 'ave that watch now, just to spite you all.'

"'Ow are you going to get it, Bob?' ses Sam Jones, jeering.

"'Never you mind, mate,' ses Bob, stamping 'is foot; 'I'm going to win it
fair.  I'm going to 'ave it for kindness to pore dumb animals.'

"Ear! 'ear!' ses Dicky Weed, winking at the others.  'Will you 'ave a bet
on it, Bob?'

"'No,' ses Bob Pretty; 'I don't want to win no man's money.  I like to
earn my money in the sweat o' my brow.'

"'But you won't win it, Bob,' ses Dicky, grinning.  'Look 'ere!  I'll lay
you a level bob you don't get it.'

"Bob shook his 'ead, and started talking to Bill Chambers about something
else.

"'I'll bet you two bob to one, Bob,' ses Dicky. 'Well, three to one,
then.'

"Bob sat up and looked at'im for a long time, considering, and at last he
ses, 'All right,' he ses, 'if Smith the landlord will mind the money I
will.'

"He 'anded over his shilling,' but very slow-like, and Dicky Weed 'anded
over 'is money.  Arter that Bob sat looking disagreeable like, especially
when.  Dicky said wot 'e was goin' to do with the money, and by an by Sam
Jones dared 'im to 'ave the same bet with 'im in sixpences.

"Bob Pretty 'ad a pint more beer to think it over, and arter Bill
Chambers 'ad stood 'im another, he said 'e would.  He seemed a bit dazed
like, and by the time he went 'ome he 'ad made bets with thirteen of 'em.
Being Saturday night they 'ad all got money on 'em, and, as for Bob, he
always 'ad some.  Smith took care of the money and wrote it all up on a
slate.

"'Why don't you 'ave a bit on, Mr. Smith?' ses Dicky.

"'Oh, I dunno,' ses Smith, wiping down the bar with a wet cloth.

"'It's the chance of a lifetime,' ses Dicky.

"'Looks like it,' ses Smith, coughing.

"'But 'e can't win,' ses Sam Jones, looking a bit upset.  'Why, Mr.
Bunnett said 'e ought to be locked up.'

"'He's been led away,' ses Bob Pretty, shaking his 'ead.  'He's a

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