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The cabman turned his ‘orse round and set off agin, singing. The cab stopped once or twice for a little while, and then it stopped for quite a long time, and the cabman climbed down off ‘is box and came to the winder agin.

“I’m sorry, mate,” he ses, “but did you see me speak to that party just now?”

“The one you flicked with your whip?” ses Ginger.

“No; he was speaking to me,” ses the cabman. “The last one, I mean. ”

“Wot about it?” ses Peter.

“He’s the under-porter at the horsepittle,” ses the cabman, spitting; “and he tells me that every bed is bung full, and two patients apiece in some of ’em. ”

“I don’t mind sleeping two in a bed,” ses Sam, who was very tired and cold.

“No,” ses the cabman, looking at ‘im; “but wot about the other one?”

“Well, what’s to be done?” ses Peter.

“You might go to Guy’s,” ses the cabman; “that’s as good as Charing Cross. ”

“I b’lieve you’re telling a pack o’ lies,” ses Ginger.

“Come out o’ my cab,” ses the cabman, very fierce. “Come on, all of you. Out you get. ”

Ginger and Peter was for getting out, but Sam wouldn’t ‘ear of it. It was bad enough being wrapped up in a blanket in a cab, without being turned out in ‘is bare feet on the pavement, and at last Ginger apologized to the cabman by saying ‘e supposed if he was a liar he couldn’t ‘elp it. The cabman collected three shillings more to go to Guy’s ‘orsepittle, and, arter a few words with Ginger, climbed up on ‘is box and drove off agin.

They were all rather tired of the cab by this time, and, going over Waterloo Bridge, Ginger began to feel uncommon thirsty, and, leaning out of the winder, he told the cabman to pull up for a drink. He was so long about it that Ginger began to think he was bearing malice, but just as he was going to tell ‘im agin, the cab pulled up in a quiet little street opposite a small pub. Ginger Dick and Peter went in and ‘ad something and brought one out for Sam. They ‘ad another arter that, and Ginger, getting ‘is good temper back agin, asked the cabman to ‘ave one.

“Look lively about it, Ginger,” ses Sam, very sharp. “You forget ‘ow ill I am. ”

Ginger said they wouldn’t be two seconds, and, the cabman calling a boy to mind his ‘orse, they went inside. It was a quiet little place, but very cosey, and Sam, peeping out of the winder, could see all three of ’em leaning against the bar and making themselves comfortable. Twice he made the boy go in to hurry them up, and all the notice they took was to go on at the boy for leaving the horse.

Pore old Sam sat there hugging ‘imself in the bed-clo’es, and getting wilder and wilder. He couldn’t get out of the cab, and ‘e couldn’t call to them for fear of people coming up and staring at ‘im. Ginger, smiling all over with ‘appiness, had got a big cigar on and was pretending to pinch the barmaid’s flowers, and Peter and the cabman was talking to some other chaps there. The only change Sam ‘ad was when the boy walked the ‘orse up and down the road.

He sat there for an hour and then ‘e sent the boy in agin. This time the cabman lost ‘is temper, and, arter chasing the boy up the road, gave a young feller twopence to take ‘is place and promised ‘im another twopence when he came out. Sam tried to get a word with ‘im as ‘e passed, but he wouldn’t listen, and it was pretty near ‘arf an hour later afore they all came out, talking and laughing.