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“Why not drive me back in the cab?” ses Sam.

“’Cos I wasn’t born yesterday,” ses the cabman.

He winked at Sam, and then, whistling very cheerful, took his ‘orse out and put it in the cab. He was so good-tempered that ‘e got quite playful, and Sam ‘ad to tell him that when ‘e wanted to ‘ave his legs tickled with a straw he’d let ‘im know.

Some people can’t take a ‘int, and, as the cabman wouldn’t be’ave ‘imself, Sam walked into a shed that was handy and pulled the door to, and he stayed there until he ‘eard ‘im go back to the stable for ‘is rug. It was only a yard or two from the shed to the cab, and, ‘ardly thinking wot he was doing, Sam nipped out and got into it and sat huddled up on the floor.

He sat there holding ‘is breath and not daring to move until the cabman ‘ad shut the gate and was driving off up the road, and then ‘e got up on the seat and lolled back out of sight. The shops were just opening, the sun was shining, and Sam felt so well that ‘e was thankful that ‘e hadn’t got to the horsepittle arter all.

The cab was going very slow, and two or three times the cabman ‘arf pulled up and waved his whip at people wot he thought wanted a cab, but at last an old lady and gentleman, standing on the edge of the curb with a big bag, held up their ‘ands to ‘im. The cab pulled in to the curb, and the old gentleman ‘ad just got hold of the door and was trying to open it when he caught sight of Sam.

“Why, you’ve got a fare,” he ses.

“No, sir,” ses the cabman.

“But I say you ‘ave,” ses the old gentleman.

The cabman climbed down off ‘is box and looked in at the winder, and for over two minutes he couldn’t speak a word. He just stood there looking at Sam and getting purpler and purpler about the face.

“Drive on, cabby,” ses Sam, “Wot are you stopping for?”

The cabman tried to tell ‘im, but just then a policeman came walking up to see wot was the matter, and ‘e got on the box agin and drove off. Cabmen love policemen just about as much as cats love dogs, and he drove down two streets afore he stopped and got down agin to finish ‘is remarks.

“Not so much talk, cabman,” ses Sam, who was beginning to enjoy ‘imself, “else I shall call the police. ”

“Are you coming out o’ my cab?” ses the cabman, “or ‘ave I g
ot to put you out?”

“You put me out!” ses Sam, who ‘ad tied ‘is clothes up with string while ‘e was in the stable, and ‘ad got his arms free.

The cabman looked at ‘im ‘elpless for a moment, and then he got up and drove off agin. At fust Sam thought ‘e was going to drive back to the stable, and he clinched ‘is teeth and made up ‘is mind to ‘ave a fight for it. Then he saw that ‘e was really being driven ‘ome, and at last the cab pulled up in the next street to ‘is lodgings, and the cabman, asking a man to give an eye to his ‘orse, walked on with the letter. He was back agin in a few minutes, and Sam could see by ‘is face that something had ‘appened.

“They ain’t been ‘ome all night,” he ses, sulky-like.

“Well, I shall ‘ave to send the money on to you,” ses Sam, in a off-hand way. “Unless you like to call for it. ”