Watch-Dogs

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  Produced by David Widger

  SHIP'S COMPANY

  By W.W. Jacobs

  ”As I was a-saying, kindness to animals is all very well”]

  WATCH-DOGS

  ”It's a'most the only enj'yment I've got left,” said the oldestinhabitant, taking a long, slow draught of beer, ”that and a pipe o'baccy. Neither of 'em wants chewing, and that's a great thing when youain't got anything worth speaking about left to chew with.”

  He put his mug on the table and, ignoring the stillness of the summerair, sheltered the flame of a match between his cupped hands and conveyedit with infinite care to the bowl of his pipe. A dull but crafty old eyesquinting down the stem assured itself that the tobacco was well alightbefore the match was thrown away.

  ”As I was a-saying, kindness to animals is all very well,” he said to thewayfarer who sat opposite him in the shade of the ”Cauliflower” elms;”but kindness to your feller-creeturs is more. The pint wot you give meis gone, but I'm just as thankful to you as if it wasn't.”

  He half closed his eyes and, gazing on to the fields beyond, fell into areverie so deep that he failed to observe the landlord come for his mugand return with it filled. A little start attested his surprise, and,to his great annoyance, upset a couple of tablespoonfuls of the preciousliquid.

  ”Some people waste all their kindness on dumb animals,” he remarked,after the landlord had withdrawn from his offended vision, ”but I wasnever a believer in it. I mind some time ago when a gen'lemen fromLunnon wot 'ad more money than sense offered a prize for kindness toanimals. I was the only one that didn't try for to win it.

  ”Mr. Bunnett 'is name was, and 'e come down and took Farmer Hall's 'ousefor the summer. Over sixty 'e was, and old enough to know better. Heused to put saucers of milk all round the 'ouse for cats to drink, and,by the time pore Farmer Hall got back, every cat for three miles round'ad got in the habit of coming round to the back-door and asking for milkas if it was their right. Farmer Hall poisoned a saucer o' milk at last,and then 'ad to pay five shillings for a thin black cat with a mangy tailand one eye that Bob Pretty said belonged to 'is children. Farmer Hallsaid he'd go to jail afore he'd pay, at fust, but arter five men 'adspoke the truth and said they 'ad see Bob's youngsters tying a emptymustard-tin to its tail on'y the day afore, he gave way.

  ”Tha was Bob Pretty all over, that was; the biggest raskel Claybury 'asever had; and it wasn't the fust bit o' money 'e made out o' Mr. Bunnettcoming to the place.

  ”It all come through Mr. Bunnett's love for animals. I never see a manso fond of animals as 'e was, and if he had 'ad 'is way Claybury would'ave been overrun by 'em by this time. The day arter 'e got to the farmhe couldn't eat 'is breakfuss because of a pig that was being killed inthe yard, and it was no good pointing out to 'im that the pig was on'ymaking a fuss about it because it was its nature so to do. He lived onwegetables and such like, and the way 'e carried on one day over 'arf abiled caterpillar 'e found in his cabbage wouldn't be believed. Hewouldn't eat another mossel, but sat hunting 'igh and low for the other'arf.

  ”He 'adn't been in Claybury more than a week afore he said 'ow surprised'e was to see 'ow pore dumb animals was treated. He made a little speechabout it one evening up at the schoolroom, and, arter he 'ad finished, heup and offered to give a prize of a gold watch that used to belong to 'isdear sister wot loved animals, to the one wot was the kindest to 'emafore he left the place.

  ”If he'd ha' known Claybury men better 'e wouldn't ha' done it. The verynext morning Bill Chambers took 'is baby's milk for the cat, and smacked'is wife's 'ead for talking arter he'd told 'er to stop. Henery Walkergot into trouble for leaning over Charlie Stubbs's fence and feeding hischickens for 'im, and Sam Jones's wife had to run off 'ome to 'er mother'arf-dressed because she had 'appened to overlay a sick rabbit wot Sam'ad taken to bed with 'im to keep warm.

  ”People used to stop animals in the road and try and do 'em a kindness--especially when Mr. Bunnett was passing--and Peter Gubbins walked past'is house one day with ole Mrs. Broad's cat in 'is arms. A bad-temperedold cat it was, and, wot with Peter kissing the top of its 'ead andcalling of it Tiddleums, it nearly went out of its mind.

  ”The fust time Mr. Bunnett see Bob Pretty was about a week arter he'doffered that gold watch. Bob was stooping down very careful oversomething in the hedge, and Mr. Bunnett, going up quiet-like behind 'im,see 'im messing about with a pore old toad he 'ad found, with a smashedleg.

  ”'Wots the matter with it?' ses Mr. Bunnett.

  ”Bob didn't seem to hear 'im. He was a-kneeling on the ground with 'is'ead on one side looking at the toad; and by and by he pulled out 'ispocket'an'kercher and put the toad in it, as if it was made ofegg-shells, and walked away.

  ”'Wot's the matter with it?' ses Mr. Bunnett, a'most trotting to keep upwith 'im.

  ”'Got it's leg 'urt in some way, pore thing,' ses Bob. 'I want to get it'ome as soon as I can and wash it and put it on a piece o' damp moss.But I'm afraid it's not long for this world.'

  ”Mr. Bunnett said it did 'im credit, and walked home alongside of 'imtalking. He was surprised to find that Bob hadn't 'eard anything of thegold watch 'e was offering, but Bob said he was a busy, 'ard-working manand didn't 'ave no time to go to hear speeches or listen to tittle-tattle.

  ”'When I've done my day's work,' he ses, 'I can always find a job in thegarden, and arter that I go in and 'elp my missis put the children tobed. She ain't strong, pore thing, and it's better than wasting time andmoney up at the ”Cauliflower.”'

  ”He 'ad a lot o' talk with Mr. Bunnett for the next day or two, and when'e went round with the toad on the third day as lively and well aspossible the old gen'leman said it was a miracle. And so it would ha'been if it had been the same toad.

  ”He took a great fancy to Bob Pretty, and somehow or other they wasalways dropping acrost each other. He met Bob with 'is dog one day--alarge, ugly brute, but a'most as clever as wot Bob was 'imself. It stoodthere with its tongue 'anging out and looking at Bob uneasy-like out ofthe corner of its eye as Bob stood a-patting of it and calling it petnames.

  ”' Wunnerful affectionate old dog, ain't you, Joseph?' ses Bob.

  ”'He's got a kind eye,' ses Mr. Bunnett.

  ”'He's like another child to me, ain't you, my pretty?' ses Bob, smilingat 'im and feeling in 'is pocket. 'Here you are, old chap.'

  ”He threw down a biskit so sudden that Joseph, thinking it was a stone,went off like a streak o' lightning with 'is tail between 'is legs andyelping his 'ardest. Most men would ha' looked a bit foolish, but BobPretty didn't turn a hair.

  ”'Ain't it wunnerful the sense they've got,' he ses to Mr. Bunnett, wotwas still staring arter the dog.

  ”'Sense?' ses the old gen'leman.

  ”'Yes,' ses Bob smiling. 'His food ain't been agreeing with 'im latelyand 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'tlike that with beer. I wish as 'ow Bill Chambers and Henery Walker and afew more 'ad been 'ere just now.'

  ”Mr. Bunnett agreed with 'im, and said wot a pity it was everybody 'adn'tgot Bob Pretty's commonsense and good feeling.

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

  ”He bid Mr. Bunnett good-bye becos 'e said he'd got to get back to 'iswork, and Mr. Bunnett had 'ardly got 'ome afore Henery Walker turned upfull of anxiousness to a
sk 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 Chambersdrownded 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 roundmyself and see wot I can do for you.'

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

  ”'You've no idea wot fine, kind-'arted people they are in this villagewhen 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 goodto see it. And I spoke to Mr. Chambers about drowning 'is kittens, andhe told me 'e hadn't slept a wink ever since. And he