ARABIAN NIGHTS FOR TURGIS 327

have kicked myshelf. Well, that'sh what?~oh, eight
munsh, ten munsh, a year ago. All right. I'm looking
round in old Craggy'sh the other day and what do I shee
—the very shame piesh. I shaysh to 'im 'I know that
piesh/ and I told him 'ow and why I did know it. Then
I shaysh to him, 'What you wanting now for that piesh?'
An' what do you think he shaid?"

"Fifty pounds/' said Turgis promptly. He had heard
this type of story many, many times from Mr. Pelump-
ton.

"Now that'sh jusht where you're wrong, boy/' cried
Mr, Pelumpton, delighted. "Jusht where you're wrong.
Not fifty poundsh but five poundsh, two lesh than he'd
given for it. Couldn't get rid of it—shee?—and had
pulled it down and down—and I give you my word, I
believe I could have 'ad that piesh from him for four—
he was sho shick of sheeing it about the shop. And I'd
have bought it for sheven, sho would Mishter Peek, sho
would you, sho would anybody. It jusht showsh you.
The dealing bishnish ish a gamble.

"If you ask me," said Turgis, all gloomy and pro-
found, "it's all a gamble/'

"Well, don't loosh 'eart, boy, don't loosh 'eart. Take
a ninterest in thingsh like I do. Shtart a nobby—" '

"What's your hobby?'* asked Turgis, not too graci-
ously. And he immediately gave himself the answer
silently: "Finding free beer, you old soak, that's your
hobby."

"My work ish my 'obby now," replied Mr. Pelumpton
very solemnly. "In my time, I've 'ad all manner of
'obbiesh, from pigeonsh to joining the volunteersh, but
now my work ish my 'obby. It'sh not only my work
but my play, ash you might shay. And if you're going to