He came straight up to Sam and licked his ’and.  Sam was eating a arrowroot biscuit with a bit o’ cheese on it at the time.  He wasn’t wot you’d call a partickler sort o’ man, but, seeing as ’ow the dog was so careless that ’e licked the biscuit a’most as much as he did his ’and, he gave it to ’im.  The dog took it in one gulp, and then he jumped up on Sam’s lap and wagged his tail in ’is face for joy and thankfulness.

“He’s took a fancy to you, Sam,” ses Ginger.

Sam pushed the dog off on to the floor and wiped his face.

“He’s a good dog, by the look of ’im,” ses Peter Russet, who was country bred.

He bought a sausage-roll, and him and the dog ate it between ’em.  Then Ginger Dick bought one and gave it to ’im, and by the time it was finished the dog didn’t seem to know which one of ’em he loved the most.

“Wonder who he belongs to?” ses Ginger.  “Is there any name on the collar, Peter?”

Peter shook his ’ead.  “It’s a good collar, though,” he ses.  “I wonder whether he’s been and lost ’imself?”

Old Sam, wot was always on the look-out for money, put his beer down and wiped ’is mouth.  “There might be a reward out for ’im,” he ses.  “I think I’ll take care of ’im for a day or two, in case.”

“We’ll all take care of ’im,” ses Ginger; “and if there’s a reward we’ll go shares.  Mind that!”

“I found ’im,” ses Sam, very disagreeable.  “He came up to me as if he’d known me all ’is life.”

“No,” ses Ginger.  “Don’t you flatter yourself.  He came up to you because he didn’t know you, Sam.”

“If he ‘ad, he’d ha’ bit your ’and,” ses Peter Russet.

“Instead o’ washing it,” ses Ginger.

“Go on!” ses Sam, ’olding his breath with passion.  “Go on!”

Peter opened ’is mouth, but just then another man came into the bar, and, arter ordering ’is drink, turned round and patted the dog’s ’ead.

“That’s a good dog; ’ow old is he?” he ses to Ginger.

“Two years last April,” ses Ginger, without moving a eyelid.

“Fifth of April,” ses old Sam, very quick and fierce.

“At two o’clock in the morning,” ses Peter.

The man took up ’is beer and looked at ’em; then ’e took a drink and looked at ’em again.  Arter which he ’ad another look at the dog.

“I could see ’e was very valuable,” he ses.  “I see that the moment I set eyes on ’im.  Mind you don’t get ’im stole.”

He finished up ’is beer and went out; and he ’ad ’ardly gone afore Ginger took a piece o’ thick string out of ’is pocket and fastened it to the dog’s collar.

“Make yourself at ’ome, Ginger,” ses Sam, very nasty.

“I’m going to,” ses Ginger.  “That chap knows something about dogs, and, if we can’t get a reward for ’im, p’r’aps we can sell ’im.”

They ’ad another arf-pint each, and then, Ginger taking ’old of the string, they went out into the street.