Page:WW Jacobs--The lady of the barge.djvu/218

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The Lady of the Barge

" 'Wot's the matter, Henery?' ses one of 'em.

" 'Don't ask me,' ses Henery Walker, with a shiver.

" 'You don't mean to say as 'ow youVe seen the tiger?" ses Bill Chambers.

"Henery Walker didn't answer 'im. He got up and walked back'ards and for'ards, still with that frightened look in 'is eyes, and once or twice 'e give such a terrible start that 'e frightened us 'arf out of our wits. Then Bill Chambers took and forced 'im into a chair and give 'im two o' gin and patted 'im on the back, and at last Henery Walker got 'is senses back agin and told us 'ow the tiger 'ad chased 'im all round and round the trees in Plashett's Wood until 'e managed to climb up a tree and escape it. He said the tiger 'ad kept 'im there for over an hour, and then suddenly turned round and bolted off up the road to Wickham.

"It was a merciful escape, and everybody said so except Sam Jones, and 'e asked so many questions that at last Henery Walker asked 'im outright if 'e disbelieved 'is word.

" 'It's all right, Sam,' ses Bob Pretty, as 'ad

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