第76章

`'Ard lines,' remarked Bundy as he finished his beer and put the glass down on the counter.

`Drink up and 'ave another,' said Easton as he drained his own glass.

`I don't mind if I do,' replied Crass, pouring what remained of the pint down his throat.

Philpot's glass had been empty for some time.

`Same again,' said Easton, addressing the Old Dear and putting six pennies on the counter.

By this time the Semi-drunk had again opened fire on the board, but he seemed to have lost the range, for none of the rings scored.

They flew all over the place, and he finished his innings without increasing his total.

The Besotted Wretch now sailed in and speedily piled up 37.Then the Semi-drunk had another go, and succeeded in getting 8.His case appeared hopeless, but his opponent in his next innings seemed to go all to pieces.Twice he missed the board altogether, and when he did hit it he failed to score, until the very last throw, when he made 1.

Then the Semi-drunk went in again and got 10.

The scores were now:

Besotted Wretch........................42Semi-drunk.............................31So far it was impossible to foresee the end.It was anybody's game.

Crass became so excited that he absentmindedly opened his mouth and shot his second pint down into his stomach with a single gulp, and Bundy also drained his glass and called upon Philpot and Easton to drink up and have another, which they accordingly did.

While the Semi-drunk was having his next innings, the Besotted Wretch placed a penny on the counter and called for a half a pint, which he drank in the hope of steadying his nerves for a great effort.His opponent meanwhile threw the rings at the board and missed it every time, but all the same he scored, for one ring, after striking the partition about a foot above the board, fell down and caught on the hook.

The other man now began his innings, playing very carefully, and nearly every ring scored.As he played, the others uttered exclamations of admiration and called out the result of every throw.

`One!'

`One again!'

`Miss! No! Got 'im! Two!'

`Miss!'

`Four!'

The Semi-drunk accepted his defeat with a good grace, and after explaining that he was a bit out of practice, placed a shilling on the counter and invited the company to give their orders.Everyone asked for `the same again,' but the landlord served Easton, Bundy and the Besotted Wretch with pints instead of half-pints as before, so there was no change out of the shilling.

`You know, there's a great deal in not bein' used to the board,' said the Semi-drunk.

`There's no disgrace in bein' beat by a man like 'im, mate,' said Philpot.`'E's a champion!'

`Yes, there's no mistake about it.'E throws a splendid ring!' said Bundy.

This was the general verdict.The Semi-drunk, though beaten, was not disgraced: and he was so affected by the good feeling manifested by the company that he presently produced a sixpence and insisted on paying for another half-pint all round.

Crass had gone outside during this conversation, but he returned in a few minutes.`I feel a bit easier now,' he remarked with a laugh as he took the half-pint glass that the Semi-drunk passed to him with a shaking hand.One after the other, within a few minutes, the rest followed Crass's example, going outside and returning almost immediately: and as Bundy, who was the last to return, came back he exclaimed:

`Let's 'ave a game of shove-'a'penny.'

`All right,' said Easton, who was beginning to feel reckless.`But drink up first, and let's 'ave another.'

He had only sevenpence left, just enough to pay for another pint for Crass and half a pint for everyone else.

The shove-ha'penny table was a planed mahogany board with a number of parallel lines scored across it.The game is played by placing the coin at the end of the board - the rim slightly overhanging the edge -and striking it with the back part of the palm of the hand, regulating the force of the blow according to the distance it is desired to drive the coin.

`What's become of Alf tonight?' inquired Philpot of the landlord whilst Easton and Bundy were playing.Alf was the barman.

`'E's doing a bit of a job down in the cellar; some of the valves gone a bit wrong.But the missus is comin' down to lend me a hand presently.'Ere she is now.'

The landlady - who at this moment entered through the door at the back of the bar - was a large woman with a highly-coloured countenance and a tremendous bust, incased in a black dress with a shot silk blouse.

She had several jewelled gold rings on the fingers of each fat white hand, and a long gold watch guard hung round her fat neck.She greeted Crass and Philpot with condescension, smiling affably upon them.

Meantime the game of shove-ha'penny proceeded merrily, the Semi-drunk taking a great interest in it and tendering advice to both players impartially.Bundy was badly beaten, and then Easton suggested that it was time to think of going home.This proposal - slightly modified -met with general approval, the modification being suggested by Philpot, who insisted on standing one final round of drinks before they went.

While they were pouring this down their throats, Crass took a penny from his waistcoat pocket and put it in the slot of the polyphone.

The landlord put a fresh disc into it and wound it up and it began to play `The Boys of the Bulldog Breed.' The Semi-drunk happened to know the words of the chorus of this song, and when he heard the music he started unsteadily to his feet and with many fierce looks and gestures began to roar at the top of his voice:

`They may build their ships, my lads, And try to play the game, But they can't build the boys of the Bulldog breed, Wot made ole Hingland's -'

`'Ere! Stop that, will yer?' cried the Old Dear, fiercely.`I told you once before that I don't allow that sort of thing in my 'ouse!'

The Semi-drunk stopped in confusion.

`I don't mean no 'arm,' he said unsteadily, appealing to the company.