Short Cruises   By: W. W. Jacobs (1863-1943)

BY

W. W. JACOBS

CONTENTS

THE CHANGELING

MIXED RELATIONS

HIS LORDSHIP

ALF'S DREAM

A DISTANT RELATIVE

THE TEST

IN THE FAMILY

A LOVE KNOT

HER UNCLE

THE DREAMER

ANGELS' VISITS

A CIRCULAR TOUR

ILLUSTRATIONS

FROM DRAWINGS BY WILL OWEN

"'And what about my voice?' he demanded"

"'George!' she exclaimed sharply"

"He struck a match and, holding it before his face, looked up at the window"

"Mr. Stokes, taking his dazed friend by the arm, led him gently away"

"The mate smiled too"

"Sarcasm they did try, but at that the cook could more than hold his own"

"'Good by,' he said slowly; 'and I wish you both every happiness'"

"'She's got your eyes,' said his lordship"

"'I like fools better than lords'"

"He patted 'im on the shoulder and said 'ow well he was filling out"

"Mr. Potter was then introduced and received a gracious reception"

"A gold watch and chain lent an air of substance to his waistcoat"

"'And we don't want you following us about,' said Mr. Dix, sharply"

"'I tell you he can't swim,' repeated Mr. Heard, passionately"

"'You leave go o' my lodger,' ses Bob Pretty"

"He slammed the door in Bob Pretty's face"

"On the third morning he took Mrs. Bowman out for a walk"

"'I had forgotten it was there,' he said, nervously"

"The corner of the trunk took the gesticulating Mr. Wragg by the side of the head"

"'What did you do that for?' demanded Mr. Gale, sitting up"

"'Why didn't you tell me then?' ses Ted"

"'I shall take my opportunity,' he ses, 'and break it to 'er gentle like'"

"He astonished Mrs. Jobling next day by the gift of a geranium"

"They offered Mrs. Jobling her choice of at least a hundred plans for bringing him to his senses"

"'She asked 'im whether 'e'd got a fancy for any partikler spot to be buried in"

"'All right,' ses the cabman, taking his 'orse out and leading it into a stable, 'mind you don't catch cold'" "So long"

[Illustration: THE CHANGELING]

THE CHANGELING

Mr. George Henshaw let himself in at the front door, and stood for some time wiping his boots on the mat. The little house was ominously still, and a faint feeling, only partially due to the lapse of time since breakfast, manifested itself behind his waistcoat. He coughed a matter of fact cough and, with an attempt to hum a tune, hung his hat on the peg and entered the kitchen.

Mrs. Henshaw had just finished dinner. The neatly cleaned bone of a chop was on a plate by her side; a small dish which had contained a rice pudding was empty; and the only food left on the table was a small rind of cheese and a piece of stale bread. Mr. Henshaw's face fell, but he drew his chair up to the table and waited.

His wife regarded him with a fixed and offensive stare. Her face was red and her eyes were blazing. It was hard to ignore her gaze; harder still to meet it. Mr. Henshaw, steering a middle course, allowed his eyes to wander round the room and to dwell, for the fraction of a second, on her angry face.

"You've had dinner early?" he said at last, in a trembling voice.

"Have I?" was the reply.

Mr. Henshaw sought for a comforting explanation. "Clock's fast," he said, rising and adjusting it.

His wife rose almost at the same moment, and with slow deliberate movements began to clear the table.

"What what about dinner?" said Mr. Henshaw, still trying to control his fears.

"Dinner!" repeated Mrs. Henshaw, in a terrible voice. "You go and tell that creature you were on the 'bus with to get your dinner."

Mr. Henshaw made a gesture of despair. "I tell you," he said emphatically, "it wasn't me. I told you so last night. You get an idea in your head and "