a quarter to
ten
They took to going in at odd times o ' the day for tobacco and such-like . They used to go alone then , but they all met and did the polite to each other there of an evening , and then quarrelled all the way ` ome . Then all of a sudden , without any warning , Ginger Dick and Peter Russet left off going there . The fust evening Sam sat expecting them every minute , and was so surprised that he could n't take any advantage of it ; but on the second , beginning by squeezing Mrs. Finch 's ` and at ha ' - past seven , he ` ad got best part of his arm round ` er waist by a quarter to ten . He did n't do more that night because she told him to be'ave ` imself , and threatened to scream if he did n't leave off . He was arf-way home afore ' e thought of the reason for Ginger Dick and Peter Russet giving up , and then he went along smiling to ` imself to such an extent that people thought ' e was mad . He went off to sleep with the smile still on ` is lips , and when Peter and Ginger came in soon arter closing time and ' e woke up and asked them where they 'd been , ' e was still smiling .