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"Keeping Watch" is another in a series of W. W. Jacobs' tales that are the reminiscences of an on-duty nightwatchman. In this story, the guard catches a glimpse of a passing couple and is reminded of his own run-in with a seemingly innocent young woman whose coy beauty concealed a secret.
2) The Convert
A man named Mr. Billings has hit rock-bottom and tries to turn over a new leaf with the help of his friends and family, giving up his love of fisticuffs and bar fights and cutting back on the booze. But when circumstances change, Billings finds that pacifism isn't always the best approach.
In this engaging tale from popular short-story writer W. W. Jacobs, a family bands together to crack the case of a missing piece of jewelry, attempting to catch the thief red-handed. But when they set their plan into motion, it quickly spirals out of control.
4) Back to Back
A husband and wife's scheme to bilk money from the husband's employer, a railroad company, veers hilariously off track in this tale from W. W. Jacobs, a renowned master of the short-story format whose works gained widespread popularity in the periodicals of the early twentieth century.
5) Easy Money
In this story, a group of sailor friends reminisce about their early love affairs and their feelings about marriage. "Easy Money" is part of the collection Night Watches, in which each tale is sparked by a nightwatchman's observations and thoughts.
Part of W. W. Jacobs' series of short tales featuring the observations and memories of a nightwatchman, "The Guardian Angel" finds our hero pondering the nature of charity and good works. The action of the tale centers around a conflict between friends that ended in an unexpected manner.
Fleeing big-city life in the aftermath of a tumultuous romance, a beautiful young woman retreats to the quiet country house of her uncle to recuperate and seek a new path in life. But when her scorned lover shows up to win her back with a few clever tricks up his sleeve, her resolve to live a solitary life begins to falter.
The world's prickliest nightwatchman is at it again in this funny tale from W. W. Jacobs. After mistaking one sailor for his twin brother during a chance meeting on the wharf, the watchman reminisces at length about a case of mistaken identity in his own past.
9) Fairy Gold
In this funny tale from W. W. Jacobs, a pair of old friends enjoying a few beers at the local pub hatch a nefarious plot to steal the modest nest egg that one fellow's wife has managed to squirrel away over the years. Suffice it to say that things don't go exactly as planned.
10) Dual Control
A young man is distraught over the fact that the lovely lady who has won his heart doesn't seem to return his affections. But when he turns to her uncle for advice in winning her over, the naive young lover is unwittingly ensnared in a contemptible plot.
11) Fine Feathers
In this clever tale from W. W. Jacobs, a grocer is nagged to within an inch of his life by his pretentious wife and her family, who want the man to display finer manners. But when he takes their advice to the extreme, they soon find themselves longing for his former, more informal approach to life.
In this short story from W. W. Jacobs' 1911 collection Ship's Company, a tense confrontation that is about to boil over is suddenly forgotten when an accident happens and temporarily unites the combatants as they scramble to offer help to a damsel in distress.
13) Captain Rogers
A quiet, unassuming man named Mr. Mullet has achieved a measure of success as the proprietor of an upscale hotel. But when a mysterious stranger shows up in town threatening to reveal Mullet's true identity, all of his hard work could be jeopardized. Will Mullet's dark secret come to light?
14) Good Intentions
Though he is best remembered for the macabre tale "The Monkey's Paw," many of British author W. W. Jacobs' stories are about sailors and life on the sea. "Good Intentions" was originally released as part of Jacobs' 1911 collection Ship's Company.
Veering away from the salty sailors and seadogs that were his typical subject matter, author W. W. Jacobs draws on his own experiences in World War I in this pair of brief sketches, both of which are written in the format of a soldier's personal diary.
16) A Golden Venture
In this tale from W. W. Jacobs, a family that is struggling financially receives a much-needed windfall. But when the other residents of the neighborhood get wind of the good news, the family finds itself fending off a variety of schemers and plotters.
A well-to-do doctor wakes up to find himself on a ship at sea. How did he get there, and how will he get home? But before those questions can be answered, the crew begins to succumb to a mysterious illness, one by one—and questions about the doctor's true identity are never settled.
18) Admiral Peters
Though set on dry land, W. W. Jacob's charming tale Admiral Peters is shot through with the salty dialect and rough humor of lifelong sailors. An admiral pays a visit to one of his men, now retired, and amidst a night of revelry and nostalgia, an odd love triangle is formed. Will the two former shipmates be able to iron out their differences?
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