Sea whispers by W. W. Jacobs
QR code
"Sea Whispers" by W. W. Jacobs is a collection of short stories written in the early 20th century. Drawing on riverside and seafaring life around the London docks, it blends broad humor, con‑game capers, and occasional dark twists, often told in a genial, working‑class voice. Recurring figures include a sardonic night‑watchman narrator and the hapless trio Sam Small, Peter Russet, and Ginger Dick, alongside assorted boxers, healers, and con‑artists. The opening of
the collection introduces four sharply different tales. In The Bravo, a kindly night‑watchman tries to shield a timid dandy from a jealous rival by hiring a boxer to impersonate him, only to see the boxer thrash the bully and run off with the girl—leaving the dupe to vent his rage on the watchman. Taking Pains turns to domestic comedy as the ailing Silvanus Key pretends to embrace a pompous “magnetic healer,” then torments him with midnight summons and sly psychological jabs until the healer flees and the patient happily returns to his doctor. His Brother’s Keeper shifts to grim suspense: Anthony Keller, after a fatal struggle with a visitor, hides the body beneath a new garden rockery, but his sleepwalking wrecks the cover each night; a vigilant constable uncovers the truth, and Keller, oddly relieved, submits. Trust Money begins another dockside yarn: Sam Small boasts of a coming windfall from “philanthropists” who reward trust, while skeptical pals shadow a stranger, assault him, and strip his pockets—setting up the next twist in the swindle. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
Kobo, Nook etc → Transfer via USB
Phone, tablet or computer → Open in a reading app
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | Jacobs, W. W. (William Wymark), 1863-1943 |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Thomas, Bert, 1883-1966 |
| Title | Sea whispers |
| Original Publication | New York City: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1926, pubdate 1927. |
| Contents | The bravo -- Taking pains -- His brother's keeper -- Trust money -- Kitchen company -- The model -- Artful cards -- Handsome Harry -- The blindness of Captain Ferguson -- Wapping-on-Thames -- The interruption -- Bed cases. |
| Credits | Aaron Adrignola, chenzw, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.) |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PR: Language and Literatures: English literature |
| Subject | England -- Social life and customs -- Fiction |
| Subject | Short stories, English |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 78235 |
| Release Date | Mar 18, 2026 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 322 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!