A collection of short stories by W W Jacobs. Serpents, skinflints, skivers, suitors and sundry sailors take the foreground in these stories about the East End of London and the mythical village of Claybury at the turn of the century. Stories: The Third String, A Mixed Proposal, The Weaker Vessel, The Tiger's Skin, In The Family, The Unknown, Dixon's Return, The Rival Beauties, A Will and a Way, The Interruption, The Monkey's Paw, Back to Back. "W. W. Jacobs has the satisfaction of knowing that he has only to leave one of his volumes in the same room with any normal English speaking person and that person, opening the book, will be compelled to settle himself down, neglect his business and enjoy to the end". J. B. Priestley