But when the Admiral, going warily--because he was so stiff from
saddle-work--made his way down to the house of Widow Shanks, and winking
at the Royal Arms in the lower front window, where Stubbard kept Office
and convenience, knocked with the knocker at the private door, there
seemed to be a great deal of thought required before anybody came to
answer.
"Susie," said the visitor, who had an especial knack of remembering
Christian names, which endeared him to the bearers, "I am come to see
Mr. Carne, and I hope he is at home."
"No, that 'a bain't, sir," the little girl made answer, after looking at
the Admiral as if he was an elephant, and wiping her nose with unwonted
diligence; "he be gone away, sir; and please, sir, mother said so."
"Well, here's a penny for you, my dear, because you are the best little
needle-woman in the school, they tell me. Run and tell your mother to
come and see me.--Oh, Mrs. Shanks, I am very glad to see you, and so
blooming in spite of all your hard work. Ah, it is no easy thing in
these hard times to maintain a large family and keep the pot boiling.
And everything clean as a quarter-deck! My certy, you are a woman in a
thousand!"
"No, sir, no. It is all the Lord's doing. And you to the back of Him, as
I alway say. Not a penny can they make out as I owes justly, bad as I be
at the figures, Squire. Do 'e come in, and sit down, there's a dear. Ah,
I mind the time when you was like a dart, Squire!"
"Well, and now I am like a cannon-ball," said the Admiral, who
understood and liked this unflattering talk; "only I don't travel quite
so fast as that.
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