“Not I; I have been long enough on my beam-ends. And I have heard her voice, and have seen her face, and they have put life into me. I shall cruise about the port. I have gone to leeward of John Company's favor, but there are plenty of coasting-vessels; I may get the command of one. I'll try; a seaman never strikes his flag while there's a shot in the locker.”
“Here, put me up, Captain Kenealy! Oh, do pray make haste! don't dawdle so!” Off cantered Lucy, and fanned her pony along without mercy. At the door of the house she jumped off without assistance, and ran to Mr. Bazalgette's study, and knocked hastily, and that gentleman was not a little surprised when this unusual visitor came to his side with some signs of awe at having penetrated his sanctum, but evidently driven by an overpowering excitement. “Oh, Uncle Bazalgette! Oh, Uncle Bazalgette!”
“Why, what is the matter? Why, the child is ill. Don't gasp like that, Lucy. Come, pluck up courage; I am sure to be on your side, you know. What is it?”
“Uncle, you are always so kind to me; you know you are.”
“Oh, am I? Noble old fellow!”
“Oh, don't make me laugh! ha! ha! oh! oh! oh! ha! oh!”
“Confound it, I have sent her into hysterics; no, she is coming round. Ten thousand million devils, has anybody been insulting the child in my house? They have. My wife, for a guinea.”
“No, no, no. It is about Mr. Dodd.”
“Mr. Dodd? oho!”
“I have ruined him.”