“Look out, ma’am!” said the Captain, seeing what was coming. “Keep clear of the dog, ma’am, or he’ll foul your hawse!”
But, he was too late for the warning to be of any use; for, at the same instant, the old lady was whirled violently round and round like a teetotum and fell to the ground, uttering the while a series of wild shrieks, coupled with the smothered exclamation—“My good gracious!”
“I thought so!” ejaculated the old sailor as he hastened up to her rescue, and, with the aid of the porter, succeeded in placing her on her feet again; while Nellie and Bob set to work collecting her parcels which were scattered in every direction. “I hope you are not hurt, madam,” Captain Dresser added when the lady was, as he expressed it, ‘all a-taunto’ once more. “I hope you are not hurt!”
However, she did not pay any attention to the polite inquiry, displaying more solicitude for her portable property than her person.
“Who’s to pay for my eggs, I’d like to know?” was all she said. “I s’pose they be all bruck to pieces!”
She evidently alluded to the largest of her parcels, which still lay close to her on the platform, neither Bob nor Nellie having yet reached this to pick it up; for, a thick yellow fluid was oozing out from the wrappings, plainly betokening the nature of its fragile contents and their fate.
“Oh, never mind your eggs, ma’am,” cried the Captain impatiently. “We’ll reimburse you for their loss, as the dog has caused the mischief. I was thinking of your bones!”
“Drat my bones and the dog, too!” said the old lady with equal heat. “One doesn’t get noo laid eggs every day, I’d ’ave yer to know, sir, and I was a-taking these a puppose for my darter, which I brought all the way now from Gi’ford only to ’ave ’em bruck at last!”
“Never mind, never mind,” replied the Captain soothingly; and on Mrs Gilmour at the same time telling her that she kept fowls and would send her some more fresh eggs the very next morning, to replace those broken, if she would give her address, the old lady was finally pacified.
She went off presently, with all her remaining parcels, in a cab, which the Captain insisted on paying for; the good dame beaming with satisfaction and looking as if she thought she had made rather a good thing than not by the mishap!