In another second, however, he had accomplished his task; and, lifting up the corners of the red handkerchief, he rolled out the whole stock of his valued possessions on to the floor.
“Dere!” he exclaimed with much complacency, looking up into Jupp’s face in expectation of his admiring surprise.
The porter was again forced to act a part, and pretend that he could not guess anything.
“Dear me!” he said; “you have brought a lot of things! Going to take ’em with you to London, sir?”
“Ess. Da’n’ma tate tare of zem.”
“No doubt, sir,” replied Jupp, who then went on to inspect gingerly the different articles of the collection, which was very varied in character.
They consisted, in addition to the tortoise-shell kitten fore-mentioned, of a musical snuff-box, a toy model of a ship, a small Noah’s ark, a half-consumed slice of bread and butter, an apple with a good-sized bite taken out of one side, a thick lump of toffee, and a darkish-brown substance like gingerbread, which close association in the bundle, combined with pressure, had welded together in one almost indistinguishable mass.
“I suppose, sir,” observed Jupp inquiringly, picking up all the eatables and putting them together apart on the seat next the little man—“I suppose as how them’s your provisions for the journey?”
“Ess. I ate dindin; an’, dat’s tea.”
“Indeed, sir! and very nice things for tea too,” said Jupp, beaming with admiration and good-humoured fun.