Mr. Howe's moralizings nettled me, and they did no good, for my whole thoughts were now bent on evading his guardianship and getting to sea, but poor Fred was quite overpowered. "I wish we were safe home again," he almost sobbed when I went up to the corner into which he had huddled himself.
"You'll be all right when we're afloat," said I.
"I'm so hungry," he moaned.
I was hungry myself, and decided to order some supper, so when the woman came up and civilly asked if she could do anything for us before we went to bed, I said, "If you please we're rather hungry, but we can't afford anything very expensive. Do you think you can get us anything—rather cheap—for supper?"
"A red herring?" she suggested.
"What price are they?" I felt bound to inquire.
"Mrs. Jones has them beautiful and mild at two for a penny. You can get 'em at three a penny, but you wouldn't like 'em, sir."
I felt convinced by the expression of her face that I should not, so I ordered two.
"And a penny loaf?" suggested our landlady, getting her bonnet from behind the door.
"If you please."