There never was such an old-fashioned child in her looks and manner. She must have been at work from her cradle. She seemed as much afraid of Dick, as Dick was amazed at her.
"I haven't got anything to do with the lodgings," said Dick. "Tell 'em to call again."
"Oh, but please will you come and show the lodgings?" returned the girl; "it's eighteen shillings a week, and us finding plate and linen. Boots and clothes is extra, and fires in winter-time is eightpence a day."
"Why don't you show 'em yourself? You seem to know all about 'em," said Dick.
"Miss Sally said I wasn't to, because people wouldn't believe the attendance was good if they saw how small I was, first."
"Well, but they'll see how small you are afterwards, won't they?" said Dick.
"Ah! but then they'll have taken 'em for a fortnight certain," replied the child, with a shrewd look; "and people don't like moving when they're once settled."
"This is a queer sort of thing," muttered Dick, rising. "What do you mean to say you are--the cook?"
"Yes; I do plain cooking," replied the child. "I'm housemaid too. I do all the work of the house."
Just then certain sounds on the passage and staircase seemed to denote the applicant's impatience. Richard Swiveller, therefore, hurried out to meet and treat with the single gentleman.