"Eliza, what are you doing in there? Come out of it!"
This question and command, shouted by the shorter of the two, a sandy-haired young ruffian, with a voice like a brass trumpet, seemed, under the circumstances, to be singularly out of place. The observations of his companion were more to the point.
"All right, guv'nor, you wait a bit! you wait till I get a 'old on yer! If I don't play a toon on yer, I'll give yer leave to call me names!"
The lady comforted me.
"Don't you mind what they say."
"I don't."
But presently someone came upon the scene whose remarks I decided to mind, in a way. An unwieldy tub bore down upon us, containing perhaps twelve or fourteen people. A stalwart young fellow, standing up in the bow, addressed himself to me.
"Excuse me, guv'nor, but might I ask what you're doin' along of that young lady?"
"Pardon me, sir, in my turn, but might I inquire what business that is of yours?"
"I don't want none of your sauce! Just you tell me what's your little game."