"I shall go down to see them, papa, if you please," Dolly said to her

father at breakfast-time. "They should have gone on Monday; but they

were too rich; and I think it very shameful of them. I dare say they

have not got a halfpenny left, and that makes them look so lively. Of

course they've been stuffing, and they won't move fast, and they can't

expect any more dinner till they catch it. But they have got so much

bacon that they don't care."

"What could they have better, I should like to know?" asked the Admiral,

who had seen hard times. "Why, I gave seven men three dozen apiece for

turning their noses up at salt horse, just because he whisked his tail

in the copper. Lord bless my soul! what is the nation coming to, when a

man can't dine upon cold bacon?"

"No, it is not that, papa. They are very good in that way, as their

wives will tell you. Jenny Shanks tells me the very same thing, and

of course she knows all about them. She knew they would never think of

going out on Monday, and if I had asked her I might have known it too.

But she says that they are sure to catch this tide."

"Very well, Dolly. Go you and catch them. You are never content without

seeing something. Though what there is to see in a lot of lubberly craft

pushing off with punt-poles--"

"Hush, papa, hush! Don't be so contemptuous. What did my godfather say

the other day? And I suppose he understands things."

"Don't quote your godfather against your father. It was never intended

in the Catechism. And if it was, I would never put up with it."

Dolly made off; for she knew that her father, while proud of his great

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