“And I am bound to tell you, my dear,” added R. W. , submissively, “that Bella has acted in a truly brave spirit, and with a truly right feeling. And therefore I hope, my dear, you’ll not allow yourself to be greatly disappointed.”

“George!” said Miss Lavvy, in a sepulchral, warning voice, founded on her mother’s; “George Sampson, speak! What did I tell you about those Boffins?”

Mr. Sampson perceiving his frail bark to be labouring among shoals and breakers, thought it safest not to refer back to any particular thing that he had been told, lest he should refer back to the wrong thing. With admirable seamanship he got his bark into deep water by murmuring “Yes indeed.”