taking that nothing of a fag-end of a
tail of his, out into the weather, as if he had just
remembered an appointment, and was off, at a round
trot, to keep it.
'There! There's the teapot, ready on the hob!' said
Dot; as briskly busy as a child at play at keeping
house. 'And there's the cold knuckle of ham; and
there's the butter; and there's the crusty loaf, and
all! Here's the clothes-basket for the small parcels,
John, if you've got any there -- where are you, John?
Don't let the dear child fall under the grate, Tilly,
whatever you do!'
It may be noted of Miss Slowboy, in spite of her
rejecting the caution with some vivacity, that she had
a rare and surprising talent for getting this baby
into difficulties: and had several times imperilled its
short life, in a quiet way peculiarly her own. She
was of a spare and straight shape, this young lady,
insomuch that her garments appeared to be in con-
stant danger of sliding off those sharp pegs, her shoul-
ders, on which they were loosely hung. Her costume
was remarkable for the partial development, on all
possible occasions, of some flannel vestment of a
singular structure; also for affording glimpses, in
the region of the back, of a corset, or pair of stays,
in colour a dead-green.
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