to his daughter, 'are always committing some folly or another. There was
a quarrel between Joe Willet and old John last night though I can't say
Joe was much in fault either. He'll be missing one of these mornings,
and will have gone away upon some wild-goose errand, seeking his
fortune.--Why, what's the matter, Doll? YOU are making faces now. The
girls are as bad as the boys every bit!'

'It's the tea,' said Dolly, turning alternately very red and very white,
which is no doubt the effect of a slight scald--'so very hot.'

Mr Tappertit looked immensely big at a quartern loaf on the table, and
breathed hard.

'Is that all?' returned the locksmith. 'Put some more milk in it.--Yes,
I am sorry for Joe, because he is a likely young fellow, and gains upon
one every time one sees him. But he'll start off, you'll find. Indeed he
told me as much himself!'

'Indeed!' cried Dolly in a faint voice. 'In-deed!'

'Is the tea tickling your throat still, my dear?' said the locksmith.

But, before his daughter could make him any answer, she was taken with
a troublesome cough, and it was such a very unpleasant cough, that,
when she left off, the tears were starting in her bright eyes. The
good-natured locksmith was still patting her on the back and applying
such gentle restoratives, when a message arrived from Mrs Varden, making
known to all whom it might concern, that she felt too much indisposed
to rise after her great agitation and anxiety of the previous night; and
therefore desired to be immediately accommodated with the little black
teapot of strong mixed tea, a couple of rounds of buttered toast, a
middling-sized dish of beef and ham cut thin, and the Protestant Manual
in two volumes post octavo. Like some other ladies who in remote
ages flourished upon this globe, Mrs Varden was most devout when most
ill-tempered. Whenever she and her husband were at unusual variance,
then the Protestant Manual was in high feather.

Knowing from experience what these requests portended, the triumvirate
broke up; Dolly, to see the orders executed with all despatch; Gabriel,
to some out-of-door work in his little chaise; and Sim, to his daily
duty in the workshop, to which retreat he carried the big look, although
the loaf remained behind.

Indeed the big look increased immensely, and when he had tied his apron
on, became quite gigantic. It was not until he had several times walked
up and down with folded arms, and the longest strides he cou