parcels, was waiting
for one of the porters to extract yet more from the carriage in which
she had come down.

"Look out, ma'am!" said the Captain, seeing what was coming. "Keep
clear of the dog, ma'am, or he'll foul your hawse!"

But, he was too late for the warning to be of any use; for, at the same
instant, the old lady was whirled violently round and round like a
teetotum and fell to the ground, uttering the while a series of wild
shrieks, coupled with the smothered exclamation--"My good gracious!"

"I thought so!" ejaculated the old sailor as he hastened up to her
rescue, and, with the aid of the porter, succeeded in placing her on her
feet again; while Nellie and Bob set to work collecting her parcels
which were scattered in every direction. "I hope you are not hurt,
madam," Captain Dresser added when the lady was, as he expressed it,
`all a-taunto' once more. "I hope you are not hurt!"

However, she did not pay any attention to the polite inquiry, displaying
more solicitude for her portable property than her person.

"Who's to pay for my eggs, I'd like to know?" was all she said. "I
s'pose they be all bruck to pieces!"

She evidently alluded to the largest of her parcels, which still lay
close to her on the platform, neither Bob nor Nellie having yet reached
this to pick it up; for, a thick yellow fluid was oozing out from the
wrappings, plainly betokening the nature of its fragile contents and
their fate.

"Oh, never mind your eggs, ma'am," cried the Captain impatiently.
"We'll reimburse you for their loss, as the dog has caused the mischief.
I was thinking of your bones!"

"Drat my bones and the dog, too!" said the old lady with equal heat.
"One doesn't get noo laid eggs every day, I'd 'ave yer to know, sir, and
I was a-taking these a puppose for my darter, which I brought all the
way now from Gi'ford only to 'ave 'em bruck at last!"

"Never mind, never mind," replied the Captain soothingly; and on Mrs
Gilmour at the same time telling her that she kept fowls and would send
her some more fresh eggs the very next morning, to replace those broken,
if she would give her address, the old lady was finally pacified.

She went off presently, with all her remaining parcels, in a cab, which
the Captain insisted on paying for; the good dame beaming with
satisfaction and looking as if she thought she had made rather a good
thing than not by the mishap!

Meanwhile, Bob and Nellie had to interrupt their tas