off, I made Lady O'Connor promise to
write to me, and then started for Deal. I found Bramble and Bessy as
usual delighted to see me, and Mrs. Maddox was as talkative as ever. I
received a letter from Lady O'Connor, and also one from Dr. Tadpole,
written at the request of my father, informing me that by a letter from
Mrs. St. Felix there was little prospect of her return to Greenwich. I
had not been a week at Deal when a large ship dropped her anchor in the
Downs, and made the signal for a pilot.

"Well, Tom," said Bramble, "I think I shall take a turn now, for I want
to go up and see old Anderson."

"I will take her through, if you please, father; and you may go as a
passenger. You don't want money, and I do."

"All's right, Tom--well, then, I'll go as a passenger, and you shall be
pilot."

"Why must you go at all, father? Why not go to Greenwich by the stage?"
exclaimed Bessy. "When will you leave off, my dear father? Surely you've
enough now, and might let Tom go without you."

"Quite enough money, but not quite enough of the salt water yet, Bessy,"
replied Bramble; "and when I do travel, I won't go by land, when I can
sail under canvas."

"Well, you may go this time, father, but this is the last. If you won't
leave off, I will not stay here, that's positive; so when you come on
shore some fine day you may expect to find me absent without leave."

"Very well; then I'll send Tom to look after you: he'll soon bring you
back again."

"Tom! he wouldn't take the trouble to look after me."

"Very true," replied I. "Every woman who requires looking after is not
worth the trouble; but I've no fear but we shall find you when we come
back."

"Tom, I hate you," replied Bessy. "Why do you not join me in persuading
father to stay on shore?"

"Well, if you hate me, Bessy, it proves, at all events, that I'm not
indifferent to you," said I, laughing; "but really and truly, Bessy, I
do not consider there is any very great risk in your father going up the
river with me, as he will be in smooth water before dark."

"Well, but, allowing that, why should father go at all?"

"I want to see old Anderson, my love," replied Bramble, taking his pipe
out of his mouth.

"Yes, and if you once begin again, you'll not leave off--I know it well.
You will never come home except to get clean linen, and be off again;
and I shall be in a constant state of alarm and misery. How selfish of
you, father! You had better by far have left me