ing attention on
Maitland, passed out of the door, and could be heard skipping up-stairs.

"I'm sure, sir, I ask your pardon," exclaimed poor Mrs. Gullick; "but
Lizer's far from well just now, and she did have a scare last night, or
else, which is more likely, her little inside (saving your presence) has
been upset with a supper the Manager gave all them pantermime himps."

"But, Mrs. Gullick, why is she dressed like a bear?"

"She's such a favorite with the Manager, sir, and the Property Man,
and all of them at the _Hilarity_, you can't _think_, sir," said Mrs.
Gullick, not in the least meaning to impugn Maitland's general capacity
for abstract speculation. "A regular little genius that child is, though
I says it as shouldn't. Ah, sir, she takes it from her poor father,
sir." And Mrs. Gullick raised her apron to her eyes.

Now the late Mr. Gullick had been a clown of considerable merit; but,
like too many artists, he was addicted beyond measure to convivial
enjoyment. Maitland had befriended him in his last days, and had
appointed Mrs. Gullick (and a capital appointment it was) to look after
his property when he became landlord of the _Hit or Miss_.

"What a gift, sir, that child always had! Why, when she was no more
than four, I well remember her going to fetch the beer, and her being a
little late, and Gullick with the thirst on him, when she came in with
the jug, he made a cuff at her, not to hurt her, and if the little thing
didn't drop the jug, and take the knap! Lord, I thought Gullick would 'a
died laughing, and him so thirsty, too."

"Take the knap?" said Maitland, who imagined that "the knap" must be
some malady incident to childhood.

"Oh, sir, it's when one person cuffs at another on the stage, you know,
and the other slaps his own hand, on the far side, to make the noise
of a box on the ear: that's what we call 'taking the knap' in the
profession. And the beer was spilt, and the jug broken, and all--Lizer
was that clever? And this is her second season, just ended, as a himp
at the _Hilarity_ pantermime; and they're that good to her, they let her
bring her bearskin home with her, what she wears, you know, sir, as the
Little Bear in 'The Three Bears,' don't you know, sir."

Maitland was acquainted with the legend of the Great Bear, the Middle
Bear, and the Little Tiny Small Bear, and had even proved, in a learned
paper, that the Three Bears were the Sun, the Moon, and the Multitude
of Stars in the Ary