hter's hand more
blandly than before, 'to attract the attention of one of us. Hem! you
needn't be at all uneasy, my dear.'

Kate looked very much perplexed, and was apparently about to ask for
further explanation, when a shouting and scuffling noise, as of an
elderly gentleman whooping, and kicking up his legs on loose gravel,
with great violence, was heard to proceed from the same direction as the
former sounds; and before they had subsided, a large cucumber was seen
to shoot up in the air with the velocity of a sky-rocket, whence it
descended, tumbling over and over, until it fell at Mrs Nickleby's feet.

This remarkable appearance was succeeded by another of a precisely
similar description; then a fine vegetable marrow, of unusually large
dimensions, was seen to whirl aloft, and come toppling down; then,
several cucumbers shot up together; and, finally, the air was darkened
by a shower of onions, turnip-radishes, and other small vegetables,
which fell rolling and scattering, and bumping about, in all directions.

As Kate rose from her seat, in some alarm, and caught her mother's hand
to run with her into the house, she felt herself rather retarded than
assisted in her intention; and following the direction of Mrs Nickleby's
eyes, was quite terrified by the apparition of an old black velvet cap,
which, by slow degrees, as if its wearer were ascending a ladder or pair
of steps, rose above the wall dividing their garden from that of the
next cottage, (which, like their own, was a detached building,) and was
gradually followed by a very large head, and an old face, in which were
a pair of most extraordinary grey eyes: very wild, very wide open, and
rolling in their sockets, with a dull, languishing, leering look, most
ugly to behold.

'Mama!' cried Kate, really terrified for the moment, 'why do you stop,
why do you lose an instant? Mama, pray come in!'

'Kate, my dear,' returned her mother, still holding back, 'how can you
be so foolish? I'm ashamed of you. How do you suppose you are ever to
get through life, if you're such a coward as this? What do you want,
sir?' said Mrs Nickleby, addressing the intruder with a sort of
simpering displeasure. 'How dare you look into this garden?'

'Queen of my soul,' replied the stranger, folding his hands together,
'this goblet sip!'

'Nonsense, sir,' said Mrs Nickleby. 'Kate, my love, pray be quiet.'

'Won't you sip the goblet?' urged the stranger, with his head
imploringly