nothing but extravagance. He ran up to her,
seized her hand, kissed it, dropped it, seized it again, fell upon one
knee, shed tears, chuckled, and was quite regardless of his danger of
being pinned by Diogenes, who, inspired by the belief that there was
something hostile to his mistress in these demonstrations, worked round
and round him, as if only undecided at what particular point to go in
for the assault, but quite resolved to do him a fearful mischief.

'Oh Di, you bad, forgetful dog! Dear Mr Toots, I am so rejoiced to see
you!'

'Thankee,' said Mr Toots, 'I am pretty well, I'm much obliged to you,
Miss Dombey. I hope all the family are the same.'

Mr Toots said this without the least notion of what he was talking
about, and sat down on a chair, staring at Florence with the liveliest
contention of delight and despair going on in his face that any face
could exhibit.

'Captain Gills and Lieutenant Walters have mentioned, Miss Dombey,'
gasped Mr Toots, 'that I can do you some service. If I could by any
means wash out the remembrance of that day at Brighton, when I conducted
myself--much more like a Parricide than a person of independent
property,' said Mr Toots, with severe self-accusation, 'I should sink
into the silent tomb with a gleam of joy.'

'Pray, Mr Toots,' said Florence, 'do not wish me to forget anything in
our acquaintance. I never can, believe me. You have been far too kind
and good to me always.'

'Miss Dombey,' returned Mr Toots, 'your consideration for my feelings is
a part of your angelic character. Thank you a thousand times. It's of no
consequence at all.'

'What we thought of asking you,' said Florence, 'is, whether you
remember where Susan, whom you were so kind as to accompany to the
coach-office when she left me, is to be found.'

'Why I do not certainly, Miss Dombey,' said Mr Toots, after a little
consideration, 'remember the exact name of the place that was on the
coach; and I do recollect that she said she was not going to stop there,
but was going farther on. But, Miss Dombey, if your object is to find
her, and to have her here, myself and the Chicken will produce her with
every dispatch that devotion on my part, and great intelligence on the
Chicken's, can ensure.

Mr Toots was so manifestly delighted and revived by the prospect of
being useful, and the disinterested sincerity of his devotion was so
unquestionable, that it would have been cruel to refuse him. Florence,
with an