ook him up, when he was wrecked
in the hurricane that had drove her clean out of her course, was a
China trader, and Wal'r made the woyage, and got into favour, aboard
and ashore--being as smart and good a lad as ever stepped--and so, the
supercargo dying at Canton, he got made (having acted as clerk afore),
and now he's supercargo aboard another ship, same owners. And so, you
see,' repeated the Captain, thoughtfully, 'the pretty creetur goes away
upon the roaring main with Wal'r, on a woyage to China.'

Mr Toots and Captain Cuttle heaved a sigh in concert. 'What then?' said
the Captain. 'She loves him true. He loves her true. Them as should have
loved and tended of her, treated of her like the beasts as perish. When
she, cast out of home, come here to me, and dropped upon them planks,
her wownded heart was broke. I know it. I, Ed'ard Cuttle, see it.
There's nowt but true, kind, steady love, as can ever piece it up again.
If so be I didn't know that, and didn't know as Wal'r was her true love,
brother, and she his, I'd have these here blue arms and legs chopped
off, afore I'd let her go. But I know it, and what then! Why, then, I
say, Heaven go with 'em both, and so it will! Amen!'

'Captain Gills,' said Mr Toots, 'let me have the pleasure of shaking
hands You've a way of saying things, that gives me an agreeable warmth,
all up my back. I say Amen. You are aware, Captain Gills, that I, too,
have adored Miss Dombey.'

'Cheer up!' said the Captain, laying his hand on Mr Toots's shoulder.
'Stand by, boy!'

'It is my intention, Captain Gills,' returned the spirited Mr Toots,
'to cheer up. Also to standby, as much as possible. When the silent tomb
shall yawn, Captain Gills, I shall be ready for burial; not before. But
not being certain, just at present, of my power over myself, what I wish
to say to you, and what I shall take it as a particular favour if you
will mention to Lieutenant Walters, is as follows.'

'Is as follers,' echoed the Captain. 'Steady!'

'Miss Dombey being so inexpressably kind,' continued Mr Toots with
watery eyes, 'as to say that my presence is the reverse of disagreeable
to her, and you and everybody here being no less forbearing and
tolerant towards one who--who certainly,' said Mr Toots, with momentary
dejection, 'would appear to have been born by mistake, I shall come
backwards and forwards of an evening, during the short time we can all
be together. But what I ask is this. If, at any moment,