at
last, if it's twenty year hence, I will! Who's he, to be favoured along
of his daughter? Ain't I got a daughter of my own!'

With that flourish, and seeming to have talked himself rather more drunk
and much more ferocious than he had begun by being, Mr Riderhood took up
his pint pot and swaggered off to the taproom.

Gaffer was not there, but a pretty strong muster of Miss Abbey's pupils
were, who exhibited, when occasion required, the greatest docility. On
the clock's striking ten, and Miss Abbey's appearing at the door, and
addressing a certain person in a faded scarlet jacket, with 'George
Jones, your time's up! I told your wife you should be punctual,'
Jones submissively rose, gave the company good-night, and retired. At
half-past ten, on Miss Abbey's looking in again, and saying, 'William
Williams, Bob Glamour, and Jonathan, you are all due,' Williams, Bob,
and Jonathan with similar meekness took their leave and evaporated.
Greater wonder than these, when a bottle-nosed person in a glazed hat
had after some considerable hesitation ordered another glass of gin and
water of the attendant potboy, and when Miss Abbey, instead of sending
it, appeared in person, saying, 'Captain Joey, you have had as much as
will do you good,' not only did the captain feebly rub his knees and
contemplate the fire without offering a word of protest, but the rest
of the company murmured, 'Ay, ay, Captain! Miss Abbey's right; you
be guided by Miss Abbey, Captain.' Nor, was Miss Abbey's vigilance in
anywise abated by this submission, but rather sharpened; for, looking
round on the deferential faces of her school, and descrying two other
young persons in need of admonition, she thus bestowed it: 'Tom Tootle,
it's time for a young fellow who's going to be married next month, to
be at home and asleep. And you needn't nudge him, Mr Jack Mullins, for
I know your work begins early tomorrow, and I say the same to you.
So come! Good-night, like good lads!' Upon which, the blushing Tootle
looked to Mullins, and the blushing Mullins looked to Tootle, on the
question who should rise first, and finally both rose together and went
out on the broad grin, followed by Miss Abbey; in whose presence the
company did not take the liberty of grinning likewise.

In such an establishment, the white-aproned pot-boy with his
shirt-sleeves arranged in a tight roll on each bare shoulder, was a mere
hint of the possibility of physical force, thrown out as a matte