On Board the Esmeralda | Page 5

forget,
either, to complain to Dr Hellyer about your insolence."
"Ho, ho, ho, the-at be a good un," laughed the old man from his
vantage- ground on the opposite platform. "I thinks I say un neow, an'
you a- talkin' 'bout I!"
However, as I stamped my foot and repeated my order in a tone of
command, he, evidently much surprised and obeying from the force of
habit in one accustomed to yield to others, crossed over the line, the
broad country yokel grin with which he had received my first reply,
giving place to a surly look.
"Y'er a foine young bantam," he muttered grumblingly in his wheezy
cracked voice, as he stooped to raise my precious box, "but I specs,
young maister, yer'll soon ha' yer comb cut, sure-ly!"

I said nothing further to this sally, my anger having by this time
evaporated; and the old man, poising the light load easily on one
shoulder, walked leisurely out of the station without uttering another
word, I following him also in silence.
Proceeding along a straggling street, which was more like a country
lane than anything else, with a few shops scattered about here and there
at intervals, for more than half a mile or more--he in front with my box,
I closely stepping in the rear--after turning sharp round to the right and
then to the left, past a little corner building which seemed to be a
wayside inn, but was triumphantly lettered "hotel" along the top of its
gable end, we at length debouched on to a solitary-looking
semi-deserted row of red-brick houses that occupied one side of a
wild-looking, furze- grown common, which I could perceive faced the
sea; the sound of the low murmurs of the waves on the beach alone
breaking the stillness of the desolate scene.
This terrace apparently consisted entirely of lodging houses, and it
being the month of November, and the "season" of the little watering-
place having closed, bills with "Apartments to Let" were exposed in the
windows of almost all; almost, but not quite all, for my crack-voiced
friend when he arrived about the middle of the row stopped in front of
one of the most unprepossessing habitations of the lot, without any
notice displayed like the others. Here, putting down my box on the
steps, he rang a side-bell that gave out a melancholy clang for a
moment, and caused quite a bustle of excitement in the two adjacent
houses, heads being popped out to see who the unexpected new-comers
might be.
"Here be un," said the old porter, taking off his leathern cap, and
wiping his forehead with what looked like a tattered "Danger" flag that
had been used up on the line and discarded from further service.
"Oh!" I ejaculated, having nothing further to say, for, on seeing the
grand establishment I had anticipated dwarfed to such very humble
proportions, I felt terribly small and contemptible in my own sight. The
dignity that I had so recently aired at the old man's expense shrank into
nothingness, and I was quite relieved that he did not take advantage of

the opportunity to "put me down a peg or two."
As a sort of sop to Cerberus, and in order to try and maintain my
position of independence a few moments longer, I drew out the odd
sixpence which Uncle George had put into my hand along with the two
shillings of my tip, giving it to the old porter with the air of one with
whom such trifling coins were as plentiful as blackberries!
"Take that, my good man," said I, "for your trouble in showing me the
way."
"H'm!" he grunted between his teeth, but whether meaning to thank me
or not, I could not say; and then, without waiting for the door to be
opened, as I naturally imagined, he turned on his heel, and made off
back again towards the station.
I had to ring a second time at the side-bell before any person appeared
to answer my summons; and then, sad be it to relate, the portal of the
mansion was opened by a dirty, down-at-heels, draggle-tailed old
woman instead of the staid, respectable man-servant who should have
officiated as janitor to be in proper keeping with the brilliant prospectus
before mentioned.
"Oh, it's you, is it!" exclaimed the old woman, who had drawn back the
door gingerly as if she had expected some one else on possibly a hostile
mission, for an expression of relief came over her face when she saw
only me; and then, ushering me into a little room leading out of the hall,
she left me there, telling me to sit down. I had brought my box in with
me, you may be sure, otherwise this feat would have been