Teddy | Page 4

oscillate violently to
and fro as if he were crossing the Bay of Biscay in a Dutch trawler with
a choppy sea running. "I ain't angry to speak of; but he's that
tormenting sometimes as to drive a poor creature a'most out of her
mind! Didn't I tell 'ee," she continued, turning round abruptly to the

object of her wrath and administering an extra shake by way of calling
him to attention. "Didn't I tell 'ee as you weren't to go outdoors in all
the slop and slush--didn't I tell 'ee now?"
But in answer the mite only harked back to his old refrain.
"I want do d'an'ma," he said with stolid defiance, unmoved alike by his
shaking or the nurse's expostulation.
"There, that's jest it," cried she, addressing Jupp the porter again, seeing
that he was a fine handsome fellow and well-proportioned out of the
corner of her eye without looking at him directly, in that unconscious
and highly diplomatic way in which women folk are able to reckon up
each other on the sly and take mental stock of mankind. "Ain't he
aggravating? It's all that granma of his that spoils him; and I wish she'd
never come nigh the place! When Master Teddy doesn't see her he's as
good as gold, that he is, the little man!"
She then, with the natural inconsequence and variability of her sex,
immediately proceeded to hug and kiss the mite as affectionately as she
had been shaking and vituperating him the moment before, he putting
up with the new form of treatment as calmly and indifferently as he had
received the previous scolding.
"He's a fine little chap," said Jupp affably, conceiving a better opinion
of the nurse from her change of manner as well as from noticing, now
that her temporary excitement had evaporated, that she was a young
and comely woman with a very kindly face. "He told me as how he
were going to Lun'non."
"Did he now?" she exclaimed admiringly.
"He's the most owdacious young gen'leman as ever was, I think; for
he's capable, young as he is, not long turned four year old, of doin'
a'most anything. Look now at all them things of his as he's brought
from home!"
"That were his luggage like," observed Jupp, smiling and showing his

white teeth, which contrasted well with his black beard, making him
appear very nice-looking really, the nurse thought.
"The little rogue!" said she enthusiastically, hugging the mite again
with such effusion that Jupp wished he could change places with him,
he being unmarried and "an orphan man," as he described himself,
"without chick or child to care for him."
"He ought to be a good 'un with you a looking after him," he remarked
with a meaning glance, which, although the nurse noticed, she did not
pretend to see.
"So he is--sometimes, eh, Master Teddy?" she said, bending down
again over the mite to hide a sudden flush which had made her face
somehow or other crimson again.
"Ess," replied the hero of the occasion, who, soothed by all these social
amenities passing around him, quickly put aside his stolid demeanour
and became his little prattling self again.
However, such was his deep foresight that he did not forget to grasp so
favourable an opportunity for settling the initial difficulty between
himself and nurse in the matter of the kitten, which had led up logically
to all that had happened, and so prevent any misunderstanding on the
point in future.
"Oo won't tate way kitty?" he asked pleadingly, holding up with both
hands the struggling little animal, which Jupp had incontinently
dropped from his knee when he rose up, on the door of the
waiting-room being suddenly opened and the impromptu picnic
organised by the mite and himself brought to an abrupt termination, by
the unexpected advent of the nurse on the scene.
"No, Master Teddy, I promise you I won't," she replied emphatically.
"You can bathe the poor little brute in the basin and then put it all wet
in your bed afterwards, as you did this morning, or anything else you
like. Bless you, you can eat it if it so please you, and I shan't interfere!"

"All wite, den; we frens 'dain," lisped the mite, putting up his little
rosebud mouth so prettily for a kiss, in token of peace and forgiveness
on his part, that the nurse could not help giving him another hug.
This display of affection had unfortunately the same effect on Jupp as
before, causing the miserable porter to feel acute pangs of envy;
although, by rights, he had no direct interest in the transaction, and was
only an outside observer, so to speak!
By way of concealing his feelings, therefore, he turned the
conversation.
"And have you come far arter