"'Yes,' I ses, very severe, 'and wot about going back by it?'

"'Oh, I shall go back by ship,' she ses. 'Wot time do you expect the
Eastern Monarch up?'

"'Well,' I ses, 'ardly knowing wot to make of 'er, 'she ought to be up
this tide; but there's no reckoning on wot an old washtub with a engine
like a sewing-machine inside 'er will do.'

"'Oh, indeed!' she ses, leaving off smiling very sudden. 'Oh, indeed!
My husband might 'ave something to say about that.'

"'Your 'usband?' I ses.

"'Captain Pratt,' she ses, drawing 'erself up. 'I'm Mrs. Pratt. He left
yesterday morning, and I've come up 'ere by train to give 'im a little
surprise.'

"You might ha' knocked me down with a feather, and I stood there staring
at her with my mouth open, trying to think.

"'Take care,' I ses at last. 'Take care as you don't give 'im too much
of a surprise!'

"'Wot do you mean?' she ses, firing up.

"'Nothing,' I ses. 'Nothing, only I've known 'usbands in my time as
didn't like being surprised--that's all. If you take my advice, you'll
go straight back home agin.'