given him as to his behavior at Penfold Hall. As his place had been
booked some days before, he had the advantage of an outside seat. Next
to him was a fat woman, who was going up to town, as she speedily
informed her fellow-passengers, to meet her husband, who was captain
of a whaler.

"I see in the _Gazette_ of to-day," she said, "as his ship was
signaled off Deal yesterday, and with this ere wind he will be up at
the docks to-morrow; so off I goes. He's been away nigh eighteen
months; and I know what men is. Why, bless you, if I wasn't there to
meet him when he steps ashore, as likely as not he would meet with
friends and go on the spree, and I shouldn't hear of him for a week;
and a nice hole that would make in his earnings. Young man, you are
scrouging me dreadful! Can't you get a little further along."

"It seems to me, ma'am, that it is you who are scrouging me," Ralph
replied. "This rail is almost cutting into my side now."

"Well, we must live and let live!" the woman said philosophically.
"You may thank your stars nature hasn't made you as big as I am.
Little people have their advantages. But we can't have everything our
own way. That's what I tells my Jim; he is always a-wanting to have
his own way. That comes from being a captain; but, as I tells him,
it's only reasonable as he is captain on board his ship I should be
captain in my house. I suppose you are going to school?"

"No, I am not. My school is just over."

"Going all the way up to London?"