day class a'ready."

"Indeed, where have you been?"

"At Mrs Rampy's, w'ere I see'd a most hedifyin' spectacle--granny
tryin' to bring Mrs Rampy an' Mrs Blathers to a 'eavenly state of mind
over a cup of tea, an' them both resistin' of 'er like one o'clock!"

"Ah! my boy," said Susy, shaking her head and a finger at the urchin,
"you've been eavesdropping again!"

"No, indeed, Susy, I ha'n't," returned the boy quite earnestly, "not
since the time you nabbed me with my ear to the key-'ole of quarrelsome
Tim's door. I was a-sittin' at Mrs Rampy's open door quite openly
like--though not quite in sight, I dessay--an' they was pitchin' into
each other quite openly too, an' granny a-tryin' to pour ile on the
troubled waters! It was as good as a play. But w'en Mrs Rampy takes
up her cup to drink the 'ealth of Mrs B an' says, with _sitch_ a look,
`Your 'ealth, Blathers,' I could 'old on no longer. I split and bolted!
That's wot brought me 'ere a little sooner than I might 'ave bin."

There was a tendency to laugh at this explanation, which Susy did not
check, but after a few moments she held up a finger, which produced
instant silence, while she drew a letter from her pocket.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you to-day, Tommy," she said, handing him the
letter, "but I must send you with this to my father. Mr Brentwood
called with it not half an hour since, saying it was of importance to
have it delivered soon, as it was connected with the case of Mr
Laidlaw. So be off with it as fast as you can. You know where to find
father--on board the _Seacow_."

Tommy Splint was indeed disappointed at having to leave the garden class
thus abruptly. He consoled himself, however, with the reflection that
he was perhaps doing important service to his friend Da-a-a-vid Laidlaw.
He further consoled himself, on reaching the court below, by uttering a
shriek which sent a cat that chanced to be reposing there in rampant
alarm into the depths of a convenient cellar. Thereafter he went into a
contemplative frame of mind to the docks, and found Sam Blake as usual
in his bunk.

"I say, Sam, d'ee spend all yer time--night and day--in yer bunk?"

"Not exactly, lad," answered the seaman, with a smile, but without
showing any intention to rise. "You see we sea-dogs have a hard time of
it. What with bein' liable to be routed out at all hours, an' expected
to work at any hour, we git into a way of making a grab at sleep when an
where we gits th