in resigned
despair, 'a long way. It's no use my lagging on so far behind it. The
stock had better be sold--it's worth more than this debt--and I had
better go and die somewhere, on the balance. I haven't any energy left.
I don't understand things. This had better be the end of it. Let 'em
sell the stock and take him down,' said the old man, pointing feebly to
the wooden Midshipman, 'and let us both be broken up together.'

'And what d'ye mean to do with Wal'r?'said the Captain. 'There, there!
Sit ye down, Gills, sit ye down, and let me think o' this. If I warn't a
man on a small annuity, that was large enough till to-day, I hadn't need
to think of it. But you only lay your head well to the wind,' said the
Captain, again administering that unanswerable piece of consolation,
'and you're all right!'

Old Sol thanked him from his heart, and went and laid it against the
back parlour fire-place instead.

Captain Cuttle walked up and down the shop for some time, cogitating
profoundly, and bringing his bushy black eyebrows to bear so heavily on
his nose, like clouds setting on a mountain, that Walter was afraid to
offer any interruption to the current of his reflections. Mr Brogley,
who was averse to being any constraint upon the party, and who had
an ingenious cast of mind, went, softly whistling, among the stock;
rattling weather-glasses, shaking compasses as if they were physic,
catching up keys with loadstones, looking through telescopes,
endeavouring to make himself acquainted with the use of the globes,
setting parallel rulers astride on to his nose, and amusing himself with
other philosophical transactions.

'Wal'r!' said the Captain at last. 'I've got it.'

'Have you, Captain Cuttle?' cried Walter, with great animation.

'Come this way, my lad,' said the Captain. 'The stock's the security.
I'm another. Your governor's the man to advance money.'

'Mr Dombey!' faltered Walter.

The Captain nodded gravely. 'Look at him,' he said. 'Look at Gills.
If they was to sell off these things now, he'd die of it. You know he
would. We mustn't leave a stone unturned--and there's a stone for you.'

'A stone!--Mr Dombey!' faltered Walter.

'You run round to the office, first of all, and see if he's there,' said
Captain Cuttle, clapping him on the back. 'Quick!'

Walter felt he must not dispute the command--a glance at his Uncle would
have determined him if he had felt otherwise--and disappeared to execute
it. He soon retur