and all down her neck and shoulders, "it's not much
matter, just you score it out; there, go over it again, once or twice,
an' scribble through it,--that's your sort. Now, can ye read what it
was?"

"No, daddie."

"Are ye sure?"

"Quite sure, for I've scratched it into a hole right through the paper."

"Never mind, it's all the better."

"Humph!" interjected Mrs Gaff. "He'll think we began `dear sir,' and
then changed our minds and scratched out the `dear!'"

To this Gaff replied that what was done couldn't be undone, and ordered
Tottie to "fire away once more."

"What next," asked the scribe, a good deal flurried and nervous by this
time, in consequence of which she dipped the pen much too deep, and
brought up a globule of ink, which fell on the paper just under the word
that had been written down with so much pains, making a blot as large as
a sixpence.

The Bu'ster came down on it like lightning with the blot-sheet, and
squashed it into an irregular mass bigger than half-a-crown.

For this he received another open-hander on the ear, and was summarily
dismissed to the sea-beach.

By this time the family tea-hour had arrived, so Mrs Gaff proposed an
adjournment until after tea. Tottie, who was now blotting the letter
with an occasional tear, seconded the motion, which was carried by
acclamation. While the meal was being prepared, Gaff fondled Tottie
until she was restored to her wonted equanimity, so that after tea the
task was resumed with spirit. Words and ideas seemed to flow more
easily, and the letter was finally concluded, amid many sighs of relief,
about bed-time.

Much blotted, and almost unreadable though it was, I think it worthy of
being presented to my readers without correction.

"I beggs to stait that ittle bee for yoor int'rest for to look arter
that air gurl cald Eme as was left yoor doar sum dais bak, if yoo doant
ittle bee wors for yer, yood giv yer eer an noas too to no wot i nos
abowt that gurl, it's not bostin nor yet threttenin I am, no, I'm in
Downrite arnist wen I sais as yool bee sorrie if yoo doant do it."

(This part was at first written, "if you doant look arter the gurl," but
by the advice of Mrs Gaff the latter part was cut out, and "doant do
it" substituted as being more hambigoo-ous and alarming! The letter
continued:--)

"Now sur, i must cloas, not becaws my papers dun, no nor yet my idees,
but becaws a nods as good as a wink--yoo no the rest. Wot ive said is