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"Don't know, my lord, I'm sure," replied the old housekeeper, doggedly, "I suppose he did, and belike beat 'em too; I only know they've been quiet all day, which, it stands to reason, they wouldn't have been without wittals; but Master Elliott, I've not seen since." "Not since early this morning, and 'tis now midnight! Where can he be?"
I was greatly amused by overhearing a dialogue between Old Wittals and one of his youngest sons, a sharp, Yankeefied-looking boy, who had lost one of his eyes, but the remaining orb looked as if it could see all ways at once. "I say, Sol, how came you to tell that tarnation tearing lie to Mr. S yesterday? Didn't you expect that you'd catch a good wallopping for the like of that?
"That's the most tasty snack as I've ate for many a long day. It's a pity there ain't more of it. But there, I s'pose it won't do to eat up all our wittals to oncet; let's be thankful as we've had even that small mossel. I say, mates, don't you find these here fowl-bones very sweet picking?" "Uncommon," answered another.
"Faith, madam! an' I thought the captain was stark, staring mad to fire his fellow on such a windy day, and that blowing right from the lake to the house. When Old Wittals came in and towld us that the masther was not to the fore, but only one lad, an' the wife an' the chilther at home, thinks I, there's no time to be lost, or the crathurs will be burnt up intirely.
From this ravenous propensity, for he eat his food like a famished wolf, he had obtained the singular name of "Wittals." During the first year of his settlement in the bush, with a very large family to provide for, he had been often in want of food. One day he came to my brother, with a very long face. "'Fore God! Mr. S , I'm no beggar, but I'd be obliged to you for a loaf of bread.
I wrote a little note to Emilia, who was still at her father's; and Mr. W , the storekeeper, sent us a fine sugar-kettle back by Wittals, and also the other mended, in exchange for the useless piece of finery. We had now two kettles at work, to the joy of Jenny, who declared that it was a lucky fairy who had broken the old kettle.
"Ay, Miss, and so do many of us; but we can't be making wind no more'n we can make wittals and excusing me, Miss, it ain't Daniel, not meaning no disrespect to the other gent, whose papers were all right, I don't doubt, but my mother warn't easy in larning, and maybe didn't know of him it's Dan, Miss, free-and-easy like, but nat'ral." "Well, Dan, do you think it will blow?
I've had so much o' my Sally that I don't want no wittals." Don said nothing, but sat down by Jem Wimble to look at the ships. "My dear Laura," said Uncle Josiah that same evening, "you misjudge me; Lindon's welfare is as dear to me as that of my little Kitty." "But you seemed to be so hard and stern with him."
"I don't want to eat with Jule," Dick said. "He eats too fast." The young people paired off, leaving out Bob. Then they all looked at him in a shame-faced, apologetic way. "You needn't mind me," said Bob, interpreting their glances. "I don't want to heat with none of you. I've got some wittals down to the wagon." "Why, what have you got?" said Sarah Ketchum. She felt cheap, and so did the others.
Old Wittals, who happened to come down that morning, assisted in placing the bags of wheat in the little vessel, and helped to place Moodie at the stern. With a sad, foreboding spirit I assisted to push off from the shore. The air was raw and cold, but our sail was not without its pleasure.
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