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"What boy was that, Liffie?" asked the captain, letting down the chest he carried with a shock that caused the frail tenement to quiver from cellar to roof-tree. "I don't know, sir." "He must be a sailor-boy, from his answer," rejoined the captain. "Open the door o' my cabin, lass, and I'll carry it right in. It's somewhat heavy."
This girl's name was Liffie Lee. She was good as far as she went but she did not go far. Her goodness was not the result of principle. She had no principle; did not know what the word meant, but she had a nature, and that nature was soft, unselfish, self-oblivious, the last a blessing of incalculable price! It was Liffie Lee who responded to Captain Bream's knock.
"I ain't a-goin' to deny nothink," replied Liffie, a little softened by the boy's apologetic tone, "only when I'm expected to give a civil answer, I expects a civil question." "That's all fair an' aboveboard. Now, will you tell the Miss Seawards I wants to see 'em, on a matter of business of importance." Another minute and Billy stood in the presence of the ladies he wished to see.
Liffie was left on guard with strict injunctions to stand inside, hold tight to the door-handle, let in the returning sisters, and then slam the door in the face of all the world beside. A run was now made for the Dotropy residence. We could not call it a rush, for the three ladies were too light and elegant in form to proceed in such a manner.
She didn't know, and had omitted to ask his name, having been so frightened that she had left him at the door, which she had shut against him. "An', please, Miss," continued Liffie, in a tone of suppressed eagerness, "if I was you I'd lock the parlour door in case he bu'sts in the outer one. You might open the winder an' screech for the pleece." "Oh!
At one point in the thrilling narrative she became intensely excited, and when Ruth tried in sepulchral tones to imitate John Gunter's gruff voice, she exclaimed, "Oh! lawks!" in such a gasp that the three ladies leaped up with three shrieks like three conscience-smitten kittens caught in a guilty act! Liffie was rebuked, but from pity, or perhaps sympathy, was allowed to remain to hear the end.
"It won't break my 'art if you don't," replied Liffie; "no, nor yet yours." "Speak for yourself, young 'ooman. You don't know nothing about my 'art." As he spoke, a heavy foot was heard at the bottom of the stair. "That's our lodger," said Liffie; "no foot but his can bang the stair or make it creak like that." "Well, I'm off," cried Billy, descending two steps at a time.
But they need not have feared, for their landlady was one of the "seven sleepers" of Yarmouth. Liffie exerted her little strength with caution, but the lock was stiff; it would not move. She screwed up her mouth, and put-to more strength; still it would not move. Screwing up her eyebrows as well as her mouth, she tried again. It would not budge.
By way of illustration he extended himself on the floor at full-length, and, by reason of that length being so great, and the room so narrow, his feet went into the window-recess, while his head lay near the door. All ignorant of this illustration of arctic life going on, Liffie Lee, intent on dinner purposes, opened the door and drove it violently against the captain's head.
Even now I'm so hungry that I could devour my my " "Your dinner!" cried Kate, as, at that opportune moment the door opened and Liffie Lee appeared with a tray in her hand. There could be no doubt as to the captain's appetite.
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