The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 236: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE STEAM PACKET, 179 whether to reveal the secret, and yet burning to demonstrate his acquaintance with an illustrious personage. ** Come now, Drinkwater Smale,” exclaimed Mr. Pifpaf, ‘“‘do not be silly. Who és that gentleman ?”’ ** Well, if you must know, you must,” returned the Custom-House clerk. ‘‘ That gentleman is the General Manager of the Royal ‘ Hot Joints from One to Five Daily’ Company!” ‘* Is it, though ?” cried Mr. Pifpaf, who now obtained a full view of the object of this latter portion of the conversation, as he drew near the place where the trio was standing. ‘I thought I knew him—it is that villain Dakins—and I'll see what explanation he can give——” Neither Mr. Smale nor Mr. Bambross heard the remainder of the sentence, inasmuch as Mr. Pifpaf started off in the middle, and trundled across the market-place towards Mr. Dakins. It will be recollected that Mr. Pifpaf had kept his adventure at Dunkirk so quiet that the Luminaries were altogether unacquainted with it; and Mr. Smale was therefore much astonished when he saw the illustrious manager of the Royal “ Hot Joints from One to Five Daily” Company recognised by the chairman of the Luminaries, and denominated “a villain” by the said chairman at the same moment. Mr. Bambross was also asto- nished on his side; but it was because Mr. Smale had pronounced with so much dignified emphasis the somewhat singular, though doubt- less very honourable, and certainly highly useful speculation, of which the stout gentleman in the poodle benjamin stood at the head. Meantime Mr. Pifpaf accosted Mr. Dakins; and Mr. Dakins looked especially foolish for more than half a moment when so accosted by Mr. Pifpaf. ‘““Tf I am not deceived, sit,” said the chairman of the Lummaries, ‘‘ you are the gentleman whom I met at ais theatre at Dunkirk——”’ ‘<To be sure,” interrupted Mr. Dakins; ‘‘ and we then all supped afterwards at Nagle’s. I’m quite delighted to meet youagain! What will you take to drink?” “One moment, if you please,’ observed Mr. Pifpaf, with that im- pressiveness of manner which this truly great man knew so well how - to assume upon certain occasions, and which had so often succeeded in subduing any incipient turbulence on the part of the Luminaries be- neath his sway; ‘‘one moment, if you please. On the occasion to which you allude, sir, I lost my watch—and I lost my ring—and I lost‘my purse, Mr. Dakins—and I lost my silk handkerchief!” “‘The devil you did!” exclaimed the gentleman thus addressed : “‘T should like to know who found them.”’ ~ © And so should I, Mr. Dakins,” continued Mr. Pifpaf; ‘ and I N 2 Gomicbooks (E(0}