The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

THE STEAM PACKET, 53 By this time the vessel had arrived opposite Greenwich Hospital, and was hailed by a waterman rowing a gentleman, with three huge trunks, in a wherry. ‘It may be a Luminary,” said Mr. Pifpaf to Bloomfield; and the packet was stopped accordingly, until the wherry came alongside. ‘Going to Margate 2?” demanded the passenger, who was a short, stout, John-Bull-looking man, with tops and cords, and a hat pos- sessing brims nearly as large as an umbrella, and quite acting as a sub- stitute for one. “Yes,” laconically replied Captain Bloomfield; ‘and ‘farther too.” “Well, let down the accommodation-ladder, then,” cried the pas- senger in the wherry; ‘‘I missed the first boats, and so it’s lucky-I came in time for you. You’re extra, s’pose?”’ ‘‘ Hasy—easy!’’ returned Captain Bloomfield. ‘‘ Now, Mr. Pifpaf— does this here gen’leman belong to your crew ?” ‘‘ My dear sir,’”’ said Mr. Pifpaf, hastening to the side of the vessel, and leaning over the bulwarks,—‘“‘ pray are you one of us? are youa Luminary ? Excuse me—but the sun dazzles my eyes—and y ‘Go to the devil, you old fool!” interrupted the passenger : ‘‘ what do I know about luminaries, or care about suns dazzling eyes ?”’ ‘‘ Heavens! he abused my father!” almost screamed Aramintha, as ‘he clung to Captain Pentonville for support. ‘*T will avenge your honoured sire!” answered that enthusiastic ‘over, pressing his arm closely round the waist thus yielded to him in . 4 moment of alarm. ‘“‘ Come now, cld feller, and let down your ladder, or I'll see if I can’t make that red conk of yours tingle,’ continued the passenger, thus strangely and rudely apostrophising the sainted Mr. Pifpaf, to the horror of all the assembled Luminaries. ‘He reviles my father!”? murmured Aramintha. | “Oh! my poor head!” cried Mrs. Pifpaf: ‘‘it will drive me mad !”’ ‘<T wish some one would teach that vulgar wretch better manners !”’ gaid the pretty romp Miss Belinda. © ‘¢ Now then, you old fool!’’ again shouted the passenger. “‘Do you mean me?”’ innocently inquired Mr. Pifpaf. ‘¢ Who the devil else should I mean ?” cried the other. ‘‘Heaven defend my poor father!”’ cried the now almost fainting Aramintha. Captain Pentonville did not hesitate another moment: ablow might be struck—indeed two: one for Aramintha’s hand and fortune—the other at the uncourtly stranger in the wherry. The opportunity was Gomichbooks (E(0)