The Argosy — page 279: what you’re looking at

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

262 My Channel Passage. q the launch said satirically, and then ensued an explanation, offers of service, and so on—sort of mouse and lion business—the launch is such a dot. ‘Could they put anybody ashore ?’ the launch asked. “Could they? You should have seen our bridegroom. He leaned with his body half over the side, talking and shouting ; then he rushed off to you, came back like a shot and leaped into the boat. He is off, and half-a-dozen more—all the launch had room to carry. I’d haye © liked no better fun than to have gone too,” continued my young pro- tector, with an air of importance, ‘‘ only you see I had you to look after. Fortescue says he’ll wire the mother and Mr. Calvert too as soon as he touches land, and tell them we are safe—it was he who thought of that. So that’s all nght and I’m going to bed,” he concluded. ‘Wonder who will get in first, the Samphire or the cockle-shell, Good-night.” And Charley, forgetting his manhood in his excitement, bestowed a kiss on me as he departed. | The cockle-shell, as it proved, won the race. It must have been nearly mid-day before a tug came to our help, and then it was sent by the owner of the launch. Some of our passengers got off at day- , light on passing steamers, but I remained where I was and landed at Dover on the afternoon of the second day. I was too weary to travel | to London then, so stayed for the night at the Lord Warden: as did © many of the other passengers. At Charing Cross we had quite an enthusiastic reception. Many © of our fellow passengers were in the train whose friends came to meet them. Such kissing and crying as went on would have led anyone, © ignorant of the circumstances, to imagine we had been in serious danger. Our party behaved better than the others. Cousin Sophy — embraced her boy with exuberant delight and bore him off in triumph. e My husband was certainly more demonstrative than usual, but with one of his quiet temperament that is not saying much. I put my - arm within his and was about to leave the station, when we were stopped, and to my infinite surprise, I found myself shaking hands | with Captain Fortescue. Avery sweet-looking girl was on his arm, to . whom he introduced me with a mixture of pride and shyness very - pleasant to see. ‘* My wife, Mrs. Calvert, is very anxious to know you. We leave : England to-morrow night. Iam so glad to meet you again.” ye He had sent to inquire, so my husband told me afterwards, when | I was expected in London, and, although his time in England was so | short, made a point of coming to meet me. What I had doneto ~ deserve his gratitude I am at a loss to know. “You must let us drive you home,” he added ; and without waiting for my reply ushered me into a carriage that was drawn up at the — door of the station ; and as soon as my trunks had been collected: — and placed on a cab, we four drove swiftly through the Park to South Kensington. “I congratulate you most heartily,” I said as soon as I could find Gomicsdooks.com j