`They know what they're about, if ever people did,' murmured Miss Nipper, drawing in her breath, `oh! trust them Skettleses for that!'

`I am not very anxious to go to Fulham, Susan, I confess,' said Florence thoughtfully: `but it will be right to go. I think it will be better.'

`Much better,' interposed Susan, with another emphatic shake of her head.

`And so,' said Florence, `though I would prefer to have gone when there was no one there, instead of in this vacation time, when it seems there are some young people staying in the house, I have thankfully said yes.'

`For which I say, Miss Floy, Oh be joyful!' returned Susan. `Ah! h--h!'

This last ejaculation, with which Miss Nipper frequently wound up a sentence, at about that epoch of time, was supposed below the level of the hall to have a general reference to Mr. Dombey, and to be expressive of a yearning in Miss Nipper to favour that gentleman with a piece of her mind. But she never explained it; and it had, in consequence, the charm of mystery, in addition to the advantage of the sharpest expression.

`How long it is before we have any news of Walter, Susan!' observed Florence, after a moment's silence.

`Long indeed, Miss Floy!' replied her maid. `And Perch said, when he came just now to see for letters-- but what signifies what he says!' exclaimed Susan, reddening and breaking off. `Much he knows about it!'

Florence raised her eyes quickly, and a flush overspread her face.

`If I hadn't,' said Susan Nipper, evidently struggling with some latent anxiety and alarm, and looking full at her young mistress, while endeavouring to work herself into a state of resentment with the unoffending Mr. Perch's image, `if I hadn't more manliness than that insipidest of his sex, I'd never take pride in my hair again, but turn it up behind my ears, and wear coarse caps, without a bit of border, until death released me from my insignificance. I may not be a Amazon, Miss Floy, and wouldn't so demean myself by such disfigurement, but anyways I'm not a giver up, I hope.'

`Give up! What?' cried Florence, with a face of terror.

`Why, nothing, Miss,' said Susan. `Good gracious, nothing!It's only that wet curl-paper of a man Perch, that any one might almost make away with, with a touch, and really it would be a blessed event for all parties if some one would take pity on him, and would have the goodness!'

`Does he give up the ship, Susan?' inquired Florence, very pale.

`No, Miss,' returned Susan, `I should like to see him make so bold as do it to my face! No, Miss, but he goes on about some bothering ginger that Mr. Walter was to send to Mrs. Perch, and shakes his dismal head, and says he hopes it may be coming; anyhow, he says, it can't come now in time for the intended occasion, but may do for next, which really,' said Miss Nipper, with aggravated scorn, `puts me out of patience with the man, for though I can bear a great deal, I am not a camel, neither am I,' added Susan, after a moment's consideration, `if I know myself, a dromedary neither.'

`What else does he say, Susan?' inquired Florence, earnestly. `Won't you tell me?'

`As if I wouldn't tell you anything, Miss Floy, and everything!' said Susan. `Why, Miss, he says that there begins to be a general talk about the ship, and that they have never had a ship on that voyage half so long unheard of, and that the Captain's wife was at the office yesterday, and seemed a little put out about it, but any one could say that, we knew nearly that before.'