The Cruise of the Make-Believes

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1901 edition. Excerpt: ...the remainder of that day to pleasure, leaving the more serious business of his visit until the morrow, that he advanced his head a little into the room and inquired whether he might come in. 'You look so very cosy here, you know,' he said, 'and I'm quite sure you couldn't be hard on a lonely man, who has nobody to talk to,' he added, in an appealing tone. 'Depends a good bit on what you want to talk about,' said Mrs Siggs, quickly, without glancing up from her work; 'we don't want no law 'ere, my friend.' The man who was reading the paper glanced up mildly, and pushed his chair back a little from the fire. 'Them as comes in the way of trade, my angel,' he said, as slowly and heavily as though he were spelling the words out of the newspaper in his hand, \"as a right to come where they will, if so be--' 'Oh, I dessay,' interrupted Mrs Siggs, wrathfully. 'W'y don't you 'ave the 'ole Noah's ark in to tea, w'ile you're about it, an' 'Am to cut the bread and butter for 'em!' Inspector Tokely, feeling that he had received as much encouragement as he was likely to get, passed into the room, and sat down. After a few moments, he ventured to suggest a little refresh ment, for himself and his host--even delicately hinting that Mrs Siggs might be tempted to partake of a glass at his expense. Mrs Siggs, relenting a little, passed into the bar, to get what was required; and the visitor, feeling the necessity for ingratiating himself, as much as possible, with them all, turned to the girl. 'Your mother, I suppose, miss?' he asked, edging a little nearer to her. The...