Page:Ballantyne--The Battery and the Boiler.djvu/389

 previous telegram, which, of course, must be lost, for it hasn't come to hand. Bah! I wonder the nasty things ever do come to hand. Anyhow, that telegram must have been meant to announce their safe arrival at Bombay, undoubtedly."

"Of course—I see it now," said Mrs. Wright, with a deep sigh.

"Of course," echoed Rik. "Then there 's some queer reference to a ship and a Fiery Queen, and a Stamps and a Shunks, and a Gibson, and a thief, and three bags, and the port of Loudon, which of course means London, and a public-house named, apparently, Torture—"

"Tartar, I think, uncle," said Madge.

"Well, Tartar if you like, it 's much the same if you catch him. And it winds up with a girl—which is not surprisin'—who is to be expectorated—"

"Expected, surely," said Madge, with a rather hysterical laugh, for the conflicting feelings within her tended rather to tears.

"So be it, Madge—expected, with an unreadable name beginning with an L,—and that 's all; and a pretty penny he must have paid to send us such a lot o' rubbish."

"It has brought the oil of gladness to our hearts, brother," said Mr. Wright, "and is worth its cost. But, now, what do you intend to do?"