Meanwhile, Captain Branscome had, of course, returned to Falmouth,
and would book our passages on the Kingston packet as soon as my
affairs allowed. We received letters from him from time to time, and
on Saturdays and Mondays a passing call from Mr. Goodfellow, on his
way to and from Plymouth. He had stipulated that, before sailing
with us, he should take his inamorata into his confidence; and this
was conceded after Miss Belcher had taken the opportunity of a day's
marketing in Plymouth to call at the dairy-shop in Treville Street
and make the lady's acquaintance.
"A very sensible young person," she reported; "and of the two I'd
sooner trust her than Goodfellow to keep a still tongue. There's no
danger in _that_ quarter!"
Nor was there, as it proved. Mr. Goodfellow told us that he could
hardly contain himself whenever he thought of his prospects; "for,"
said he, "I was born a parish apprentice; in place of which here I be
at the age of twenty with two fortunes waiting for me, one at each
end of the world."
At length, in the last week of July, Messrs. Harding and Whiteway
announced that all formalities were complete; and three days later a
bill appeared on the whitewashed front of Minden Cottage announcing
that this desirable freehold residence with two and a half acres of
land would be sold by public auction on August 6, at 1.
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