CHAPTER SIX. 

A LESSON TAUGHT AND LEARNED. 

Two days after the events narrated in the last chapter, rather late in the evening, Dr George Lawrence called at "the cabin" in Grubb's Court, and found the Captain taking what he called a quiet pipe. 

"I have been visiting poor Mrs Leven," he said to Mrs Roby, sitting down beside her, "and I fear she is a good deal worse to-night. That kind little woman, Netta White, has agreed to sit by her. I'm sorry that I shall be obliged to leave her at such a critical stage of her illness, but I am obliged to go abroad for some time." 

"Goin' abroad, sir!" exclaimed Mrs Roby in surprise, for the Captain had not yet told her that Lawrence was to be of the party, although he had mentioned about himself and Gillie White. 

"Yes, I'm going with Mrs Stoutley's family for some weeks to Switzerland." 

Captain Wopper felt that his share in the arrangements was in danger of being found out. He therefore boldly took the lead. 

"Ah! _I_ know all about that, sir." 

"Indeed?" said Lawrence. 

"Yes, I dined the other day with Mrs Stoutley; she asked _me_ also to be of the party, and I'm going." 

Lawrence again exclaimed, "Indeed!" with increasing surprise, and added, "Well, now, that _is_ a strange coincidence." 

"Well, d'ee know," said the Captain, in an argumentative tone, "it don't seem to me much of a coincidence. You know she had to git some one to go with her son, and why not you, sir, as well as any of the other young sawbones in London? If she hadn't got you she'd have got another, and that would have been a coincidence to _him_, d'ee see? Then, as to me, it wasn't unnatural that she should take a fancy to the man that nussed her dyin' husband, an' was chum to her brother-in-law; so, you see, that's how it came about and I'm very glad to find, sir, that we are to sail in company for a short time." 
who is kind ?
Netta White