"
Upon hearing the mystic word Madame crept stealthily a pace or two
nearer to the door, while the Prophet exclaimed,--
"The dressed Crab?"
"Ah, what do _you_ think? Not a wink of sleep and thought every minute'd
be 'er next."
"Good Heavens!"
"She says she'd never go near a crab again, not if it's ever so."
"You are sure?" said the Prophet, eagerly. "You are positive she said
that?"
"I'd stake my Davy, and I wouldn't do that on everything. There ain't
a man living as'll ever get her to go within fifty miles of a crab this
side of Judgment."
At this point in the colloquy the curiosity of Madame overcame her, and
she protruded her head suddenly beyond the edge of the doorway.
"Ulloh!" exclaimed the voice. "Why, what's 'a' you got there?"
Madame hastily withdrew, and the voice continued,--
"Blessed if it ain't a female!"
"I beg your pardon!" said the Prophet, trembling with propriety.
"I--I--there is no female here!"
"Yes there is!" cried the voice, with a chuckle. "There's a female
creeping and crawling about behind that there door."
The Prophet's sense of chivalry was now fully aroused.
"You are mistaken," he said firmly.
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