A Great Emergency And Other Tales

CONTENTS.

A GREAT EMERGENCY.

I. Rupert's Lectures--The Old Yellow Leather
Book

II. Henrietta--A Family Chronicle--The School
Mimic--My First Fight

III. School Cricket--Lemon-Kali--The Boys'
Bridge--An Unexpected Emergency

IV. A Doubtful Blessing--A Family Failing--Old
Battles--The Canal-Carrier's Home

V. The Navy Captain--Seven Parrots in a Fuchsia
Tree--The Harbour Lion and the Silver
Chain--The Legless Giants--Down Below--Johnson's
Wharf

VI. S. Philip and S. James--The Monkey-Barge
and the Dog--War, Plague, and Fire--The
Dulness of Everyday Life

VII. We Resolve to Run Away--Scruples--Baby
Cecil--I Prepare--I Run Away

VIII. We Go on Board--The Pie--An Explosion-Mr.
Rowe the Barge-Master--The _White
Lion_--Two Letters--We Doubt Mr. Rowe's
Good Faith

IX. A Coasting Voyage--Musk Island--Linnet
Flash--Mr. Rowe an Old Tar--The Dog-Fancier
at Home

X. Locks--We Think of Going on the Tramp--Pyebridge--We
Set Sail

XI. Mr. Rowe on Barge-Women--The River--Nine
Elms--A Mysterious Noise--Rough
Quarters--A Cheap Supper--John's Berth--We
Make Our Escape--Out into the
World

XII. Emergencies and Policemen--Fenchurch
Street Station--Third Class to Custom
House--A Ship Forest

XIII. A Dirty Street--A Bad Boy--Shipping and
Merchandise--We Stowaway on Board the
'Atalanta'--A Salt Tear

XIV. A Glow on the Horizon--A Fantastic Peal--What
I Saw when the Roof Fell In

XV. Henrietta's Diary--A Great Emergency

XVI. Mr. Rowe on the Subject--Our Cousin--Weston
Gets Into Print--The Harbour's
Mouth--What Lies Beyond


A VERY ILL-TEMPERED FAMILY.

I. A Family Failing

II. Ill-Tempered People and Their Friends--Narrow
Escapes--The Hatchet-Quarrel

III. Warnings--My Aunt Isobel--Mr. Rampant's
Temper, and His Conscience

IV. Cases of Conscience--Ethics of Ill-Temper

V. Celestial Fire--I Choose a Text

VI. Theatrical Properties--I Prepare a Play--Philip
Begins to Prepare the Scenery--A
New Friend

VII. A Quarrel--Bobby is Willing--Exit Philip

VIII. I Hear from Philip--A New Part Wanted--I
Lose My Temper--We All Lose Our
Tempers

IX. Self-Reproach--Family Discomfort--Out on
the Marsh--Victory

* * * * *

OUR FIELD

* * * * *

MADAM LIBERALITY.

PART I

PART II




A GREAT EMERGENCY.

CHAPTER I.

RUPERT'S LECTURES--THE OLD YELLOW LEATHER BOOK.


We were very happy--I, Rupert, Henrietta, and Baby Cecil. The only
thing we found fault with in our lives was that there were so few
events in them.

It was particularly provoking, because we were so well prepared for
events--any events. Rupert prepared us. He had found a fat old book in
the garret, bound in yellow leather, at the end of which were
"Directions how to act with presence of mind in any emergency;" and he
gave lectures out of this in the kitchen garden.

Rupert was twelve years old. He was the eldest. Then came Henrietta,
then I, and last of all Baby Cecil, who was only four. The day I was
nine years old, Rupert came into the nursery, holding up his handsome
head with the dignified air which became him so well, that I had more
than once tried to put it on myself before the nursery looking-glass,
and said to me, "You are quite old enough now, Charlie, to learn what
to do whatever happens; so every half-holiday, when I am not playing
cricket, I'll teach you presence of mind near the cucumber frame, if
you're punctual. I've put up a bench."

I thanked him warmly, and the next day he put his head into the
nursery at three o'clock in the afternoon, and said--"The lecture."

I jumped up, and so did Henrietta.