The String of Pearls (1850), p. 531

having been liberally paid for his freight, rowed off again, leaving with the barge party, his two customers and the dog.
The Tower was soon in sight, for at that time there were not by any means so many obstructions to the navigation of the River Thames as are to be found now, and the stream too was very much clearer than now it can boast of being. The host of manufactories that have since risen upon its banks were not then
thought of.
"I do think," said Colonel Jeffery, "that I can see our friend Ben at the landing place. Look, Mr. Oakley, is that not Ben?"
"Bless you, sir," said Mr. Oakley, "I couldn't see so far if you would make me king of England for doing so. Johanna, my love, you have young eyes, and know Ben well."
"Yes, pa, it is Ben, and he is waving his hand to us, and looks so pleased."
"He is a most worthy honest fellow," said Sir Richard Blunt. "I like him very much, from what little I have seen of him. He has the simplicity of a child."
"Yes," added the colonel, "and the candour and honesty of a lover of human nature. I believe a better heart than Ben's never beat in human bosom."
"I am quite sure of it," said Johanna. "I love Ben very much indeed. He has been ever a kind and indulgent friend to me."
"Do you hear that, Mr. Ingestrie?" said Arabella.
"Yes," laughed Mark, but I decline investing Ben with any of the attributes of a rival. Now, I love you, Miss Wilmot very much indeed, because you have always been such a dear kind friend to Johanna; and I daresay the colonel will permit me to do so."
"To be sure I will—at a distance," said the colonel.
Everybody laughed at this, and then as the rowers increased their exertions to come in to the Tower stairs with some eclat, the barge soon was safely moored at the landing place.
"Here you are all of you," cried Ben, capering in his huge delight. "Here you all are. Come along. Oh, how hungry I am."
"That sounds as if you meant to eat us, Ben," said Sir Richard, as he stepped from the barge.
"Oh, dear no. Only I have got a little bit of lunch ready for you all, and as I helped to place it on the table it made me so hungry that I've been half mad ever since, and I'm as thirsty too as can be. Oh, Mr. Jeffery, I often think if the Thames were only strong ale, what a place the Tower would be."
"You may depend," said Sir Richard, "if it were, the government would pretty soon bottle it all off."
Johanna was going to step on shore, but Ben made a dash at her, and lifting her up as you would some little child, he seated her on his left arm, and so fairly carried her into the Tower.
"You wait, Miss Arabella," he cried. "I'll come for you."
This so alarmed Miss Wilmot that she sprang on shore in a moment, and all the party laughed heartily to see Mark Ingestrie flying along after Ben, and shouting as he went—
"Put her down—put her down! Ben!—Ben! She'd rather walk. Put her down!"
Ben paid no manner of attention to any of these remonstrances, but carried Johanna right into the Tower before he set her upon her feet again, which he then did as tenderly as though she had been some infant, only just learning to walk.
"Mind how you go," he said. "Take it easy. Easy does it."
"But I can walk, Ben."
"Very good. Mind how you does, you nice little thing. Oh, I likes you a great deal better in the petticots and not the breeches."
"Well, Ben," said Mark Ingestrie, "I am certainly very much obliged to you—very much, indeed."