There 's the teapot , ready on the hob ! '' said Dot ; as briskly busy as a child at play at keeping house . `` And there 's the cold knuckle of ham ; and there 's the butter ; and there 's the crusty loaf , and all ! Here 's a clothes basket for the small parcels , John , if you 've got any there . Where are you , John ? Do n't let the dear child fall under the grate , Tilly , whatever you do ! '' It may be noted of Miss Slowboy , in spite of her rejecting the caution with some vivacity , that she had a rare and surprising talent for getting this baby into difficulties : and had several times imperilled its short life in a quiet way peculiarly her own . She was of a spare and straight shape , this young lady , insomuch that her garments appeared to be in constant danger of sliding off those sharp pegs , her shoulders , on which they were loosely hung . Her costume was remarkable for the partial development , on all possible occasions , of some flannel vestment of a singular structure ; also for affording glimpses , in the region of the back , of a corset , or a pair of stays , in colour a dead green . Being always in a state of gaping admiration at everything , and absorbed , besides , in the perpetual contemplation of her mistress 's perfections and the baby 's , Miss Slowboy , in her little errors of judgment , may be said to have done equal honour to her head and to her heart ; and though these did less honour to the baby 's head , which they were the occasional means of bringing into contact with deal doors , dressers , stair-rails , bed-posts , and other foreign substances , still they were the honest results of Tilly Slowboy 's constant astonishment at finding herself so kindly treated , and installed in such a comfortable home . For the maternal and paternal Slowboy were alike unknown to Fame , and Tilly had been bred by public charity , a foundling ; which word , though only differing from fondling by one vowel 's length , is very different in meaning , and expresses quite another thing . To have seen little Mrs. Peerybingle come back with her husband , tugging at the clothes basket , and making the most strenuous exertions to do nothing at all -LRB- for he carried it -RRB- , would have amused you almost as much as it amused him . It may have entertained the Cricket , too , for anything I know ; but , certainly , it now began to chirp again vehemently . -LSB- Illustration : Tilly Slowboy . -RSB- `` Heyday ! '' said John in his slow way . `` It 's merrier than ever to-night , I think . '' `` And it 's sure to bring us good fortune , John ! It always has done so . To have a Cricket on the Hearth is the luckiest thing in all the world ! ''
John looked XXXXX her as if he had very nearly got the thought into his head that she was his Cricket in chief , and he quite agreed with her .
as at besides by for in on than though with