Close to the bar of the river Dee a larger vessel lay to.
Sylvia, who had only recently come into the neighbourhood, looked at this with the same quiet interest as she did at all the others; but Molly, as soon as her eye caught the build of it, cried out aloud-- 'She's a whaler! she's a whaler home from t' Greenland seas! T' first this season! God bless her!' and she turned round and shook both Sylvia's hands in the fulness of her excitement.

Sylvia's colour rose, and her eyes sparkled out of sympathy.
'Is ta sure ?' she asked, breathless in her turn; for though she did not know by the aspect of the different ships on what trade they were bound, yet she was well aware of the paramount interest attached to whaling vessels.
'Three o'clock! and it's not high water till five!' said Molly.

'If we're sharp we can sell our eggs, and be down to the staithes before she comes into port.

Be sharp, lass!' And down the steep long hill they went at a pace that was almost a run.

A run they dared not make it; and as it was, the rate at which they walked would have caused destruction among eggs less carefully packed.