After all, the infernal navvies, bad as they doubtless were, knew something of the recognized manners of civilized life.
Thus Charley Tudor ingratiated himself at Surbiton Cottage, and when he left, received a kind intimation from its mistress that she would be glad to see him again.

No day was fixed, and so Charley could not accompany his cousin and Harry Norman on the next Saturday; but it was not long before he got another direct invitation, and so he also became intimate at Hampton.

There could be no danger of any one falling in love with him, for Katie was still a child.
Things stood thus at Surbiton Cottage when Mrs.Woodward received a proposition from a relative of her own, which surprised them all not a little.

This was from a certain Captain Cuttwater, who was a maternal uncle to Mrs.Woodward, and consisted of nothing less than an offer to come and live with them for the remaining term of his natural life.

Now Mrs.Woodward's girls had seen very little of their grand-uncle, and what little they had seen had only taught them to laugh at him.