"Why, Mr. Carstone," said Mrs. Badger, "is very well and is, I assure you, a great acquisition to our society. Captain Swosser used to say of me that I was always better than land a-head and a breeze a-starn to the midshipmen's mess when the purser's junk had become as tough as the fore-topsel weather earings. It was his naval way of mentioning generally that I was an acquisition to any society. I may render the same tribute, I am sure, to Mr. Carstone. But I--you won't think me premature if I mention it?"
I said no, as Mrs. Badger's insinuating tone seemed to require such an answer.
"Nor Miss Clare?" said Mrs. Bayham Badger sweetly.
Ada said no, too, and looked uneasy.
"Why, you see, my dears," said Mrs. Badger, "--you'll excuse me calling you my dears?"

"Why, he is very well," said Mrs. Badger, "and a great acquisition to our society. Captain Swosser used to say of me that I was an acquisition to any society. I may render the same tribute, I am sure, to Mr. Carstone. But - you won't think me premature if I mention it?"
I said no. Ada said no, too, and looked uneasy.
