Read "Tilda Jane, an Orphan in Search of a Home" by Marshall Saunders online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
That evening, when some of the custom-house officials and some of the guests of the hotel were sitting tipped back in chairs in the smoking-room, the assistant inspector said to the inspector, who had just come in, "I couldn't make anything of your deaf and dumb kid, Jack."
"What deaf and dumb kid? " asked Jack, seating himself, and drawing out his cigar case.