Art Avengers Assemble! Again!

Righty-o, assembled chums, have a look at these pictures for me.  To give you some background, these are illustrations by George Goodwin Kilburne, the question is what was the book?

Kilburne, born 1839, was a genre painter who specialised in interior scenes with detail and figures.  He favoured watercolour but worked in all mediums and when younger also engraved.  He was apprenticed for five years to the Dalziel Brothers, marrying their niece, Janet.  He contributed to The Graphic and The Illustrated London News and provided illustrations for books, as seen above.

They are owned by the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, possibly purchased by Merton Russell-Cotes, but over the years the title and orgins of the works has been lost.  What is known is that they are illustrations for a book and what I would like is some suggestions to what that book might be.  Do the scenes give any plot hints?  What about the lass fishing?  That's quite unusual.  What on earth are they covering up with a sheet by the door?

Thinking caps on then, Art Avengers, and give me your best shot!