Australian Tales - Setis

feeling was to some extent comforting. Mr. Guldman felt half-grateful to
the little goblin in spectacles, despite his dubious remarks about the
maize. After a minute or two's cudgelling of his excited brain, Mr.
Guldman decided to ask Mr. Spikes whether his uncle lived in the
neighbourhood, and if so, to invite him to go on board the ship and
inspect her. He thought possibly Uncle Bartimeus was a capitalist,
desirous of being a ship-owner, and might be glad to buy a smart vessel
cheap. In fact, my friend was very anxious to sell, and like vendors in
general in such cases, he eagerly hailed the prospect of a buyer.
“Will you oblige me by informing me where your uncle lives, sir?”
politely asked Mr. Guldman of Mr. Spikes, who was in the middle of the
crowd, looking as sedate as a parson sitting on a hearse.
“Oh, yes, sir, certainly,” said the little man; “look there, sir, you see
that long white thing, on top of the hill yonder, like a little lighthouse
without a lantern. Well, sir, if you go just behind that, and look down,
you'll see a great big gully; uncle's house is right at the bottom. He calls
it Bat's Hole. He'd be precious glad to see you.”
“Do you think he would like to come and see the vessel?” asked Mr.
Guldman; while the auctioneer ceased his vociferous appeals to his
company, to listen to the result of the private negotiations, which every
one present seemed interested in.
“Ah, he just would like it, and no mistake, sir,” replied Mr. Spikes; he'd
give a thousand pounds if he could see her; for he's been stone blind for
five years.”
A loud burst of laughter from the assembled company followed the
little man's rejoinder; while his face at once altered to an expression of
shrewdness and waggery, at which my friend could not help laughing,
despite his chagrin at having been so befooled. After whispering to the
auctioneer to stop the sale altogether, Mr. Guldman quietly withdrew
from the spot, and was half-way towards his dilapidated ship before the
noisy crowd had finished laughing at Mr. Spike's wit.