132 Mr. Benjamin Bobbin. 



Mr. Benjamin Bobbin having eaten and drunk to his 

 satisfaction, proceeded to business. '* He had made a 

 'eap of money," he said, confidingly, to his host, *' a 'eap 

 of money in the iron trade, and he was now about to re- 

 tire and live in the country.'' 



He was accordingly looking about for a property to 

 suit him, when Messrs. Puffor's magnificent advertise- 

 ment attracted his attention. "An old h'ancestral 'ouse like 

 this is just the very harticle that me and Mrs. Bobbin 

 was on the look out for," said he, looking round, as he 

 spoke, at the portraits of defunct De Goosyes, which 

 covered the oak-panelled room; "and if," added he, "there 

 should be such a thing as a ghost on the premises, I don't 

 mind telling you, between ourselves. Colonel, that it will 

 be an additional indoosement to me to purchase ; not that 

 I'm at all hanxious myself, but i'ts an obby of Mrs. B.'s, 

 you hunderstand." 



" Well, the house is old enough, in all conscience," re- 

 plied the Colonel, thinking what a rum chap Bobbin was ; 

 " and I dare say there's a ghost knocking about some- 

 where, though I can't say I ever saw one myself. How- 

 ever, come and look round, Mr. Bobbin, and see the 

 place for yourself." 



Mr. Benjamin Bobbin was a fat, vulgar-looking man, of 

 about fifty-five or so. Dressed in what he thought the 

 height of fashion, his necktie was fastened with a sailor's 

 knot, stuck in which was a huge pearl as big as a walnut, 

 surrounded by brilliants. He wore a white waistcoat ; a 

 massive gold chain kept guard over his extensive stomach ; 

 black trousers, with a stripe, covered his extremities, and 

 his rather nubbly-looking feet were encased in the patent 

 leather boots of the period ; he sported lavender-coloured 



