one of the merchant's stores, asked
naturally, midshipman like, "What the row was about?"

He was told an auction was going on; so, in he went to see the fun,
taking much interest in the biddings.

Presently, a hogshead of claret was put up by the auctioneer, and,
thinking this a good opportunity for laying in a stock for the mess, as
we would be in commission probably in warm latitudes, for the next two
or three years, when the wine would come in rather handy, Larkyns
listened eagerly for the price and heard it offered at 12 pounds.

This seemed a big sum, but, if the worst came to the worst, and his
messmates grumbled at his extravagance, he thought, he could pay for it
out of his own pocket, he thought; and so, in his impetuous way, he bid
12 pounds, 10 shillings, without waiting for anyone to make an offer,
which no one doing, his sudden jump having paralysed the brokers
present, to his great surprise and joy the wine was knocked down to him
at the price he named.

By-and-by, however, his joy was changed to grief; for, the auctioneer
asked him for a cheque or a reference, when he found out that, instead
of buying a single hogshead of claret, as he believed to be the case on
bidding for it, he had purchased a whole consignment of the wine, of
which the single specimen offered had been a sample--the transaction
involved the outlay of more than 1500 pounds, which of course he could
never pay, although he had the 12 pounds, 10 shillings he had offered,
and a few pounds more in his pocket as well.

Here was a pretty to-do; and, he was just wondering whether he should
solve the Gordian knot by cutting and running, when, luckily, a man
without a hat rushed in breathlessly from a neighbouring store, and
coming up to the auctioneer, asked him if the wine was sold yet.

"You're a bit too late," replied the master of the rostrum, pointing out
Larkyns to his astonished gaze. "I have just knocked it down to this
gentleman."

"Indeed!" exclaimed the stranger. "At what?"

"Twelve pounds, ten shillings."

"Ah, that all?" cried the hatless individual; and, turning to Larkyns,
he said with an entreating air, "I'll give you an advance of ten
shillings a hogshead if you let me have it."

Our caterer was quite bewildered.

"I don't mind," he said at last, looking from the auctioneer to the
stranger and back again to his creditor, who stood waiting for the 1500
pound cheque. "That is, if this gentleman here is satisfied."