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"You get outside afore you're hurt," ses the bar-man. Bill punched at 'im over the bar, and not being able to reach 'im threw Peter's pot o' beer at 'im. There was a fearful to-do then, and the landlord jumped over the bar and stood in the doorway, whistling for the police. Bill struck out right and left, and the men in the bar went down like skittles, Peter among them.
At a score of such casual meetings I was thus presented, for he seemed to know quite almost every one and at times there would be a group of natives about us on the pavement. Twice we went into "saloons," as they rather pretentiously style their public houses, where Cousin Egbert would stand the drinks for all present, not omitting each time to present me formally to the bar-man.
Then he rang the bell. "I've smashed a dirty glass," he said, as the bar-man entered. "How much?" The man told him, and the captain, after a few stern remarks about privacy and harpies, left the room with his friends, leaving the speechless Mr. Kybird gazing at the broken glass and returning evasive replies to the inquiries of the curious Charles. He finished his gin and water slowly.
"No one, with the exception, perhaps, of a bar-man, a stout individual with pale eyes, who did look at me somewhat suspiciously. See how he's sticking over his vodka. What he meant by 'sticking' exactly, I didn't understand, but it could hardly have been to my credit. It reminded me of the mauvais ton in Gogol's "Revisor", do you remember? Perhaps because I tried to pour my vodka under the table.
None could forget his tenderly human drawing of the lady with the bedraggled feather over one eye who has just been ejected by the bar-man, and who turns to him to say: "Well, the next time I goes into a public house, I goes where I'm respected!" A hat is distinguished from a cap or bonnet by the possession of a brim.
"You must be quick, then," said Dawson, "'cause I'm in a hurry to get back." "Yais," smiled the Greek. "Bimeby he rain-a bad." "Rain?" queried Dawson incredulously. The air was like balm. "You see," the Greek nodded. "This-a way, sir. I go look-a quick." Dawson waited in the bar, where a dark, sallow bar-man stared him out of countenance for twenty minutes.
"What'll you do?" inquired the other. "Never you mind," said Mr. Kybird, who was not in a position to satisfy his curiosity "never you mind. You go and get on with your work, Charles, and p'r'aps by the time your moustache 'as grown big enough to be seen, you'll 'ear something." "I 'eard something the other day," said the bar-man, musingly; "about you it was, but I wouldn't believe it."
A brewer's wagon, with wet barrels and warm-smelling horses, stood near the door of the inn. Everywhere seemed silent, but for the rattle of trains at the crossing. The two men went uneasily up the steps and into the bar. The place was paddled with wet feet, empty. As the bar-man was heard approaching, the uncle asked, his usual bluster slightly hushed by fear: 'What yer goin' ta have, lad?
"What'll you do?" inquired the other. "Never you mind," said Mr. Kybird, who was not in a position to satisfy his curiosity "never you mind. You go and get on with your work, Charles, and p'r'aps by the time your moustache 'as grown big enough to be seen, you'll 'ear something." "I 'eard something the other day," said the bar-man, musingly; "about you it was, but I wouldn't believe it."
Usually a man likes to colour his own hat as he colours his own pipe; but you're eager to meet the Australian prejudice against newness. Another bit of advice, continued the bar-man, who was glad of the chance to turn his vast antipodean experience to some account. 'If you happen to be anybody in particular, as you love your peace of mind and your bodily comfort, don't speak of it.
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