The Elfin Ship Read Online Free PDF

weird castles and caverns and tiny fish that you needed a special eyeglass to see. How glorious it would be to sail into Twombly Town a week before Christmas with the likes of that on your raft.
    Jonathan almost convinced himself and actually began thinking of the provisions he’d need for the journey. But the more he thought the more tiresome it all seemed. When he began to think about storms and goblins and long river miles, he sank once again into a gloom.
    ‘Cheeser!’ came a voice from near the fire. Jonathan jumped, having forgotten that Dooly was present. ‘Shall we take Ahab along, Mister Cheeseman, when we go a-rafting?’
    ‘I suppose
I
will,’ replied Jonathan.
‘You,
however, aren’t going rafting – at least not with me.’
    ‘Ah!’ cried Dooly. ‘But do you suppose, Cheeser, that one would go a-rafting without such a dog as this?’
    ‘No,’ said Jonathan, ‘I don’t imagine he would.’
    ‘No, sir! He would not. My old grandfather never set out nor put his coat on without a dog such as this. A specimen he called it. Dogs was specimens to him. It was “a fine specimen that” and a “poor specimen this” to Grandpa.’
    ‘Your grandfather was a man who knew his dogs, Dooly; that’s apparent.’
    ‘Bless me!’ Dooly shouted, causing Ahab to leap to his feet and howl. ‘Did he know them? I should say, if you’ll pardon me carrying on. His dog, Old Biscuit, if I remember, was the one as found the treasure near Bleakstone Hollow.’
    ‘Quite a treasure, was it?’
    ‘Quite a treasure!’ Dooly cried like an astounded parrot. ‘Twas a whacking great iron pot, the kind the goblins cook men in for supper. And do you know, Master Bing, what such a thing was full of?’
    ‘I haven’t even a foggy idea.’
    ‘Red diamonds bigger’n a house. Zillions, there were, as made old Wurzle’s emerald look like a green ant.’
    ‘All piled in this goblin pot, were they?’
    ‘Like spring cherries!’
    ‘That must have made your grandfather a rich man.’
    ‘Not a word of it. He come back to the farm to get his wheelbarrow, and by the time he got back up to the hollow, they were gone!’
    ‘No!’ said Jonathan.
    ‘Oh yes, Mister Bing. And there was a powerful lot of stick candy there. Any flavor you want. Grandpa was always one for sweets, so this didn’t bother him. He set in to load up his wheelbarrow, and you know what came up out of the bushes?’
    ‘Uh-uh.’
    Dooly fell silent and peered about the house. Then, in a barely audible whisper, he said, ‘Goblins, fit for dinner and carryin’ big knives and forks and with teeth comin’ out all over, and Grandpa knew what it was – enchantment! And one great goblin with eyes like pinwheels come for Grandpa. He opened his mouth bigger’n that door over there, and do you know what was inside?’
    Jonathan was on the verge of shaking his head when a half dozen sharp knocks on the door caught his attention. Dooly imagined the source of the noise to be the great whirling-eyed goblin with the unspeakable thing in its mouth. He cried out in terror, jumped up, made a dash for the window. Then he turned and leaped through the kitchen and ran out the rear door fearful of demons.
    The visitor turned out to be Gilroy Bastable.
    ‘Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan Bing!’ cried old Bastable, hearty as a beef stew.
    ‘Lo there, Gilroy.’
    ‘Here, Jonathan, I have banknotes amounting to a goodly sum and a sheet of paper listing every villager’s share. We decided, if you’ll agree, to work things the same as always. If things go bad, the city makes the notes good.
You
aren’t responsible, not in the business sense leastways. How’s that?’
    ‘That’s just fine, Gilroy. Couldn’t ask for more.’ In truth, Jonathan was being a bit short with people that night, not because he was mean or annoyed or anything, but because he was down in the dumps.
    The mayor assumed that Jonathan was simply tired after a busy day and so did his best to be cheerful