The High School Boys Canoe Club | Page 3

choice as to what he wants me to offer next?"
questioned the salesman of the afternoon.
There was no response.
"Come, come, gentlemen!" rebuked the auctioneer. "Don't let the July

sun bake your intellects, or the first cool day that comes along will find
you all filled with unavailing regrets. Hasn't some one a choice as to
what should be offered next?"
Still receiving no reply, he heaved a sigh, then added:
"I see that we shall have to start action in some way. Therefore we'll
bring out something that is action personified, with grace mingled.
Bring out the ponies. Gentlemen, I am now going to offer you your
choice of eight of the handsomest ponies you ever-----"
"But there are forty ponies and thirty-two good wagon horses," piped
up a business man in the audience.
"There were," corrected the auctioneer, mournfully. "But most of the
live stock was rented. Colonel Grundy had hoped to buy the stock
gradually out of the receipts of the show. All that he owned in the way
of live stock consisted of eight ponies. And here they come! Beauties,
aren't they?"
Despite the heat of the day it was as though a frost had settled down
over the scene. Many of the men present were butchers, grocers or
others who had hoped to pick up cheap horses to be used in their
business.
"Ponies are no good in this town," cried one man. "Lead 'em away.
Come on, neighbors."
"Wait, wait!" urged the auctioneer. "There are some bargains yet to
come that will interest you all. Since we have the ponies on the spot let
us begin to run them off. It will teach you all how to bid quickly when
you see wonderful bargains bought up under your noses!"
The bidding, however, was lax at first. A stable boy mounted one of the
little animals, riding about at reckless pace.
"Now, start the bidding!"

After five minutes talking an opening bid of five dollars for the pony
had been made and this had been advanced to seven.
With all the zeal at his command the auctioneer drove the bidding
along. It reached fourteen dollars, and there stopped. At last the pony
was knocked down to a man who thought he could use the animal in a
very light delivery wagon.
"Now, gentlemen, wake up!" begged the auctioneer. "Let us have some
bidding worthy of the fair name of Gridley for good judgment in
business matters. Lead the roan pony forth."
Undoubtedly the first pony had been a fair bargain at fourteen dollars.
The bidding on the second animal began at ten dollars, going quickly to
eighteen. From that point the offers traveled slowly until twenty-six
dollars had been named. At this price the pony was sold.
From that time on the ponies were "knocked down" rather briskly,
though the highest-priced one of the first seven brought only thirty-one
dollars.
Now came the eighth.
"You see what this animal is for yourselves, gentlemen," declared the
auctioneer. "We don't need to have this sleek little animal's paces
shown. We are in a hurry to get through. Who opens with twenty
dollars?"
"He is a handsome little animal, isn't he?" exclaimed Dick Prescott,
crowding forward and gazing at the pony with glistening eyes.
"I wish I had the money to buy him," whispered Dave Darrin.
"Maybe I couldn't use that kind of a cut-down horse!" glowed Tom
Reade, while Harry and Dan looked on longingly.
"That's what the muckers are here after!" thought Fred Ripley, who had
been watching them closely. "Now, no matter how much money they

may think they have, I'll show them how easy it is for a fellow of my
financial standing to step in and get the chestnut pony away from
them!"
"Who starts the bidding with twenty dollars?" demanded the
auctioneer.
"Ten," finally responded a man in the crowd.
"Thank you. But, gentlemen, ten dollars is a shame for a beautiful
animal like this. Who makes it twenty? Start it right up now!"
Presently the bidding had reached sixteen dollars. Dick and his chums
had crowded still closer to the pony, looking on with lively interest.
"Here's where I sting Prescott and his crew!" muttered Fred Ripley
under his breath. Then, aloud, he called:
"Twenty!"
"Thank you," smiled the auctioneer, nodding in Ripley's direction.
"Here is a young man of sound judgment and a good idea of money
values, as his manner and his whole appearance testify."
"Someone hold Rip, or he'll burst," laughed Greg Holmes in Dick's ear.
But Fred thought the chums were conferring as to how far they could
go with what means the six of them might have at hand.
"They will get going soon," thought Fred gleefully.
Just then Dick Prescott piped up:
"Twenty-two!"
"Twenty-two? Thank you," bowed