“Twenty-five!” sang out the auctioneer. “Twenty-five! Is there another bid?”
But the menacing face he turned toward the other bidder must have silenced him, for he said no more.
“Twenty-five!” went on the auctioneer, quite gaily now. “Twenty-five! That seems too cheap for this Prize Beauty. Twenty-five! Is that all?”
It did seem too cheap, and Dick suddenly felt that it ought to bring more. Besides, the auctioneer’s voice was persuasive, and so, still in the spirit of the game, Dick cried out, “Thirty!”
The auctioneer suddenly choked, and the man in the back of the room burst into shouts of laughter, but Dick didn’t mind now. With shining eyes, he awaited the auctioneer’s next move, and seeing this, the smiling gentleman went on:
“Thirty! Thirty cents for this Darling Dame. She looks like that! Do I hear any more? Thirty—going—going——”
“Thirty-five!” said Dolly, timidly, but in clear tones.
Dick looked at her admiringly. Dolly was a trump. He was glad she had a part in the great game too.
“Thirty-five!” called the auctioneer, red in the face, but preserving his gravity. “Thirty-five!”
“Forty!” cried Dick.