The countryman made a careful examination of the blade, and finally agreed to take it.
“I’ll send my son Tom around for an accordion,” he said, before leaving. “He’s dead stuck on music, Tom is.”
“Thank you, we shall be pleased to see him,” returned Matt politely, and the old countryman went off much pleased over the way he had been treated.
At a word from Andy, Matt brought the entire board of knives out so that all might examine them.
“Seventy-five cents was the auction price,” he explained. “So any one can step up and take his or her choice for that amount. They are well worth your inspection. Any of the knives will stick, but you can’t get stuck on a single one of them.”
This little joke made the crowd laugh, and a dozen or more pressed forward to look at the knives. 106 One young man bought a pearl-handled article, and a young lady bought one which contained a lead pencil and a button-hook.
While Matt was making these sales Andy was busy showing off the merits of several articles of bric-a-brac which a bevy of ladies were admiring. He told them how he had obtained them at a sacrifice sale, and was thus enabled to sell them quite reasonable. The lady who led the party did not wish to bid on the articles at auction, so Andy very obligingly set a figure, and after some little haggling, the lady took three dollars’ worth of goods, to be delivered at her house on the outskirts of the city.
By this time both of the young auctioneers were certain that they were going to have a good day’s sales.
“That circus has brought the people out,” whispered Andy to Matt. “We were very fortunate to strike here when we did. We must make the most of the day.”
“What shall I try next?” asked Matt. “I have sold four of the knives.”