“Six dollars! Six, six.”
“Ten dollars!” from a bystander.
“Twenty dollars!” shouted the factor.
“Twenty dollars. Come, bid up. Only twenty, twenty, twenty, twenty. Who goes beyond twenty?”
“Twenty-five!” shouted the bystander.
“Thirty dollars! He is worth more, but he is a devil. I can see that by his eye.”
“Thirty, thirty, thirty, thirty. Bid up. Only thirty! He is worth more. Bid up, Arabs. Thirty, thirty, thirty. Going,—going,—going,—gone!” and the auctioneer nodded to the factor.
The factor walked up, counted thirty dollars in American gold to the auctioneer, who laughed as he put the money in his pouch, and said:
“My friend, this slave will murder thee the first time he catches thee asleep. Be wary of him; I should hate to hear some morning that thy throat is cut from ear to ear.” ear.
“Fear not for me, my friend. I have seen worse than he is tamed. Release his neck from the chain. Let go his hands.”