"That is fair!" cried all.
"This is all nonsense," said the squire. "Those of you who choose may believe this boy; I don't."
"Going at twenty-five hundred!" said the auctioneer.
"Twenty-five hundred and fifty!" said the squire, adding, "I make the bid on the terms proposed by the boy."
"Twenty-eight hundred!" said Tom.
"And fifty!" bid the squire.
"Three thousand!" instantly came from Tom.
No one was more surprised than Tom's own family at this unexpected scene. He had not dropped a hint as to his intentions, choosing to take all by surprise. Mark Nelson was perplexed. Though he had great confidence in Tom, he feared that he could not make good his bold bids.
At length the farm was knocked down to our hero at three thousand five hundred dollars.
"Now," said the squire, angrily, "I demand that this farce come to an end. I believe the bidding of this boy to be a premeditated swindle. If so, I will do my best to have him punished."