The stripling, however, disclaimed the soft impeachment, and looked very guilty as he did so.
“Well, there seems no help for it. I wish I were down among you gentlemen. I’d take good care not to lose this chance.”
No answer.
“Then I must knock it down. Going, going, gone, sir; it’s yours, and dirt cheap, too.”
All this was encouraging for me. If a seven-guinea watch goes for four pounds, for how much will a three-guinea one go?
This was a problem which I feebly endeavoured to solve as I lay waiting my turn.
It came at last. I felt myself lifted on high, and heard my merits pronounced in the words of the catalogue.
“Lot 68. London made, lever, open-face watch, capped and jewelled, in very fine order.”
“Look for yourselves, gentlemen.”
The gentlemen did look for themselves, and complimented me by a preliminary bid of 15 shillings.