ts of sleep, "I rather think
I shall be toddling along. What was it you came to get?"

"It's rather difficult to describe. It's a rummy-looking sort of
what-not, made of china or something. I call it Pongo. At least, this
one isn't Pongo, don't you know--it's his little brother, but presumably
equally foul in every respect. It's all rather complicated, I know,
but--hallo!" He pointed excitedly. "By Jove! We're off! There it is!
Look! Willie's unleasing it now!"

Willie, who had disappeared through the gold curtain, had now returned,
and was placing on a pedestal a small china figure of delicate
workmanship. It was the figure of a warrior in a suit of armour
advancing with raised spear upon an adversary. A thrill permeated
Archie's frame. Parker had not been mistaken. This was undoubtedly the
companion-figure to the redoubtable Pongo. The two were identical. Even
from where he sat Archie could detect on the features of the figure on
the pedestal the same expression of insufferable complacency which had
alienated his sympathies from the original Pongo.

The high-priest, undaunted by previous rebuffs, regarded the figure
with a gloating enthusiasm wholly unshared by the congregation, who were
plainly looking upon Pongo's little brother as just another of those
things.

"This," he said, with a shake in his voice, "is something very special.
China figure, said to date back to the Ming Dynasty. Unique. Nothing
like it on either side of the Atlantic. If I were selling this at
Christie's in London, where people," he said, nastily, "have an educated
appreciation of the beautiful, the rare, and the exquisite, I should
start the bidding at a thousand dollars. This afternoon's experience has
taught me that that might possibly be too high." His pince-nez sparkled
militantly, as he gazed upon the stolid throng. "Will anyone offer me a
dollar for this unique figure?"

"Leap at it, old top," said Reggie van Tuyl. "Twiddle, dear boy,
twiddle! A dollar's reasonable."

Archie twiddled.

"One dollar I am offered," said the high-priest, bitterly. "One
gentleman here is not afraid to take a chance. One gentleman here knows
a good thing when he sees one." He abandoned the gently sarcastic manner
for one of crisp and direct reproach. "Come, come, gentlemen, we are not
here to waste time. Will anyone offer me one hundred dollars for
this superb piece of--" He broke off, and seemed for a moment almost
unnerved. He stared at someone in o