the
folks appeared to need, and they sold readily, much to the disgust of
one of the proprietors of the regular stores, who came over to see
what was going on.

"Humph! it's only a boy!" he muttered, but loud enough for all to
hear. "What does he know about the goods he is selling? Like as not
they are second-handed, and all shop-worn."

"These goods are strictly new, and of the latest designs," called out
Matt, looking squarely at the man. "They are direct from New York, and
I venture to say cannot be duplicated in High Bridge at the price at
which I am knocking them down for. Now, ladies and gentlemen, what am
I offered for this elegant family album, bound in plush, with
sliver-plated clasps?"

"One dollar!" called a rustic, standing close at hand.

"A dollar and a quarter!" shouted a farmer near the door.

"See here, Podders, you ought to buy your things of me," whispered the
keeper of the general store to the latter bidder. "I trust you till
the money for crops comes in."

"So you do--and I pay you for the accommodation, too," retorted the
farmer.

"I can sell you an album for half the money he'll charge you."

"I don't know about that," returned the farmer, with a shake of his
head.

"Yes, I can. Come on over to the store and see."

"I want to watch this sale first."

By this time another person had offered a dollar and a half for the
album, and Matt was hard at work trying to get a raise on this figure.
But he overheard the store-keeper's words, and his face flushed with
indignation. He stopped short, and pointed directly at the man.

"Will you please come forward a moment?" he asked, in a loud and clear
tone.

"What--what's that?" stammered the store-keeper, taken by surprise.

"I asked you if you would please come forward."

"What for?"

"I wish to ask you what right you have to come in here and endeavor to
take away my possible customers?"

"Why, you--I ain't taken any one away."

"But you were just trying to induce that man to leave--told him you
could sell him an album for half the money I would charge."

"What if I did--I can, too."

"I doubt it. If you could, folks would not flock to such an
auction-sale as this. They come here because they can get things
cheap--because they are not overcharged, as they are in some
places--because they are told the truth about goods--because they like
to see a boy get along in spite of what some mean man may do to take
away his business--because