alk. He made no wild statements, but in an earnest
manner told what they had to sell, and asked those around him to
examine the goods carefully.

"That fellow next door said to beware of rival concerns," remarked a
man in the crowd slyly, and several smiled at the words.

"Well, I take it that people are bright enough to know what they are
doing," returned Matt. "We are too busy to talk about our neighbors.
We are here to show what we have and sell goods--if we can. We do not
misrepresent, and if any one is dissatisfied with his purchase he can
return it and get his money back. Isn't that fair enough?"

"I reckon it is."

"We carry a large stock, as you can see, and we sell everything for
what it is."

"Let me see those spoons, will you?" questioned a man standing beside
the one talking to Matt.

"Certainly, sir," and the young auctioneer handed over several
samples.

"Are these triple plated?"

"No, sir; they are single plated, on white metal."

"Then they are just as good as triple plated?"

"Almost as good, for ordinary wear. Here are some that are triple
plated."

"I know they are."

"Oh, you do."

"Yes, I know all about spoons, for I used to be in the plating
business. I only asked to see what you would say. That man next door
tried to sell my friend some single plated ones for triple plated. I
brought him in here to see what you had to say about your stock."

"Well, I have not misrepresented, have I?"

"No; you have told the exact truth. John, if you want any spoons, you
might as well buy them here, for I see they are put at a very
reasonable figure."

Upon this, the man who had first spoken began to pick out some of the
goods. What his friend had said had been heard by the crowd, who now
began to feel more like trusting in what the young auctioneers might
have to say.

Matt sold the spoons, and in the meantime Andy put up a number of
other articles at auction, and sold them at fairly good prices.

They managed to keep busy until two o'clock in the afternoon, when
trade fell off once more. Seeing this, Andy prepared to go out to
dinner. He had just put on his hat when Gissem, the rival auctioneer,
rushed in.

"See here, I want to talk to you two fellows!" he blustered.

"Well, what is it?" questioned Matt, as coolly as he could.

"You've been telling people I tried to stick a man on a lot of
tin-plated spoons, saying they were solid silver."

"Who said so?"

"Never mind who said so