f the lake.

"Sixty-five from the gentleman in the white straw hat!" called Mr. Wood
with a smile at his wit, for there were many men wearing white straw
hats, the day being a warm one in June.

"Here, who's bidding above me?" exclaimed Andy, as if it was against
the law.

"I guess you'll find a number going ahead of you, my young friend,"
remarked the auctioneer. "Will you have the goodness not to interrupt
me, except when you want to bid?"

"Well, I offered sixty," said the squint-eyed bully, while his crony,
Sam Snedecker, was vainly, pulling at his sleeve.

"I know you did, and this gentleman went above you. If you want to bid
more you can do so. I'm offered sixty-five, sixty-five I'm offered for
this boat. Will any one make it seventy-five?"

Mr. Wood looked at Tom, and our hero, thinking it was time for him to
make a bid, offered seventy. "Seventy from Tom Swift!" cried the
auctioneer. "There is a lad who knows a motor-boat from stem to stern,
if those are the right words. I don't know much about boats except what
I'm told, but Tom Swift does. Now, if he bids, you people ought to know
that it's all right. I'm bid seventy--seventy I'm bid. Will any one
make it eighty?"

"Eighty!" exclaimed Andy Foger after a whispered conference with Sam.
"I know as much about boats as Tom Swift. I'll make it eighty."

"No side remarks. I'll do most of the talking. You just bid, young
man," remarked Mr. Wood. "I have eighty bid for this boat--eighty
dollars. Why, my friends, I can't understand this. I ought to have it
up to three hundred dollars, at least. But I thank you all the same. We
are coming on. I'm bid eighty--"

"Ninety!" exclaimed the quiet man at Tom's elbow. He was continually
fingering his upper lip, as though he had a mustache there, but his
face was clean-shaven. He looked around nervously as he spoke.

"Ninety!" called out the auctioneer.

"Ninety-five!" returned Tom. Andy Foger scowled at him, but the young
inventor only smiled. It was evident that the bully did not relish
being bid against. He and his crony whispered together again.

"One hundred!" called Andy, as if no one would dare go above that.

"I'm offered an even hundred," resumed Mr. Wood. "We are certainly
coming on. A hundred I am bid, a hundred--a hundred--a hundred--"

"And five," said the strange man hastily, and he seemed to choke as he
uttered the words.

"Oh, come now; we ought to have at least ten-dollar bids from